Sandy’s jaw tightened. What did that mean? She felt a hot rush on her face. She slowly got up from the couch and started walking toward the front door. Ruth jumped up and got to the door ahead of her. She stood there blocking Sandy.
“You're not going to leave.”
Sandy tried to appear calm. “Nice meeting you, Ruth. Must be on my way now.” She tried to step around, but the woman again moved close in front of her.
“You're not quite as innocent and harmless as you pretend to be, are you Sandy? You’ve got a good act. Excellent performance. Cute little trick with that blank check too. Hadn’t seen that one before.”
Sandy’s phone rang. She answered quickly. She knew that whoever it was would be able to hear her scream if that’s what it came down to. She recognized Kevin’s voice. She said hurriedly, 'Yes, I'm at Ruth Towalski's house. West on Indian Road. Almost to 95.' She lowered the phone and challenged the woman with an intense stare.
Ruth stepped back.
Sandy smiled. “My boss. It's so annoying. The first thing he always wants to know is my exact location. Okay, we're done here. Nice chatting with you.”
“Please don’t leave.”
Sandy stepped around her and continued out the door. The woman made no move to stop her. Sandy walked to her car while listening to Kevin’s excited voice, “I spent the day following Abby around South Florida. Can’t wait to tell you where she went. Let’s meet.”
“Hold on, let me get safely away from a neurotic woman.” Ruth waved from the porch as she drove off. “I was partially successful today. I failed to find Jamie. I did locate the mysterious Toby. The guy Abby tried to kill. I know where he lives. No sign of Jamie there. Maybe he didn’t snatch her, although I’d love to look in that locked garage. Anyway, now we need to determine what’s going on between him and Abby. Where are you now?”
“I’m in my room at the Ramada. The one out near the exit on I-95, Room 210. Come on over. We’ll have a drink.”
The motel was less than fifteen minutes away. She pulled in and circled until she spotted Room 210 on the upper level. She saw Kevin’s Toyota SUV parked by the stairs. She backed into a space opposite and looked up at his room. Quite a guy. At least he seemed so. She phoned him.
He answered, “Where are you? Come on up. Room 210.”
“I thought we’d have a drink in the lounge.”
“We can have some drinks in my room. We can sit here where it’s nice and quiet and won’t be bothered.”
Tempting. A drink with him would be nice, but why up in his room. Damn. Why did he have to say his room? We just met. Wouldn’t a drink in the bar or restaurant be more appropriate? Why do men have to be so insensitive? Sure, Kevin we could drink in your room. We could kick our shoes off. Pop open a fifth of bourbon and knock back slugs out of plastic glasses while we sit on the edge of the bed listening to the romantic strains of the air conditioner. Sure, Kevin, that would be charming.
Geez, even the smart guys are clueless. Even the good-looking ones. That’s another thing, why couldn’t he be overweight and not in such great shape? Why couldn’t he be ugly or smelly? Now she sounded silly even to herself. To be fair about it, she realized his thoughts were on the plight of his daughter, not the protocol of a new relationship. Possibly, he wasn’t thinking about Sandy at all.
She’d have to pass up this opportunity. “Sorry, Kevin, I’m not going to be able to make tonight after all.”
“Oh, come on. I want to talk with you about everything that’s going on. I can help you fight that charge. We can decide what we need to do and I’ll tell you what I found out today.”
“No, I’m too tired. I’m driving on home. What do you have? Something about Abby?”
“I watched Abby’s house this morning. She doesn’t know my vehicle, however I parked out of sight anyway. She took off and I followed her and followed her some more. She drove out of town. I thought, my god is she going to Miami. All the way down to Jensen Beach. Down to a big fancy estate on the water.”
“Who does she know down there?”
“No one she knows has that kind of lifestyle. She doesn’t move in those circles. She stayed there about a half-hour and then drove back home. I wrote down the address. Are you sure you won’t come up?”
“Just give me the address, Kevin.”
She thanked him and phoned Chip. She gave him the address in Jensen Beach where Abby had gone.
“Google it yourself.”
“You cops confiscated my laptop, remember? You’ve access to that nifty national crime database. And if you do it, I don’t have to pay.”
“Hold on.” After a moment, “That address is the residence of Frederick J. Kidde.”
“So?”
“Freddy ‘Environmental’ Kidde?”
“I still don’t get it.”
“That’s right you’re from Philly. How about, Congressman Frederick J. Kidde member of the United States House of Representatives representing a congressional district in Florida?”
“Okay, okay, I got it. He’s a big deal politician. What business does a low life like Abby have with Kidde?”
“You’re the girl with all the guts, why don’t you go ask him?”
“Maybe I will. More good news, Chip. You know that list of criminal offenders named Toby you printed out for me?”
“Don’t tell me, the Toby you wanted was there on the list.”
“He isn’t a criminal offender, but his father is and they’re both called Toby. I now have his name and address. His mother confirmed he knows Abby.”
“That’s great. Part of that was luck, but you dug in and made it happen. Now what?”
“This is the guy Abby intended to kill, not Banks. Now I go to Moran and trade the info for dropping the conspiracy charge against me.”
“Wait a minute. Triney is the investigator on that case. You owe him. I think you should leak the information to him first.”
“Then I’ve nothing to trade to Moran.”
“I think you do. Moran will still need your cooperation and testimony.”
“You’re right, Chip. I’ll let Triney make a couple of points. Are you still at your office computer?”
“Sitting right here. What else do you need?”
“Would you run a Kevin Olin for me?”
“LKA?”
“Athens, Georgia,” she answered.
“Wait a sec. Okay...here he is...nothing...no priors. He’s the father, huh? Well, he’s clean. Anything special about him I should know?”
“No. Thanks. See you.”
She called Kevin back. “I’ll meet you in the lounge. Five minutes...get yourself down there.”
Chapter Fourteen
Sandy was at her desk in Kagan’s office when Kevin phoned. She told him, “I enjoyed our little date last night.” It was just a drink with him, but it was a start.
Meeting with him in the Ramada lounge was pleasant in spite of the overhanging gloom of a missing child. They had talked about Jamie, his job, her job, Georgia, and Florida. She couldn’t get him around to the subject of his divorce. Divorce details can say a lot about a person. Abby had described him as a dull stay at home kind of man. If Abby didn’t like him, that was a plus in his favor. Jamie would be the one to ask.
Sandy liked the considered way he looked at her. He had a way of smiling without breaking eye contact even for an instant; looking as if ready to dive right into her eyes. She hoped it was unrehearsed.
His harsh words this morning broke the spell, “Sandy, where are you? Last night you said you intended to tell Moran you located Toby so you could get some kind of a break. I thought you meant later. Aren’t we going to spend
