Desperate Girls (Wolfe Security #1)(29)

An unmarked unit pulled into the garage, and Lindsey stepped out of the way.

“Yes, but why now?” she asked. “He’s on a revenge spree, right? Everybody knows it’s him, so what’s he trying to hide?”

“Maybe nothing. Maybe it’s his MO at this point. No trace left behind. And I’m not holding my breath on lab work, because odds are Mick McGowan loaded that gun himself, so Corby’s prints won’t be on the shell casings. So once again, no physical evidence linking him to the crime.”

“Here’s something else bugging me,” she said. “Where the hell is he?”

“Think the marshals are wondering that, too.”

“Obviously. But I mean, where the hell is he, like, right this minute? Eight forty-six on a Monday morning. Where’s he sleeping? Eating? Taking a leak? Where’s he parking this old truck everybody assumes he stole from Mick McGowan? It has to be inside a garage, or we would have spotted it by now.”

“You think he’s staying with someone?”

“It would make sense. We’re talking about a guy who escaped from prison, traveled three hundred miles north, killed a cop and a judge, and then dropped out of sight. Someone has to be helping him.”

He watched her, and she couldn’t tell whether he liked her theory or not.

“Corby’s been sitting in prison for three years,” she pressed on. “This whole thing has been planned out, right down to the last detail. We need to understand him if we’re going to get a step ahead of him and figure out his next move.”

“I like the way you’re thinking, kid.”

The term irked her, which was why Max used it. She did better work when she was out to prove something.

“I want you to be my partner on this,” he told her.

“But I’m buried with cases. I thought you wanted me to weigh in?”

“I talked to the LT. You’re with me until we wrap this thing.”

Lindsey watched him, flattered that he’d asked for her and annoyed at being treated as a rookie. She’d learned a lot since her uniform days when Max had been her training officer.

“One condition.”

He smiled and shook his head. “You’re setting conditions now?”

“That’s right. You’re not my TO anymore. You want a partner, you’ve got one, but we get equal say and equal credit.”

“Done.”

“Good.” She checked her watch. “Let’s go. We need to canvass the neighborhood. We’ll interview those residents, see if anybody saw someone in a white Dodge pickup near Jen’s house on the day of the murder.”

“It’s been done.”

“We need to do it again.”

He smiled. Max knew her because he’d mentored her. And he knew that once she got her claws into something, she wouldn’t turn loose.

“What?” she asked. “Are you with me or not?”

He held up his hands in surrender. “Hey, I’m with you. You drive.”

Hayes picked up Brynn and Trent at the back entrance. As soon as they were moving, she dug her phone out from her attaché case. She’d kept it on silent all afternoon, because the only thing Linden hated more than tardiness was a cell phone going off in his courtroom.

Brynn had two messages from Reggie and called him back without listening to them.

“How’d we do?” he asked eagerly.

“Eight women, four men, two female alternates.”

“That’s good.”

“I know.”

She gave him a rundown of everyone, including race, education, and occupation.

“Two teachers. I like that,” Reggie said. “Any moms?”

“Seven of the eight.”

“Even better. So opening statements tomorrow?”

“That’s the plan,” she said. “Although Conlon’s already started his show. He was grandstanding in front of the courthouse this morning.”

“Yeah, I saw that,” Reggie said. “You both had nice sound bites, but his was longer.”

“Big surprise.” Brynn peeled off her jacket and tossed it over the seat. “How’d it go with Sheffield today?”

Daniel Sheffield was a major league baseball player facing assault charges after punching a photographer outside a nightclub.

“I’m still working on him,” Reggie said.

“Really? I thought his agent recommended us.”

Her phone beeped with a call from Erik, but she let it go to voice mail.

“He did, but you know how it is with these guys,” Reggie said, meaning athletes with huge egos. “I’ll let you know how it develops. Any updates on Jen’s case?”

Brynn’s stomach knotted. She’d managed to get through eight hours without thinking about the murders. When she was in court, her case had her undivided attention.

“Nothing new,” she said. “But I’ll give you a call if anything comes up.”

“Okay, keep me in the loop.”

“I will.”

Hayes turned into the Atrium’s driveway and parked right in front of the door. Brynn slid from the SUV. Jeremy stood beside the Expedition talking on his phone. No sign of Erik. No Ross, either, so he must have gone up already.