That’s when Gene got it.
When he looked up, his face said it all.
“You were right.”
Hot.
Damn.
She could tie him to the victims.
“How?”
Gene shared just from his last tax return.
“Devon sponsored the last church picnic,” he admitted. “The library where Lory worked is named after him. It’s the Devon Slater Branch.”
She was holding her breath.
“He donated a truckload of school supplies and computers to the school that Penny worked at. The hospital that Alina worked at has a ward named after his mother. A cancer ward.”
And there it was.
“There’s only one left. Tell me how he’s tied to Joan,” she said. “I need to make sure this isn’t a fake clue. If it is, he leaves something a little off for me to spot it.”
Gene kept digging.
“He paid a local photographer for half a year’s work up to when Joan died. He photographed real estate for him.”
And there it was.
“He’s our guy. Let’s bring him in before he can escape.”
That worked for all of them.
As they were two blocks away, she gave Ivan the warning to kill the lights and sirens.
“We go in quiet. Raph, you stick to Ethan like his life depends on it. He’ll go for anyone to hurt me. I’m safe. I’m his focus and he wants to impress me.”
Raphael nodded.
“I’ll wear him like a backpack. Do you want me to keep him in the car?”
She thought about it. Her gut instinct was to say yes, but she changed her mind.
“No, stick close. Just protect him.”
That worked for them.
As they pulled into the parking lot, there were cars, but she thought nothing of it. When Ivan parked beside a luxury car, a sleek red Mercedes, they all got out.
Running toward the building, they headed inside. As she moved toward the office they’d visited just the other day, the lights were on.
Pushing the door open, her gun was in her hand, and she was ready.
Only, she had a problem.
The place was completely empty.
