“How?”Keane asked.
“He wasn’t smart enough to claim both cameras stoppedfunctioning,” Garrett replied.
“But here’s the thing, Mr.Gunderson,” Ruby continued.“Youdid take out the camera on the store’s backroom.We have nothing there.But wedo have the camera on the front of the store, and while we show Jessica Fellowswalking in the store, she never walks out.Yet we’ve had a team there and she’snowhere to be found.How do you explain that?”
“Gotcha,” Garrett said.“Now she needs to explain what’sgoing to happen.”
“I feel like we’re wasting time.”Keane’s voice was tight.
“He knows something,” Garrett promised.“We can’t run aroundthe countryside looking for her.”
The store manager’s face went from florid to pale in a halfsecond.“I…I don’t know where she went.”
“Did she simply disappear?”Morgan asked.
“Maybe she climbed out a bathroom window,” Ruby began, andthen shook her head.“No, we checked.Those are nailed shut.By the way, thatis a code violation.You should expect a ticket soon.Not that it will matter.”
“Why?”Stephen asked, looking like he was going to be sickany minute.
“Because you’ll be in jail by then,” Morgan said, standingup.“I’m going to have the DA pull your cell phone records, and I would bet Ican find some kind of communication between you and Ms.Fellows.”
“I told you, we went to school together.We’re friends,”Stephen protested.
It was brutally obvious this guy was going to take forever.He looked to Keane.“Do you trust me?”
Keane’s jaw tightened.“With my life.”
“But do you trust me with hers?”Garrett asked.“I know whena witness is going to break, but they’re not pushing the right button.Hehasn’t hit real fear yet.”
Keane nodded.“Do whatever it takes.If it gets you introuble, I’ll find a way to get you out.”
“I don’t think a little lie is going to get me in realtrouble, Master.”
“You could be seen as an accomplice,” Morgan was saying.“Doyou understand?If you let her in knowing what she was going to do and gave herthe way out, you’re part of a conspiracy to kidnap.”
“You can’t prove nothing,” Stephen said, obviously pickinghow he was going to move.“And you can’t hold me.I know my rights.”
“I can hold you for seventy-two hours,” she promised.
That wouldn’t work on him.Garrett pressed through the door.He ignored Morgan’s startled huff and stared at Stephen Gunderson.Though theywere roughly the same age, Gunderson looked years older.
“Mr.Gunderson, I’m Garrett Pace and I’m Jack Barnes’sattorney.I’m going to make sure you stay out of jail.”
Gunderson’s eyes went wide, and Garrett heard Keane huffbehind him.
“Why would you do that?”Stephen asked.
Morgan turned to him with a startled look on her face.“Whatare you doing?”
Ruby simply smiled and closed her laptop.“Are we going thatway then?Well, I’ll let the boys back at the ranch know.Mr.Gunderson, goodluck with your future endeavors.”
“Why would that man want to help me?”Stephen asked.
Garrett ignored him, looking to Morgan.“My employer wantsto ensure that this man faces no charges.He’s certain no Gunderson would harmhis daughter.They know what the price was when they embarrassed his wife.Theywouldn’t be foolish enough to physically harm his daughter.”
A fine tremble came over Stephen.“He wants me out of thejailhouse.Is he waiting out there for me?”
Garrett gave him a cold smile.“I’m sure Mr.Barnes willhave a word with you at some point.He’ll want to make sure you’re okay.”
