“Our interviews on Friday and Saturday didn’t reveal that he had a girlfriend, and we specifically asked the question about known relationships.”
“Do you think it’s realistic that an attractive, friendly thirty-year-old who has been living in Florida for nearly a year would never go on a date?” Sloane asked.
“He could have received his sexual gratification through theacts of violence,” Catherine said. “For predators, not all sexual release comes from rape.”
Michael strode down the corridor toward them, anger in every step. “He walked?”
“Bail,” Catherine said. “Sloane, fill him in. I have to brief Tony.” Something she wasn’t looking forward to.
13
“Graves isn’t taking Reid to his apartment,” Michael said flatly as he followed the dark Lincoln that Reid’s attorney drove from the Flagler County Jail north to 95 toward Jacksonville.
“Mm-hmm.”
He glanced at Sloane. “You’ve been quiet,” he said.
“Trying to figure out their game plan,” she said. “They now know that Matt and Kara aren’t newlyweds, that they’re cops, so why take them?”
Michael didn’t have an answer. He didn’t like getting into the minds of psychopaths and trying to figure out why they did what they did. He left that to agents like Catherine, who were trained for it.
But Sloane had a point: if they didn’t know Reid’s game plan, they wouldn’t be able to find Matt and Kara—and prove that Reid was a killer.
Michael pushed his fear to the back. He had been a Navy SEAL. He had faced danger and handled it like a pro. Why washe terrified now? If he didn’t maintain control, if he fell apart, he would be no good for his team.
“Catherine said that his partner likely works at the resort,” Sloane said. “It would explain how the partner could avoid security cameras. If she worked there, she may have known when they returned to their room. Maybe she had access to the room service log, or saw them walking back after the gym.”
Michael said, “Are you suggesting that we may have interviewed his partner?”
Sloane shrugged. “Maybe. I don’t know. We should talk to Carlos and Brian again, ask them to really think about anyone on staff who Reid may have eaten lunch with or socialized with. No matter how innocuous it seemed.”
“We asked about a girlfriend—no one said he had one. No one claimed that he had any close friends on staff. And if his partnerison staff, we don’t want to tip them off.”
“All we need is an idea of who the partner might be, a profile, to narrow it down.”
“Catherine was wrong from the beginning,” Michael said bluntly. “She said Reid was a solo killer, she explained his motivation, and it all made sense and felt familiar—but if he is killing with a partner, especially afemalepartner, that makes her profile worth nothing.”
“Hewason the list,” Sloane reminded him.
“The very long list of single men under forty who worked at the resort as a staff or vendor for less than a year.”
“Catherine is beating herself up over her mistake. She blames herself that Matt and Kara were taken.”
“If she has an idea, I’ll listen,” Michael said, “but right now I’m focusing on tried and true field work to find them.”
Matt and Kara had been missing for more than twenty-four hours. It had been nearly a full day before the team even knewthat they were gone. Michael blocked out how they might be suffering. It wouldn’t help find them.
“Why Sunday morning?” Sloane asked.
“I don’t understand the question.”
“I’m mentally recreating the kidnapping. Matt and Kara could have been taken Saturday night. Going to the restaurant. Returning from the restaurant. If someone worked at the resort, they could have laid in wait in the cottage. Drugged them while they were sleeping. Any number of ways that seem easier than shooting them with a tranq dart on their patio and pushing them in a laundry cart. If it’s a woman, she’s strong to be able to lift Matt up.”
Michael shook his head. “I doubt she’s stronger than you.”
“I’m strong,” Sloane said, “but I couldn’t lift Matt into a laundry bin. I could drag him somewhere, but there’s no evidence that was done.”
“My guess,” Michael said after a moment, “she put the cart on its side and rolled him into it. Then she either rolled Kara into it, or righted the cart and picked Kara up. She probably doesn’t weigh much.”
