While it was understandable, she didn’t relish the attention – and suspicion – that would follow. “I’m not sure how much help I’ll be. Last night was the first time I’ve seen him. Ever.”
Dak nodded. “I get that and I believe you, but you know how it goes. They’ll have to ask hard questions.”
“Let them ask. I have nothing to hide.” Even if she wanted to tell them to mind their own business. “In the meantime, I’ve done a little digging of my own. Turns out there are a lot of red Porsche’s in this town. None registered to Mitch Taylor.”
Which meant that he was either driving someone else’s car or using an alias.
The first option wasn’t a big deal, but using an alias raised a lot of questions. Especially when she combined that with his claim to know something about their missing person.
“Why didn’t I hear him out?” She pushed a frustrated breath through her nostrils. “I wish I hadn’t let my temper get the better of me.”
Dak tapped a few keys on his keyboard. “I think most of us would’ve done the same. I might’ve decked him.”
Somehow, she had a hard time picturing Dak decking someone – he was much too even-keel – but she kinda wished he had. Mitch Taylor deserved that, at the very least.
“I found several Mitch Taylors in the greater Seattle area, but none of them seem to be him. At least, not from the pictures on their driver’s licenses.”
Dak pressed and de-pressed the top of his retractable pen, a sure sign he was mentally processing everything. The click-clicking noise had driven her crazy months ago, but now was oddly soothing in its familiarity. “Which could support the theory that he’s up to no good. Unless he’s driving illegally, he clearly has a license. It might be out of state, or it might be under a different name.”
“He’s in this up to his skivvies. I’m sure of it.”
Dak appeared to fight the smile curling his lips. “Probably. We’ll pass the information along to–”
“Wait. We’re handing this off?” No way. This man came to her. She wasn’t going to hand it off to someone else!
Dak didn’t seem surprised by her outburst. In fact, she’d guess he’d been expecting it. “Not the abduction, but you know you can’t be anywhere near the investigation into Mitch Taylor. The man is your father.”
“Please.” She snorted. “The man is no more my father than Sorenson is. He’s been a faceless stranger my whole life. Sharing my DNA doesn’t make him family.”
“Doesn’t matter. We need to keep as much distance between you and him as we can.” Dak leaned forward and stared at her. “It’s for your protection as much as it is the integrity of the case. We can’t give anyone any ammunition to use against you later.”
As much as she hated to admit it, he was right.
If her father was involved in illegal activity, he’d be arrested. A slimy defense attorney could easily try to cast suspicion on her and claim she was aware of what he was doing or that she’d falsified evidence to get even. Her professional reputation, her career, and possibly even her freedom could be in jeopardy.
She slowly uncurled her fingers, forcing her hands flat against the desk. “I don’t have to like it.”
“No, but you do have to leave it alone.” A weighted pause hung between them. “You will let it go, right?”
She could look into her father on her own time. No one would be the wiser.
Unless she found something substantial. Then she’d have some explaining to do.
“Right?” Dak lifted a black eyebrow.
It’d be easy to agree, to keep him happy. But she’d promised never to lie to him and so far, she’d kept that promise. “Can I plead the fifth?”
Narrowed eyes held hers captive. “You look into this and you might have to. We need your focus here. On our active cases. On Jason Boggess.”
“You’ll have my focus. You know that.” Didn’t mean she couldn’t focus on more than one thing at a time. Especially after hours.
Dak rose and came around to her desk, planting his palms on either side of her keyboard and leaning in until his face was only a meter away. “I need you to let this go, not risk your career on a man you said you had no interest in finding.”
She swallowed, the saliva doing nothing to ease her suddenly scratchy throat.
Yes, she’d said that. More than once.
But that was before her father showed up on her doorstep. Before he’d dangled a carrot related to their current case in front of her nose.
Still, the fact remained that he’d abandoned her. Waited over thirty years to make a dramatic reappearance, one that likely contained a benefit to himself.
Yeah. There was something in this for him.
If she pursued this, she’d be playing his game. Playing right into his hand.
Well, she wouldn’t do it! Let him tease her. She was too old to need him and too smart to play his games.
She shot to her feet and matched Dak’s intense stare. “I won’t waste another second on him. I promise.”
A fresh scent, like the air after a heavy rain, wafted to her.
Dak’s aftershave.
She was close enough to see the hazel flecks in his dark chocolate eyes.
How had she gotten so close?
She casually eased back. “Besides. Why would I waste time finding someone who clearly never wanted to be found?”
Dak gave a firm, singular nod. “Good. Because if you get picked up for aiding and abetting a potential criminal, I’m sure as heck not bailing you out.”
“We’ve got another abduction.” Sid’s voice came from behind Dak, although she couldn’t see him as Dak’s body blocked her view. “We think it’s the same crew.”
