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“I do have one box of her things.” He shrugged. “Did this guy kill her?”
“It’s possible. Yes,” Amanda said. “Where’s this box?”
“It’s down in the basement on the shelving near the furnace. But you both really need to get it into your heads. This guy was a dick, through and through. I’m quite sure he hit her. They did a lot of screaming, and Lynnette, an awful lot of crying. But it wasn’t my place to put my nose in.”
Amanda nodded to the officer to take Barry, and she and Trent started toward the front door.
Barry shrugged off the officer’s hold. “Is this still necessary? I’ve been cooperative.”
They both ignored him, and he mumbled, “Nice,” behind them as they stepped into the house.
“Holden just let the guy hurt her.” Trent scowled and shook his head. “Neither of them is much of a man. But the shooter buddies up to Lynnette. Did he plan to exploit her and use her to carry out his mission?”
“Barry said he’s in his late forties, possibly fifties. Lynnette was twenty-nine. That would make him at least seventeen years older. It possibly made it easier to manipulate her.”
“And she had a rough past that the shooter might have exploited. He could have convinced her that he was good for her and all she deserved.” Trent shook his head. “It’s sad that she might have fallen for it.”
“Though, did she?” Amanda countered. “Maybe for a while, but it seems she broke free from his spell. We’ve discussed how she seemed to have left clues behind.”
“And look where that got her.” Trent frowned.
She stepped off the bottom step into the unfinished basement. The flooring was painted concrete.
Her phone rang, and it startled her. She came close to hitting her head on a low doorway. “Detective Steele,” she answered without looking at the caller ID.
“Mandy, another late night?” It was Logan, and the question was offensive. She was putting all her energy into saving a woman’s life and finding justice for two others, and he was upset because she wasn’t home for dinner.
“Katherine is still missing, Logan. The man who took her has already killed at least two people.”
Logan’s end of the line fell silent.
Trent looked over his shoulder at her, and his widened eyes told her how sharp her tone must have been. She could have softened her response, but she was running on a few hours’ sleep and could be on the verge of discovering their greatest lead yet. This wasn’t the time for the conversation that Logan wanted to have.
“Zoe’s at Maria’s so you don’t need to worry about her. Enjoy some quiet.” The goal was to present a pleasing alternative and get his mind off her abrupt reaction.
“I thought we would together, starting with a nice dinner and a bottle of wine. Then we’d curl up on the couch with a movie.”
His proposal for the evening was appealing, but she didn’t have the luxury of tapping out because she wanted to. Katherine needed her, even more than Logan. “I’ll be home when I can.”
A few beats, then, “Okay, well, do what you need to do.”
Was he being sincere or snide? She opened her mouth, shut it, looked up to the ceiling, cringed and retreated at the sight of a huge black spider making its way toward a fly caught in its web. The fine gauze flinching as the insect resisted its fate. “I appreciate your understanding.”
“Don’t mention it. See you when you get here.” And he was gone.
She hugged her phone against her chest. He was already slipping away from her. Imagine his reaction when she confessed what she’d done with Trent.
“I found what we were after.” Trent came over holding an overstuffed cardboard box.
“Let’s take it upstairs.” She led the way to the main level, which was cast in shadows. The sunlight was fading as it was already after six in the evening. She flipped the lights in the kitchen on, and Trent set the box on the counter.
A travel mug, a pillow embroidered with Bite Me, a bucket of pens, an alarm clock, a small table lamp, three well-worn paperbacks with a receipt in one being used as a bookmark, a Bobblehead troll doll, a pair of cheap sunglasses, a half tub of Tic Tacs, and a few sticks of white chalk.
“A strange assortment of stuff, but not exactly telling,” Trent said, standing back from the table.
“Well, she wouldn’t leave behind anything of sentimental or monetary value.”
“Say that again.” He gestured toward the unimpressive haul.
