Page 90 of Trap ’N’ Trace

Dayne scribbled the plate number on a pad. “Looks like a gray Nissan. Could be the same one that followed us last Sunday on our way to Englewood.”

“I saw a gray car parked on the street outside Becca’s office the day I found her.” She rested her hand on Dayne’s shoulder. Paulson caught the movement then turned back to the computer. “You told me to close my eyes and I recalled a New Jersey license plate.”

“You also said the car had a dented rear fender.” He pointed to the image where a dent graced the left side of the bumper. “Open the rest of the files.”

One by one the tech clicked open the files. All distance shots of the same vehicle.

“That’s the corporate building Kat and I drove to in Englewood,” Dayne said. “The last address in Becca’s GPS app.”

Paulson leaned back in his chair. “The detectives and agents who went to that location interviewed managers from every office in the building. The ones that would talk to us didn’t know Rebecca Garman. Naturally, the law firms said they’d get back to us.”

“Naturally.” Dayne and Paulson exchanged knowing looks. Like Dayne had said, law firms wouldn’t confirm or deny anything until they’d covered their asses.

The next files showed a man exiting the car wearing a dark suit. His back was to the camera, and a series of successive shots showed him walking to a stairwell beneath the building.

“Stop!” Dayne leaned in. The last file was of the same man with his head turned in profile. He pulled out a folded sheet of paper from his pants pocket—the sketch of the man who’d attacked Kat. “It could be him. Kat?”

She studied the image. “I can’t tell. It’s only a profile.”

“That’s the last one.” The tech looked from Paulson to Dayne.

“Print them,” Dayne said. “We have five out of six characters on that tag. Can you run a DMV query and see how many vehicles with the same sequence are gray sedans, especially Nissans?” He tore the top sheet off the pad and handed it to Paulson.

“I’ll see what I can do.” He took the sheet to his desk and started tapping away at the keyboard. “Got it,” he said a few minutes later. “Printing now.”

Dayne grabbed the sheets from the printer. His brows drew together as he scanned the pages, then he grabbed a pen and made notations. “There are fifteen gray sedans on the list, including six Nissans. I can get a team of agents to help you track down the owners, and another agent to run all the names for criminal histories.”

“I’ll take that assist.” Paulson grabbed his jacket.

“Keep me posted.”

…

By noon, Kat sat at her desk, staring at two distinct piles. The first contained newspapers and mail that had been accumulating for the last two weeks and the other, a stack of resumes Emily had solicited to replace Amy.

Sadness filled her heart as she picked up a framed photo on the desk. Walter had taken it a year ago at the Haven. Kevin, Fiona, and Amy had surprised her with a birthday cake. The last birthday her friend would ever share with her. I still can’t believe you’re gone.

A birthday party, especially one that had been arranged by Colin, didn’t interest her in the slightest. Not for the first time, she hoped he’d cancel. After last night, he probably hated her.

The doorbell rang, and she heard Dayne’s and another man’s voice. Not Colin’s. Good thing, because she had no interest in seeing him. At least, not for a while.

She glanced at the front-page article of the New York Post: “Socialite Cat Fight.” The other big city papers had similar headlines.

Dayne leaned against the doorjamb, frowning at the stack of newspapers. “Your weekly roses just arrived. Pink.”

“Did Manny deliver them?” She hoped not.

“No.” Dayne’s voice held a discernible edge.

A tiny bit of guilt twisted in her belly. “I hope he doesn’t lose his job.”

“He did, but not because of that.” The crease in his forehead deepened. “The shop owner said Manny stopped showing up for work the same day we saw him in the city.”

“I wonder why. He’s been working there for years.”

Dayne shrugged. “I made sandwiches. Want me to bring you one?”

His thoughtfulness brightened her mood and she smiled. “Thank you, but I’m not very hungry right now. Maybe just some fruit, if you don’t mind.”