to be here when I do.”
Detective McCoy arrived a half hour later looking far more haggard than he had earlier that morning. He apologized, saying he thought he was coming down with something. By the looks of him, he’d already come down with it.
Mr. Tate paced the floor like he was preparing to give the most important speech of his life. It wasn’t until he realized all eyes were on him and no one else was talking that he started in with his story. Cade and his father listened while Mr. Tate talked about his theory on the correlation between the two kidnappings. Then he switched gears, mentioning the coloring page he’d received in the mail. Detective McCoy seemed relieved the truth was finally coming out, but Cade looked like he wanted to blacken both of Tate’s eyes for withholding evidence. When Mr. Tate finished, no one said anything for a long time.
“At least we are all on the same page now,” I said. “Once the two cases come together, maybe we can find these girls.”
I hoped, alive. It was a lot to wish for, but I didn’t want to accept the worst until I had no other choice.
Cade shook his head. “What a mess.”
“We’ll have to get with the boys in Sublette County and sort all this stuff out,” Detective McCoy said. “Since we may have mutual interests, my hope is we can swap information with each other.”
He rose from the sofa and winced, placing a hand on his lower back and holding it there. When he caught me staring, his hand dropped to his side. “If you all will excuse me, I better call the chief and tell him what’s going on.”
Once Detective McCoy was out of the room, Cade started in on Mr. Tate. “How could you keep this critical piece of evidence from my father?”
Mr. Tate looked at me, but I didn’t want to interfere. Not yet. My turn was coming.
“Olivia’s parents said they never got the picture back once they handed it over to the police,” Mr. Tate said. “And once they had it, they still couldn’t find her, so why should I trust it with you?”
“It could help us find your daughter and the other girl, Olivia,” Cade said. “What good does it do sitting here in your house?”
“It helps my wife—gives her peace, gives her hope.”
Cade threw his hands in the air. “Hope for what? Your wife barely gets out of bed anymore!”
The words slipped out of Cade’s mouth just as Lily’s sweet face poked around the corner. I placed a hand on Cade’s arm and squeezed just enough for him to stop before it got any worse.
“I’ll be outside,” he whispered to me. “I can’t believe you knew about this and didn’t say anything. What was you thinkin’?”
“We’ll discuss this later,” I said. “Away from here.”
“Get the flippin’ paper, or whatever it is.”
I nodded.
Mr. Tate had already left the room, apparently to get the paper. When he returned, he said, “I hope you don’t get in trouble because of me.”
“I’m sure I can handle it.”
He handed the folded page to me. “There was an envelope, but I can’t find it. I swear. I saw it yesterday, but now it’s gone. Maybe my wife knows, but she’s sleeping right now, and I don’t want to—”
I took the paper from him and smiled. “No worries,” I said. “When you find it, let me know. In the meantime, I’ll make sure they get this.”
Mr. Tate closed his eyes. He looked worried. I didn’t know if it was because the envelope was missing, or if it had to do with something else. If it was over the envelope, he was fretting over nothing. I knew exactly where it was.
CHAPTER 20
“Where’s the rest of it?” Cade said.
I shrugged, handing him the coloring page.
“This is all he gave to me.”
Cade dangled the plastic baggie in front of me. “Paper doesn’t come in the mail without an envelope.”
“He said he’ll try to find it.”
Cade slid into the seat of his truck, started
Detective McCoy arrived a half hour later looking far more haggard than he had earlier that morning. He apologized, saying he thought he was coming down with something. By the looks of him, he’d already come down with it.
Mr. Tate paced the floor like he was preparing to give the most important speech of his life. It wasn’t until he realized all eyes were on him and no one else was talking that he started in with his story. Cade and his father listened while Mr. Tate talked about his theory on the correlation between the two kidnappings. Then he switched gears, mentioning the coloring page he’d received in the mail. Detective McCoy seemed relieved the truth was finally coming out, but Cade looked like he wanted to blacken both of Tate’s eyes for withholding evidence. When Mr. Tate finished, no one said anything for a long time.
“At least we are all on the same page now,” I said. “Once the two cases come together, maybe we can find these girls.”
I hoped, alive. It was a lot to wish for, but I didn’t want to accept the worst until I had no other choice.
Cade shook his head. “What a mess.”
“We’ll have to get with the boys in Sublette County and sort all this stuff out,” Detective McCoy said. “Since we may have mutual interests, my hope is we can swap information with each other.”
He rose from the sofa and winced, placing a hand on his lower back and holding it there. When he caught me staring, his hand dropped to his side. “If you all will excuse me, I better call the chief and tell him what’s going on.”
Once Detective McCoy was out of the room, Cade started in on Mr. Tate. “How could you keep this critical piece of evidence from my father?”
Mr. Tate looked at me, but I didn’t want to interfere. Not yet. My turn was coming.
“Olivia’s parents said they never got the picture back once they handed it over to the police,” Mr. Tate said. “And once they had it, they still couldn’t find her, so why should I trust it with you?”
“It could help us find your daughter and the other girl, Olivia,” Cade said. “What good does it do sitting here in your house?”
“It helps my wife—gives her peace, gives her hope.”
Cade threw his hands in the air. “Hope for what? Your wife barely gets out of bed anymore!”
The words slipped out of Cade’s mouth just as Lily’s sweet face poked around the corner. I placed a hand on Cade’s arm and squeezed just enough for him to stop before it got any worse.
“I’ll be outside,” he whispered to me. “I can’t believe you knew about this and didn’t say anything. What was you thinkin’?”
“We’ll discuss this later,” I said. “Away from here.”
“Get the flippin’ paper, or whatever it is.”
I nodded.
Mr. Tate had already left the room, apparently to get the paper. When he returned, he said, “I hope you don’t get in trouble because of me.”
“I’m sure I can handle it.”
He handed the folded page to me. “There was an envelope, but I can’t find it. I swear. I saw it yesterday, but now it’s gone. Maybe my wife knows, but she’s sleeping right now, and I don’t want to—”
I took the paper from him and smiled. “No worries,” I said. “When you find it, let me know. In the meantime, I’ll make sure they get this.”
Mr. Tate closed his eyes. He looked worried. I didn’t know if it was because the envelope was missing, or if it had to do with something else. If it was over the envelope, he was fretting over nothing. I knew exactly where it was.
CHAPTER 20
“Where’s the rest of it?” Cade said.
I shrugged, handing him the coloring page.
“This is all he gave to me.”
Cade dangled the plastic baggie in front of me. “Paper doesn’t come in the mail without an envelope.”
“He said he’ll try to find it.”
Cade slid into the seat of his truck, started
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