right thing. We’re circulatinghis photo on digital billboards throughout the city. We’ve had tremendous success using them to find suspects.”
“I saw one with my pic —and the $15,000 reward for information.” Exhaustion had almost overtaken her.
“How did you meet him?”
“At a party given by Gated Labs. I detest those things, but it’s a part of the working environment. He introduced himself to me, and I thought he was a new employee, but he said Haden Rollins invited him. That was the weekend after Memorial Day.”
“Did he and Rollins spend time together during the party?”
“No. Shep . . . Murford never left my side. We didn’t talk much in the beginning. I can be incredibly shy at social functions. Total social misfit.”
“You’re doing fine with me.”
“I’m motivated.”
“Good for you.”
Agent Hall could not begin to fathom what she felt —betrayed and hunted. “I thought he really knew me. For the first time, a man admired me, seemed to respect my individuality. He said and did all the things that mattered. Was attentive but didn’t smother me.” Details rushed through her. “He must have had access to everything about me. Suggested my favorite restaurants. Where I shopped for clothes. Understood how much I loved my Lhasa apso. He even expressed concern about Bentley’s ears and how all his hair easily matted and needed special care. Why didn’t I question the coincidences?” She pressed her lips together. “Of course he knew all about me. Money and technology can buy anything.”
“Unfortunately you’re right. What other kinds of things are you referring to, the things that mattered?”
Please, don’t be playing my friend to trick me into something. “He said he preferred a shy woman who had brains, a woman committed to her career. Admired my ability to not disclose highly secured information.”
“That’s not too unusual.”
“There’s more. He claimed I was beautiful. Asked if I’d always been the center of every man’s eye.” She offered Grayson a sad smile. “Don’t I wish. He guessed I’d been shy, had bad hair, and wore braces for years. Never dated. . . .” She drew in a deep breath. “I’m doing my best to be transparent. But this is difficult. Not my personality, and you’re a stranger.”
He glanced up from his note taking. “I have no idea what you’ve been through, but you’re doing fine. Where did he take you?”
Stupidity again slammed against her brain. “Secluded picnics. Catered dinners at his condo from my favorite restaurants. Long evening walks in the park. Rented movies.” She massaged the continuous pain in her temples.
“Anyone see the two of you together?”
She thought back through their times together. “Only the limo driver, who also delivered our food —always the same man. Maybe someone paid attention at the office party. Haden. Claire and Zoey met him. But . . .”
“What?”
“I’ve learned he’s covered his tracks for everything we did, so I imagine he has there too.”
“Regarding the limo driver, later I’ll put you in touch with facial recognition to see what we can find about him.”
“Have you talked to Haden Rollins?” she said.
“Briefly.”
“What did he say?”
He studied her. “You’re exhausted. When’s the last time you ate?”
So that’s the game he played. Pretend to care so she’d confess to something she didn’t do. She clenched her fist.
“Did you eat at the hospital?”
She’d refused a hospital tray. “A couple of strawberries this morning before being picked up for the airport.” And the two cups of coffee.
“Let’s check out the kitchen. See what we can find.”
“I’d be stealing, and I don’t think the church would have anything I’d eat. I’m vegan.”
Grayson moaned. “We can look. Possibly some fruit if the church has a fridge. We can keep talking while you eat, unless vegans don’t talk with their mouths full.”
The hint of
“I saw one with my pic —and the $15,000 reward for information.” Exhaustion had almost overtaken her.
“How did you meet him?”
“At a party given by Gated Labs. I detest those things, but it’s a part of the working environment. He introduced himself to me, and I thought he was a new employee, but he said Haden Rollins invited him. That was the weekend after Memorial Day.”
“Did he and Rollins spend time together during the party?”
“No. Shep . . . Murford never left my side. We didn’t talk much in the beginning. I can be incredibly shy at social functions. Total social misfit.”
“You’re doing fine with me.”
“I’m motivated.”
“Good for you.”
Agent Hall could not begin to fathom what she felt —betrayed and hunted. “I thought he really knew me. For the first time, a man admired me, seemed to respect my individuality. He said and did all the things that mattered. Was attentive but didn’t smother me.” Details rushed through her. “He must have had access to everything about me. Suggested my favorite restaurants. Where I shopped for clothes. Understood how much I loved my Lhasa apso. He even expressed concern about Bentley’s ears and how all his hair easily matted and needed special care. Why didn’t I question the coincidences?” She pressed her lips together. “Of course he knew all about me. Money and technology can buy anything.”
“Unfortunately you’re right. What other kinds of things are you referring to, the things that mattered?”
Please, don’t be playing my friend to trick me into something. “He said he preferred a shy woman who had brains, a woman committed to her career. Admired my ability to not disclose highly secured information.”
“That’s not too unusual.”
“There’s more. He claimed I was beautiful. Asked if I’d always been the center of every man’s eye.” She offered Grayson a sad smile. “Don’t I wish. He guessed I’d been shy, had bad hair, and wore braces for years. Never dated. . . .” She drew in a deep breath. “I’m doing my best to be transparent. But this is difficult. Not my personality, and you’re a stranger.”
He glanced up from his note taking. “I have no idea what you’ve been through, but you’re doing fine. Where did he take you?”
Stupidity again slammed against her brain. “Secluded picnics. Catered dinners at his condo from my favorite restaurants. Long evening walks in the park. Rented movies.” She massaged the continuous pain in her temples.
“Anyone see the two of you together?”
She thought back through their times together. “Only the limo driver, who also delivered our food —always the same man. Maybe someone paid attention at the office party. Haden. Claire and Zoey met him. But . . .”
“What?”
“I’ve learned he’s covered his tracks for everything we did, so I imagine he has there too.”
“Regarding the limo driver, later I’ll put you in touch with facial recognition to see what we can find about him.”
“Have you talked to Haden Rollins?” she said.
“Briefly.”
“What did he say?”
He studied her. “You’re exhausted. When’s the last time you ate?”
So that’s the game he played. Pretend to care so she’d confess to something she didn’t do. She clenched her fist.
“Did you eat at the hospital?”
She’d refused a hospital tray. “A couple of strawberries this morning before being picked up for the airport.” And the two cups of coffee.
“Let’s check out the kitchen. See what we can find.”
“I’d be stealing, and I don’t think the church would have anything I’d eat. I’m vegan.”
Grayson moaned. “We can look. Possibly some fruit if the church has a fridge. We can keep talking while you eat, unless vegans don’t talk with their mouths full.”
The hint of
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