Chapter 25
Phone to his ear, Burke paced across his department’s floor as he waited for his call to Abby to connect. Voicemail. Just like the last five calls he’d made in the past hour.
He’d think she didn’t want to talk to him, but their last conversation told him they were beyond that stage. At least he hoped they were. But if so, where was she? Why wasn’t she answering?
He wasn’t one to panic. At least not normally. But his feelings for her added a strong measure of unease.
What should he do next? He could ask Ryder to have her phone pinged, but he didn’t have enough justification for such a request. If the only evidence they presented to a judge was a woman who wouldn’t return his calls, they’d be laughed out of his chambers.
So then what?
Call her team.
He stopped pacing. Was that a good idea?
If nothing was wrong, he would come across as extremely needy.
Not something he wanted to portray when they were just starting to think about a relationship.
Normally, he wasn’t a needy guy. Wouldn’t even be thinking of calling her team.
Would just leave another more urgent voicemail. Or not even that.
“So give it time,” he mumbled under his breath and returned to his desk.
He settled into his chair and took the time to read through the original missing person file, hoping something would jump out at him. Something they’d missed. He flipped page after page. Nothing popped out at him.
His phone rang. Abby. His heart soared. Fell. Not Abby, but Sam was calling.
He swallowed his disappointment and answered. “You haven’t heard from Abby this afternoon, have you?”
“No, why?”
“She hasn’t been answering her phone for the last few hours.”
“Do you think something has happened to her?”
“I’m probably just being paranoid.”
“Because you care for her.”
Though she spoke the truth, Burke wasn’t going to acknowledge it. At least not until his relationship with Abby became official. “You must have forensic results if you’re calling me instead of her.”
“Way to sidestep the question.” She let the words hang in the air.
No way Burke would say anything, and he waited her out.
“So, yeah,” she finally said. “I have additional fingerprint information for you.”
“Good.” He tried to get enthused about her call instead of worrying about Abby. Failed. “The investigation has kind of stalled, and we need something to go on.”
“One set of prints on the crown hiding place belonged to Leonard Shaw.”
“Shaw?” Burke could hardly believe what he was hearing. “How did you get his prints for comparison?”
“He wanted his high-end antique customers to know he was above board, so he had a background check done.”
“Smart move for a legit operator,” Burke said. “Foolish one for a criminal.”
“Maybe these days, but not when he had it done,” Sam said.
“Before 2014, those prints weren’t kept in the FBI’s database, so investigators couldn’t locate them there.
But I have a buddy who has access to the older state files.
He ran the prints as a favor for me. Not a legit favor.
Means if you prosecute the guy, the prints can’t be used. ”
“Point taken. But the print locations could indicate he killed Estelle and stole the crown.”
“Exactly. And if it helps, the prints on the crown’s hiding place are current. The locket, much older as you would expect.”
“So he could be the guy who broke in recently and took the crown.”
“Looks like it. Unless he visited Victor.”
“I can have Gabe search the ferry key card log to see if Shaw ever visited. If he doesn’t show up, though, doesn’t mean he wasn’t there.
He might not have a card or he has access to a private boat.
In fact, if I was going to steal the crown, I would do it late at night when ferries stopped running and arrive in my own boat. ”
“Agreed. That’s all I’ve got for now, but I thought it might help if I got this information to you quickly.”
“Absolutely, and thanks, Sam.” He ended the call and immediately dialed Abby. Straight to voicemail again.
That niggling concern in his gut grew into a full-blown cramp of worry. He called Gabe.
“Yo, bro,” Gabe answered right away. “What can I do for you?”
“I need you to check the ferry boat logs to see if Leonard Shaw ever visited Victor.”
“The antique dealer? Okay. Got it. I’ll get right on it.”
“Before I go, have you heard from Abby in the last few hours?”
“No. Is there a problem?”
“I hope not, but she’s not answering my calls.”
“Hold on. Let me try her in case she’s blowing you off.”
Before Burke could argue about being blown off, Gabe put him on hold. He tapped his foot under the desk as he waited for Gabe to come back on the line.
“Yeah, man, you’re right. She’s not answering. Maybe she’s just tied up in a meeting.”
“Could be, but I’d rather be safe than sorry. I’ll call your team headquarters to see if anyone there has heard from her.”
“Sounds like a plan. And I’ll get right on your request.” Gabe ended the call.
