Page 181 of The Advocate’s Ultimatum

JP grabbed his hat.

“What are you doing?”

“That man’s cheese done slid off his cracker. He ain’t gettin’ nowhere near you alone.”

~~~

Sabre sat across from Bay in the familiar interview room at juvenile hall.

The girl looked exhausted. She had dark circles under her eyes. Her hair was pulled back carelessly, and an oversized sweatshirt hung loose on her frame. But the moment Sabre walked in alone, Bay sat upright.

“What happened?”

Sabre sat down. “We know who he is.”

Bay’s face tightened.

“David Rainer, Darren Roman, Daniel Rourke. Take your pick.”

For a second Bay didn’t move at all. Then she sat back in the chair and looked toward the ceiling like something inside her had finally cracked.

“Oh God.”

She didn’t deny it. Sabre waited quietly.

Bay lowered her hands into her lap. “You figured it out.”

“Yes.”

Bay closed her eyes. “No one has ever figured it out before. There were a few close calls, but they were all kind of accidental. She said you were smart.” Her eyes widened. “He’s gonna run if he realizes you know.”

“He already knows we’re onto him.”

Bay’s face drained of color. “How?”

“We followed Rourke after I met him yesterday.”

Bay looked genuinely upset. “No, no… He’ll take her. I’ll never see her again.”

“He gave me an ultimatum. He said if we keep involving police, we’ll never find Hannah.”

“Then you have to stop.”

Sabre reached over and touched her hand. “Bay… if he contacted me instead of disappearing right away, that means something.”

Bay gave a faint, humorless laugh. “Yeah.”

“What?”

“He still wants you to understand him.” The girl shook her head. “He cares what you think.”

“Why?”

“Because Hannah cared what you thought.”

That hit hard enough Sabre almost showed it.

Bay continued softly now. “She talked about you all the time.”