Page 55 of D for Dead

Jake did. Still there was no answer.

He dug out Amy’s landline. As with Boaz’s cell, it went to voicemail.

‘I’m going over there.’

Rebecca threw her pen down, looking annoyed.

‘You’re overreacting, Jake. Why the hell are you so convinced something’s wrong?’

‘Because Boaz is in charge and he’s a fuck up. That’s why.’ Jake shot Hickok a look, making sure he knew the barb was directed at him.

The agent didn’t react, which pissed him off. He grabbed his car keys and his cell phone.

‘Hickok! You’re gonna let him go?’

Hickok glanced at Rebecca, then at Jake, and shrugged.

‘If he wants to check it out, let him. It wouldn’t hurt with Gavin back in town.’

Hickok and Rivers were trying to get a line on Amy’s ex-boyfriend’s exact whereabouts, but had so far drawn blanks.

Jake could see Rebecca biting down on her anger. He nodded a quick thank you to Hickok. Although they’d had their differences, he appreciated the support. Out in the parking lot, he

tried both cells again. Boaz’s continued to go to voicemail. Amy’s rang a dozen times before it was answered.

‘Hello?’

It wasn’t her voice.

‘Can you put Amy on the phone?’

There was a pause. He heard muttering in the background ‘Listen, Detective Sullivan, right?’ The voice seemed to know who he was. Amy must have stored his number in her phone. ‘You might want to come out here. We’re at the beach and there’s been an incident.’

‘What do you mean an incident? Who is this?’

‘Heidi Pearce. I’m Amy’s friend. Look, get here as soon as you can.’ She gave him an address before hanging up.

Jake recognised it. It was where he’d been to interview Nadine Williams. What the hell was going on and why was Amy in the woman’s house?

And Heidi, what the fuck did she mean by an incident?

Where was Boaz? Was he with them? Had something happened to him?

Had something happened to Amy?

Jake gunned the car out of the parking lot. Once on the highway heading out to the beach, he put a call in to Rebecca and updated her on what he knew.

‘You want me to send backup?’ she asked immediately.

‘I don’t think it’s necessary. Heidi Pearce didn’t sound in any danger. I’ll call you when I find out what’s going on.’

He didn’t believe there was any danger, but still he broke the speed limit. Heidi hadn’t put Amy on the phone and his gut wouldn’t settle until he knew she was okay.

When he pulled up outside the house Nadine Williams shared with her boyfriend, Troy Cunningham, he found Amy, Heidi and Huckleberry on the porch, waiting for him. Huckleberry was the most pleased to see him, barking in delight, while both Heidi and Amy wore scowls. It wasn’t until he’d exited the car and stepped up onto the porch that he noticed Amy’s face, the bloody scratches down her left cheek.

‘What the hell happened?’

‘Crazy super bitch, that’s what happened,’ Heidi told him, eyes flashing angrily.