A Bad Day for Sunshine (Sunshine Vicram #1)(28)

She shook both their hands. “Nice to meet you. I’m Deputy Marshal Isabella Batista. This is my partner, Deputy Marshal Vincent Deleon. Hopefully, we’ll be out of your hair in no time.” When Sun looked in her office, more specifically at the box sitting on her desk, Marshal Batista laughed softly. “Don’t worry. We aren’t moving in. Do you mind?”

She gestured toward Sun’s office, the one she hadn’t even unpacked yet, and started toward it.

“I’m sure you’re aware that the pen recently lost a few prisoners,” she said when Quincy closed the door behind him.

Deleon took the box off her desk and sat it on a shelf while they spoke.

Sun nodded, taking her chair. “I am. Five inmates took over a transport van and put the guards in the hospital. Four of the fugitives have been recovered.”

“Exactly.” She handed a file to Sun and sat in one of the visitor chairs someone had supplied since that morning. The label on it read Rojas, Ramses followed by his inmate number. “We received a call from one of your residents.” She scanned her notes. “A Douglas Pettyfer.”

Quincy, who’d leaned against a wall by the window, coughed softly into a closed fist.

“Yeah,” Sun said, suddenly very uncomfortable. “Doug isn’t exactly the best witness in these types of situations.”

“We figured that out over the phone,” Deleon said, offering Sun a humorous smile. “But his description was spot-on.”

“Really?” she asked, surprised. “And you’re certain he didn’t just see Rojas on television?”

Batista handed her a photo. “This is the picture we have streaming.”

The police photograph showed a kid in his early twenties. Shaved head. Slightly crooked nose, probably broken at some point. And every available inch of skin on his arms and hands covered in tats.

“Okay,” she said, waiting for the rest.

“That was taken when he was first arrested.” She handed her a second photo. “This is his latest photo, compliments of the state pen.”

Same face, though thinner. Harder. His hair was a little longer, and he sported a scar that sliced perpendicular through his right eyebrow as well as a couple more tats, a feat she wouldn’t have thought possible mere seconds ago.

“And Doug knew about the scar?”

The marshal nodded. “He described it perfectly. Said he saw him out by the lake.”

Her lake? That was disturbing AF.

“We just can’t figure out why he’s here,” Deleon said.

Batista confirmed with a nod. “There is a Rojas family in the area, but they don’t seem to be any relation. If someone is helping him, it’s not a blood relative. Not that we know of, anyway.”

“Any known associates in the area?” Quincy asked.

“None that we can find.”

“Can I keep these?” Sun asked, handing the photos to Quincy.

Batista nodded. “Of course. We just wanted to check in, see if you’d received any reports of sightings or anything unusual.”

“Not that I know of, but I’ve only been on the job for a little over three hours.”

“You’ve had a busy morning,” Deleon said.

“Yes, I have.”

“The missing girl,” Batista said. “Any chance our guy took her? Is maybe holding her hostage?”

Sun had considered that the minute they’d shown up at her station. If Sybil were taken from her room, Rojas would’ve had to case the house. He would’ve known about Sybil and how to get past the St. Aubins’ extensive security system. Since his file said he’d been in prison for three years of a seven-year sentence, she doubted he’d know how to disable a latest-and-greatest, top-of-the-line security system.

If he’d been hanging out by the lake, however, he could have formed a connection with Sybil. Become friends. Lured her out of her home and convinced her to meet him somewhere.

“However unlikely, it certainly can’t be ruled out,” she said. “This says he was in prison for armed robbery. No assaults of any kind?”

Both marshals shook their heads, but Deleon made a good point. “Desperate men tend to do desperate things.”

“That they do.” Sunshine would be a fool to ignore this turn of events.

The marshals stood to leave. Sun walked them out the side entrance.

Batista shook her hand again. “We’ll talk to Douglas first, then we have an appointment with the parks and rec officer. We’re hoping he’s seen Rojas in the area. We’ll keep you apprised either way.”

“I appreciate it.”

“Any good places to eat?” Deleon asked before leaving.

Sun named off a few. That was a perk of living in a tourist town. Good food.

He handed her his card. “Call if you get hungry and want to join us.”

“Thank you,” she said, more than a little flattered.

He took her hand and held it a microsecond longer than necessary. Sun let him, then ended up cursing herself after they’d gone. She hadn’t dated in over two years. Bad breakup. Apparently, she has commitment issues. Either way, now was certainly not the time to try to resuscitate her love life.

“So,” Quincy said from behind her, catching her ogling the deputy marshal, “he seems nice.”