Page 87 of The Last Straw

“Do you know where both men are now?” Charlie asked.

“Jessup Wallis is in the Dakotas, and Farrell Kitt is heading north through Ohio.”

“May they forever stay in Canada,” Charlie muttered, then finally found his Mongolian beef stir-fry and got up to get a fork. He didn’t have good luck with chopsticks and rice noodles.

They talked as they ate, going over and over the details they knew about the case as it stood, and were almost through when Charlie got a call from Detective Floyd.

Charlie answered. “You’re on speaker. Go for it.”

“This is the promised update. Nunez has an airtight alibi for yesterday. He was at work when Wyrick was abducted, and still there when we found Rachel. He knew nothing about any of it until he got a text from the manager telling him they would be moving them to the Ritz. So he came home and packed, like everyone else.”

“What about Sonny Burch?” Wyrick asked.

“He never registered at the Ritz. He told Dyer that he was staying in the city with family. Then he called his business, put the manager in charge and said he would be gone for a while. And his phone is off. When we call, it goes straight to voice mail.”

“He’s running, isn’t he?” Charlie said.

“Or hiding. At any rate, we’re waiting on a search warrant for his apartment. If we get it, can you meet us there today?” Floyd asked.

“Yes,” Wyrick said. “But I have a question. Did you locate any of Burch’s family?”

At this point Mills entered the conversation.

“To our knowledge, he has no family in the state. His parents and grandparents are deceased. He has two cousins mentioned in an obituary...but one lives in California and the other in Montana.”

“I’ll see if I can find out anything more,” Wyrick said.

“When you get the search warrant, just text me,” Charlie said.

“We’re on our way to the judge’s office now. It shouldn’t be long,” Floyd said. “See you soon.”

He hung up.

Charlie put the phone back in his pocket and finished off the last of his shrimp fried rice.

“I have a spring roll left,” Wyrick said. “You can have it if you want.”

“Are you sure?” Charlie asked.

“Yes, I’m sure there’s one left, but I won’t repeat the offer. Eat it, or forever hold your fork,” she said and pushed the box toward him.

He grinned. “Smart-ass...and thank you.”

She rolled her eyes. “You’re the only man I know who gives smiles with insults, and you’re welcome.”

Charlie pointed to a little packet of hot mustard near her glass.

“Would you also part with that packet of hot mustard?”

“Knock yourself out,” she said. “But I’m keeping my leftover fried rice.”

“Understood,” Charlie said.

“Thank you for lunch,” Wyrick said. “I’m going to change into some traveling clothes so I’ll be ready when the call comes.”

“You could go in the leggings and sweatshirt,” Charlie said.

“As if. Nobody sees me like this but you,” she said, then dumped her empty cartons into the trash and strode out of the room like the goddess she appeared to be.

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