“Yeah.” She glanced at the last of the teams filing out the doors. “I should get out there.”
“If you haven’t already been assigned to a group, you can go with us.” Jerald gestured to where his wife waited with their group. “We’d love to have you join us.”
Sarah started to say no, but since both his wife and daughter were in his group as well as the Harvey family and another she didn’t recognize, she changed her mind.
“Sure.”
“You know the Harveys, of course,” Jerald said as they walked toward the group.
“Yeah.”
“It was important to Jerri Lynn that we be a part of their group.”
Sarah just bet it was.
Quick introductions were made and car assignments given. Sarah would be riding with Jerald and Lynda Pope and two of the people she didn’t recognize.
She’d hoped to get some time with Barton Harvey since he’d obviously been avoiding her. The swelling in his cheek had diminished, but the red had turned a less-than-attractive shade of blue. Maybe that was why he’d avoided her. He had to know she knew.
As they exited the gym, coat hoods went up and gloves went on. She decided to go for broke. “Mr. Harvey.”
He paused. The others kept going. Everyone wanted to get started. Engines roared as vehicle after vehicle rushed from the snowy parking lot.
“I missed you at the inn. I had a question for you.”
“We need to catch up with our assigned groups,” he groused.
“Valerie Gerard worked for you last summer.”
Sarah watched his eyes. She had to word her question very carefully or risk giving away her source. “Was she having problems? I understand the two of you had some pretty intense discussions.”
His pupils flared. “I’ve been over this with the chief. Ask him your question.”
He turned away. What the hell? “Were the two of you involved?”
Barton Harvey halted. For three beats the snow fell around him and everything else seemed to stop.
Then he walked away, left her standing there without a response.
Whether he knew it or not, he’d just given Sarah his answer. He was definitely hiding something. Something intensely personal ... to him.
She dashed to the waiting SUV. Mercedes. Black.
Sarah climbed into the back seat with the other two passengers. Loren and Carla somebody.
The ride to Beauchamp Road was silent. The Popes had been given that area since it was their home territory. Judging by the pricey coats the other two were wearing, they were from the same exclusive neighborhood.
As they unloaded, Jerald suggested directions for dividing up the area. Loren whatever-his-name-was agreed. He and his wife headed south. In the distance Sarah could see another vehicle doing the same.
“Sarah,” Jerald said, “the three of us will take the north end of our sector.”
The shore. The water.
The ocean fuels him ... makes him feel powerful.
“Jerald knows every cave in the area,” Lynda explained.
Sarah’s gaze settled on Jerald Pope. Rich. Powerful. Lived by the water. Had always lived here. Instinct nudged her. She glanced at his feet, at least a size 10. She had no plausible reason to consider him more of a suspect than anyone else. Other than the instincts of a kid.