Burke dialed the LLL team headquarters. The phone rang three times, before it was picked up.
“Lost Lake Locators, Hayden Kraus speaking,” he said, sounding as if he’d been schooled in positive customer service. “How can I help you?”
“Hayden, it’s Burke. Have you heard from Abby lately?”
“Lately? Nah. Last time I talked to her she was in Seaside Harbor waiting to meet with the prosecuting attorney for tomorrow’s deposition.”
“How long ago was that?”
“Ah.” He paused. “Five maybe more hours ago. She’s not likely still there though.”
“She’s not answering her phone or returning my calls, and I’m concerned.”
“That’s not like her,” Hayden said. “Let me give her a call from my cell to see if she’ll pick up for me.”
Again, Burke didn’t bother to argue. Just like Gabe, Hayden seemed to think she could be blowing him off. He’d obviously given her teammates cause to believe such a thing. Or maybe she had. Either way, he didn’t think these guys had a positive impression of him.
“No answer,” Hayden said. “Went straight to voicemail. If you’re really concerned about it, she has an iPhone, and the Find My iPhone feature is active on all of our phones. I made sure of that so we can find each other at a moment’s notice. You want me to check it?”
Did he? If nothing was wrong, he didn’t want her to think he was spying on her. But something might be wrong—terribly wrong—and at this point he wouldn’t take a chance. “Do it.”
“Hang on.”
He heard Hayden’s fingers moving over a keyboard on the other end of the line and sat back to wait for the information. He couldn’t sit still. He jumped up and started pacing.
“She’s at The Gilded Gallery in Seaside Harbor,” Hayden said. “Isn’t that the place owned by the expert Nolan mentioned?”
Burke’s blood turned cold. “Leonard Shaw isn’t just some expert. Sam just confirmed his fingerprints were found on the crown’s hiding place.”
Hayden’s voice dropped. “Shaw’s also the guy I warned Abby about right before her meeting. He’s on my list of known fences. And he used to be close to Estelle before she vanished.”
Burke’s stomach twisted. “Then he could’ve stolen the crown and killed her.”
“And Abby said she needed to talk to him. She was planning to go alone, but she said she’d contact you first.”
A call Burke never received. A bolt of panic ripped through him, nearly buckling his knees. “We need to get to that gallery. Now! I’m in Surfside Harbor—it’ll take me too long. Can you get over there? Take the team. Just go. Check on her.”
Burke heard shuffling. The scrape of a chair. Footsteps.
“Already leaving,” Hayden said tightly. “Team’s coming with me.”
Burke’s gut clenched like a fist. “I’m heading out. Call me the second you know anything.”
“You got it.”
Burke shoved his phone into his pocket and tore out of the office. Thank God his work vehicle had lights. He planned to keep them on—sirens too—until he reached Shaw’s place.
If anything happened to Abby, he’d never forgive himself.
The van bumped over uneven roads, and Abby rolled around on the hard metal floor. Estelle had bound Abby’s hands behind her back, so she couldn’t right herself or brace against the rough road. Miles had passed. Miles where she’d planned to somehow stall Estelle or slow her down. Failed.
Abby had to buy time until she found an opportunity to escape or someone realized she was missing and came to help.
Problem was, no one knew where she’d gone.
Hayden had the iPhone app set up for all of them and would at least track her to the antique shop.
But then what? They’d have no idea where Shaw was, that Estelle was still alive, or that she’d taken Abby captive.
All they would find were her phone and blood on the door.
That would tell them something bad had happened, but not what. They could assume the blood was hers.
The van came to a sudden stop. They hadn’t traveled far.
Maybe five or so miles. The sun had set fully now, so she couldn’t tell which direction they’d been heading.
Especially since Estelle had whipped around several corners.
Abby got turned around. She was certain they’d left town and had driven on uneven and bumpy roads.
They were out in the country or down by the beach.
Either way, not likely places for anyone to come looking for her.
The van door slid open. The sound of the rushing ocean and the salty, fishy smell came whipping into the van from nearby. They had indeed traveled to the beach.
“Get out.” Estelle’s sharp tone sent Abby’s fear soaring.
Abby knew what Estelle would do if she didn’t comply. She wiggled her way to the edge of the floor and sat up, then slid out, her gaze quickly traveling around the area.