Theres nothing else from him in the files.
Kristens brow furrowed. I guess we at least bring Morris in to tell us why he was taking photos of the kids at the preschool. Maybe if we keep him talking long enough, well find out if he still holds a grudge against you. She held up the letters. Can you make me copies of these?
Those are the copies. I thought you might want them. He gave her the file to hold the letters. Any chance I could take a look at the interrogation video when youre done?
She shot him a wry look. I think you overestimate the technological savvy of the Gossamer Ridge Police Department.
You do record audio, at least?
We do. Ill ask Carl if its okay to let you take a listen. Kristen stood up, tucking the folder under her arm. Sam was about to remind her of Maddys request when she turned to Maddy on her own and said, Now, Miss Maddy, you had something to show me?
Maddy beamed at Kristen as she crouched beside her at the low coffee table. Its me and Uncle Gabe, see? He taked me fishing. I catched a big catfish, see?
I see, Kristen said, sounding impressed. Did your daddy clean it and cook it for you?
Maddy looked up at Kristen in horror. Cook it?
We havent told her where fish sticks come from yet, Sam said quietly.
Kristen gave him a now you tell me look and turned back to Maddy. Im sorry, did you say catfish? Of course you dont cook catfish! So, thats you in the green dress, right?
Maddy nodded, pointing her stubby little finger at some more squiggles on the page. Thats Uncle Gabe, and thats Rowdy-
J.D.s dog, Sam supplied. Mom and Dad are keeping him, along with Mike, at the lake while J.D.s up here at the hospital with Cissy.
And thats Uncle Jake in his boat, Maddy continued, pointing at a speck just above the patch of blue that Sam supposed was the lake, and thats you and daddy. She beamed up at Kristen.
Kristen turned and gave Sam an odd look. Bending closer, he saw why. The stick figures Maddy had identified as Kristen and him were standing on the pier, holding hands.
Thats a beautiful picture, baby, Sam said. Why dont you draw us another one?
Maddy grinned up at him and went to work on a fresh page of the legal pad.
Kristen pushed to her feet and turned to Sam, keeping her distance, no touching written all over her body language. Im going back to the station to pass all this by Carl and get the go-ahead to bring Darryl Morris in for questioning. Ill see you later, Maddy, okay?
Maddy looked up at her, frowning. Dont you wanna see my picture?
You can show it to me later at the house. Make it pretty!
Okay! Maddy turned back to her drawing.
Sam hurried after Kristen, catching up at the door. He laid his hand on her arm to stop her from leaving. We need to talk.
Her chin went up, but her eyes didnt quite meet his. Ill call to let you know how the interview goes.
Thats not what I meant and you know it.
Her jaw squared a bit more and this time she met his gaze, her eyes defiant. Youre not going to go all squishy on me about a stupid kiss, are you? Because if Id known you were going to be such a girl about it-
Her jaw squared a bit more and this time she met his gaze, her eyes defiant. Youre not going to go all squishy on me about a stupid kiss, are you? Because if Id known you were going to be such a girl about it-
Youre projecting, Detective. He leaned closer, smiling a little as her lips trembled in response. You dont want to admit how much it got to you, do you? So you pretend Im just imagining that pulse in your throat fluttering like a butterfly.
Her throat bobbed and her eyelashes dipped to shield her eyes from his gaze. Whatever last night was, its not going to happen again. Were clear about that, right?
His smile widening, he opened the door for her. Let me know how the interview with Morris goes.
Not looking at him, she slipped out the door and disappeared down the hall.
Sams smile faded as he walked slowly back to his daughters side. It might have been fun seeing just how far he could get under Kristen Tandys prickly skin, but she had a point. Sure, when the case was over and done, thered be no ethical reason why he and Kristen couldnt see where their attraction would take them. But there were other reasons not to entangle himself with her, beyond the ethical questions.
Kristen was kind to Maddy, and Sam had no doubt that shed give her own life to protect his daughter, but that didnt mean she was good for Maddy in the long run, did it? Kristen had been up front about her issues with children, even more than Norah had. Her reasons might be understandable, but they didnt change the fact that she didnt want to be a mother. And Sam couldnt pretend it didnt matter. He wasnt some young stud Marine ready for action with any woman willing. He had Maddy to consider.
Maddy already had a mother who didnt want to be saddled with children in her life. She needed stability, not more of the same.
He checked his watch. Almost lunchtime. Hed promised Norah hed bring Maddy by the inn for lunch to try to repair some of the damage done the night before.
