‘Thanks,’ Adam said, going back to stare at the photos on the board. ‘So according to some of the men on campus, Linnie is a working girl and according to Mrs Voss, at least Jolee’s car was at Broderick Voss’s house the night Candace followed it back to campus, even if Jolee herself wasn’t there. Bruiser trusts Jolee enough to take her with him to get the SUV used in a murder hours before. So let’s assume Jolee and Linnie work in the same ring. And that Bruiser is also involved. Maybe even the guy who pulled the trigger on Andy.’
‘That’s sounds fair,’ Hanson said. ‘So then, how is Andy Gold connected to Meredith Fallon? Or was he merely a pawn because he was friends with Linnie?’
‘I’m thinking he was a pawn. I mean, Shane was targeted because Bruiser lost track of Linnie,’ Scarlett said sadly. ‘And Tiffany was killed by association to Shane. It keeps coming back to Linnie, who’s out there somewhere on her own.’
‘Bruiser either figured Linnie would run to Shane or that Shane would know where she would hide,’ Hanson said.
‘Makes sense,’ Adam agreed, but something wasn’t right. He studied the timeline and saw the logic hole. ‘Bruiser was in Chicago when Andy Gold’s place burned down. We’re dealing with more than one person.’
‘You’re right,’ Isenberg said. ‘The suspect was in Chicago at eight thirty last night, our time, looking for Shane. He didn’t leave until at least one forty-five a.m., after he’d killed Tiffany and her mother. So who’s the other person? Voss?’
‘Maybe,’ Hanson said. ‘We’ll know once we get a search warrant for his house.’
Continuing to stare at the timeline, Adam grimaced. The restaurant hostess. Colleen Martel. Can’t believe I forgot about her. ‘Whoever killed Andy – whether it was Bruiser, Voss or whoever – had to have known that Meredith would be taking Mallory to Buon Cibo yesterday afternoon. We know a man called the restaurant hostess on her cell phone and asked her to seat Meredith at that specific table, but we still don’t know who that was.’
‘Did any of the girls at Mariposa know where Meredith and Mallory were going?’ Scarlett asked.
Adam shook his head. ‘I talked to Trip right before we left the condo. He’s been at Mariposa House all afternoon talking to the girls and they all told him no. Mallory didn’t know the name of the place until she and Meredith arrived. So it comes back to Meredith.’
‘And Voss,’ Hanson said. ‘We can see if the hostess recognizes his voice once we pick him up. We need that warrant, Lieutenant.’
Isenberg’s reply was cut off when the briefing room door swung open. Adam gaped at his cousin Dani who stood in the doorway, uncharacteristically upset. Adam slowly capped the marker he’d been using and warily approached her. ‘Dani? What’s wrong?’
Isenberg frowned, clearly unhappy at the interruption. ‘Dr Novak, this is not appropriate behavior. You can’t just—’
‘I’ve seen the girl you’re looking for,’ Dani interrupted.
Everyone else stood then and Isenberg’s expression smoothed. ‘Then come in, please,’ she said. ‘Close the door behind you.’
Dani obeyed and took the chair Adam offered, putting a small box on the table.
A rape kit. Adam had seen too many in his career not to recognize one on sight. ‘Is that hers?’ he asked. ‘Linnie Holmes’s?’
‘She didn’t call herself that. Her ID said Denise Johnson.’
Adam leaned against the table nearest her. ‘Relax,’ he said quietly. ‘You’re all wound up.’ And that wasn’t like her at all. ‘What happened?’
Dani drew a long breath through her nose. ‘First, why are you looking for her?’
‘She’s a person of interest,’ Isenberg said, and Dani shot her an irritated look.
‘I’m not stupid, Lieutenant. She’s a victim, but you’ve got her face plastered all over the Internet. I saw it as soon as I turned on my laptop this afternoon. So, since I called CPD about her rape kit last night, but nobody’d come to collect it, I decided to bring it myself. And because I did a rape kit and then stitched her up and found her a safe bed to sleep in, I’m invested. I need to be sure she is going to be treated properly when she’s found.’
‘Wait.’ Hanson leaned forward, his eyes lighting up. ‘You know where she is?’
Adam felt the same thrill, because this was the lead they’d been hoping for.
