Page 74 of Girl, Sought

Ella pulled her chair up to the desk and began assaulting her keyboard. She punched in the name while her mind painted pictures of their quarry: Lawrence Winters, keeper of secrets, counter of other people's treasures. The man who might just be turning collectors into pieces of their own collections.

But the screen blinked back empty.

No address. No employment history. Not even a driver's license or social security number.

Just a name without a face, floating in digital limbo.

‘What the…?’

Ella refreshed the page, half-convinced it was a glitch.

But the result remained unchanged. Lawrence Winter’s managed to exist in the spaces between official records.

Luca said, ‘How is that possible? This guy's an accountant. He's got to have a paper trail a mile long.’

‘Not if he's been careful. Not if he knows how to cover his tracks.’

Luca glanced at the clock. ‘It’s after midday. It’s been over 24 hours since he killed Carpenter. We need to find this guy now, or we could have another body before nightfall.’

Ella saw it all crystal clear. Lawrence Winters. He’d watched his victims through their tax returns, their appraisals, and learned which ones were true believers and which ones were just playing the game. The pure collectors versus the profiteers. He’d hid behind columns of numbers and studied his prey through the lens of cold mathematics. Learning their habits, their schedules, their obsessions.

She grabbed her cell and scrolled through her recent calls. She jabbed the one she’d dialed ten times yesterday.

It rang once. Twice. Three times.

‘Pick up, for God’s sake.’

A voice interrupted the fourth ring. ‘Curated Value Group, how can I help you?’

‘It’s Agent Dark with the FBI. I was at your place yesterday.’

‘Ah yes, of course, how can I-.’

‘I need the address of Lawrence Winters, your accountant, right now.’

A pause stretched thin. ‘I'm afraid I don't have access to contractor records. Those are kept-’

Ella's free hand curled into a fist. ‘Then put me through to Vanessa.’

‘Miss Blackburn isn't in the office today.’ The receptionist's voice carried that particular flavor of corporate stonewalling that made Ella want to reach through the phone and shake answers loose. ‘She's conducting an on-site appraisal.’

‘Where?’

'I'm not authorized to'

‘Federal agent,’ Ella snapped. ‘Three people are dead. You want to be the one who helps make it four?’

A beat of hesitation, and then: ‘She's at home.’

‘Address. Now.’

‘1847 Riverside Drive.’ The receptionist's professional façade cracked slightly. ‘Is... is everything okay?’

‘Yes, but do something for me. If Vanessa or Lawrence Winters show up at your office, call us immediately, right? Ask for Agent Dark or Hawkins.’

‘I... yes, of course.’

Ella hung up and turned to find Luca already shrugging into his jacket. ‘Where are we going?’

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