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“What’s wrong, Haley? What happened?”
“I’m at Ben’s house and—I don’t know why—but we’re surrounded by police cars and guys in black riot gear. They’re shouting at us with bullhorns and yelling for us to come out with our hands up!” Her words ended with a choking cry. “What should I do?”
Theodosia’s blood ran cold. “Both of you better go out there with your hands up.”
18
Haley continued to sob. “And then what?”
“And then I’ll be right there,” Theodosia said. “Quick, tell me Ben’s address.”
“Three sixteen Colonial. It’s a duplex with a big blooming magnolia out front.”
“Hang in there, kiddo, I’m on my way.”
Theodosia grabbed her keys and was out the door in a heartbeat. As she jogged to her Jeep in the back alley, she punched up Drayton’s number.
“I knew it,” Drayton said as he answered the phone. “You’ve come up with another harebrained idea, right? You’re about to tail one of your many suspects and you want me to ride shotgun.”
“Drayton, Haley’s in trouble.” Theodosia was in her Jeep now, cranking over the engine.
“What!”
“She’s at Ben’s house and the police have the place surrounded.”
“Why?”
“I don’t know why,” Theodosia said as she sped down the alley, braked sharply, then turned down Church Street. “Maybe because Ben’s still a suspect?”
“Where does he live? Where’s this happening?”
“Um, the address Haley gave me is on Colonial. Three sixteen Colonial.”
“Where are you now?” Drayton asked.
“Heading down Church Street.”
“You’re going to come within two blocks of me. Swing by and pick me up, will you?”
“You sure?” Theodosia asked as she changed lanes, cut off a small blue car, and hung a right onto Tradd.
“I’ll be waiting out front.”
Drayton was as good as his word. He was standing on the curb, bouncing nervously on the balls of his feet as Theodosia drove toward him. When he saw Theodosia’s Jeep, he raised a hand and waved.
Theodosia skidded to a halt, her right front tire scraping the curb as Drayton jumped into the passenger seat. He was still dressed in good slacks and shirt from the tea shop, but he had traded out his tweed jacket for a rust-colored suede jacket.
“Have you heard from Haley again?” were Drayton’s first words.
“Not a thing.”
“Do you think she’s okay?”
“We can only hope. But... she sounded awfully scared.”
***
The street leading to Ben’s house was blocked by two black-and-white cruisers parked crosswise and a cobweb of yellow-and-black crime scene tape. A uniformed officer saw Theodosia coming and threw up his hands to wave her off. When she kept on coming, he scowled, shook his head vigorously, and motioned for her to stop.
