“A visual examination tells me they’re similar, but I can’t tell for certain yet, Hank. Once we get the vehicle back and do a computer analysis of the tire, I’m betting we’ll find it’s the right car.”
The vehicle would shortly be transported back to the lab for further examination, carried on a flatbed truck to avoid disturbing evidence. But Hank felt certain they had the right vehicle and the right man, and he hoped the BOLO he’d issued on Adam Thorburn would soon bring him in.
He turned and walked around to the back of the dwelling and stopped short. He wasn’t a botanical expert by any means, but the red rosebuds on the plants along the rear wall of the house looked like the one found in Nina White’s mouth.
He plucked off a bud and tucked it into an evidence bag. The lab would know whether or not the two buds were the same species.
But even without that comparison, Hank knew they had more than enough evidence.
Now all he needed to do was find Adam Thorburn.
Chapter 11
Tuesday, 1:55 p.m.
ANNIE HAD CALLED Crystal McKinley on her cell phone as soon as they arrived home. The woman was out, but she arranged to meet Annie at a small cafe off Main Street at two o’clock.
Annie printed out several of the most incriminating photos and tucked them inside a manila envelope along with the flash drive containing the video. She grabbed her handbag and poked her head into the kitchen, where Jake sat at the table, browsing the newspaper.
“I’ll be back in twenty minutes,” she said, holding up the envelope. “I’m going to give this to Mrs. McKinley.”
“What about a refund?” Jake asked. “It didn’t take us all that long.”
“We’ll see,” Annie said. “I’ll offer most of it back.” She turned her head as the office phone rang, then looked at her watch. She was running close on time. Maybe she should let the call go to voicemail. She changed her mind and dashed into the office, answering the phone.
“Lincoln Investigations. This is Annie Lincoln.”
“Ms. Lincoln. Hello. My name’s Teddy … Teddy White.”
Annie sat and pulled her chair in to the desk. “Yes, Mr. White. How can I help you?”
“My wife was … killed yesterday. Murdered. I’ve talked to the detective several times. He said they have a suspect.”
“You would be better to let the police handle it, Mr. White. If they have enough evidence, they’ll make an arrest.”
Teddy White sighed and his voice shook as he talked. “The murderer has disappeared, and I don’t think they’re doing enough to find him. At first the detective wouldn’t tell me who it was, but I persisted, and he gave me the man’s name.”
Annie hesitated. She knew most victims are content to wait until the police have done all they can, but occasionally, there are those who are unsatisfied, don’t trust the police, or just can’t wait. That’s when Lincoln Investigations often got a call.
“I’m sure they’re doing everything they can to find him,” Annie said.
“Perhaps they are,” Mr. White said. “But there’re only two detectives on the case and I don’t feel confident.” He paused. “Can you help me?”
“Was the detective you talked to named Hank Corning?”
“Yes. Detective Hank Corning. That’s what his card says.”
“He’s very capable,” Annie said. “My husband and I have known him a long time.”
“Nonetheless, can you help me? Are you too busy?”
Lincoln Investigations had nothing pressing at the moment, but she didn’t want to interfere when she knew Hank would have everything under control.
She hesitated, then said, “We’ll come and see you before we decide.” She jotted down Mr. White’s address, looked at her watch, and agreed to meet him at home by 2:30 that afternoon.
She told Jake about the call, then hurried out the door, making it to the cafe a few minutes late. Mrs. McKinley sat at a table on a small patio out front and Annie sat opposite her, declining her invitation for a drink.
“I’m afraid your suspicions were correct,” Annie said, pushing the envelope toward her.
Mrs. McKinley opened the envelope and removed the photos, running through them slowly. Her face grew sadder with each shot. When she finished, she sighed and looked at Annie. “Thank you,” she said, her voice weak and lifeless.
“I’m sorry,” Annie said. “It must be hard.”
Mrs. McKinley smiled feebly. “Now I have to decide what to do with these.”
“The video is more of the same,” Annie said.
The woman nodded and tucked the photos back into the envelope.
“It didn’t take us more than a few hours,” Annie said. “I’ll give you a refund for the extra.”
Mrs. McKinley shook her head. “You earned it.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes.” She picked up her small Prada handbag and removed a twenty, tucked it under her coffee cup, then stood and picked up the envelope. “I have an appointment,” she said. “I must go. Thank you again.”
Annie watched her leave, wondering what would become of the woman’s marriage. Whether they got divorced or not, she was afraid Mrs. McKinley was in for some more heartache, and all the money in the world couldn’t heal a broken heart.
Annie called Jake and told him she was on her way back, and he promised to meet her outside. He was sitting on the curb when she pulled up and he hopped in.
On the way to Teddy White’s house, she filled him in on her meeting with Mrs. McKinley. He didn’t say much, but Annie could tell Jake felt sympathetic toward the woman.
The White residence was a beautiful, well-kept home in a middle-class subdivision. The immaculate lawn was framed by an abundance of flowers and colorful shrubs. Still more lined the front of the house and ran along the pathway toward the front door.
Jake rang the bell and waited. The man who answered the door a few moments later forced a weak smile, and after introductions, invited them into the front room.
Jake sat on one end of the couch, Annie the other. She glanced around the pristine room, sparsely furnished with modern furniture, everything in its place and neatly arranged. A huge spray of fresh flowers filled a vase on the coffee table, another on a stand by the doorway. It gave the room a beautiful smell unmatched by artificial sprays and deodorizers.
Mr. White dropped into a straight-backed chair with a sigh and leaned forward slightly. The smile had been replaced by a downcast expression, his voice quivering as he told them about his wife and how she had been killed. He paused often to look down and regain his composure before he was finished.
Annie had a notepad out and she wrote down the important points. “You said you knew the name of the suspect?” she asked.
Mr. White’s lips tightened, anger in his eyes. “Adam Thorburn,” he said, almost spitting the name out. “And he’s run off somewhere. His mother, Virginia Thorburn, claims not to know where he is.”
“And you want us to help look for him?” Jake asked.
Mr. White nodded, his brow wrinkled. “Yes. I want him found. He’s a maniac, and if he hurts someone else, I couldn’t live with myself if I hadn’t done everything possible to stop him.”
Annie watched the despondent man a moment as he wrung his hands, his shoulders slumped, pleading to them with his eyes. She looked at Jake. He nodded slightly and she turned back to Mr. White.
“We’ll look into it,” she said.
Teddy sat back and took a deep breath, letting it out slowly, a look of relief on his thin face. “Thank you. I expect you can reach me here at any time. I don’t have plans to go out in the near future.” He dropped his head. “At least, not until they release my wife’s body.”
“I’ll keep you up to date,” Annie said. She hesitated, watched the mournful man, then added, “The police department offers a grief counseling service if you’re interested.”