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“Clare!”
She spun to see Ember striding toward her. “Hey.”
Ember launched right in. “We’re scouring traffic cams around the hospital to figure out what vehicle he’s driving.”
“Are we sure he’s not still somewhere in the hospital?”
Ember nodded. “Simon got him on camera with her over his shoulder all the way to the parking lot level of the elevator. He could’ve gone from there to another spot on campus, but we think it’s more likely he left with her so he could recover the diamonds. Can’t do that boxed in here by first responders.”
Clare glanced at Gage, then said to Ember, “Find where he took her.”
“We will,” Ember said. “I’m praying.”
Clare wasn’t convinced that would help even with everything Ember had been saying the past couple of months. All about how her faith wasn’t a religion, it was a relationship. If Ember wanted to talk to her heavenly Father, that was fine with Clare. Didn’t mean she had to do it.
Clare would rather work the problem herself.
She knew what she could do, and she would rely on her abilities. Trust in her own strength.
“Why Vanguard?” Clare asked. “Did we figure that out?”
Her phone rang again. She didn’t answer it, but checked her call history and texts. There was even a list of new emails. All about the same thing.
Ember tipped her head to the side. “Maybe. Bob has been taking a look at Aaron and his history, seeing if there’s anything in his life or with someone connected to him that might’ve given him a reason to come after us.”
Clare lifted her brows.
“Put me on the payroll later.” Ember waved a hand.
“How about free lunch in the cafeteria for life?”
Ember grinned. “Deal.”
“So what did he find?”
“It’s not about you, or even Vanguard. There’s no connection we can see. But what Bob found was connected to him.” Ember glanced at Gage. “And his time as a police officer.”
They moved to the side of the hall to let a couple of staff in scrubs push a bed down the hall, transporting an older man hooked up to an IV.
Clare motioned for Ember to continue.
“Aaron would’ve been eleven. He had an older brother.” Ember stopped to collect her thoughts.
“A brother?” Gage leaned against the wall.
“He was into drugs, dealing in the neighborhood. Small-time stuff. Bob was a beat cop. One night he stops the brother and asks him to turn out his pockets. The guy is nineteen, so he’s an adult. He pulls a gun instead of complying. The situation escalated, and the brother squeezed off at least one shot before Bob put him down.”
Clare said, “It was ruled a good shoot?”
Ember nodded. “But who knows what Aaron thinks about the officer who killed his brother, then went to prison because it was found out that he was a dirty cop.”
Gage said, “But why come after Vanguard, rather than Bob personally?”
Clare had an answer to that. “Bob was getting harassed at his apartment complex. He didn’t want his daughter to know, so he told Stella it was a plumbing issue. It wasn’t a good place to live, but it was all he could find when he’s on probation. Anyway, I moved him into the Vanguard building.”
Gage said, “You have residences?”
Clare nodded. “Top floor is all my apartment. Below me I have places for protected clients, people who need to lay low. That kind of thing. I had an empty spot, and he provides protection when he’s home. Watches out for the neighbors.”
