Page 7 of Flynn

“We’ll keep him here until someone from the Department of Health and Human Services can get here to take him.” Detective Klem reached over to pat her hand. “Don’t worry, I’m sure he’ll go into a good home.”

She wanted to believe that, but it wasn’t easy. She’d gotten attached to the little boy. “I can watch him here until they arrive,” she offered.

“That would be great,” Klem said. “Anything else you can tell us about the Millers? Has anyone been to visit them lately?”

“Not that I’m aware of.” She thought about Steve’s home office. Flynn had mentioned that was the point of entry. “Steve sometimes works from home, but I haven’t seen him meeting with anyone. I take Max out for long walks in the stroller, though, so it’s possible someone had come in to visit while I was gone.”

Detective Klem made another note on his pad. Then he glanced at Flynn. “Anything you care to add?”

Flynn pursed his lips. “Not much. I noticed the place was unusually clean, too, but that makes sense now that we know about the cleaning service. After Taylor texted me, I called 911, then rushed over to the house.”

Klem lumbered to his feet. “Okay, sit here for a minute. We’ll get your fingerprints and contact information on record first, then I’ll bring in a laptop so you can look at mug shots. I’ll run a search for guys with beards.” He shrugged. “It might help narrow the field.”

She nodded, then jumped to her feet when Max began to squirm. She caught the pungent scent and knew the baby was in dire need of a diaper change. “It’s okay, big guy, I’m here.” She lifted him from the car seat, holding him close as she reached for the diaper bag.

“Need help?” Flynn asked.

“No thanks.” She glanced at him in surprise that he’d even offered. “I can change him.”

Flynn moved her coffee cup and his out of the way. She pulled the changing pad from the bag and set Max on it. She cooed at the baby as she made quick work of unsnapping his onesie.

It bothered her to think of handing the baby over to strangers. Robin would be horrified.

There was no way she’d be allowed to step in as the baby’s temporary guardian. But maybe someone on her mom’s side of the family would offer to do so. That possibility cheered her up, and she made a mental note to call her aunt Jeannie later. Jeannie was another one of her mother’s sisters.

Her parents were out of the country on a month-long trip to Europe. She didn’t want to bother them about this now.

By the time she’d finished with Max, Detective Klem returned with the computer. After taking her fingerprints, he set up the computer. She held the baby in her lap as she worked the mouse to begin going through the mug shots. Focusing on the profiles of each criminal, she tried to mesh the face on the screen with the flash of memory she had in her mind.

But after a solid hour of searching, she wanted to scream. Either the guy wasn’t in the system or she hadn’t gotten a good look at him.

And she feared the latter.

Flynn had taken over carrying Max, pacing from one side of the conference room to the other as she’d worked. With a frustrated gesture, she pushed the computer aside and stood. “I don’t see him, and I can’t sit here anymore. Will you please take me home?” As soon as the word left her mouth, she realized she didn’t have a home.

There had been no reason to pay for an apartment in her current role. And she didn’t want to go back to living with her parents. Sometimes when she was between jobs, she’d stayed in a rental.

Yet the idea of being all alone wasn’t appealing.

As if reading her mind, Flynn handed the baby to her. “I’ll take you to my place,” he said. “I have a guest room, so you’ll have the privacy you need.”

She was grateful for the offer but pretended to think about it. “I don’t know. Based on what I saw in your car, I can’t help but wonder what I’m walking into. Are you going to expect me to clean the house?”

He laughed, and for the first time since this nightmare started, a genuine smile tugged at her mouth. “I can’t lie; it’s probably messy, especially compared to what you’re used to. But no, I don’t expect you to clean. I can manage that. This is a no-strings offer.”

“Okay, thanks.” Staying with Flynn wasn’t a long-term plan, but she needed to figure out her next steps. She swayed back and forth with Max, glancing at her watch. The hour was still relatively early, seven in the morning, and she had no idea what time the representative from child protective services would show up. “You better let Detective Klem know I couldn’t find the gunman.”

Flynn nodded and opened the door to the interview room. Then he stepped back as Detective Klem and another woman happened to be standing there. At first, Taylor thought the woman was from CPS, but then she saw the gun on her belt.

She inwardly groaned, not in the mood to start all over with another interview. She was tired, hungry, and on edge.

“I’m Detective Irving,” the woman said in a brisk no-nonsense tone. “I was hoping you’d answer a few more questions.”

“New questions?” Flynn asked, stepping next to her as if she needed his protection. “Or going through the information she’s already given Detective Klem?”

Irving’s face flushed red, then she tipped her chin defiantly. “I want to hear what our witness has to say for myself.”

“Nope, not happening,” Flynn said. “You can watch the recording. We’re leaving.”

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