Page 123 of Over the Edge

The tech offered a salute and got to work.

An hour later, after ringing the bells of every apartment that had a line of sight to Lindsey’s car, he was nowhere. Residents either ignored his summons, weren’t home, or had seen nothing.

He circled back to the car.

The tech straightened up from the trunk as he approached. “Any luck?”

“No. You?”

“No trace evidence, if that’s what you’re asking. I did find one thing that may be helpful. The driver’s seat was pushed back. Unless the owner is very tall, she wasn’t driving.”

That put a whole different spin on the situation.

The obvious conclusion from the setup was that Lindsey had been abducted while removing a casserole destined for the Allens from the trunk.

But she wasn’t tall—so if she hadn’t driven the car here, that conclusion was toast.

Had she even beeninthe car when it had been parked here?

And if not, why drop her car here and set the stage for what appeared to be an abduction?

His brain began to spin as he spoke to the tech. “Go over every inch of the car.”

“SOP—which means I’ll be here another hour. Minimum. I should have worn my long underwear.”

Biting as the cold was, it was hard to feel sorry for anyone complaining about the weather when Lindsey could be—

“Is there a problem here?”

At the question, he swung toward the sidewalk.

A bundled-up older man with a knit cap pulled over his ears and forehead had stopped a few feet away, a puppy straining at the leash he held.

Jack walked over to him. “We’re trying to find the owner of this car. Do you live around here?”

“One block over.” He waved to the south. “I’m out here every couple of hours with the pup. It was my wife’s idea to get a dog, but she doesn’t like walking her at night in the cold. Who knew a puppy had to do its business so often?” He leaned down and gave the pooch an affectionate pat. “I saw a woman park this car during my last circuit.”

Jack’s pulse picked up.

Was he finally getting a break?

“Can you describe her?”

“No. It was dark, and she was dressed like I am with a hat and a muffler wrapped around her face. Maybe her heater didn’t work.”

Or she didn’t want anyone to be able to identify her.

“You certain it was a woman?”

“Well ...” The man tightened his grip on the leash as the pup strained forward. “I couldn’t swear to it in a court of law, but it looked like a woman. She was tall, though. Taller than most women. Her head was close to the roof.”

Supporting the tech’s comment about the seat being pushed back.

“What time was this?”

“Oh, about seven fifteen, I guess.”

More than two hours ago.

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