“I’m impressed.” She looked at him. “And it’s nice to have contacts here in case I need their services.”
“Yeah, it’s great.”
“Detectives,” Lily said drawing their attention again. “Reed Rice is on his way down to get you.” She slid an iPad across the counter to each of them. “Just fill in the form while I prepare your passes.”
They tapped information into the screen, and by the time they’d finished, Lily was holding out the same white plastic passes on blue lanyards that held the Veritas Center logo that he’d gotten on his earlier visit. “I see you’ve both been here before, so you should know the security routine.”
“Wear this at all times.” Ian dropped the lanyard over his neck. “And don’t go anywhere without an escort.”
Lily gave him a beaming smile. “If only every law enforcement officer was so accommodating.”
“I can imagine you get some blowback.”
“Some?” She chuckled. “But it’s all good. They’re just passionate about their investigations and usually want things done yesterday.”
Ian laughed, knowing the feeling. But he’d seen his dad be rude to too many people like Lily that Ian made it a practice to do the opposite. One of the little ways he worked hard to be different from his father.
Reed opened a door on the back wall and quirked a finger.
“Thanks for your help,” Ian said to Lily then followed Londyn over to Reed.
He led them past a glass-walled conference room and down a hallway to an elevator. Inside, he selected the fourth floor. “Sierra’s in her lab with Malone and has the X-ray machine all fired up.”
“Perfect.” Ian had thought he might have to wait to see Malone, if he saw her at all, and having her waiting for him was icing on the cake today. He didn’t want to act anything but professional in the lab and would have to be careful to control his emotions when he finally laid eyes on her.
“I found Wisniewski,” Reed said. “He knew our parents and remembered they were coming to see him. My dad had called and said he had something the police needed to know about.”
“Did he say what?” Ian asked.
Reed shook his head.
“Could be about the drywall,” Ian suggested.
“Yeah, but why bring my mom along? Makes no sense for her to be involved with that.”
Good point.Ian pondered the development until they reached Sierra’s trace evidence lab, and Malone greeted him with a smile that saidwelcome back, I missed you.
A warm feeling blossomed in his heart, and he released an involuntary smile. He knew Londyn and Reed had to be picking up on the vibe she was sending his way, and as much as he was trying, he was likely firing the same emotions right back at her.
“I’m ready to do the X-ray.” Wearing a protective apron and gloves, Sierra held out her hands for the box.
Ian passed it to her. “Before we do this, were you able to compare the print from the picture of the drone to Junior’s print?”
Her eyes lit with enthusiasm. “It matches.”
“You’re sure?” Ian clarified.
“Positive.”
Ian looked at Malone then shifted to Reed. “This gives us an official connection to Olivo.”
“Not that it will prove anything other than that they knew each other,” Reed said. “But it’s a first step.”
Ian wouldn’t let Reed’s practical statement dissolve any of his joy at proving a connection between the two men.
Sierra picked up the package. “Our X-ray machine is in a protective room. Hold on while I shoot it. I’ll be right back.”
She went to a door in the corner that was holding a yellow sign with the radiation symbol, stepped inside, and closed the door behind her.
