Page 22 of Whispers of Redemption

“Nobody is accusing you of anything, sir,” Hugo said. “Do you keep a record of the vehicle’s mileage?”

“Yes, it’s in my office.”

“Can you please get it for us?” Hugo said.

While Jeff Greenway hurried off, Cassie poked her head inside the van on the passenger side.

“Don’t touch anything!” Wade said.

“I just want to check something. Do you have an extra pair of gloves?” Cassie asked.

“What do you want to check?” Hugo said.

“I was just wondering if there was a spare key inside the car.”

“Mr. Greenway already told us he has the only keys,” Wade said, annoyed.

Suddenly, Angel hopped up into the cab of the truck and began sniffing around the floor mats.

“Get her out of there!” Wade commanded. “She’s interfering with potential evidence.”

Angel began pawing at the passenger-side floor mat. Her little paws worked in rapid succession until she suddenly pushed her tiny snout down and came up with a small, black object gripped between her teeth.

“What is that?” Wade asked.

“Release!” Cassie said, mimicking Hugo from the other day.

Angel immediately dropped the item and Hugo reached over to pick it up. The object was rectangular with a hard, plastic loop at one end. He pulled on it and a thin object slid out from the outer casing. “It’s a plastic key,” he said, holding it up.

“Sometimes cars have a valet key that car owners don’t even know they have,” Cassie said. “They’re a common way for car thieves to steal cars. It might have originally been in the glove box, or maybe inside the owner’s manual.”

“We know all about valet keys,” Wade said, sounding huffy. In truth, he had forgotten about that possibility. What was it about this woman that flustered him so completely?

Hugo turned the key over between his gloved fingers. “Maybe we can get a print off it,” he said.

“Doubtful,” Cassie said, and they both looked at her. “Oh, um...I may have forgotten to mention that the thief was wearing gloves.”

Wade rolled his eyes and Hugo sighed. But he still zipped the key up in a small evidence bag.

Jeff returned with the mileage records, and Wade looked at them. They showed a thirty-one-mile discrepancy between the last recorded mileage and the odometer reading.

“I don’t understand,” Jeff said again. “How is that possible?”

“I suspect someone stole your truck yesterday afternoon, used it for the theft, and then returned it,” Wade said, making notes in his notebook. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Cassie typing into her cell phone.

Jeff’s face went pale.

“You may want to consider installing a steering wheel lock or ignition immobilizer so this can’t happen again,” Cassie said. “By the way, do you have any cameras covering your lot?”

Wade shot her a look, but she just grinned back at him, amusement gleaming in the depths of her eyes.

“Uh...no, I’m sorry we don’t,” he replied.

“Sir, would it be possible for us to speak to any of your staff who were here between three thirty and when you close up shop?” Hugo asked. “Just to see if anybody saw anything.”

“Yes, yes, of course,” he said, and led the way back toward the building. At the door, Jeff and Hugo passed through, but Wade paused, turning to block Cassie. “I need to ask you to leave now.”

“Are you sure you don’t want more of my help?” Cassie asked, arching a delicate brow at him. She was sassy. And beautiful, as she stood there boldly meeting his gaze. Aside from some of the criminals he’d arrested, he’d never met anyone with so little regard for authority.

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