Gone Too Far Page 37
A few minutes later she felt as if she’d soaked up as much of the shitty atmosphere as she could tolerate. She decided to go back to Leo’s and follow that lead.
Why not? She had nothing to lose.
If she got herself dead, her only regret would be not getting Asher’s killer first.
Leo’s Tobacconist
Oak Grove Road
Homewood, 10:35 p.m.
Sadie had backed into a slot in the rear of the parking lot at Leo’s. She could watch the stockroom exit and McGill’s car from her position. She’d made a quick detour on the way here for the gear she would need. It wasn’t much. Something for copying McGill’s house key. Decoding software in case she managed an opportunity to have a look at her computer.
At 10:39 the Vandiver guy exited, cell phone against his ear. He climbed into his vintage BMW and roared away.
Another five minutes elapsed before McGill came out. She strutted across the pavement in the direction of her car. Waiting until her target was at the halfway point between the rear exit and her Corolla, Sadie emerged and began walking toward her. Hearing the footsteps, McGill jumped and turned in Sadie’s direction.
“Whoa. You scared the hell out of me.” A hand on her bare chest, McGill said, “I thought you had other plans tonight.”
Her voice shook ever so slightly. She wasn’t completely sure of the situation or of Sadie. But she didn’t run.
“I decided I liked your offer better.” By the time Sadie reached her position, she had her hands on her hips and was looking all cocky. “Unless you made other plans.”
“No other plans.” McGill moved in closer to Sadie. The heels McGill wore put the two of them nose to nose. “Your place or mine?”
Sadie looked directly into her eyes. “Yours is probably closer.”
McGill traced a finger over Sadie’s lips, then a path down to her breasts. “You riding with me or following?”
“I’ll follow. Makes the morning after less complicated.”
McGill grinned. “I’m liking you more already.”
Sadie headed back to her car and climbed in. She waited until McGill did the same and darted out of the parking lot. Sadie followed.
Her phone vibrated, and she checked the screen.
Falco.
She decided to answer since he might have an update from today’s task force meeting. She touched the speaker icon. “Yeah.”
“You got anything new on your end?”
Sadie considered holding back but decided if she wanted Falco to be on the up-and-up with her, she had to do the same to the extent possible. “I’m following Tara McGill to her town house.”
The lady lived in a damned high-end community to be a barmaid. If Sadie’d had any doubts as to whether she was involved in illegal activities, discovering her digs had alleviated that doubt.
“Any particular reason?”
“It’s possible she’s the source Walsh and Kurtz suspected. Maybe. I can’t be sure.” Sadie wasn’t ready to do a tell-all just yet.
“Sounds like you remembered something after all.”
Sadie rolled her eyes at the thinly veiled innuendo. “Just doing a little feeling around, a little digging.” No need to go into specifics. Falco was a smart guy. He knew what it took to get the job done.
“Be careful. If McGill is involved, she could be more dangerous than she looks.”
“I got this.” Sadie made the next left, staying close to McGill. “What’s happening on your end?”
“Devlin and I are supposed to stay away from the Walsh aspect of the investigation and focus on Kurtz. Your old man wants us out of his way.”
“That’s his favorite MO.” Sadie knew him like a damned book.
“I guess you heard the news that the Myers girl died.”
“Yeah. That’s too bad. How’s Devlin’s kid taking it?”
“She’s having a rough time.”
A couple of beats of silence elapsed, and Falco got to his point. “Look, if you can find anything on Myers or Talley or this new girl, Alice Cortez, I would appreciate it. I need to help Devlin with this. She’s too close, and I’m not sure she can see beyond her daughter.”
“You’re sure her daughter isn’t guilty?” Sadie hadn’t met the kid, and she had no reason to believe she was a bad one, but she had to ask.
“I’m positive. Tori is a really good kid.”
“Is that Falco the cop talking or the substitute father?”
“You’re a jerk sometimes, you know that, Cross?”
“Came by it naturally.” She pulled into the lot at the row of high-end town houses. “You’ve met my father.”
“Bottom line, Tori is a good kid. Period. But whatever happened, she’s tied into it somehow.”
“I’ll see what I can dig up. Gotta go.” Sadie ended the call and put her phone away as she climbed out.
It was time to get into character.
She’d always been really, really good at being someone else.
14
11:00 p.m.
Cross Residence
Eagle Wood Court
Birmingham
His phone buzzed.
Mason Cross stared at the screen. He exhaled. Had little or no effect on the frustration that swelled inside him.
Ignoring the situation wouldn’t help. It wasn’t going away.
“Yes.”
He listened. What else could he do? The molehill he had allowed to linger all these years had grown into a mountain. There was no easy way out at this point. Not for him.
“I’m outside. We need to talk.”
The sound of her voice still had the power to unsettle him. It shouldn’t. Nothing about her should do anything except fill him with fury . . . and yet she profoundly disturbed him on every level.
Rather than respond to what was clearly an order, he severed the connection and placed his phone back on the table next to him.
He picked up his glass and swallowed a slug of scotch.
He stood and walked over to the window. He didn’t know why he bothered. It was too dark to enjoy his view. Moonlight flickered on the water. He’d loved this place the moment he’d laid eyes on it nearly forty years ago. He’d barely been able to afford to buy the land at the time. Even forty years ago waterfront property was outrageous. Sadie had been a toddler before he’d been able to have the house built.