Flashback, p.10
Flashback, page 10
“Really?” Kendra said.
“Yes. Which is strange, because along with Paula Chase, he was lead investigator.”
“Maybe he didn’t cooperate with the Morgan sisters,” Lynch said.
“But he did. In the section summaries, he appears a lot. There are recent quotes and information only he could have provided. I think he must have had a file devoted to him, and it was recently removed. Did you find a file like that in Paula Chase’s house or in either of the Morgan sisters’ homes?”
“No,” Kendra replied. “And not in their cars or anywhere else.”
Olivia shrugged. “It seems like it should be there.”
“I agree. Wow. Good work, Olivia.”
“Thanks. I’ll keep listening to the files when I’m running or taking an Uber somewhere. I’ll let you know if anything else jumps out at me.” Olivia hugged her. “I’ll see you tomorrow.” Then she left the condo.
Kendra turned toward Lynch. “That was fantastic. I didn’t even catch that.”
“Neither did I. Not much gets by her. Something we should definitely keep in mind.”
Kendra plopped down on the sofa. “So… I have a feeling I missed something while I was out of the room.”
“Yes. Unlike you, she was very angry with me for not showing up on the scene sooner. I had to apologize to her. She considered it an act of betrayal.”
“It was none of her business,” Kendra said. “You’d think she’d listen when I try to explain our relationship.”
Lynch shook his head. “She cares about you. And I totally understand her attitude. It was the one thing about which we were in complete agreement. No, there was one other thing. She told me that she thought you were ready to ease off and give me a break and let me help you find those two women. Is that true?”
Kendra didn’t speak for a moment. “It might be.”
He shook his head. “That’s not good enough, Kendra. I have to be in all the way. I’m not going to put up with the thought of letting some lowlife beat you up because I’m not around to stop it. Screw your independence. We’ll work something out.”
“Not with an attitude like that.” She started to turn away.
He whirled her back toward him. “We’ll work something out,” he repeated. “Unless you want it all to come to an end. Do you?”
She could feel the tears sting her eyes as she looked up at him. Dear God, she loved him. “I didn’t say that.”
“Then tell me we’ll work it out,” he said softly. “I’m not going to be unreasonable. I realize how lucky I am to have you. Let’s just go out on the terrace and let me hold you for a little while and talk about plans and how we’re going to go after those bastards and find those two women. All I want to do is help. Okay?” His arm slid around her waist and he was leading her toward the French doors.
“You never want to just help,” Kendra said. “You tend to take over.”
“I suppose I do, but it’s probably because I grew up an orphan, working in Hell’s Kitchen, and developed a passion for order. I learned very young that you eat more and considerably better if you have organization on your side.”
Kendra nodded. “Though I imagine it also helped you in getting your own way.”
“True. But I always work hard at making certain you’re happy, don’t I? I never leave you out in the cold?”
She shook her head. “I have to admit, there’s nothing cold about you, Lynch.”
His eyes narrowed on her expression. “But is there an implied but in that sentence?”
“Perhaps,” Kendra said slowly. “No one can be more charming or entertaining and the sex is wonderful, but you’re so many-faceted that sometimes I’m not sure I really know you. You just told me about growing up an orphan in New York, but I don’t remember you mentioning it before. I know you’re a great cook. Is Hell’s Kitchen where you learned it? What else don’t I know about you, Lynch?”
“Probably a good many things, but it’s not because I’m intentionally keeping secrets from you. Ask me and I’ll tell you anything you’re interested in knowing. I’ve just never been generous about sharing the more seamy side of my life with you. Some of it’s not been easy or pretty. But I’ll even go down that road if you choose.”
“I don’t choose,” she said jerkily. “I don’t have the right. Forget I asked.”
He chuckled. “And now you’re feeling guilty? I don’t care, Kendra. If you want to explore, step into my world. Just don’t go too deep. I don’t want to have to dive after you.”
“You won’t,” Kendra said. “But now you know how I felt when you were running around thousands of miles away, possibly getting shot at, and there was nothing I could do to help.”
“Yes, I know how you must have felt,” he said quietly. He was no longer smiling. “My worst nightmare.”
But she was no longer wanting to think of nightmares. She wanted to take a step forward where hopefully no nightmares existed. “But I should have been grateful that you wanted to be there for me this time. Because it’s not only me that you’re helping now.” She suddenly turned and gave him a swift, hard kiss. “I am grateful. I wasn’t at all gracious. Please forgive me. I won’t be that way again.”
“You probably will.” He was laughing as he gave her an affectionate hug. “But I’m just happy that you decided to be gracious this time. I’m sure the occasions will be few and far between.”
Her lips were suddenly twitching. “And that was bordering on rudeness, Lynch. I didn’t deserve it since I was being exceptionally polite at the moment.”
“Then I’d better make amends very swiftly,” Lynch said. “Any suggestions?”
“Maybe,” Kendra said. “And if those sisters are still alive, I might have found a way to help them.”
His eyes narrowed. “What are you up to, Kendra?”
“It’s a big if, I know. But I have to try.”
