Page 76 of To Die For

“Who then?”

“I… don’t want to say.”

“Okay, I think you already told me the answer, but do you still want to be adopted by your uncle?”

She didn’t answer right away. In fact, he had to wait a couple of minutes while he watched her debate this internally. And he could tell it was not an easy process for the girl.

Finally she said, “I don’t know, Travis. Part of me wants it. And part of me…” Her voice trailed away.

He gripped her hand. “This wouldn’t be easy for anyone, Betsy, okay? So don’t beat yourself up over it.”

She nodded and he released his grip and sat back.

It was then that Devine noticed for a second time what he had glimpsed before. The woman at the far table who had glanced their way, not once, but now twice.

She looked to be in her fifties, broad hipped, pale skin, longish brown hair with lots of gray. She was dressed in jeans and a pullover sweater with hunter green boots. A white tennis visor rode on her head. She looked normal and benign and seemed to be right in her element. Perfect. Maybe too perfect.

As Odom finished her drink and scone, something occurred to Devine, and he phoned Beth Walker. She told him she was still going over the 4Runner.

“Nothing to report yet,” she said. “But we might have a few things to go on.”

In a low voice that could not be overhead he said, “Do me a favor—check under the chassis for a tracking device.”

“A tracking device?”

“Yeah, can you do it now? It’s a little time sensitive.” Devinenever looked at the woman at the table again, but he was keeping watch on her via her reflection in a large mirror behind the cash registers.

Two minutes later a breathless Walker said, “How did you know?”

“Thanks. I’ll see you in a while.”

Things are starting to make a lot more sense.

He clicked off and looked at Odom. “I’m going to call Saxby and have her meet us outside. She can take you back to the hotel.”

“What? But where areyougoing?”

“I just need to check out something.”

Or rather someone.

CHAPTER

34

THE CAFÉ WAS ON THEsecond floor so they rode down the escalator to the ground floor after Devine had phoned Saxby. She was taking a taxi over to pick up Odom.

They waited by the glass front doors. In the reflection Devine could see the same woman, who had also ridden down the escalator after them, as she browsed through a shelf of magazines. She was good, thought Devine. She never looked their way, but somehow, he knew, the woman was still watching them.

When Saxby showed up, Devine took Odom out to the car and she got in.

“I’ll be by later, then we can get ready for tomorrow,” he told them.

Devine returned to the bookstore and headed toward where he had seen the woman last. Only she wasn’t there. And she had not come outside. The escalators were clear of customers, but there was an elevator. He noted that the doors had just closed and it was heading up to the second floor. He hurried up the escalator and was waiting by the elevator when it arrived on the second floor.

The doors opened but no one was inside it. He heard a door close somewhere close by. He saw the exit sign at the rear of the floor and Devine ran for it.

He burst through the door and heard the door on the first floor open. Devine raced down the stairs, jumping the last three steps, kicked the door open, and found himself in an alley behind the bookstore. He looked searchingly both ways but saw or heard no one.

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