Evan’s blood quickened. Had one of these people sold out their coworkers and the students for a deal with the devil? There was no question he believed the motive for all of this was money.
He got off the phone with Hendrick and immediately called Chief Cummings and arranged for the police to pick up the teacher and the janitor for interviews inside the police station.
“I’m heading out,” he said to Annalise. “I’m not sure when I’ll be back here. Text me if Sadie writes you?”
“Of course,” Annalise replied. “I’ll keep you posted.”
“Make sure you lock the door after me and don’t open it to anyone you don’t know,” he said.
“Trust me, I won’t,” she replied. Annalise reached into a vase that stood on a stand next to her front door. “Here’s the spare key.”
“Thanks.” He quickly attached it to his key ring.
“I hope you find some information that will help.”
“So do I.”
Maybe they didn’t need Sadie to make contact to break the case wide open, he thought as he flew out of Annalise’s front door. Maybe, just maybe the rat was at this very moment being rounded up by the local police.
* * *
THE MOMENT EVAN was gone, Annalise sat down at her computer with a thoughtful frown. Susan and Earl? Was it really possible that one of them was working with Jacob and Gretchen? Was it really possible that one of those trusted people had put fellow teachers and students at risk for their very lives? Had one of them participated in a scheme that had seen three people killed?
It was so hard to believe that anyone she knew could be a part of this, and yet somebody in the day-to-day life at the school had to be involved. Both Susan and Earl would have access to the van and garage keys that hung in the office. Both would know that on a Tuesday afternoon Annalise would be in the school building after hours with her smartest students.
Although she knew nothing about Earl’s finances, she did know that Susan had been terribly concerned about her future after her son’s restaurant had failed. Susan had divorced years ago and so had no one to share the financial burdens. She also knew that Sadie was terrific on the computer.
If one of them was behind this, she knew without a doubt Evan would ferret out the guilty and surely that person would know where Jacob and Gretchen had taken Sadie.
In the meantime she tapped her fingernails on her mouse pad. “Come on, Sadie. Talk to me.”
Tears blurred her vision. Had she not heard anything from the little girl yet because it was already too late? Was it possible that Sadie had been unable to do what they’d asked and she was now dead?
There were plenty of heavily wooded and mountainous areas where a dumped body might take years to find, if ever. “Please, please, don’t let Sadie be lost forever,” she whispered aloud.
Annalise didn’t know how long she sat watching the page before a deep weariness overtook her. She got up and stepped out on her back porch where woods encroached on her backyard.
She stared for several long minutes at the tall trees and brush, which normally brought her a sense of peace. This evening they only brought her more dreadful thoughts about Sadie.
She stood out there for only a few minutes and then returned to the house. After grabbing an afghan from the hall closet, she went to sit on the sofa and pulled the blanket around her shoulders. Her thoughts of Sadie and deep, dark woods had created a chill inside her.
Annalise glanced over at the computer and a new weariness struck her. She had her notifications turned up loud enough that if she did doze off the sound would awaken her.
With all the stress of the crime and worry about Sadie, she’d scarcely had time to process her feelings toward Evan. There was no doubt there was still something there. She didn’t want to distract him from doing his job, but she hoped when this was all over, when the bad guys were behind bars and Sadie was back safely, she could have a real discussion with Evan about them.
When she’d been in the school, he’d said he’d had regrets, but the conversation had been interrupted before he could explain. She wanted to hear about his regrets, and she wanted to tell him about her own.
Yes, she hoped to have a conversation with him about what had gone wrong and the possibility of a second chance to get it right.
But first and more important, they had to find Sadie.
* * *
CHIEF CUMMINGS MET Evan at the front door of the police station. “I’ve got Susan DeKalb in a conference room, and an officer is on his way with Earl Winslow in tow. You want to tell me what’s going on?”
“A few red flags have come up in their backgrounds that warrant a closer look at them,” Evan replied.
“How do you want to approach this? Good cop, bad cop?” Cummings puffed out his chest. “I can definitely work the bad cop role.”
“I don’t think that will be necessary.” Evan couldn’t think of anything more ridiculous that Walter playing the role of bad cop. “I can handle this,” Evan replied.
The chief frowned. “I will be sitting in on these interviews. I need to know what’s going on.”
“Of course.” Evan just hoped Chief Cummings didn’t do anything to interfere with the interviews. All Evan wanted to do was ferret out the guilty.
As he followed the chief down a short hallway to the conference room, he carried with him transcripts of the initial interviews that had been conducted on scene with the two employees by Nick and what Hendrick had discovered about the pair.
Evan hadn’t met Earl yet, but he remembered Susan DeKalb and how desperate she had been for answers when she’d talked to him. Now he was the one needing answers.
She stood when the two men entered the room. “What’s happening? Why am I here?” she asked with obvious nervousness.
“Please, sit down,” Evan said. “I just have a few things we want to clear up with you.” He offered her a smile, hoping to put her at ease. People who were more comfortable and at ease often talked too much.
