Page 96 of State of Alert

He bore the grizzled, weary look of a seasoned officer, with snow-white hair, a red, ruddy complexion, tired hazel eyes and a build that might’ve once been muscular but was now ceding to age. Sam guessed him to be in his late sixties.

To his credit, he was the only one in the big, open room who didn’t act a fool over her.

He stood to shake her hand and Freddie’s as she introduced them. “Have a seat in my office.”

She appreciated his decorum as much as his wry humor. “Sorry to bomb in unannounced.”

“No problem at all. What can I do for you?”

“Have you heard that Elaine Myerson was murdered in her home yesterday?”

His amiable expression went slack with shock. “What?No, I hadn’t heard that. What happened?”

“She was felled by a single blow to the head from an object that remains missing.”

“Oh God, poor Elaine. And Chuck. What that family has endured…” He shook his head as his shoulders sagged. “I can’t believe this.”

“We understand you’re still working on their sister Sarah’s case,” Sam said.

“That’s right. Technically, I’m retired and collecting a pension, not because that’s what I wanted, but because there’re rules, don’t you know? I come in every day and go over the case file from beginning to end, hoping to see something I’ve missed.”

“Have you ever had suspects?”

He shook his head. “Nothing that ever panned out. There were fingerprints on the body, but we’ve never been able to match them to anyone. I run them monthly, just in case, and I’ve checked the DNA found on her body against the family DNA sites and come up empty there, too.”

“Chuck told us how much the family appreciates your dedication to the case,” Freddie said.

“People tell me I’m obsessed, that I should let it go. My own daughter was sixteen when Sarah went missing. She’s gotten to grow up, go to college, get married, have children. Sarah was cheated of all that, while the person who tortured and killed her is still out there living his life. Personally, I can’t live withthat. I can’t let it go.”

“I’ve had a few cases like that,” Sam said. “Not as long-standing as yours, but no less frustrating. I admire your dedication, Detective.” She realized he’d probably also missed out on some deserved promotions due to his obsession with one cold case.

“How can I help you?” he asked.

“We’re not sure, but after hearing about your work, we wanted to meet you, to let you know we’re on Elaine’s case and to ask if you have any thoughts to share that might help.”

“I wish I did. I haven’t spoken to Elaine in a couple of months because I had nothing new to tell her. Last we spoke, she was working a lot and dealing with teenagers. We laughed about that. My grandchildren are around the same ages as her girls and giving their mothers fits.”

“Did Elaine talk to you about how she was a highly overprotective mother?”

“She did. She struggled with letting the girls spread their wings, but I told her I didn’t blame her. I had the same struggles with my kids after working Sarah’s case. That someone could go missing like that, without a trace, only to be found weeks later after having been held captive somewhere. It haunted me. Continues to.”

Sam had never been more thankful for Secret Service protection for her kids than she was while hearing about Sarah Corrigan’s case. She would never have to worry about where they were because they had eyes on them at all times.

“I can certainly understand why,” she said. “Some victims just stay with you.”

“Yeah, they do. They become ours, if you know what I mean.”

“I do.”

“A lot of these guys,” he said, waving his hand toward the other detectives, “they come in, do their tour and punch out. Never give the place another thought until they’re back on duty. That’s never been me. They make fun of me for still working after I’m technically retired, but it was never just a job for me.”

“I feel that so deeply.” Sam glanced at Freddie and then back at Truehart. “We both do. It’s never been just a job for us either.”

“That why you’re still doing it when your old man is in the Oval?”

Sam laughed at the phrasing. “That’s exactly why.”

Truehart nodded. “I figured that when I heard you were gonna keep the job. I decided you were like me. Nothing could make you want to give it up, not old age or even the White House.”

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