His eyes flared. “Who?”
Jax shook his head. “Don’t play dumb. You were trying to connect with her online, and now she’s missing.”
The FBI would’ve searched the whole house. If they’d found the family, this would be an entirely different conversation.
“You think…” Rich glanced between them. “I didn’t do anything!”
“That’s debatable, I think,” Ryson said. “Depending on your definition. Seems like you do plenty.”
“What matters is what we can prove beyond a reasonable doubt.” Dires folded his arms, which made him look even bigger.
The terrified-dad part of Jax wanted to ask if he was interested in leaving the FBI and coming on staff with Banbury Investigations as a bodyguard. But that would ruin a good career that made a real difference in the world.
“I didn’t take them!” Rich fought against the cuffs securing his hands behind the chair. “I didn’t do it!”
“Can you prove that?” Jax shrugged. “Because we’ve got enough evidence that you might be the kidnapper that a judge granted these feds a warrant based on it. We can now tear apart yourentirelife. We’ll know everything you’ve been doing and everyone you’ve been talking to.”
Rich let out a shout of frustration. He fought harder against the bonds, sweating through his T-shirt now.
“Start talking,” Dires said. His tone made Jax want to start talking.
They hadn’t worked together here, as Dires hadn’t been an agent for that long. But the guy’s history meant he quickly rose to a prominent position in the office. He was the poster boy for the FBI, a star turned career cop—though he could never do undercover work with such a recognizable face. He was a guywho had turned down millions because he wanted to seek out justice.
During his final season, he’d suffered a couple of injuries. No doubt he’d seen the writing on the wall and quit while he was ahead. Exactly the kind of guy the FBI would invest in, hoping he’d have a long career.
“I didn’t take them. They aren’t here, are they?” It was more of a statement than a question.
Jax was inclined to believe him.
Rich continued, “I don’t go anywhere but work and here. So, I don’t have them stashed anywhere else.”
“No?” Dires asked. “No side trips on your way home, driving past the park on Tenth? Slowing down to watch the kids play.”
Rich’s jaw flexed. His eyes darted to the side.
“Now isn’t the time for games,” Jax reminded him.
“Tell me this.” Dires flicked up his chin. “The day she went missing, you stopped messaging her. Before then, you’d been sending messages regularly. Seemed like you might be making some progress. Why’d you suddenly stop if you didn’t have a reason to believe she wouldn’t be reading them anyway?”
Jax caught where this was going. When Rich didn’t say anything, he picked up where Dires had left off. Driving the point in a little further. “You knew there was no point sending the messages. Seems to me that you knew they were gone, so you quit. How’s that, Rich? How did you know they were gone?”
Rich muttered under his breath.
“What’s that?” Jax wanted to lean in because it would be patronizing, but the guy would probably try to headbutt or bite him. But he had to know he’d been caught. “You know what happened.”
“I saw them.”
Jax’s stomach clenched.
Dires asked, “What did you see?”
“I like to…” Rich swallowed. “Drive past her house. When I know she gets off the bus and walks to her house. I sit across the street.”
“Nice view?” Dires’s insinuation was clear.
“I just watch! I didn’t touch her. I swear.”
That might make him at least responsible, or an accessory. He hadn’t stopped it from happening. They were still missing. “What did you see, Rich?”