“Would you like something to drink before we get started?” Evan asked as she sank back down at the table. “Maybe some coffee or a soda?”
“No, thank you. I just want to understand why I’m here,” she replied.
Evan sat across from her, and Chief Cummings sat next to him. “You should know that we’ve been checking out the backgrounds of everyone who works at the school. We believe the hostage takers had somebody on the inside who gave them information, and in checking into your background, a few things came to our attention.”
Susan’s eyes widened and her lower lip trembled. “You believe somebody at the school was working with those horrible people? That I was...that I am somehow involved?”
She looked at Chief Cummings and then back at Evan as her eyes filled with tears. “I would never... I could never be a part of something like this. What would make you believe that I might be?”
“We believe the person involved in this was hoping for a big monetary gain,” Evan said.
“Is this about me losing money in my son’s restaurant?” she asked. “I understood the risk when I gave it to him, but that doesn’t mean I would invite monsters into the school.”
As they continued to talk, Evan watched her body language carefully, seeking tells of deception. By the time the interview was over, Evan was certain Susan wasn’t the rat he sought. For what it was worth, Chief Cummings agreed with his assessment.
Earl Winslow was a thin, wiry fifty-two-year-old with an attitude. When led into the room, he slammed himself into the chair and gazed defiantly at the two law officers.
“I really got better things to do than hanging out here,” he said. “So, what’s up?”
“Be nice, Earl. Special Agent Duran has some questions for you,” Chief Cummings said.
“I just had some follow-up questions concerning what happened at the sch
ool,” Evan said. “I understand you haven’t been working there that long.”
“About six months or so,” Earl replied.
“And your last job before being hired on at the school?” Evan asked.
Earl frowned. “I worked as a house painter.”
“But according to my records that was three years ago. I imagine financially things have been pretty tight for you,” Evan said. Once again he watched Earl carefully, seeking any sign of deception.
“I’m not going to lie to you. There’s been some lean times, but I lead a fairly simple life. What does my financial state have to do with what happened at the school?” Earl changed positions in the chair and looked at Chief Cummings. “Come on, Walter...what the hell is this really about?”
“It’s about your involvement with what happened at the school,” the chief replied.
“My involvement?” Earl sat up straighter in the chair. “What in the hell are you talking about? I didn’t have any involvement with anything.”
“How long have you known Jacob Noble?” Evan asked.
Earl’s eyes narrowed almost imperceptibly. His chin shot up just a notch. “Jacob Noble? I don’t know the man at all.”
“I have evidence to the contrary,” Evan replied.
Earl stared at him for a long moment and then nodded and averted his gaze to someplace over Evan’s head. “Okay, I met him a couple of months ago when they held a rally. I went to the compound to see what it was about. I’d heard it was kind of like a commune where they grew their own vegetables and all lived together in peace. I was only there for about fifteen minutes before I realized Jacob and his wife were crazy.”
“Is that the only contact you had with the Brotherhood of Jacob?” Evan asked.
“Definitely. I left there and that was the end of it.”
“I’m sure you have had a chance to interact with the students at the school.” Evan thumbed through his notes, as if seeking more information.
“Not really. I see them in the hallways and I nod and smile, but that’s about it,” Earl replied, looking more and more uncomfortable with the conversation. “Look, I had nothing to do with this. I’d never do anything that might hurt those kids.”
“Do you have a cell phone?” Evan already knew the answer because he could see the device in Earl’s breast pocket.
“Yeah...why?” Earl’s dark eyes narrowed once again.
“Do you mind if I see it?” Evan asked.
“Yeah, I do mind. I think you need a warrant for that.” He got up from the table. “Walter, you’ve known me for years. You should know I’d never be involved with anything like the slaughter that happened in the school. Sure, I met Jacob one time because I was curious about life in the compound. I never talked to him again. I never planned anything with him. You got the wrong guy and now I’m done here. If you aren’t going to arrest me, then you’d better arrange a ride for me to go home.”
“He’s our man,” Chief Cummings said the moment Earl left the small conference room. “I feel it in my gut, and my gut is never wrong. He’s definitely guilty. Why didn’t you arrest him?”
“Because we don’t have the evidence to arrest him right now,” Evan replied curtly. “Put a couple of tails on him. If he is our man, maybe he’ll lead us to where Jacob and Gretchen are holed up.”
“Consider it done. But I’ve got to tell you, I definitely feel like we got our inside man.” Chief Cummings appeared positively jubilant. Evan wasn’t so sure.
He’d have Hendrick work with the cell phone company to get Earl’s texts and a log of incoming and outgoing calls. Of course it was always possible that if Earl really was involved, he might be smart enough to own a burner phone that would be less easy to trace.
“Earl has always been a strange duck. He’s never married and is a loner. He lives in a little house his parents owned before they died, but I heard he owes some back taxes on it and is about to lose it. I’m telling you, he’s our man, Agent Duran.”