“We have to try.”
She turned to face him. “Yeah?”
“I’m in this with you to the end.” His hand tightened on her waist. “I thought I made that very clear. Now what’s your play?”
She drew a deep breath. “Detective Perry has the Morgan sisters’ files spread out over a conference room at police headquarters. It was interesting seeing them that way. Chloe and Sloane were excited about something they found in the last month, just around the time they started re-interviewing witnesses.”
“Interesting. Was there anything special in those new interviews?”
“Not really. But seeing everything reminded me of what Olivia noticed… about how there was no file for Detective Williams, even though new material from him appears elsewhere.”
“Right, so he’s obviously still alive.”
“I looked him up. He retired from the force four years ago, but he’s still local. I believe I should talk to him.”
“When?”
Kendra felt the excitement begin to soar. They were together again. It was going to happen. This was how it was supposed to be. “How about right now?”
Lynch nodded. “Let’s do it.” He was already heading for the front door. “I’ll drive.”
“I’d forgotten how ridiculous this car is, Lynch.” His new Lamborghini was attracting more than its share of attention in Williams’ middle-class suburban street.
He smiled. “There’s nothing ridiculous about pure automotive perfection.”
“I think a guy back there gave your car an actual catcall.”
“Maybe he just saw you.”
“He was screaming something about ‘sexy wheels.’”
“Not the first time that’s happened. The man probably couldn’t help himself. And who could blame him, really?”
“I definitely could.”
“Aw, come on. I caught you giving an admiring glance or two when we climbed inside.”
“We’ve discussed this before…”
“And we will again, if you keep dissing my ride.”
“Far be it from me.”
They rolled to a stop in front of a one-story Spanish bungalow at the end of the street. The yard, obviously designed with an eye toward water conservation, was tastefully landscaped with rocks and desert plants. Kendra and Lynch walked to the front door and rang the bell. A trim, handsome African American man in his sixties answered.
“Todd Williams?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“My name is Kendra Michaels. I’ve been helping out with the Morgan sisters’ disappearance case. I was brought in by Paula Chase.”
Williams winced at the mention of Paula’s name.
“I know who you are, Dr. Michaels. Paula told me she would be talking to you. Please come in.” Williams opened the door wide for them to enter. “We can talk out back.”
As they walked through his living room, Kendra took notice of several hand-painted portraits, most picturing different dogs. “Did you do these?”
“As a matter of fact, I did.”
“You’re very talented.”
“Well, I have to admit I had some help.” Williams smiled. “You can send a photograph to companies out there, and they’ll send back a paint-by-number set. These are pets we’ve had over the years. My friends want me to try doing it freehand, but I haven’t found the courage yet. Maybe someday.”
He led them out a sliding back door to a table next to a small swimming pool. They sat down, and Williams gestured toward Lynch. “And you are…?”
“Adam Lynch. Former FBI. I’ve been working freelance for a few years now.”
Williams gave a low whistle. “I’ve heard of you, too.”
“Really? I’m quite sure your former partner didn’t mention me.”
“No, but a lot of other law-enforcement officers have. You have quite a reputation, Lynch. You move in very unique and specialized areas. I’m impressed by what I’ve heard.”
“Good things, I hope.”
“It depends on who you ask. Not many local FBI agents leave the Bureau and become black ops agents-for-hire for the DOJ.”
Lynch shrugged. “Just one of my employers. I’m kept fairly busy.”
Williams regarded him for a long moment. “I’m sure you have some interesting stories to tell, Mr. Lynch.”
“Some interesting, some not so interesting. I guess it’s like being a cop.”
“Indeed.” Williams sat back in his patio chair. “Now, what can I help you with?”
“Well, as you may know,” Kendra began, “I met with Paula Chase on the last day of her life. She was extremely concerned about Chloe and Sloane.”
“We all are,” Williams said. “Paula and I knew them since they were children. We were with them the day we found their mother’s corpse near that hiking trail. It isn’t something you easily forget.”
“You and Paula stayed in touch with them over the years?”
“On and off. They’ve been kind enough to invite us to some of their big events. High school and college graduations, that sort of thing.”
“They reached out to you several times, isn’t that right? That’s unusual.”
“Very. But those are two extraordinary young women. Most families of murder victims retreat into their grief and just learn to live with it. Not Chloe and Sloane. I’m sure you’ve seen the lengths to which they’ve gone to investigate their mother’s murder over the years.”
“Of course. Did you ever do anything to discourage that?”
“Absolutely not. It’s how they chose to deal with it. I’ve met the families of many murder victims in my career, and everyone deals with these things in their own way. If this helped them feel that they had some control over their world, who was I to take that away from them?”
“I get it,” Lynch said. “But did you ever feel that their investigation might put their lives in danger?”
“Never.” Williams seemed annoyed by the suggestion. “If I believed that, I never would have encouraged them. I know Paula felt the same way.”
Kendra leaned forward. “Paula was trying to figure out what they were doing in these last few weeks. She didn’t have much luck. Did she talk about it with you?”
