Cut and Run(71)

“Your father’s records are intact, I assume.”

Slater was young but he wasn’t stupid, and he’d already shepherded this firm through his father’s death.

If either Russell or Peter Sr. had a hand in these girls’ deaths, he suspected PJ would find a way to hide it. It was easy to be high-minded and moral until your entire world was challenged. Hayden would have signed an oath with the devil to save Sierra, and he’d bet PJ would hide evidence to save his firm.

“I’m not releasing my father’s records, especially when he isn’t alive to defend himself.”

“Those girls deserve justice, Mr. Slater.”

“Of course they deserve justice. You aren’t fresh out of the academy. You knew when you walked in the door I couldn’t divulge my client names or discuses firm business.” PJ tugged at the end of his monogramed cuff. “You were hoping because I’m young, I’d make a mistake, but I can assure you that you aren’t the first person who’s tried to test my mettle since my father’s death.”

“It never hurts to ask,” Hayden said with a grin. “And you’re right about me being on the job for a long time. But one thing all that time has taught me is to know when something isn’t right.” He leaned forward. “And Garnet’s involvement with this firm does not smell right, Mr. Slater. So until you help, I’m not going to be far from your doorstep.”

“You’re wrong about us. I know my father and his partner did things differently than I do. I know they understood how far a law could bend, but I don’t run the firm like that. We have nothing to hide.”

“I hope you’re right.” He picked up his hat while he and Brogan rose. They all shook hands, and PJ walked them out of his office.

Brogan paused. “Hell, forgot my hat.” He hurried in and out of the room in seconds, returning with his hat and a coffee cup. “You’re right about these to-go cups. Very handy.”

“Glad you like it,” PJ said.

Despite Brogan’s grin, they all knew they’d fallen on opposite sides of this case and would fight tooth and nail to protect their turf.

Outside, the two Rangers got into Hayden’s SUV. As they settled, Brogan reached for an evidence bag from the glove box. He opened his door, poured out the coffee onto the parking lot, and dumped the cup into the bag. “I grabbed PJ’s cup and left mine in its place. PJ’s DNA may not be admissible, but I’m kind of curious to know who spawned him.”

Hayden slid on his sunglasses. “Assuming all three of those girls had babies, he’d be the right age if he were one of the stolen babies.”

“As I understand it, he’s not adopted.”

“I’ll believe that when I see DNA results that do not link him with any of the three dead women,” Hayden said. His phone rang as he backed out of the space. “Captain Hayden.”

“Hayden, this is Judge Templeton. I got something for you.”

“That was fast.”

The old man’s tone was serious. “You don’t call in favors all that often, so I knew it was important. I did find Josie Jones in my daily journal. As you said, she was arrested for shoplifting when she was eighteen. According to my notes, she was very pretty and had a fancy lawyer defending her.”

“Slater and McIntyre.”

“How’d you know?”

“Lucky guess. Who was the attorney of record? McIntyre or Slater?”

“Peter Slater Sr. He saw to it she didn’t do any jail time.”

PJ had told Faith that Josie had been in her father’s datebook. Was PJ lying, or was Russell’s datebook misleading? “Thanks for the update, Judge.” He ended the call and checked his watch. “Let’s get that cup dropped off, and then we’re headed to Second Chances, search warrant or not.”





CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

Thursday, June 28, Noon

“I’ve got more information on Josie Jones,” Kat proclaimed, suspending any salutation to Faith on the other end of the phone.

It was lunchtime, and Faith had spent the morning conducting the autopsy of a seventy-year-old male who’d accidently been shot by his neighbor. The buckshot had severed the femoral artery, and the victim had bled to death before the neighbor could get him in from the country.

Faith sat down behind her desk. “Kat, I thought you were in school.”

“It’s lunchtime. We get twenty minutes on the prison yard to ourselves.”

She rubbed her fingertips to her temple. “You’re back there because I sweet-talked the principal, and it’s not a prison yard.”

“Broom-Hilda is in her office. She can’t see me. Do you want to know about Josie or not?”

Faith pushed aside the temptation to reprimand Kat about sticking her nose where it didn’t belong. “Just spill it.”

“I found Josie’s older sister’s address. Her new married name is Jones, and she lives right here in Austin.” Kat rattled off the address.

The cops had given her the same name, but she’d not had the time or courage to follow up yet. “How did you find that?”

“Faith, everything’s on the Internet if you know where to look.”

“Apparently.”

“So are you going to see her?” Kat asked excitedly.