Evan got up from the table. “Put the tails on him and let me know if anything breaks. I’ll touch base with you sometime tomorrow.”
Minutes later Evan stepped outside the police station, surprised that night was approaching and with it a deep exhaustion he couldn’t deny. It had been a wild day, from Phil accosting them with a gun, the move to Annalise’s home and finally a potential piece of the puzzle.
But, he was functioning on two hours of sleep, and at the moment he was so exhausted his thoughts were muddled. As he drove back to Annalise’s place, he thought about the interview with Earl. While the fact that the man had met Jacob a month before was suspicious, it was also possible it was one of those odd coincidences that life sometimes sets up. The last thing he wanted was a rush to justice that might see an innocent man behind bars and the guilty still free.
He let himself in with the spare key Annalise had given him. He walked into the living room to find her talking about code on a video chat with Hendrick. For a moment he merely stood there and listened.
She was brilliant. That was part of what had drawn him to her in the first place. The fact that she could hold her own with one of the FBI’s top techs was remarkable.
She must have sensed his presence for she looked over her shoulder and smiled, then turned back to the computer. “Evan just walked in,” she said to the tech agent.
“Evan. Anything new come out of the interviews?” Hendrick asked.
Evan stepped into camera view and caught Hendrick up with what he’d learned from Susan and Earl. “Chief Cummings is convinced Earl is our man, and he was ready to make an arrest immediately.”
“And what did you think?” Hendrick asked.
“I think we need a lot more information than what I have,” Evan replied. The two men talked for another few minutes, and when they finished Hendrick said goodbye to Annalise and then he disconnected.
“Are you okay?” Annalise asked.
Evan sank down on the edge of the sofa. “To be honest, I’m completely exhausted. I assume you still haven’t heard from Sadie?”
“You assume right, and you probably need to crash for the night. I have to confess I napped almost the whole time you were gone. So I’m good to man the computers while you get some sleep.”
He rubbed the back of his neck. “Maybe I’ll just stretch out right here on the sofa for an hour.”
“Are you sure you don’t want to go back to a bed?” she asked.
“Nah, I’ll be fine right here.”
“I’ll go get you a pillow to make you more comfortable,” she replied.
As she left the room, Evan’s thoughts went wild. The whole plot had been for Jacob to grab Sadie to break into the banking system. Sooner or later if their plan was still the same, Sadie would be put in front of a computer. Whether or not she would get an opportunity to type on Annalise’s page was another thing altogether. If the little girl was as smart as Annalise said she was, then one way or another she’d figure out a way to make contact.
He seriously doubted that Sadie would make any contact tonight. If they’d spent the day still on the run, then Jacob and Gretchen had to be exhausted, as well.
They would need to crash someplace and sleep. Or, it was possible they’d already landed somewhere and had spent the day catching up on sleep. And then there was Earl Winslow. Was he the insider who had told them which girl to grab and had provided the keys to the van and garage so they could drive in a Sandhurst vehicle? If the van was found, would it only lead the authorities around in circles?
God, his thoughts were going around and around in his head and making him half-crazy. Had he overlooked anything? Was everything possible being done to find the fugitives?
He wished he didn’t need sleep. There were times he hated that he was only human and required rest. But he knew by the way his mind was working he definitely needed a little sl
eep.
Annalise returned with a pillow. “Are you sure you don’t want to go back in the bedroom?” she asked one more time.
“I’ll be fine here...unless I’ll bother you.” He took the pillow from her.
“You won’t bother me. I’ll just sit tight here at my desk and watch for any sign from Sadie.” She turned off the overhead light, leaving the room illuminated only by a desk lamp.
Evan stretched out with a deep sigh. He didn’t want to think about the fact that he was oddly comforted that Annalise was so nearby, that they were both fighting side by side to save a little girl.
He definitely didn’t want to think about what would happen to him...to her...to them if in the end, Sadie wasn’t saved.
Chapter Ten
Annalise jerked awake, surprised to realize she’d nodded off in her desk chair. The clock said it was just after midnight, and with a quick glance around she immediately knew what had awakened her.
Evan was having one of his nightmares. He’d had them occasionally when they had been together, although he’d never shared with her what they were about. He tossed and turned, his features twisted as he breathed rapidly...harshly.
Her first instinct was to wake him, to get him out of wherever he was in his sleep landscape. But she paused and hoped the nightmare would pass and he’d continue to get some more much-needed sleep.
His thrashing grew more intense, and Annalise half rose from her chair, afraid that he would end up falling off the sofa. “Maria!” The name exploded out of him and he bolted upright. He swiped his hands down the sides of his face and released a deep breath.
“Evan, are you okay?” Annalise asked softly. “You were having one of your nightmares.”
“Yeah, I’m fine.” He swung his legs off the sofa and sat up. “What time is it?”
“Just a little after midnight. Evan, who is Maria?”
She was sorry she’d asked him the question the minute it left her mouth and she saw his reaction. His face paled as he sat up straighter. “How do you know anything about Maria?” he asked.
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