Deadly Image

by Tamelia Tumlin

  Copyright © 2012 by Tamelia Tumlin

  No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system – except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews – without the written permission of publisher or author, except where permitted by law.

  CHAPTER ONE

  “I didn’t do anything to my daughter!” Lexi Yates glared across the gray rectangular table separating her from the sharp-suited FBI agent in the interrogation room of the Gator Bayou Police Department. She gritted her teeth and silently counted to ten. If this man accused her of harming Anna one more time, she would deck him.

  Seriously.

  A full-fledged right hook across his smug, angled jaw.

  Of course, she should be grateful the Child Abduction Rapid Deployment agency sent a team to her small Louisiana town so quickly to lead the investigation in her daughter’s disappearance, but this particular CARD agent seemed to be wasting precious time interrogating her instead of looking for her child.

  Why wasn’t he out there gathering evidence instead of asking her the same questions over and over again? Anna could already be…

  Tears stung her eyes. Lexi blinked and steeled her mind against the flood of horrific thoughts. She couldn’t help Anna if she fell to pieces.

  She had to stay strong.

  No matter what horrible crime she was accused of.

  “Ma’am, you could make this so much easier for both of us if you would just tell me what really happened to your daughter.” Agent Ace Valdez expelled a weary sigh and leaned forward, elbows resting on the chipped gray table.

  Cold, almost-black eyes pierced hers.

  Waiting.

  Lexi gripped the Gucci handbag in her lap. A wave of nausea surged toward her throat. She shoved it down. The stench of mold and stale cigarette smoke in the room didn’t help her churning stomach. With its cold, impassive atmosphere and dark gray brick walls, the interrogation room mirrored the agent’s frosty demeanor. The room, just like the entire sparsely populated town of Gator Bayou, seemed to be accusing her of this unspeakable crime.

  Panic seized her throat; blood pounded in her temples. Her hand tightened around her purse. She should have taken her anxiety meds before she came to the precinct, but she had been in such a hurry to get here hoping they had some news about Anna she had forgotten. Now, a full-blown panic attack taunted her sanity. But there was no way she was going to pop a pill in front of this man. Even though her prescription was perfectly legal. For some reason, everyone from the local sheriff to this fancy-shmancy FBI agent – from who knows where – seemed to think she had hurt her own daughter and made up this elaborate story of a kidnapping.

  Popping a pill probably wouldn’t help her case right now.

  “I’ve already told you what happened. Just like I told the sheriff yesterday and every other Tom, Dick and Harry who has asked in the past twenty-plus hours. Why isn’t anyone listening to me? Someone picked up my daughter from daycare around two o’clock yesterday afternoon. Someone who wasn’t on the authorized list.” Lexi narrowed her eyes and focused on the agent rather than her body’s imminent panic attack. “Agent Valdez, why aren’t you out looking for my daughter?”

  “We have several law enforcements combing the area as we speak. My job right now is to find out anything that might help us find Anna. Since you were the last person to see–”

  “I was not the last person to see my daughter. Mrs. Jenkins at Lil’ Gators Daycare was the last person to see Anna.” Lexi slammed her palm on the table.

  The sudden bang drew a frown from the agent. His full lips thinned in disapproval as he flipped through his notebook. “Mrs. Jenkins said you were the one who picked Anna up at ten minutes after two yesterday. According to her you signed her out and told her Anna would be out the rest of the week. You even settled the bill.”

  “I did no such thing!” Lexi jumped to her feet and paced the concrete floor. The sudden high pitch in her voice resonated off the walls. “I did not pick up my daughter. She was already gone when I went to get her at five. I don’t understand why Mrs. Jenkins would say such a thing. She knows I didn’t pick up Anna.” Lexi’s voice cracked. “Someone has my baby, Mr. Valdez, and I don’t know who it is.”

  She had to make him understand. Make him believe her.

  Ace’s jaw pulsed. He set the notebook on the table. Something flickered in those melted-chocolate eyes.