“Only after they disappeared. Chloe and Sloane were in the process of re-interviewing witnesses, and somewhere in that process, they apparently found out something that put their investigation on a whole new track. Paula thought I might know something about it, but I didn’t. I hadn’t seen either one of them in years.”
“Really? I would’ve thought you would be one of the first people they re-interviewed,” Kendra said.
“We exchanged a few emails, but I honestly didn’t have anything new to give them. I’d already been in touch with Chloe and Sloane several times over the years. I just tried to be of help.”
“Was there anything about their questions, anything at all, that gave you even the slightest hint about what leads they may have been pursuing?”
Williams flashed a pained smile. “Paula asked me the same thing. I’ll tell you what I told her: I’m afraid not.”
“I can tell that Paula Chase’s death hit you hard,” Lynch said. “It hurt Kendra, too. The minute she heard, she was on her way to find out how she could help. I had to be the one to break the news to her. I’m sorry for your loss.”
“You have no idea,” Williams said. “I’m still in shock about it. She was my partner for over nine years.” Kendra could see tears welling in his eyes. “She was a better cop than I ever was.”
“Did you keep in touch with her after you retired from the force?” Kendra said.
“Not as much as we said we would, but I guess that’s normal. I retired first, and she left a couple of years later.”
“Any theories at all about what happened to her?” Kendra asked.
He shook his head. “I leave the theorizing to the cops working her case. But of course, it’s suspicious that this happened just as she was investigating this old case of ours. Yet I don’t know what to think.”
“One more question,” Kendra said. “And I know this is going to sound strange. Did Chloe and Sloane say anything to you about ‘the bomb place’?”
He cocked his head as if he may have heard her incorrectly. “I beg your pardon?”
Kendra repeated herself. “The bomb place.”
“That’s what I thought you said. No, they didn’t mention anything like that. Really? ‘The bomb place’? I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“Neither do I,” Kendra said. “I have no idea what it means. Or if it even means anything at all. It just came up during the investigation.”
Williams shrugged. “Sorry.”
Kendra stood, and the others followed her lead. “Thank you for your time, Detective. I appreciate it.”
He smiled and shook her hand. “I’m not a detective anymore. I’m just Todd. If there’s anything I can do to help bring Chloe and Sloane home, please let me know.”
Kendra and Lynch didn’t speak until they were back in the car and pulling away from Williams’ house.
“Chloe and Sloane did communicate with him in the last few weeks,” Kendra said. “But there’s no written report. All the others they did were in their file. Why not his report?”
“I have no idea,” Lynch said. He was silent a moment. “Also, he seemed slightly suspicious of my government work.”
Kendra shot him a glance. “Half the world has probably heard about the way you’re hired to bring down governments. That might be entirely justified. I certainly wouldn’t fault him for that.”
“Hmm. I’m not sure what to think of that.”
“Let me ask you this: Did you kill anyone this week?”
“Kill?” He pretended to think about it for a moment. “No.”
“Did anyone try to kill you?”
“Well… Yes.”
“I thought so. I was certain that was going on during one of our calls. Considering… Then it might be wise to drop the subject.”
Evidently Lynch wasn’t quite ready to let the subject go yet. “They don’t appear to understand my methods. By all means, though, let’s move on, shall we?”
“Let’s do,” she agreed quickly. “It’s been a couple of days since I checked in with the police and I have a few questions I want to ask them. Wanna go downtown?”
“If you like. But as I said, sometimes I have difficulty with the locals.”
“Gee. And you wonder why an ex-cop might give off negative vibes toward you?”
“Good point.” He asked solemnly, “Then do you suppose I should look at this as my opportunity to mend a few fences?”
She could tell he was teasing her. But she was enjoying it, so what the hell? “Let’s not get carried away. I’d consider it a success if you just managed not to step on any toes.”
Lynch grinned. “Then suppose we see where the day takes us.”
Detective Perry had only three words for Kendra and Lynch when he approached them in the headquarters’ fourth-floor lobby.
“The bomb place?”
“I see you’ve spoken to Charlie Davenport.”
Perry nodded. “You put the fear of God into him. I think he broke a land speed record getting here after you talked to him. He told us about his affair with both Morgan sisters, and his overhearing something about ‘the bomb place.’ Which is just vague enough to be almost completely worthless.”
“For now. Maybe there’s just a piece we haven’t seen yet.”
“Well, I hope you’re close to finding it, because I don’t seem to be getting closer.”
Perry looked at the name printed on Lynch’s visitor’s badge. “Mr. Lynch. I was told that Dr. Michaels’ participation in our cases occasionally brings you as part of the package. I was beginning to think that wouldn’t be the case this time.”
“I’m here mostly as an observer.” Lynch shrugged. “Kendra puts on a good show. I always enjoy it.”
“So I’ve seen.”
“So, what did you think of Charlie Davenport?” Kendra asked Perry.
“He didn’t give us any reason to disbelieve him. He seemed to genuinely care for both sisters, and his alibi checks out. The ‘bomb place’ bit he overheard sounded a bit wonky, but he was helpful in another way.”
