The Devil's Daughter (Hidden Sins #1)(43)
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Eden and Zach didn’t talk about her taking the lead, but when they climbed out of his cruiser, he fell a half step behind her. Smart. The adults of Clear Springs might see her as a threat to one degree or another, but she was still fresh-faced enough to approach the teenagers like a peer. Without the uniform and in her white T-shirt, jeans, and leather jacket, she only perpetuated that illusion. Eden pulled her hair out of its ponytail and mussed it a bit, ignoring Zach’s questioning look. The style made her look younger, and that was what they needed right now. If Zach and his men had struck out with this girl before—and she doubted he would have extended an invitation if they hadn’t—it meant a different tactic was needed.
He paused a few feet down the walkway. “This isn’t official. I can’t question a minor without a parent present.”
“I’m not questioning her. We’re just going to have a chat.” She said it aloud so he could have plausible deniability. Skirting close to the line with this one. But she was willing to do that and more if it meant bringing Neveah Smith home to her parents.
Eden approached the door, aware of the man at her back, aware of the way his gaze rested on her. Put it away. It’s not relevant to the present, and it’ll only distract you.
Easier said than done.
She gave a purposefully tentative knock and checked her watch. Though the high school had let out an hour ago, it was still too early for most parents to be off work if they had a normal day shift. Eden glanced at Zach. Did he do that on purpose? I just bet he did.
The sound of footsteps echoed on the other side of the door two seconds before it cracked open, a pair of dark doe eyes peering through the space. “Yes?”
“Rachel?”
“Yes.” She didn’t open the door any farther, but Eden noted her long dark hair and petite frame—what she could see of it. Having seen pictures of both Neveah and Elouise, this girl could have been their sister.
Or Eden’s.
She gave a practiced innocent smile. “I have a few questions, if that’s okay?”
“Who are you?”
Suspicious little thing, isn’t she? “I’m Eden. I’m with the FBI, and I’m helping out Sheriff Owens with the search for Neveah.” She withdrew her badge all the same and showed it to Rachel. “You’re not in any kind of trouble—I promise.” And I’m not here officially for all that I’m flashing my badge around. Britton is going to kill me if he finds out.
“You can’t talk to me without my mom around, and she won’t be home for another hour.”
Zach had definitely timed it like this on purpose. She shot him a look and lowered her voice, slipping half a step closer to the door. “The truth is, I’m only helping out unofficially. The only thing we care about is finding Neveah.” She motioned to Zach, moving out of the way enough so the teenager could get a look at him. “He’ll even stay outside if that would make you feel better.”
Rachel hesitated, but Eden knew she had her. The girl brimmed with nervous energy. All kids that age had more energy than they knew what to do with, but from the way she kept looking around as if she expected assassins to burst from the trees, she had a secret. A secret she wanted to tell. It was only a matter of applying the right pressure. Finally Rachel nodded. “You have to leave before my mom gets home.”
“Of course.” She turned to Zach. “This won’t take long.”
He raised his eyebrows and gave a short nod before ambling back to the cruiser. Eden considered him. He really is too smart by half. He knew exactly what he was doing when he invited me along. She followed the girl into the house, taking in every detail she could as they walked down the hallway to the living room.
It was a cozy house, with an obvious amount of love that had gone into the decorating. But everything had most likely been purchased secondhand, and the tendency toward frilly things and pink made Eden think there wasn’t a man in the house.
Rachel stopped in the kitchen. “Do you . . . do you want something to drink?”
Polite. Good girl, from all appearances. Her nervousness makes it unlikely she’s ever been in real trouble. Eden smiled. “No, that’s totally okay.”
She started wringing her hands, pressing her lips together. “I—”
If she let this go on too long, the girl was bound to have an anxiety attack. Eden moved around to the fridge and took in the pictures. They were all of Rachel and a woman who looked similar to her, though she had more lines around her mouth and eyes—lots of laugh lines, but there were sad ones there, too. The reason why most likely had to do with the man in uniform right at eye level. “How long has your dad been gone?”
“He died ten years ago.”
Right in the midst of all the wars overseas. Eden ignored the pang in her chest. She knew what it was like to grow up without a dad, though it would appear Rachel’s relationship with her mom wasn’t as problematic as Eden’s own. “I’m sorry.”
“It was a long time ago.”
Not long enough for your mom to move on. But that wasn’t why she was here. She kept her gaze off Rachel, who wandered over to adjust the fresh flowers sitting in the middle of the kitchen counter. Yes, this is a house filled with love. “Do teenagers still go party out on the Parkinson property like they used to? There’s a great place for a bonfire down by the creek, and for all the old guy’s love of waving around that damn shotgun, he can’t see or hear the parties down there.”