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Max passed him a pack of gum. “Can’t expect anyone else to make changes if you’re not willing to make some yourself.” He nodded at the interrogation window. “Did you really date her?”

“Yeah, but not because I liked her personality. She followed the Christian Salyer stories and seemed to have inside knowledge. I thought she could tell me something I didn’t know.”

Max glanced through the window at the snooty blonde. “Did she?”

“Are you kidding? The only thing she wanted to talk about was herself.”

Calvin knocked on the door and stepped inside. “They found these at her house.” He handed Gabriel a ribbon-tied pack of greeting cards. “They’re all signed CS. Do you think they’re from Salyer?”

“How many people have touched them?” Gabriel asked.

“Just me. The officers were wearing gloves.” Calvin flushed. “I took them out of the evidence bag to check the signatures.”

“Have them fingerprinted. Text me when you get the results.”

“Yes, sir.” Calvin took the cards and left.

“Poor kid.” Max shook his head. “I know how he feels. The same way I felt the first time I made a stupid mistake that messed up a case.”

“He’ll get over it.” Gabriel popped a piece of gum into his mouth. “Let’s go see what Miss Sparks has to say for herself.”

Rowena turned and glared at them as they entered. “This is an outrage, Gabriel.” She waved a perfectly manicured hand at Max. “What is he doing here?”

Gabriel took a seat and waited until she flounced into the one across from him. “Max is helping me with a murder investigation.”

She raised a shapely shoulder. “And what does that have to do with me?”

He dropped the photo of Cindi Johnson’s body on the table. “Tampering with evidence is a crime. Sal Merck didn’t put that sign around her neck. You did.”

Rowena gave an unladylike snort. “Prove it.”

Gabriel smiled. “We will. It’s being fingerprinted as we speak. Results should be in shortly.”

Her faced paled slightly. “So what if I did? A part of reporting news is drama. I didn’t destroy any evidence.”

“We’ll let the jury decide that. You had to touch the body to place the sign. You may have messed up something vital that Merck can use in his defense.”

Her eyes widened. “You can’t be serious. You’re not going to prosecute me for that.” She blinked and peered at him from beneath her long, lovely lashes. “After all we’ve been to each other?”

“Where’s Christian Salyer?”

Rowena licked her lips and smiled. “Why don’t you ask your girlfriend? She was the last one to see him.”

“We searched your house and found the cards. You might as well start talking.”

Her lips pulled down as her eyes turned into tiny pinpoints of hatred. “I’ll destroy you. What do you think people will say when I tell them you’re making this up because I dumped you? The same way she did to Christian.”

“I’d say your memory is faulty. We met three times for dinner and drinks. You bored the hell out of me, so I dumped you.”

“I want my lawyer.”

“Suit yourself.” Gabriel pushed back his chair. “Let’s go, Max. I’ll send someone in to take her to booking.”

“Wait a minute!” Rowena was on her feet. “I don’t know where he is. I did a news story after his death. A month later, I started receiving the cards. No return address, just his initials. The envelopes are there. You can see for yourself.”

Gabriel’s phone buzzed with a text, and he glanced at the message. “Fingerprint results are back from the cards. Looks like you’ve got a secret admirer. They’re not from Christian Salyer.”

She gripped the edge of the table. “But… then who are they from?”

“Prints aren’t in the system.” He turned and opened the door. “Make yourself comfortable. Someone may have other questions after your lawyer gets here.”

Max was close on his heels when he closed the door. “You really gonna prosecute her for that sign? She strikes me as the type to get ugly.”

“I’ll let her stew for a while then turn her loose. Let’s go talk to the chief, clock me out, and find Dakota.” A dizzy spell hit, and he stumbled against the wall.

“Gabriel, are you okay?”

“Give me a minute. It’s probably just the pills.” Another wave hit, and he slid slowly to the floor.

“We need an ambulance here!” Max yelled.

20

Max was in a whispered conversation with Dr. Neil when Gabriel woke. “Where’s my clothes?”

“Good, you’re awake.” Dr. Neil approached the side of the bed. “We’ll move you to a room in a just a minute.”

Gabriel sat up and swung his legs over the side of the bed. “You don’t need to move me to a room, because I’m not staying.”

“You need to listen to him, Gabriel.” Max’s voice held an edge of sadness.

“All right. I’ll listen, but I’m still not staying.”

“We ran some tests. The cancer has spread and is still spreading fast. It’s too late for an operation. The best we can do now is keep you as comfortable as possible.”

Gabriel wasn’t surprised by the information. The increase in the area of his pain had told him as much. “How long do I have?”

“You know I can’t tell you that, Gabriel. Guessing, I would say weeks, a month at the most. I can give you something stronger for the pain and portable oxygen, but it would be easier to monitor you here at the hospital.”

“Give me my clothes, Max.” He met Dr. Neil’s concerned gaze. “I’m dying. Write a prescription for whatever you can that will keep me going a little longer. I have something I have to finish.”

Dr. Neil passed him a bag containing his clothes. “I’ll have it ready for you when you’re ready to leave.”

Gabriel dressed slowly, pulling deep on an inner well of strength. “I’ll be okay, Max. We’ll find Dakota, and we’ll find Salyer.”

“I don’t know if she’s strong enough to stand this.”

“What?” Gabriel picked up his jacket.

“Losing you.” Max turned his wheelchair toward the door. “You gave her hope.”

Gabriel walked toward the door. “I’m not dead yet. And I’m not going to die until Christian Salyer is dead.”

Charleston, South Carolina

It was almost nine by the time I parked in front of the cabin. The advertisement had called it the perfect getaway, “alluring and secluded.” “They need to add dark and creepy to that page.”

I left the car lights on as I checked the door and entered the alarm code then the door-lock code. The front door opened easily, and I examined it before flipping on the light. I hadn’t expected much, and that was exactly what I found. A small kitchen was to the left, a bedroom to the right, and a combination dining room and living room straight ahead. At least it didn’t have a back door for me to worry about.

I left the door open as I debated bringing everything in or just what I needed for the night. I hated having to carry it all in then carry it all out again the next morning, but I also hated the thought of waking up to a looted vehicle, so I lugged in the two cases and dropped them on the bed before going back for the files, my extra guns and ammunition, and the bag of groceries I’d picked up on the way. Max wouldn’t call it groceries, as all it contained were coffee, filters, a gallon of orange juice, a bottle of whiskey, sleeping pills, and a few basic cleaning supplies. I’d managed to gag down half a salad at the bar next to the grocery store before I left, and I would be lucky if that stayed down all night. I still needed a new phone, and I would stop in Charleston in the morning and pick one up.