High Stakes Gamble

Chapter Thirty-Five

Hours later, the three anxious detectives still continued to pore over every bit of evidence at their disposal. Kai understood one thing. Whether the information sounded sane or not, at this point, it all needed to be traced. There were officers sent all over the city following up any and all leads that came in, no matter how far-fetched. Unfortunately, nothing significant had surfaced.

Aurora had begun to stew over Facebook and other media chatter where every kind of weirdo had something to add that was no help at all but still couldn’t be ignored. She’d found a strange site and had gone to follow up with Ray.

Soon as she’d exited and the door had closed behind her, Ham stretched his large frame and pushed his chair away from the stack of paperwork he’d been hovered over.

“Go figure, we’ve got a wacky genius on our hands,” he said to no one in particular. “It’s hard enough to profile a kidnapper’s intentions. At least we can follow the money. But a heartbroken mother who’s decided to replace her dead baby? That’s another matter altogether.”

Kai leaned back for a breather and rubbed his eyes, feeling the strain now that he’d stopped reading. Going over every phone call made from Lelonde’s house since Jane had returned from the hospital had been done already, but for some reason, he hoped they’d missed a clue.

All of them were banging their heads against a blank wall when it came to following Jane Lelonde’s trail. It was like the crazy broad had disappeared off the face of the earth.

They prayed she hadn’t left the city, and going by her husband’s testimony, it was the one good bit of news he’d given them. Seems his wife had a fear of leaving the place where she’d been born. It happened to be one of the reasons they hadn’t done much travelling.

Thinking out loud, Kai said, “She’s somewhere in Vegas. We know that much. If we keep the heat on, she’ll surface sooner or later.”

Just then Aurora’s phone rang and Kai grabbed it. “Aurora’s answering service… what’s up?”

“Who the hell is this?” a brash male voice answered.

Kai bristled but kept his cool. “Detective Lawson. How can I help you?”

“Oh, you really don’t want me to answer that you slimy bastard. What’re you doing back in town? Here to break her heart again?”

Bile rose in Kai’s stomach, acidy and uncomfortable. He stood and swallowed the sarcastic retort that burned his throat. Instead he answered, “Not this time. I’m here to stay as long as she’ll have me. Now what the hell do you want, Eddie?” Obviously her snitch from last year had taken a liking to his sponsor.

Silence reigned for ten long seconds until finally, Eddie answered.” Okay, here it is. I don’t know whether this will lead anywhere but Aurora said not to ignore anything so—”

“Spit it out.” Kai had no patience for the platitudes.

“Last couple of nights at Big Mike’s, an old lady nutcase has been drinking herself silly and spouting off about how some women make terrible mistakes mothering their kids. At first I didn’t pay any attention, but last night she called the woman she’s being spying on a redhead and—”

“Where are you?” Kai tried to kill any excitement in his voice so as not to arouse Ham’s attention. False expectations had already done a number on them and he couldn’t bear to hurt the rest of the team again.

As he nonchalantly lowered the receiver, he turned to see Ham’s inquisitive, no-nonsense stare and knew he couldn’t fool the incorrigible Irishman. Not for a second.

“Okay here’s the story. Freddie says some crazy drunk has been blathering in the bar about terrible mothers. Says her name’s Matilda.”

Ham shook his head and settled back into a slouch. “That old hag is a menace—worse peeping tom in the city. Always calling in about what she sees from the windows of her high-rise. More’n likely she sleeps in a doorway and has an active imagination.”

“Yeah, pretty well what he said. Guess I’ll go check it out. I need to get some fresh air anyway.”

“Good idea! Have something to eat while you’re at it. You look like a mouse fart could blow you over.”

“Thanks, I love you too. Call me if something breaks.”

“You got it. And Kai, for whatever it’s worth, I’m glad you’re here, man. I see the glow in our girl hiding behind her heartbreak and I have no doubt it’s what’s keeping her sane. Just saying…”

Too touched to take a chance on speaking, Kai only nodded. He bit down to stop the tell-tale tremble attacking his lower lip then risked a smile and left.