  Empathy?

  Concern?

  Then his eyes shuttered, the professional mask carefully camouflaging any emotion. “Do you have anyone who could account for your whereabouts at two o’clock yesterday?”

  “No. I was at home alone.”

  “Doing what?”

  “Redecorating Anna’s room. It was supposed to be a surprise for her.”

  She had taken a day off to finish the room. She’d even bought her daughter a new pink princess comforter, curtains and matching wallpaper to go with the new toddler bed since Anna had outgrown the crib.

  “Can any of your neighbors give you an alibi?”

  Lexi shook her head. “I doubt it. The closest one is a half mile down the street. I don’t even think they were home.” She bit her lip in frustration. “I didn’t realize I was going to need an alibi or I would have banged on every door between the daycare and home announcing my presence.”

  A beat of silence passed before Ace said gently, “Maybe there was an accident. Something unavoidable happened to Anna and you simply got scared. That’s understandable. It’s not too late to tell us what happened, Ms. Yates.”

  Lexi’s voice frosted. “Maybe I didn’t make myself clear. Perhaps we have a language barrier?” Her gaze swept across his features. Darkly tanned skin. Even darker eyes and onyx black hair cut short above the collar of his white button-up shirt. His Hispanic heritage prominent in every angle of his remarkably handsome face. “What about Spanish, senor? If I explain to you in Espanola that I did not take my daughter would you understand then?”

  Ace’s jaw tightened. “My native tongue is not the problem, ma’am. I was born in the Bronx so I speak English quite well.” His tone took on a defensive note. Surprised, Lexi realized she must have struck a nerve. Guilt squeezed her stomach. Being a snot towards the agent wasn’t going to help her find Anna. It wasn’t his fault Anna was missing.

  She really wished she had taken her meds. She could handle this so much better if her body didn’t feel like it was about to explode.

  Lexi sank to the metal chair, shoulders deflated. “I don’t understand. Why won’t you believe me then? What possible reason would I have for pretending my daughter has been kidnapped?”

  “What reason would Mrs. Jenkins have to lie about it?” Ace countered softly, his chin resting on steepled hands.

  Lexi blinked back a tear. “I have no idea. Why don’t you interrogate her for a while and find out?”

  The agent ignored her question. “How long has Anna been going to Lil’ Gators Daycare?”

  “About six months. We moved here to Gator Bayou right after…” Lexi’s throat clogged. She twisted her hands in her lap. Her chest ached and moisture collected in her palms.

  Really, really could use those meds right now.

  She usually didn’t forget to take them, but the sheer stress from the last couple of days had her off track with everything.

  “After?” Ace quirked a dark brow.

  Lexi shuddered a breath. “After my husband, Anna’s father, was killed. I had to get away from it all. The memories. The pain. I thought moving to a new town and starting over would help. My parents weren’t too keen on the idea, but I had to do what was best for A
nna and me.”

  “Did it help?”

  “No.”

  “Why did you choose Gator Bayou? That’s a long way from your family in Texas.”

  “I worked for a big company in Texas – Family Protection Insurance. They had an opening here in a much smaller office, so I seized the opportunity to get away.” Lexi shook her head. “My family and friends were great. Very supportive. But I couldn’t handle it anymore. The sympathetic looks. The constant attention. It was smothering. Everyone treated me as if I was going to fall apart.” She drew a ragged breath. “I probably would have too if I’d stayed. Starting over somewhere new seemed like a logical choice at the time.”

  “Tell me what happened to your husband.” Ace pulled a plastic package from the inside of his suit pocket. “Caramel?” He held out a wrapped piece of candy.

  Lexi shook her head. Who could eat at a time like this?

  Ace shrugged, unwrapped a candy and popped it in his mouth. “Tell me about Carl.”

  Lexi’s gaze darted to the file folder on the table. He had the folder with her life story in it.

