Page 40 of Tactical Revival

“Which is the same day Kleo Finch’s parents called in a missing person report.” He walks over to the board. On it, I note he has my strange phone calls written down under a possible connection column. Seeing it, I stand and walk over to join him. “Were you getting these calls before he got into town?”

“No.”

“And you said Lanetti and Chad got along?”

“Sure.”

“Enough that he could get her to go somewhere with him?”

“Sure, but—” I try to follow his train of thought—and then it clicks. “Chad isn’t a killer, Jaxson. Though he may be a lot of things.”

“So far, we have no bodies.”

“But the cards, you said that was the killer you put away.”

“It was his calling card, sure.”

“And how would Chad know that?”

“Deep research?” he asks. “He could have looked up my old cases and found the information somewhere. It wasn’t made public during the trial, but it was definitely in the file. And we both know that if you know the right people, those aren’t too hard to get your hands on once the case has been closed.”

“But how could he have gotten it? And why? Chad is a lot of things, but it seems far-fetched that he’d be capable of this.”

“I don’t know, Margot, but he’s the best lead we’ve got.”

CHAPTER 11

Jaxson

My phone buzzes again, so I glance down to see yet another text from Bradley Payne. The man just won’t quit. He’s desperate to meet up so we can talk, though he promises that he won’t show up again unannounced.

I’ve barely had time to process him given everything else going on, so I shove the phone back into my pocket and spare Michael a glance as he sits beside me. He looks almost giddy as we wait for Sheriff Vick to bring Chad into the conference room so we can talk to him.

While there’s nothing to hold him on, I explained my theory to Vick, and he was more than happy to bring Margot’s ex-husband in.

“Try not to look so excited,” I tell Michael.

He grins. “I can’t. I’ve been wanting to get this guy in an interview room for years now.”

The door opens, and Chad walks in alongside Sheriff Vick. The moment he sees us, his gaze narrows, expression turning furious. “What are they doing here?” he demands.

“They’re working alongside us to locate Lanetti Ester, and we have a few questions for you since you were one of the last people to see her.” The sheriff had asked to play this as though we were going to Chad for help rather than as a suspect.

I’d agreed. Sometimes it’s easier to get someone to give themselves up when they aren’t expecting it. “Mr. O’Connell,” I greet, trying to keep things smooth.

He doesn’t respond as he takes a seat beside the sheriff. As soon as I’d made the possible connection, I’d researched Chad O’Connell. The week before he showed up back in town, he’d booked a flight to Los Angeles, where he stayed for two days before returning to Boston. Which is apparently where he and his new girlfriend are living.

I’m waiting for Alaric to tie him to the visitor logs we were finally able to get a warrant for. But it’s starting to fit together so perfectly that I can hardly stand not coming at him with everything I’ve got.

“You saw Lanetti at the diner last week, right?” I ask.

“Yes. As I told Sheriff Vick, I was eating there, and she sat down to have dinner with me.”

Alex and Lilly had confirmed as much. “And the two of you left together?”

“I gave her a ride home.”

“She didn’t have her car?” Michael questions.

---