Dani blinked, as if just realizing he was there. ‘Oh, hi, Wyatt.’ She and Deacon had been a fixture at their baseball games, back in the day. She and Hanson had even tried dating once, long before Hanson was married, but both agreed they were better friends. She gave him a distracted smile now. ‘I didn’t see you. I’m sorry. Who’s this?’
‘I’m Detective Currie,’ Nash said with a smile. He had a way of putting people at ease that Adam had always envied. ‘I work with Hanson.’
‘Nice to meet you.’ She turned back to Adam. ‘Why do you want the girl?’
Adam sighed. ‘Dani.’
‘A-dam,’ she replied. ‘I’m serious. What’s she wanted for?’
Adam shook his head. ‘Nothing yet. She was in the SUV with the shooter yesterday. She called 911 anonymously this morning to tell us where to find the SUV, but it had already been moved.’
Dani closed her eyes. ‘I was afraid of something like that.’ She looked up, first at Adam, then at Deacon, then shook her head. ‘She came to the clinic last night.’
‘Because she’d been raped,’ Adam supplied, because Dani was not easily shaken, except today she was.
‘Brutally. It . . .’ Dani pursed her lips. ‘It wasn’t the first time.’
‘She may be involved in a prostitution ring at the college,’ Hanson said.
Dani flinched. ‘God, I hope not,’ she said fervently.
‘Because she’s HIV positive?’ Isenberg asked.
Dani covered her surprise with a slow blink. ‘I can’t—’
‘Linnie told us,’ Adam interrupted. ‘In the 911 call, so we’d be careful with the SUV.’
‘Where is she, Dani?’ Hanson asked, but gently this time.
Dani sighed again. ‘I took her to a shelter last night. Look, if she’s involved in something, I don’t think it’s voluntarily. I think she’s being coerced.’
‘Dani,’ Adam said, hunkering down so that he met her eyes, one brown and one blue. ‘She can identify the person who’s killed seven people in the last thirty-six hours and who shot up our van when we were driving here today. Meredith, her grandfather, and two innocent young men were riding in the back. Agent Troy was hit. He’s in the ER.’
Dani’s eyes widened. ‘Will he be okay?’
‘Yes, but we were lucky. Dani, honey, you know me. Know us. We’ll be careful and we will do our best to bring her in unhurt. You know that.’
Dani nodded. ‘I know. It’s just that she’s so afraid of the man who hurt her. When you go, let Scarlett lead. You guys will terrify her. Plus, they won’t let you all into the shelter. It’s supposed to be a secret shelter.’
‘We’ll be discreet,’ Adam said, trying to be patient. ‘Please, Dani?’
She blew out a breath. ‘Fine. I took her to St Ambrose’s shelter.’
‘Under my uncle Trace’s church?’ Scarlett asked, her brows shooting up. ‘You left her with seventy-year-old nuns?’
Dani frowned. ‘She’s not violent, Scarlett. She didn’t have any weapons and she was so weak from blood loss, fatigue, and hunger that she wasn’t a threat. Besides,’ she added with total seriousness, ‘Sister Angela is only sixty. And Sister Jeanette kickboxes.’
Adam heard Nash cover a laugh with a cough.
Scarlett’s lips twitched. ‘Fair enough. They are tough old birds.’
Isenberg cleared her throat. ‘Next steps, Adam?’
‘Scarlett and I will go to get Linnie,’ he said. ‘Gently,’ he added when Dani opened her mouth. ‘We’ll bring her in and Hanson and Nash can observe her in interview.’ He sped on when Hanson and Nash opened their mouths. ‘We’re not going to send a delegation. But we will take backup. How many exits out of the church?’ he asked Scarlett.
‘At least five,’ Scarlett said. ‘You need a delegation just to cover all the exits.’
‘All right,’ Adam muttered. ‘Hanson and Deacon take the back exits, but only Scarlett and I approach the door. Nash, can you stay and search for Jolee’s car?’
Nash looked up from his laptop. ‘Already on it.’
Dani stood up. ‘I’m going too.’
‘You think she’ll trust you?’ Isenberg asked incredulously.
‘No way in hell, not after you guys show up. But she’s my patient, so I’m going.’
Isenberg shook her head, displeased. ‘I can’t stop you, but stay out of their way.’