The woman nodded. “I’m Chief Hayden. We’re a small force, but I assure you we’ll get to the bottom of this. In the meantime, I’m happy to secure your bag in the trunk of my car. And if you two can have a seat while we take a look inside?” As she spoke, Officer Gant stepped forward and scooped Lucy’s bag from the ground. Megan glanced at her mom but then realized the two officers didn’t want to leave an unsecured weapon at their backs while they went inside.
The chief opened the rear door of the patrol car in a clear invitation. Lucy simply smiled. Ignoring the chief, she took Megan’s hand and led her away from the cars to a small tiled table on the other side of the drive beside the wall separating the mansion from the hotel. Lucy took the seat where her back was to the wall, allowing her an excellent view of both the drive and the front door of the house.
The corners of Chief Hayden’s mouth rose as she raised an eyebrow at Lucy. Megan had done a science project last year analyzing political commercials and she recognized the same fake smile politicians specialized in. Lucy stretched her legs out as if she was settling in and getting comfy, waiting for happy hour.
“Mom,” Megan said once the two police officers disappeared into the house, Officer Gant with his gun drawn, the chief following him. “No one seems to care about Mateo.”
“It’s not that,” Lucy said. “It’s a small town with a small force—they aren’t used to this kind of crime. I’m guessing this Pastor Fleming probably carries some clout as well. They’ll be calling him next, I’m sure.”
“What about Mateo?” Megan insisted.
Lucy pursed her lips, considering. “Town this size, tourist season not officially begun, Hayden probably only has six or seven full-time officers. I doubt if she has a detective, definitely no forensic unit. Which means sheriff’s department for investigation support and the state lab for crime scene processing.”
“We don’t have time for all that,” Megan pleaded. She really didn’t care about local politics. She only cared about Mateo. “Shouldn’t they be calling for a search party, dogs, a helicopter?”
“Honey, I know you’re worried. But these guys are doing all the right things—even if they’re moving slower than you and I would like. Look around—no bloodstains outside the house, so he didn’t leave on foot. Nothing between the front door and the drive, so if he went in a car, he wasn’t bleeding so badly that he left a trail. And I didn’t see any footprints in the blood inside the house.”
Megan tried to put the pieces together. “You don’t think that’s Mateo’s blood, do you?”
“No. But if Mateo came and saw it—”
“Then where is he?” Her voice tightened with fear. “What if he interrupted a killer? Maybe he’s been kidnapped.” She turned her face away, pretended to be admiring the delicate jasmine growing along the wall. Mateo’s work. Could he be hurt? Or worse?
How the hell did her mom keep her personal feelings out of a case? Because Megan had to fight her tears and even more, the panic that threatened to swamp her at the thought of Mateo lying somewhere, injured, maybe dying, while she was stuck here, powerless to help him.
Lucy wordlessly gathered Megan into her arms. She didn’t make any empty promises like telling Megan that everything would be all right—her mom never made promises she couldn’t keep, which sometimes was irritating as hell. But right now what Megan needed wasn’t promises, but something more. Something she trusted only her mother to give her.
“Find him,” she told Lucy as she choked back tears. “Please, Mom. You’ve got to help Mateo.”
Before Lucy could answer, a silver Jaguar pulled up behind the two police cars. A blonde got out, her dress the same color as the sky. She jogged up the drive, her heels slowing her down, a frown creasing her forehead and one hand pressed against her mouth. She pushed through the gate and spotted Lucy and Megan.
“Who are you? Why are the police here? Where’s my husband?” The rushed questions came in a thick Southern accent that had Megan struggling to translate.
The woman aimed for the front door. Lucy stood and called out, “Ma’am—”
Too late, the woman was through the door. A moment later the screaming began.
Chapter 6
Megan had been involved in crimes before—for some reason the psychopaths her mom hunted seemed to take their impending capture personally, and twice now had targeted Lucy’s family. But she’d never experienced the frustration of watching and waiting like she was now. Everyone was moving so slowly! Didn’t they understand Mateo’s life was at risk?
Chief Hayden escorted Pastor Fleming’s distraught wife from the house, one arm wrapped around the woman’s shoulders, heads bowed together as the chief consoled her. Lucy got up and offered her seat at the table. The chief smiled her thanks.