  Widow of a prominent pastor from Dallas. Mother of a three-year-old. No siblings. Two caring parents still living in her hometown in Texas. Moved to Gator Bayou six months ago after the death of her high school sweetheart and husband of five years. Been on meds for an anxiety disorder since she was a child. Yep. That about summed up her pitiful life.

  Lexi jutted out her chin. Agent Valdez knew perfectly well exactly what had happened to Carl. It was all in her file.

  Ace slanted a look toward the manila folder. The left corner of his lip curled up. “I know what the file says, but I’d like to hear it from you.”

  “Why?” Suddenly Lexi wasn’t so sure she should tell him anything else without a lawyer present. Everything she said seemed to be twisted into some distorted form of the truth where she ended up being portrayed as the criminal.

  What was the point in reliving her past? Anna was missing and every second counted. Rehashing Carl’s death certainly wasn’t going to bring her daughter home.

  “Humor me.” Ace’s grin widened revealing a set of perfectly straight white teeth. “I like to have all the facts.”

  Lexi’s breath hitched. Without the permanent scowl he had been sporting since she’d arrived at the precinct two hours earlier, Agent Ace Valdez had the kind of face that could charm the spots off a leopard if he set his mind to it. Heart-stoppingly handsome in an exotic kind of way with just enough steel mingled in to suggest he could be a formidable opponent. The kind of face that promised loyalty and honor.

  As long as no one crossed him.

  A shudder rippled through her body. She’d hate to see someone actually try and cross Agent Valdez. Somehow she knew they’d end up worse for the wear.

  Lexi swallowed hard before answering. Hopefully, she wouldn’t be the one to find out. “The police report said Carl was killed in a car accident. He supposedly took a curve too fast. According to the skid marks, he was traveling well over sixty miles an hour.”

  “You don’t believe it?”

  A familiar ache jabbed Lexi’s chest reminding her of the void she hadn’t been able to fill in over eight months. She caught her breath. “Carl never drove over the speed limit. He was the most careful driver I’d ever known. Sometimes he drove so slowly I’d think we weren’t going to get our destination before the next millennium.” The pain in her chest intensified. Lexi steadied her thoughts. ”But Carl was a good man. A great husband and wonderful father to Anna.”

  Ace shuffled the papers in the folder. “He was the pastor of a church in Dallas?”

  “Yes. Trinity Grace. His sermons were televised every Sunday morning across the country.” Lexi blinked back a tear. “Carl was a good man. Everyone loved him and he would have done anything to help someone in need. He never judged others. Just simply offered guidance and compassion. He was greatly missed after the accident. I couldn’t tell you how many condolences and sympathy cards I received from all across the country.” Lexi drew in a harsh breath. “I never knew how many lives Carl had actually touched during his ministry until he died.”

  “You still have the cards?”

  “Yes. I’ve put them up for Anna. When she’s older, I want her to know what a kind, wonderful man her father was. I even printed out the ones that were emailed.”

  “Emailed?”

  “Through the church’s website.”

  “Did you ever receive any threatening letters?”

  Lexi shook her head. “I don’t think so, but I really wouldn’t know. Carl took care of most of the correspondence. He never mentioned any threats.” Her brows slashed downward. “But then again he wouldn’t have. Carl was very protective. He never wanted to worry me unnecessarily.”

  She didn’t bother to add Carl just hadn’t wanted to trigger any of her anxiety attacks. He’d suffered through enough of those as it was. Especially if she forgot to take her meds. Thankfully, that hadn’t happened too often, but when it did it was pretty awful.

  “Did you have pictures of Anna on the website?”

  “We had a family picture on the front page under Carl’s bio.” Lexi gripped her handbag again. “Do you think it was someone who saw her picture?”

  “Hard to say at this point.” Ace jotted the information on his notepad. “It seems unlikely though as you’ve been gone for almost six months. I would imagine the website has a new picture since the church has a different pastor.”

  “It does. Brother John has his family’s picture on the site now. He and his wife have three young children of their own.”

  “Do you still have the computer Carl used?”