Maddy, remember when I told you we were going to go have lunch with Mommy today?
Maddys little brow furrowed. Do we hafta?
He nodded. We hafta. Remember, we talked about how Mommy didnt mean to scare you. Shes not taking you anywhere without me, right?
Right, Maddy said, although she didnt look entirely convinced. Can Miss Kristen come, too?
Miss Kristen has to work.
Cant we go see Miss Kristen work?
Not today, Sam said firmly, though in the center of his chest he felt a flicker of unease. He already saw all the signs of a Maddy-sized fixation. He wondered how much worse it would get over the next few days, with Kristen living with them at the guesthouse.
A soft knock on the door pulled him out of his musings. Had Kristen come back? When he found a clerk standing outside, holding a manila envelope, he felt a twinge of disappointment.
A courier dropped this off at the front desk a few minutes ago, sir.
Thanking her, he carried the envelope to his desk, relaxing a little at seeing a return address on the front of the envelope for a law firm hed crossed swords with before. He opened it to see what it was about.
But inside, he didnt find a letter, legal brief or anything else he might have expected.
Instead, he found a stack of color photo prints. The top image was a close-up of Maddy and her mother, sitting at a table for two in the small dining room at the Sycamore Inn.
His heart in his throat, Sam fished in his pocket for a handkerchief. He used the cloth to handle the photos, flipping through the small stack of images, alarm swiftly giving way to a fierce and growing rage until he reached the last photo in the stack, a picture of Maddy cradled in Sams arms after hed found her in the storage closet.
Arrogant son of a bitch had been right there in the restaurant the whole time.
He turned the photo over, knowing even as he did so that hed find nothing. The wily bastard wouldnt have sent the photos if hed thought he could be incriminated by them.
But Sam was wrong. There was something on the back of the last photo-a message scrawled in firm, black felt-tip pen that made his heart freeze solid in his chest.
Your child for mine.
Chapter Eleven
Kristens phone rang as she was belting herself behind the wheel of the Impala. Tandy.
Where are you? It was Sam. He sounded tense.
Whats wrong?
Are you still in the courthouse complex area?
I just got in the car. Whats going on?
Did you see anyone as you left the building wearing a tan windbreaker jacket and a blue baseball cap?
No, I didnt see anyone like that. Now tell me what the hell is going on.
I got another packet of photos. It was just delivered. The staffer who took it described the person who left the package as a man in his mid-forties, brown hair, wearing a blue baseball cap and a tan windbreaker. Sams voice tightened further. The son of a bitch made a threat.
Ill be right up.
Meet me at the reception area. Im trying to get a look at whatever surveillance video might be available.
Kristen retraced her steps back to the District Attorneys office, where she found Sam in the lobby, holding Maddy tightly on his hip while he conferred with a couple of Jefferson County Sheriffs Deputies.
Any luck on the video? she asked.
Sam introduced her to Griggs and Baker, the two deputies who were apparently part of the offices security detail. Baker printed a screen grab. He handed her the grainy photo of a man in a light-colored jacket and dark cap with a blurry cursive A on the front. We think its a Braves cap.
Kristen stared at the photo, remembering with growing excitement the picture she had helped Maddy color the day before. Maddy had chosen a dark blue crayon and said there was an ABC on the front of the cap.
Could this be Darryl Morris? Kristen asked Sam.
Maybe. The photos not great so its hard to be sure.
Kristens cell phone rang. It was Foley. Excuse me a second. She stepped a few feet away and answered. Tandy.
Its me. Ive got a bead on Darryl Morris.
You mean youre looking at him right now?
Yeah-had to drive all the way to Birmingham to do it, too, Foley answered.
Where are you now?
Parked outside the shipping company where he works. He just walked in. Did you get a look at the letters he sent Cooper? Do we have probable cause to pick him up?
What was he wearing?
Foley was silent a second. Why do you ask?
Just tell me what he was wearing.
Jeans, a tan jacket, blue Braves cap-
Kristen looked over at Sam and Maddy, anticipation surging into her veins. Oh, yeah, she said with a broad grin. We have probable cause.
DETECTIVE TANDY REALLY thinks hes the one? Norah asked Sam later when he met her for lunch in town. She glanced at Maddy, who clung to Sam like a little leech.
Sam coaxed Maddy into one of the chairs lining the sandwich shop window. He fits the description of the man who left the photos at the office earlier today. The police were already looking at him because of the angry letters he sent me after his sons case was settled. We think hes the one.
Norah took the seat across from him, careful not to encroach on Maddys space. Then maybe this is really over.