Sam shook his head. “I have a feeling this thing is going to get a lot worse before it gets better. I’m just worried the circus is going to make it that much harder for all of us to get justice for that girl, Mara.”
“I know,” I said. “Just … stay on BCI. Get me that evidence.”
I went up on my tiptoes and kissed his cheek. “We’re going to figure this all out. We’re going to make sure Hayden Simmons has all the support we can give her. And I’m going to do my job.”
Sam smiled. “You’re pretty good at it.”
“Yes,” I said. “I am. And so are you. So is Gus. Do me a favor and remind him of that.”
Sam’s face darkened. “I better get across the street and be there when Simmons surrenders.”
“Yes. You better. But then after that, you’re going to come over to my house, remember? Will’s at a friend’s house tonight. We’ll make dinner.”
Sam kissed me and patted his stomach. “I can’t wait. Just make me a promise.”
“Of course.”
“I won’t let you talk about the Luke case. And you won’t let me.”
“Deal,” I said. But as Sam left the conference room, I wondered how good either of us would be about keeping that promise.
10
Every fear I had about the Luke case taking on a circus quality seemed to come true that afternoon. Bennett Cutler made sure Jamie Simmons surrendered in full view of the cameras in front of the Maumee County Sheriff’s Department. Hojo was accosted by reporters on his way to his car. He managed to keep his cool and say no comment as he drove away. As I took the lasagna I’d made out of the fridge and waited for the oven to heat up, I flipped to one of the cable news channels just in time to see a teaser for Ellie Luke’s case.
“A cold case killer may have just been exposed … by his own daughter …”
I slammed the oven door shut just as Sam walked in the back door.
“Did you see it?” I asked, pointing to the television.
“I heard about it,” he said. Sam pulled at his tie. He looked as angry as I felt.
“Well, there’s no hope for it now. Hayden Simmons is going to be a household name along with her father and aunt by week’s end,” I said.
“Have you talked to her?” he asked.
“No. But I’ve sent Nicole Silver to her. They’re working on getting Hayden someplace to stay. It won’t take long before the media figures out who her friends are and starts knocking on doors.”
“Good,” Sam said. “No. That’s real good. We need her solid, Mara.”
“You don’t have to tell me that. What about Simmons? Is he talking?”
“No. And he won’t. Bennett Cutler has made sure of that.”
Sam was still wrestling with his tie. I went over to him and gently pulled his hands away. He was coiled tight. The pulse in his temple beat at a furious pace.
“You’ve done all you can do today,” I said. “This thing is just going to have to play out.”
“BCI has pulled out the big guns. Lois Palmieri is going to handle it herself. She’s a national legend in crime scene investigation. She can’t make me a concrete promise, but she thinks she’ll have something for me the early part of next week on the evidence we sent her. She’s moving a few things to the front of the line.”
“Good,” I said. “But are you really expecting any surprises?”
“No,” Sam said. He kissed me on the forehead. “Sorry. I came in here loaded for bear. We promised each other we weren’t gonna discuss the case tonight.”
“It’s okay. It’s going to be hard not to.”
“You mind if I grab a shower before dinner?”
