'Will you call him?'
'Look, Atlanta PD will help now. They have no choice, not after the Devon ID.”
“He doesn’t want me to bring in the police. He wants me to find her. It’s like some kind of game to him.'
'Will you stay here and let me go and look for her?'
'I told you, that’s not what he wants. He wants me to search for her. It has to be me.'
'Then don’t give the bastard what he wants.'
'And have him send me her head in a box?' she asked unevenly. 'I can’t risk that. I have to find her and find her quick.'
'Okay, but I’m going with you.' He reached for the phone. 'Go pack a toothbrush and a change of clothes. I’ll call Mark and tell him what we need so he can get started on it.'
'Set up a meeting with him. Dom’s got to see me making the effort to find her. He’ll be watching me.'
'That’s no problem. I told you I’d promised Mark you’d see him as soon as possible. I’ll have him meet us at my apartment in the city.'
Joe’s apartment was in a luxury high-rise across the street from Piedmont Park. He drove down into the secured gated parking garage and they took the elevator to the seventh floor.
'It’s about time, Joe. I’ve been waiting almost an hour.' Mark Grunard grinned at them. 'Don’t you realize I’m an important man in this town?' He extended his hand to Eve. 'I’m glad to see you again, Ms. Duncan. Though I’m sorry it’s in these circumstances.'
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'So am I.' She shook his hand. He appeared almost the same as she remembered him—tall, fit, with a charming smile. Perhaps in his early fifties, he showed the years with a few more laugh lines around his blue eyes. 'But I’m glad you’ve agreed to help us.'
'I’d be an idiot otherwise. This is big stuff. It’s not often I get a chance at an exclusive that could net me an Emmy.'
'What about your fellow reporters?' Joe asked. 'Are we going to be safe here?”
“I think so. I laid a false trail to Daytona Beach in the newscast last night. Just don’t be stupid.'
He frowned. 'I contacted Barbara Eisley about our problem. She’s head of Child and Family Services. It’s not going to be easy. She says all files are private.'
Red tape, Eve thought with frustration. A child could be murdered while they dithered about blasted rules. 'Can’t you persuade her?'
'Barbara Eisley’s a tough nut. She’d make a great drill sergeant. Can you get a court order?'
Joe shook his head. 'We can’t go through the system. Eve’s afraid Dom will move on the little girl if we do.'
'Barbara Eisley has got to help,' Eve said.
'I said it’s not going to be easy, I didn’t say impossible,' Grunard said. 'We just have to use a little persuasion.'
'Could I see Ms. Eisley?'
Grunard nodded. 'I thought you’d feel like that. We’re taking her to dinner tonight.' He held up his hand as Joe opened his mouth to protest. 'I know, Eve can’t go where she’ll be recognized. I have a friend who owns an Italian restaurant on the Chattahoochee just outside the city. He’ll give us good pasta and complete privacy. Okay?'
'Okay.' Joe unlocked his apartment door. 'Pick us up across the street, inside the park, at six.'
'I’ll be there.'
Eve watched Grunard walk toward the elevators before she followed Joe into the apartment.
'He appears very'—she searched for the word—'solid.'
'That’s why he’s so popular.' He locked the door and Eve looked around the apartment.
'Good God, you could have done better than this, Joe. It looks like a hotel room.'
He shrugged. 'I told you I didn’t do much more than sleep here.' He headed for the kitchen. 'I’ll make coffee and sandwiches. I doubt if we’re going to eat much at that dinner with Barbara Eisley.'
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She followed him into the kitchen. She doubted she could eat much now either, but she’d have to. She needed all her strength. 'I think I may have met Eisley before.'
'When?'
'Years ago. When I was a kid. There was one caseworker…' She shook her head. 'Maybe not.'
'You don’t remember?'
'I’ve blocked a lot of that time out of my memory.' She made a face. 'It wasn’t a very pleasant period. Mom and I were moving from place to place and every month the welfare department was threatening to take me away from Mom and put me in a foster home if she didn’t get off the crack.' She opened the refrigerator door. 'Everything in here is spoiled, Joe.'
