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“Ah! Let’s see. He really rubbed you the wrong way at first. But there is something about him you respect. Is he tall, dark, and gorgeous, tough as nails, gruff, or older than the hills?”
“I really like the dog,” Colleen said. Her sister’s abilities could be annoying sometimes.
“The dog?”
“Red. Mark Gallagher and Ragnar Johansen were partners with Red. Red is fantastic—a dog for any occasion. He can find people. And I’m willing to bet he’s a good judge of character too.”
“Ragnar Johansen? You’re working with a Viking?”
Colleen shrugged. “Well, his heritage is Norwegian. And yes, Ragnar looks the part. Very tall, broad shoulders, blond. Mark is...very tall.”
Megan started to laugh. “There is so much in what you’re not saying!”
Colleen groaned. “Yes, I disliked him at first. Hard not to dislike someone when they were so totally opposed to working with you. But...he’s been okay.”
“And he is good-looking?”
“Contrary to television, not all agents are good-looking.”
Megan laughed. “But he is!”
Colleen groaned. “I’m not even partnered up with him permanently. It’s this case. And I don’t actively dislike him anymore. He’s gotten decent. And that’s it. But I must get some sleep and so must you. Pickup is at eight in the morning.”
“I’m going to work with you, huh?”
“I figured it would be easier than having you wait around to see when Brant Pickering might agree to meet you.”
“You’re telling him he’ll be doing a favor for you, meeting with me?”
“Yeah,” Colleen admitted.
“Well, I’m hoping you would have set it up as a favor to me anyway. So—fine. But eight? What’s the matter with a nine o’clock pickup?”
“Please. Eight is better than seven, and that happens too.”
“Okay. Well then, good night!”
“Don’t you want to know more about the meeting with Brant tomorrow?”
Megan grinned. “I’m pretty sure I’ll get briefed by one of your partners. And I know the drill. Chat. Be friendly. Be bookish—and find out where he was the night Dierdre Ayers disappeared.”
“Yes, but—”
“The fact she was kidnapped and found has been all over the media. Along with the question—did law enforcement catch The Embracer or is he still out there? I will talk books, books, books—and find out where he was the day and night when they rescued Sally Smithson and you helped rescue Dierdre Ayers!”
With a little lift of her chin, Megan turned and headed into the guest bedroom.
Colleen watched her sister go and smiled.
Megan was going to be just fine.
Red sat by Mark’s feet, probably wondering why they hadn’t gone home yet.
But while he looked up at Mark imploringly now and then, he was, as ever, a well-mannered dog. He was Red.
To think someone had tossed him onto the road as a puppy.
That shouldn’t surprise Mark, he knew. He saw enough of what man was willing to do to his fellow man.
But the carelessness of one individual for the life of a puppy had been a lucky thing for Mark. Red was truly one of a kind, he thought affectionately. He scratched the dog’s head absently while staring at the computer screen.
He couldn’t find anything that suggested Brant Pickering might be hiding a secret life as a serial killer.
Then again, it wouldn’t be a secret life if anyone knew about it.
Pickering had made the move to New York City about a month ago.
Before that, he had been with Sally Smithson for several years. Since he was considered an academic writer, he wasn’t on every billboard, but he still had a legion of readers. Mark had been through every bit of his social media.
He wrote frequently about cool pieces of history that warranted a book.
And he wrote about his personal life as well. His social pages had dozens of pictures of him and Sally—at amusement parks, at a comic con, exploring museums, and more. When he had moved, however, his social posts had stopped. He never mentioned he’d had a breakup. He just didn’t mention his personal life at all.
Mark sat back. He could do this at home, of course, and he really needed to go home to get started early in the morning.
At some point, he wanted to talk to Carver.
The man might give up a clue to something eventually.
But he wanted to start at the hospital with both men. He could be wrong, of course. But in every situation, even in eliminating suspects, it was important to start with those closest to the victims.
That probably meant going back to the girls who hadn’t been so lucky.
He was starting to pull out the files when Red woofed and wagged his tail.
Looking up, Mark saw Ragnar standing at the entrance to the office they shared.