  “Yes. We have a desktop. It’s several years old, but it still works fine.”

  Ace tore a piece of paper from the notepad. “Write the email address, username and password on here.” He slid the paper and pen across the table.

  “But the account’s been closed. The church has a different account now for Pastor John.”

  “That’s not a problem.” A smile tugged Ace’s lips upward. “We’re the Feds, remember?”

  Heat scorched Lexi’s cheeks. Duh. Of course they could pull the information. Big Brother could find out anything about anyone. “Oh. I see.” She scribbled the information on the paper and handed it to Ace.

  Hope flared in her chest. With all the gadgets and gizmos the FBI had to work with nowadays, maybe they really could find Anna.

  “Good.” Ace reached for the paper. A tingle spread through her index finger as his hand brushed hers. Ace didn’t seem to notice as he shoved to his feet. “Excuse me for a minute.” He crossed the room, opened the door and poked his head out. “Zach!”

  Through the doorway Lexi could see a short, balding man wearing a dark suit with a maroon tie striding toward Agent Valdez. “Yeah?”

  “I need you to go pick up Mrs. Yates’ computer. Have the boys pull all the emails from this account.” Ace handed Zach the sheet from his notepad. “May as well do a thorough check of the hard drive. See if they can find anything that might be useful.”

  “On our way.” Zach took the paper from Ace, gave Lexi a curt nod and disappeared through the door.

  Ace closed the door behind him and returned to his seat. “You do realize when they check the hard drive they’ll be able to see all the searches made on the computer as well?”

  “Of course.”

  Ace narrowed his eyes. “If there is anything incriminating on the computer, they will find it. Even if you think you’ve deleted it.”

  Lexi bristled. “Are you assuming I have something to hide?”

  “Do you?”

  “No. I’ve already told you I didn’t.”

  “Right.” Ace leaned back in his chair. “I just want to be clear. Now, let’s go over this one more time. You dropped your daughter off at Lil’ Gators around seven in the morning. She was wearing yellow shorts and a matching white shirt with a yellow butterfly on it. According to you, you were
home alone working on her room instead of at the insurance office. Then around two you went to pick her up and signed her out for the rest of the week. So, what did you do between two and five when you went back to pick your daughter up from the daycare the second time? What happened to Anna during those three hours?”

  Lexi balled her fist. “If I knew that, then I wouldn’t be here right now, would I?” What a horrible man! How many more times was he going to insinuate she had done something unspeakable to her daughter? And when was he going to get it in his thick skull that she didn’t pick up Anna at two?

  “Maybe. Maybe not.” Ace shrugged. “I need to establish a timeline. We know where Anna was until about two that day.” He leaned forward, elbows resting on the table. “What were you doing between two and five the day Anna disappeared?”

  “The same thing I was doing the first six times you asked me. I was home painting and wallpapering Anna’s room, and for the thousandth time I did not pick up my daughter at two. Someone else did.” Chin held high, Lexi leaned toward him, her face mere inches from his. So close she could feel his warm breath on her cheek. If he thought he was going to intimidate her into confessing something she hadn’t done, he had another think coming. “For the last time, I didn’t do anything to Anna. Now, I want to know exactly what you are going to do to bring my baby home, because if you can’t – or won’t – help me, then I’ll find someone who will.”

  Her words hung in the air between them. Ace’s dark eyes studied her for a moment, but she didn’t break his gaze. A beat passed, then Ace picked up the file on the table.

  He cleared his throat. “Did you ask for a full investigation after your husband’s accident?”

  Lexi’s shoulder’s relaxed. Maybe he’d gotten the point this time. “It didn’t do any good. The police closed the case and ruled it an accident. Now I’ll never know for sure. What I don’t understand is how discussing my husband’s death is going to help you find my daughter.”

  Ace shrugged. “You never know what small detail might crack a case wide open. I like to have all my bases covered.” He shuffled the papers in the folder. “Can you tell me why you have been prescribed benzodiazepine for the past several years?”