“I don’t like breaking rules,” Michael said quietly. “Because when we do, bad guys walk. But this time? I don’t care. I couldn’t live with myself if we didn’t try everything to find Matt and Kara. Even if Reid gets off on a technicality. Besides, we have no solid evidence he killed anyone. Just a pile of circumstantial. It could take weeks—months—to build a case. Matt and Kara have been gone for more than forty-eight hours. They don’t have that time.”
Catherine nodded in agreement. “Let’s go.”
They walked up to the townhouse and tried the door; locked. They rang the bell. No one came to the door.
“His car is out back,” Michael said.
Catherine didn’t like this. Had Garrett killed his lawyer? Unlikely. They had followed Graves when he took Garrett to the hotel. They had a dedicated security guard watching the camera on the fifth floor. Garrett hadn’t left his room except to use the gym, and someone always had eyes on him. Thirty minutes after he returned to his room, he ordered room service.
But Clara... would she have killed the lawyer who got Garrett out of prison? Maybe, if she thought he was a liability.
“I don’t think we have probable cause to enter,” Michael said.
“I’ve left two messages, his car is here, he hasn’t been reachable.”
“Let’s call his legal secretary,” Michael said.
Michael was right, though Catherine didn’t want to delay. Time was not their friend. But told Michael to call.
After a brief conversation, he hung up and said, “She spoke to Graves an hour ago and he was in the office. She said he was tired and under strain, but told her not to come in.”
Catherine called Franklin’s cell phone. He didn’t pick up. She said, “This is Dr. Catherine Jones with the FBI. We need to talk. Open your door, I’m standing out front.”
She hit End,then waited.
Five minutes later, she heard movement, then the door opened and Franklin Graves stood there. He looked hollow and defeated. He had on the same clothes he’d worn to court yesterday. His trousers were wrinkled, his shirt sleeves rolled up and three buttons unbuttoned, no tie. His eyes were bloodshot. He looked much older than forty-five.
“I can’t help you,” he said but without emotion.
“Garrett Reid has a partner, his wife,” Catherine said. “Her real name is Clara Dolan, but she’s been using both Audrey Reid and Hope Davidson.”
Franklin didn’t look surprised.
“You knew.”
He shrugged, opened the door. Though he didn’t formally invite them in, Catherine and Michael entered. The townhouse smelled of stale food and body odor. Franklin shuffled to the couch and sat down heavily, his head in his hands. Michael closed the door.
Catherine took the secretary’s chair, rolled it over across from him, and sat. Michael stood to the side.
“I believe,” Catherine said, carefully choosing her words, “that Reid’s wife is extremely dangerous. She abducted two federal agents in an attempt to help make her husband look innocent, and their lives are in grave danger. Clara left work at quarter to one, went to her house. She left her car there, and we don’t know what she’s driving, but she has nearly two hours on us. We need to find her, and I’m willing to put in a good word for Garrett if he cooperates. I’d like you to help facilitate this.”
“I can’t.”
“I understand the ethics. I’m not asking you to violate your lawyer-client duties. I’m asking you to let me talk to him so I can save the lives of two law enforcement officers.”
“You don’t understand. You have no idea who they are. Especially Amber.”
“Amber?”
“That’s what she told me her name was when I first met her.” He laughed, but there was no humor. There was only a dark hollow pain. “Amber, Audrey, Hope, who knows?Hecalls her Audrey. She has my wife and son. She promised to let them go if I do what she wants. I’m doing it.”
“What does she want?”
“I thought at first to make sure Reid was released on bail. I thought that was it. Then she said I needed to ‘wait in the wings’ for a few days. And I’m sitting here, waiting, not knowing if Lily and Nathan are still alive. So no, I’m not going tofacilitate anything. I can’t risk losing them. They’re innocent, Agent Jones. I don’t care if I die or go to prison, I will do anything to save them.”
“Then talk to me. I have information about Garrett’s wife that he doesn’t know. When he learns it, he’ll turn on her.”
Catherine didn’t know if she was right. Her gut told her she was, but her gut had also told her that Garrett Reid was a psychopathic killer when, in fact, he was a co-equal or submissive partner going along with the murders for reasons she didn’t quite understand.
