Page 26 of The Dollmaker

Sharp rolled his head from side to side as he closed the lid. The knot in his gut tightened.

He wanted all the questions around Kara’s death answered, but he wasn’t the man to find them. His lack of objectivity coiled around too much emotion meant he could easily screw it all up.

He pulled his cell from his pocket and dialed Clay Bowman’s number.

Bowman picked up on the second ring. “Sharp.”

He wasn’t any good at calling in favors. Rather chew on broken glass. “I hear Shield is organizing a cold case group.”

“It’s in the works.”

“I have a case.”

“Riley told me.”

“I’ve a half-dozen boxes full of files.”

“Good. I’ve already spoken to Garrett Andrews, our tech guy. He’s ready for them.”

No quibbling. No questioning. Just a pledge that now shouldered some of the burden. “Thank you.”

“Riley is on patrol tonight, and she’s wrapping up her shift. Let me call her.”

“I can bring in the boxes.”

“If she’s close, it makes sense to send her. Stand by.”

Bowman hung up. Sharp opened his front door and readied to haul in the first box when his phone dinged with a text from Riley.Five minutes away.

He texted back.Thanks.

He loosened his tie and shrugged off his jacket, which he draped on the back of a chair by the door. He rolled up his sleeves and waited only a few minutes before a Virginia State Police K-9 SUV pulled up in front of the town house.

Riley got out of her vehicle, her black Lab watching from his window. She glanced from side to side before moving forward. State troopers worked alone on the road most of the time and quickly became accustomed to checking their surroundings, a habit most carried to the grave. As she moved away from the car, the dog’s focus never left Riley.

“I hear you have some boxes for me,” she said.

“I do.”

“Let’s load them in the front seat.”

“Great.”

She picked up a container and walked back toward the vehicle with even, steady strides. “Bowman’s putting Andrews on your case.”

“He told me. I haven’t met him.” Sharp picked up the three remaining boxes and followed.

She placed the first box on the floor. “Computer geek. Very smart. He’s a good man to have.”

Sharp stacked his boxes on the front seat.

Riley slammed the door closed. Her leather duty belt creaked as she shifted her weight. “I’ve volunteered to help with your cold case on my days off.”

Gratitude warmed his voice. “You don’t have to do that.”

“But I will.” After his nod of thanks, she added, “If anyone can find new evidence, it’ll be Andrews.”

He shoved his hands in his pockets. “I should be the one investigating this case.”

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