Page 12 of Girl Long Gone

No way Lacey would let this go. So much for not telling her the truth of what she’d learned today. Evelyn sighed and leaned back in her chair. “Why don’t you finish getting Abbie ready for bed, then we’ll talk.”

Lacey nodded and walked past her toward the room she shared with her daughter.

Evelyn stood and made her way into the kitchen for a bottle of wine and two stemless glasses. It was going to be a long night.

Connor scooped Porkchop off the sidewalk and sat on the concrete stairs at the front of his apartment building. The dog trembled in his lap, and he rubbed a hand up and down his spine to calm him. The dog had been through enough tonight, and Connor didn’t need to let his temper roar and scare him even more.

“Well, that didn’t sound like it went well,” Ben said and took a seat beside him.

Connor scooted over, his gaze fixed on his phone while disbelief ricocheted around his head. “I don’t get it. Why would she risk it? You said she came from money, right?”

“Yeah, a lot of it. Both parents are dead, and she has no siblings. I didn’t trace the money, but I assumed it all went to her.”

His new Italian friend had learned a lot in a short amount of time. Connor just wished the information made sense. The scent of garlic and oregano wafted in the air, causing Connor’s stomach to scream in hunger. Food had been the last thing on his mind since Monica went missing, but he could use a small break and some sustenance if he wanted to keep going. “Wanna head to the pizza shop across the street? We can brainstorm and eat. Grab a table on the patio with the dog, and I’ll get us a couple slices.”

He grunted in agreement, and Connor held Porkchop to his chest as he weaved in between the cars waiting for the light to change.

Square tables crowded together on the busy sidewalk. A red and white awning stretched over them, blocking out the lamplight shining above. He grabbed a seat at the closest empty spot to the door.

Connor settled against the back of the chair while Porkchop whined behind him. A piece of crust landed on the ground and skidded to a stop beside Connor’s chair. Porkchop laid down and licked the bread like a bone.

His mouth’s been on a lot worse today. What’s the harm?

“I got a whole pie. Pepperoni and banana peppers.” Ben set the pizza down and tossed a bottle of soda across the table.

“Okay,” Ben said as he unscrewed the top of his soda. “I need to take a deeper look at Evelyn. Why would a well- to-do woman ignore your warning? Could she know more than she’s letting on?”

Connor shook his head and swallowed the hunk of pizza in his mouth. “I don’t think so. At least not where Gabriel’s concerned. As much as I hate to say it, her hesitation makes sense. She doesn’t know me, she knows him, and I’ve got jack shit for evidence. Hell, even my buddies on the force think I’m pointing a finger at the wrong guy.”

“Did she give you any clue what his new business is?”

“Nothing. Wouldn’t he continue to use the same people for web design? Why bring in someone completely new?”

“I don’t buy it. A guy with his resources wouldn’t even be the one taking meetings to hire someone like her. Why’s he taking such a personal interest?”

A picture of Evelyn with her soft waves and plump lips came to mind. He wouldn’t mind taking a personal interest in a woman like Evelyn Price, but was Gabriel’s interest in her motivated by work, her looks, or something much more sinister?

He cleared his throat and pushed the image of her away. He needed to focus. “So much information is spinning around in my head. I have to write it down. Make a spreadsheet, do more digging, try to make the pieces fit enough that I can get more men looking into Gabriel. I’m going to grab my laptop and head over to my friend Mark’s place for the night. If it’s all right with him, I might stay there until this nightmare’s over.”

“I won’t get any sleep tonight if you want to crash with me. Might be easier if we’re working on this together.”

A text alert sounded on his phone, and he scrambled to read the message. Mark’s ears must have been burning, because the text was from him.

Didn’t hear it from me, but they ID’d the hand. Belongs to Hayley Teller. She’s a government employee, so her prints popped up right away.

Finally, something he could use to hopefully get some answers. He cut his gaze to Ben. “I might take you up on your offer. At least for tonight. We’ve got another lead to follow.”

His stomach contracted. Just because they had a lead to Hayley, didn’t mean it was a lead to Monica.

6

The cab pulled up to the curb of the up-and-coming restaurant Gabriel recommended for dinner. Evelyn stepped out of the vehicle and sucked in a lungful of night air. The wind whipped the cold breeze off the river and chased away the leftover warmth from the sun. She backed away from the car and studied her surroundings. The opposite side of the street boasted scarred brick buildings splattered with colorful street art, while sleek glass lined the walls of the restaurant beside her.

“Of all the great restaurants in Brooklyn, I can’t believe Gabriel wanted to come to Williamsburg.” Lacey scooted out of the cab and stepped onto the curb beside her. “A man with money should be willing to spring for a fancier place. This neighborhood might be on the upswing, but it’s definitely not there yet.”

Evelyn rolled her eyes. “I can’t believe you insisted on coming with me like I’m a child. You’re wasting a kid-free night babysitting me.”

“After what you told me last night, no way I’d let you meet him alone. I’ll sit at the bar and neither one of you will even realize I’m here.” Lacey lifted her huge tote high on her shoulder.