Chapter 42
Sean used a zip tie to secure Luke’s wrists behind his back and then marched the chef to the only secure room he could think of: the security footage room.
Like the basement, Sean had noticed that it could be locked from the outside, and he figured it was as good a place as any to keep Luke until he figured this out.
Sean tried questioning Luke more to pry the truth out of him, but he invoked his right to remain silent.
A few of the guests watched as Sean marched him to the secure room, but no one stared as hard as Judy Grayson.
“Is that him?” Mrs. Grayson asked.
Sean didn’t answer, waiting until Luke was locked in the room before he engaged with Karla’s mother.
“Is he the one who took my little girl?” Mrs. Grayson raised her voice, drawing the attention of others, including her husband, who had gathered in the lobby.
“Did he say where my daughter is?” Roman Grayson asked, looking past Sean to the locked door.
“I’m arresting him on suspicion of drug trafficking,” Sean answered.
“Drug trafficking?” Roman asked. “What the hell does that have to do with my daughter?”
Before Sean could reply, the maid of honor and the groom stepped out into the hallway, and they gathered near the front entrance.
“What’s going on?” Julie asked.
“He’s caught someone,” Mr. Grayson said. “But he won’t tell us the real reason.”
“Did he kill my sister?” Julie asked.
“We have a right to know what’s going on,” Ben answered.
Sean noticed the way that Mr. Grayson and the groom stood closer to one another, each of them seemingly willing to join forces to get the truth.
“You open that door, and you let us talk to him, Sheriff, or there will be consequences,” Mr. Grayson said.
Between the Grayson family and the groom and maid of honor, all wanting answers, Sean was in a precarious position.
“No one is getting into that room save for me,” Sean said, sternly but calmly.
“I told all of you that the moment I have something of note to share, you will be the first to know.” He paused to look each of them in the eye.
“And I’m telling you that the chef has admitted to nothing, and I have found no clear evidence linking him to the murder or the abduction.
Right now, I’m keeping him on suspicion of drug trafficking, and that is the only clear evidence I have of his doing anything. ”
No one moved, but the crowd’s anger hadn’t cooled off.
Sean had his pistol tucked into his waistband, and he was very aware of the weight of the weapon in its holster.
Sean didn’t bother reaching for the weapon, didn’t even want to put his hand on the grip, because he knew what would happen if he pulled it out.
Every case that Sean ever worked was built on trust. Trust between the people Sean worked with, trust between him and the victims’ families, and trust in the rule of law.
The moment Sean pulled a gun on the victims’ families was the moment that trust was shattered.
The last thing he wanted right now was to lose that trust.
And trust was hard to come by.
“Uh, hey, I think your girlfriend needs some help!”
Sean sprinted down the hallway toward his room, his heart pounding like a jackhammer. As he reached the end of the hall, he prayed Jennie was okay.