Lyle smiled at her and said. âYouâre not too pretty, Didi.â
She said nothing.
âIs your husband pleased youâre not too pretty?â
âMy husband?â she repeated vacantly. âIâm not sure how to answer that. Are you not pleased that your wife is pretty?â
âNot too pleased,â he admitted. âI wish she was lessâyou knowââ He fell quiet and then said, âShe dresses up too nice when we go out.â
âOh, yeah? Where do you guys go?â
âNowhere special,â Lyle replied evasively. âWe just go for a little drink at night. Sometimes we dance and stuff. Have some buffalo wings.â
âThat sounds like fun,â Didi said. âDidnât you say she just had a baby?â
âWhen did I say that?â he said brusquely.
Didi tried to recall. âI think at the yogurt place when I first saw you.â
âI donât remember saying that,â he said, frowning.
The pit in Didiâs stomach widened. âNever mind then,â she said. âIâm probably mixing you up with someone else.â
On the radio, the announcer gave a short news wrap-up and said, âHeadline news in fifteen minutes.â
4:45 P.M.
Rich was sunk into a wooden bench outside Chief Murphyâs office when he saw Lopez and Murphy walking quickly toward him accompanied by a black man in a crisp white shirt, khaki dress slacks, and a wide purple-and-orange tieâa funky dresser, Rich immediately thought. Can this guy be serious?
âRich, I want you to meet Scott Somerville, from the FBI,â said Murphy, adding with a sideways glance, âScott says he will be in charge of this case.â
Rich listlessly shook Scottâs hand. Scott had an unusually firm handshake. He pumped Richâs hand, and when he let go, Richâs hand buzzed.
Rich noticed that Scott was shorter and much broader than he, but he especially noticed Scottâs brown eyes, because they beamed with enthusiasm. âThatâs right,â Scott said, his electric gaze boring into Rich. âI will be in charge of this case.â He slapped Richâs shoulder. âI know youâre hurting, man. Iâm here to get your wife back, okay?â
Rich felt a little better. âYou got here all the way from D.C.?â
âNah,â Scott said, furiously chewing on a piece of gum. âThe Bureau has field offices all over the U.S. Iâm a field officer in Dallas.â
âOh yeah?â Rich said weakly. âHave any experience in kidnapping?â
Scott put a steady hand on Richâs shoulder. âItâs my job. Trust me.â
Rich said nothing. Scott watched him carefully for a few moments.
He felt all their stares on him. Rich saw Scott staring at him with an inquisitive, serious, slightly suspicious expression. It was the same expression that the chief had earlier leveled on him. Only Juanâs gaze was sympathetic. What the hell was going on?
âWhat?â Rich said. âWhy are you guys staring at me as if Iâm the sixth guy at a lineup?â
Scott said nothing for a moment, and then asked, âSo, tell us again how you knew this guy took your wife.â
âWhat are you talking about? What do you mean?â Rich was so exasperated and raw with emotion that it took him a little while to understand. âHeyââ he stammered in disbelief. âHeyâwait a second, what the hell are you asking me?â
âJust a question,â Scott said politely. âIâm just a little vague on the whole thing. Something about a pretzel bag?â
âOh my God.â Rich wanted to pull his hair out. âDonât youâhavenât we got better things to do than to question me? Whatâs the matter? Out of leads so soon? Am I not acting enough like the bereaved husband?â
Chief Murphy and Scott continued to stare at Rich. Only Juan lowered his gaze.
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