Total pages in book: 114
Estimated words: 108849 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 544(@200wpm)___ 435(@250wpm)___ 363(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 108849 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 544(@200wpm)___ 435(@250wpm)___ 363(@300wpm)
Deidre took a big gulp of her wine. “I believe that’s bribery.”
“It’s on me, and I already prepaid. The spa does not offer refunds.”
Deidre’s mouth opened. “Laurel Snow, that is blackmail.”
Laurel accepted the label without hesitation. “Guilty of blackmail and bribery in one night. That’s a new one for me.”
“That’s a new one for me, too.” Deidre pushed away from the table and stood. “I have to pack.”
“I am happy to help, and I already contacted Dolores. A car service will collect her and then arrive here tomorrow morning at five o’clock.”
Deidre threw both hands up. “Five in the morning? Laurel, I can’t possibly—”
“Yes, you can. I already talked to your employees. Sally and June are more than happy to take over. They were planning to do it in two weeks anyway, so we’re just starting a bit earlier.”
Deidre put both hands on her trim hips. “What did you bribe them with?”
Laurel blanched. “Thousand-dollar bonuses each week.”
Deidre shook her head. “I taught you too well.”
Laurel warmed. “That’s kind of you to say. I can afford it, Mom, and having you out of town eases my mind while I work these cases.”
“That does matter to me.” Deidre leaned in and kissed her forehead. “Although you have to promise me you’ll be safe.”
“I promise. I’ve been trained by the best.”
Deidre leaned back. “Come help me pack. Are you sure you can solve these cases in two weeks? Because I’m not moving abroad.”
“Absolutely. By the time you get home, it will be safe for you. I promise,” Laurel said, ignoring the ball of dread in her stomach.
She had to find this killer.
* * *
After helping her mother pack, Laurel snuggled down in bed, her body exhausted and her mind spinning. Fred curled into her side, sleeping contentedly. Laurel normally had more control over herself than this, but the two cases weighed heavily on her. There was no doubt there would be another victim soon if she didn’t find the river killer, and probably yet another victim if she didn’t find Jason Abbott. Unless the cases were one and the same, which was entirely possible. Her phone buzzed and she pulled it from the table. “Agent Snow.”
“Hey, it’s Huck.” His low voice rumbled over the line.
She burrowed deeper into the blankets. “What are you doing calling me at this hour?”
“We had a sighting of Jason Abbott about a half an hour ago.”
She sat up in bed. “Where?”
“I already checked it out. He wasn’t there, and I have Fish and Wildlife officers as well as Genesis Valley police officers canvassing the entire area. Do not get out of bed. You need sleep.”
She thought through her options and couldn’t find a way to help with any such search. “Tell me about the sighting.” She lay back down, pulling the covers up to ward off the chilly night.
“Abbott broke into a mom-and-pop convenience store a block away from the Center Diner.”
She thought about the area. “I’ve been in there. I stopped for a slushie one day.”
“You bought a slushie?”
“Yes. The purple ones are delicious. Do you have him on camera?”
Huck whistled, no doubt for his dog. “We do. I have the CCTV feed right now. We can look it over tomorrow, but basically he broke into a back door and stole a bunch of food.”
“How did he look?”
“Fine. He was wearing black jeans, a dark sweatshirt, and a hat, but it’s undeniably him—with a newly shaved jaw.”
Her heart beat faster. “Did he look at the camera?”
Aeneas barked in the background. “I already fed you,” Huck called out. “Laurel’s not coming here tonight. Relax. The dog’s looking for you.”
She blinked into the darkness. “I doubt that’s what he’s barking about.”
“You’d be surprised. He’s really cranky when you’re not around,” Huck said as clothing rustled. “So am I.”
She missed them both. “When I met you, your default setting was grumpy.”
He chuckled. “I think that’s fair to say, and I like the phraseology.”
“Me, too,” she said. “I heard it from Nester last week. Back to the case. So, Jason Abbott looked healthy but hungry. What did he steal?”
“He hit the cash register, which held about five hundred dollars, and then took food and water. He was wearing a backpack, and he filled it.”
“He doesn’t care that we saw him,” Laurel mused. The man had narcissistic personality disorder, most likely. That made sense with what she knew about Jason Abbott. “We’re still waiting on the results from dumping Haylee Johnson’s phone. I wish we could obtain a tap on Abigail’s phone. I know he’ll reach out to her.”
“Do we have enough for a warrant?”
She thought through all the facts she could accurately attest to in an affidavit. “We do not for Abigail, unfortunately. I could reach out and ask her.”
“I wouldn’t,” Huck said. “She’ll just play a game with you. You won’t know if she’s telling the truth or not.”