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A fine tremor shook her, but she held her head high and met Daniel’s gaze with a classiness Mason grudgingly admired.
He wished the memories of the last time the three of them had been in the same area would quit bombarding him. Renewed anger flooded him as old feelings of betrayal and soul-searing hurt came back with a vengeance.
With superhuman effort, he pushed aside his emotions and watched the approaching man.
When Daniel caught sight of Lacey and recognized her, shock flashed and he gave a slight stumble.
Interesting.
“Lacey Gibson?”
“Hello, Daniel.” Her voice was low. If he hadn’t been listening for it, Mason would have missed the slight wobble.
Daniel paused to offer a hand to Mason. Mason shook it then felt like excusing himself to find some soap and water. Instead, he got right to the point. “Lacey’s daughter is missing.”
“Bethany Gibson isyourdaughter?” Daniel had gathered his usual cool demeanor back and his face now showed no expression other than professional concern. He looked at Lacey. “You’ve heard nothing from her?”
“Nothing.” The clipped, one-word answer told Mason Lacey was on shaky ground. However it didn’t stop her from pulling a folded piece of paper from her purse and handing it over to the man.
Daniel took it and Mason nodded toward Daniel’s office. “Can we talk?”
Daniel hesitated, looked Lacey up and down as though trying to convince himself she was really standing there, then said, “Sure, come on back.”
Once in the office, Lacey seated herself on the edge of the brown couch, shoulders held stiff, fingers pinched around the strap of her small purse.
Daniel cleared his throat and looked like he might say something of a personal nature then focused on the flyer in front of him. “We have a missing persons report filed and we have officers keeping an eye out for her based on the picture you provided when you filed the report. I don’t really know what else you want us to do.”
Mason laid a hand on Lacey’s arm before she could come out of her seat and tell the man exactly what she wanted him to do. She shifted but stayed quiet. Mason looked at his former friend. “We want you to reopen the case of the car accident that happened back at the beginning of April.”
“The one where Kayla Mahoney was killed,” Lacey blurted.
Daniel sat back and raised his brows. They’d managed to surprise him. “Why?”
Mason took over. “Because she was friends with Bethany. We talked to Georgia, the girl who Lacey thinks was in the car that night with Kayla, but she denies it vehemently.”
“And she says they weren’t with Kayla that night,” Lacey offered.
Mason glanced at Lacey. “But Lacey thinks they were, even though Bethany denied it when confronted a few weeks ago.”
The detective shrugged. “Then what makes you think Bethany and Georgia are lying?”
“Because they’re scared.”
“Of what?”
This time Lacey did jump up. “If we knew that, my daughter might not be missing!”
Daniel didn’t react, simply leaned forward, keeping his eyes on Mason. “That wreck was ruled an accident. Catelyn and I both investigated it. A simple one-car accident caused by a reckless teen.”
“And you proved that without a doubt? You had the crime-scene guys go over the car with a fine-tooth comb?”
A flush climbed up the man’s neck to settle on his cheeks. “Look, that wreck was two months ago. Yes, we checked everything. Kayla lost control of the car and what happened, happened. Unfortunately, even our city isn’t immune from teen-driver deaths.”
“I’m not saying that, Daniel, I’m saying something’s going on and Bethany’s involved somehow.” He repeated what Lacey had told him earlier at his house. “She was scared. Someone seemed to be after her.”
Daniel stood. “That’s all hearsay. I need proof.”
Forcing himself to unclench his teeth, Mason held his temper. “And I’m telling you that the proof might have been in that car.” A thought occurred to him. “Do you mind if we look at the report?”
