Page 49 of Crosshairs

Linc’s eyes popped open. “Sorry,” he said. “The photo came in, and I sent it on. Then I must have dozed off.”

“No problem. Is there an answer yet?”

“Not yet, but they should respond to both of us.”

She opened Brent’s message, tensing at a booking photo of Troy Maddox taken as he looked defiantly at the camera. There was something off about the photo. She closed the message asboth their phones alerted to a text. “Was one of the men a Ryan Peterson?” she asked.

“Yes. I have it too.”

She opened it and quickly scanned the message.

I’m not sure if the men are the same. We all looked at the photo in your email and it’s possible it was the same man at the campsite next to us. But the man in your photo didn’t have a beard and our man did, so it’s hard to tell. Sorry we can’t be more specific.

The beard. That’s why the photo looked off. At the trial Maddox had started growing a beard. Ainsley checked her other messages. “Did you get any other replies?”

“No. It looks like he’s speaking for them all.” Linc looked up. “Do you have a photo of him with a beard?”

“No, but we might find one on the internet,” she replied. “He had a short beard at the trial and several news organizations covered the proceedings.”

Ainsley’s phone rang, startling her. “It’s Gran,” she said and answered. “How’s Cora?”

“Her nurse called just now. Cora is agitated. Wants to see us, and the nurse thought it might help if we came.”

“Why don’t you go ahead. I’ll be there shortly.”

“You don’t want to ride together?”

There wasn’t enough time to explain about the danger involved if they rode together. “Hold on a minute.” She glanced toward Linc. “I know you need to go home, and I hate to ask, but could you ride to the hospital with my grandmother and explain what’s going on?” she asked.

“Sure.”

“Gran, Linc is going to ride with you. Okay?”

“Ainsley, I don’t need a chaperone. The only reason I suggested riding together is that I didn’t see the need to take two vehicles.”

“Normally we wouldn’t, but I’m waiting on an important call. If it comes in, I’ll have to leave and don’t want you stranded.”Hannah’s mother had yet to return her call, and if she didn’t soon, Ainsley planned to call her again and try to set up a meeting for later this evening.

“So, I’ll take my car. Problem solved.”

After saying goodbye to Gran, she disconnected and started to slip her phone into her pocket.

“Does she want me to ride with her?”

“No,” she said. “She’s probably backing out of her drive now, so we better get a move on. I’ll explain to her what’s going on at the hospital.”

When they were on the road again, she dialed Hannah’s mother. The call didn’t go through the first time, and she tried again. A woman answered on the fourth ring.

“If this is one of them insurance calls, you can hang up now.” The raspy voice sounded as though it’d been cured with tobacco.

“This isn’t an insurance call,” Ainsley replied and identified herself. Silence answered her. “Are you still there?”

“Yeah. I got your message. Don’t know what I can tell you that I didn’t tell the other cops when they brought the news about Hannah.”

“I’m really sorry about your daughter,” Ainsley said. “But I do need to speak with you. I think we both want to catch whoever committed this crime.”

“Good luck with that.”

“Is there a good time today for me to talk to you in person about your daughter? It would give me insight into people she might have come in contact with.” Ainsley caught herself holding her breath as she waited for an answer.

---