Page 53 of The Kidnapped

“Finding the body next door to his place got us a warrant to search in-depth, but we didn’t find anything. He was out of town at gun shows around the region for two weeks before and after Noah’s disappearance, and he lived alone,” Dylan said.

“What woman would want to live with that dick?” Ada asked.

Raleigh couldn’t help but laugh and say, “Agreed.”

Ada smiled at her and said, “You were with Hollis at the diner before. She’s your girlfriend?”

“What? Oh, no,” Raleigh said, shaking her head.

“No? You looked close. Sorry, I just say what I think a lot.”

Dylan shook her head as she smiled at her wife and said, “Try all the time.”

“You love me,” Ada replied, running a hand into Dylan’s hair.

“Hollis is just a friend,” Raleigh explained. “We’re both going through something. I lost my daughter. She was taken by her father.”

“Right,” Ada said, squinting a little.

“She’s dealing with a lot right now; not just her dad, either. Her mom has stage-four breast cancer. They only just found each other after all this time, and she could lose her soon.”

“That’s awful,” Ada said. “You know, my brother is an oncologist.”

“Oliver, right?”

“Yes. He has his own practice now with his wife. I’m sure Hollis’s mom has a good doctor, but if she wants a second or third opinion, I could ask him to take a look at her records.”

“Really?”

“Sure. He owes me,” Ada stated. “He walked in on Dylan and I having sex more than once when we lived in the same apartment building. Thankfully, he’s learned to knock.”

“Ada!”

“What? We’re married. Everyone knows we have sex, Lieutenant,” Ada replied. “Anyway, just let me know. I’m happy to ask him to take a look. He’s always got these trials going on, too. Maybe there’s something that could help her; give them more time.”

“I’d have to ask Hollis.”

“Sure. No rush on my part. Oliver’s a good guy, but he’s a great doctor.”

“She doesn’t give compliments that often, remember? So, this one you should believe,” Dylan pointed out.

“I’ll leave you two alone.” Ada moved out of Dylan’s embrace as she chuckled. “Text my wife once you talk to Hollis, if she’s interested, okay?”

“I will. Thank you.”

Ada left the room, closing the door behind her, and Dylan and Raleigh got down to business, with Dylan updating her on the people she’d been able to eliminate from having anything to do with Eden’s disappearance. Then, she asked Raleigh a few more questions to help her with some of the others still on her list. They went through the pictures Raleigh had given her, and Raleigh was able to name most of the people in them, but some of them had been taken in public places, so there were people she didn’t know. Dylan made notes, and Raleigh left, feeling, for the first time, like someone was actually doing something to help her find her daughter.

???

“How did it go?” Hollis asked as soon as she answered Raleigh’s call.

“Surprisingly, well,” Raleigh told her as she slipped out of her shoes by the door. “And I have something I want to run by you.”

“Okay,” Hollis said.

“It’s about your mom.”

CHAPTER 18

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