Franklin, in a monotone, said, “You don’t need to answer her questions.”
“I loved Becca,” Garrett said, ignoring his lawyer. “Her father told me the police think some asshole predator picked her up while she waited for a tow truck.”
“I don’t think you hurt her,” Catherine said. And watching him now, she went with her first instincts—that Garrett really had nothing to do with Becca’s disappearance, and had no idea that Clara had killed her. Something Catherine felt deep in her gut was true, but she couldn’t prove.
“Clara found out that you had dinner with your ex-girlfriend—a lovely young woman, very smart, and your first love. She suspected you still loved her, and if Becca returned those feelings, you’d dump Clara immediately. That was not going to happen, not to Clara. She gets what she wants. She killed Becca—I believe Becca was the first person Clara killed. I don’t know what she did with the body, but there are a lot of mountains and ravines in the Santa Barbara area.
“Instead of Becca, you took Clara to Scottsdale. You moved from resort to resort. You married in Las Vegas. She lied on her marriage certificate. Her name isn’t Audrey, it’s Clara.”
“Then you have the wrong person.” Garrett’s voice exuded confidence, but a hint of doubt clouded his eyes.
“You didn’t know,” Catherine said with a nod. “Interesting. Because Clara Dolan has a ten-million-dollar trust fund she’s been living on. How do you think she was able to buy that lovely beach house?”
“I’m done,” Garrett said.
“If you help us find our missing agents, I’ll help you by going to the DA and asking for leniency.”
“I said I was done. I don’t need leniency because I didn’t do anything, and you have no evidence that I have.”
Michael reached over and showed Catherine a text message on his phone from Ryder.
Zack found something. He’s on video chat now. You should be here.
“Think about it,” Catherine said. “I’ll give you fifteen minutes to consider whether you want to spend the rest of your life in prison, or maybe get out before you’re wrinkled and gray. But if Matt and Kara die, you will face the death penalty.”
“I didn’t take them,” he said calmly.
Catherine rose. “Accessory to the murder of federal agents is a capital offense. My guess is that Clara has no intention of returning here to get you.”
She walked to the door with Michael. Garrett said, “Where are you going, Franklin?”
Franklin said, “I’m not staying here alone with you.” And he followed Catherine out.
“Stay in the hotel,” Catherine told Franklin.
“I’ll be in the bar,” he said and strode down the hall to the elevator. He glanced back at Catherine. “I’m not drinking,” he added. “I just need to think. I really hope we’re doing the right thing here, or my family is going to pay for our failure.”
Catherine and Michael walked into the cramped security office. Ryder, Jim, and Sloane were sitting around a computer screen that showed Zack Heller, the team white-collar crime expert. He was talking fast, as usual.
Ryder said, “Excuse me, Zack, Catherine and Michael just came in.”
Ryder moved over, but Catherine waved for him to stay. She stood behind him. “What do you have?” she asked Zack.
“I’m still working through all of Dolan’s SmartGirl LLCs, but I have two things. First, her current lawyer for the LLCs. He’s not returning calls, but Tony sent someone to his house. We have a warrant for the records. Second, I have all the LLC filings. The one labeled SmartGirl Fun is small, just over a million dollars. SmartGirl Business is worth about five million dollars. They both have moderate investments and pay Dolan a monthly stipend totaling eight thousand a month. The SmartGirl Properties account is the largest and buys and sells property. The house in Flagler County is there, as well as several other properties she owns all over the country. The LLC has done extremely well buying property low and selling high. Its assets are now in excess of fifteen million. There have also been periodic deposits of large sums into the business account that I haven’t been able to trace yet.”
Ryder said, “She owns property or has owned property in every city she or Garrett worked in, except for New Orleans. There, the LLC rented an apartment in the French Quarter.”
“When Jim sent his report,” Zack continued, “I searched the records for all property in northern Florida and southern Georgia. The property LLC owns five hundred acres of farmland in Clinch County, Georgia.”
“That’s it,” Jim said. “That’s where the victims were. Where Matt and Kara must be.”
“Send me plot numbers, an address, anything you have,” Ryder said. “I’ll map it out.”
He opened his laptop as Zack said, “Sending now.”
Catherine said, “Keep digging, specifically property within a day’s drive of Jacksonville. She’s going to run. If we don’t find her in Clinch County, we’ll find her at one of her other properties.”
“I’m on it,” Zack said and the screen went dark.
