“I’m glad no one answered,” Conor said. “Don’t get too involved. Young women are the targets—you’re right in that age group.”
“I know,” Sam said, and she paused for a moment before continuing. “Conor, there’s something else. It’s about Leo Kennedy.”
“What is it?” Conor asked, bracing himself as Tom swerved to avoid some orange cones marking the spot of a recent accident. Route 1 from Westerly into southeastern Connecticut was full of typically heavy summer traffic.
“He and Miranda were walking down the beach earlier,” Sam said. “They acted as if they were separate and just ran into each other, but I had the feeling it was the opposite—they had just pulled apart when they got close to me.”
“You saw Miranda?” Conor asked, thinking of the call he had just received. “When?”
“Around eight,” Sam said.
Conor thought about what Miranda had said, how she couldn’t talk because “he” might hear her. Had she been referring to Leo?
“Do you know where she is now?” Conor asked.
“No, last I saw her was on the beach.”
“I need to talk to her,” Conor said. “She warned me that Kate will be next.”
“‘Next’?” Sam asked.
“Taken,” Conor said.
“Kate is too smart and careful to get taken.”
“You be smart and careful too, okay?” Conor asked, thinking of how many intelligent, cautious women had been tricked into letting down their guard. No one ever expects the worst to happen.
“I will,” Sam said, and hung up.
“You think Sam has a point about Leo Kennedy?” Tom asked.
“I don’t know,” Conor said. “But if she’s right about him hiding a connection with Miranda, it would at least be strange.”
“Call him,” Tom said. “See what he says.”
Conor had Leo’s number saved in his contacts. He stared at it for a minute. He wanted any information he could get, that might help Kate. He had tried calling Miranda back at the number on his screen, but she hadn’t answered. Was she in danger, and did Leo have anything to do with it? He hesitated, then rang Leo’s number on speaker.
“Detective Reid!” Leo said, answering immediately. He spoke loudly, over the sound of an engine in the background. “What’s up? Don’t tell me they have you in custody again.”
“No,” Conor said. “They don’t.”
“Then to what do I owe the pleasure of this call?”
Conor hesitated. He decided to show his cards and approach Leo head on. “I want to ask you about Miranda Forrest,” he said.
A long pause. “Funny, I just saw her on the beach,” Leo said.
“Do you know where she is now?” Conor asked.
“No, why would I?” Leo asked.
Conor’s senses pricked up at the defensive response. It reminded him of interrogations, of the tone people took when protesting their innocence.
“Well, you said you saw her on the beach,” Conor said. “Do you know where she went after that? I really need to know. This has to do with Kate.”
“I have no idea where she went—it’s not like she would tell me. I just met her. What’s going on, Conor? Is Kate okay?”
Conor took a breath. He didn’t want to out Miranda, in case Leo was the person she was afraid might hear her. “She’s fine, I’m sure. I’m just being extra careful and need to speak with Miranda about something.”
