Page 78 of Inferno

She looked at one of the cops—McCauley, now one of the PD chiefs. Julio hadn’t noticed him come in. She repeated his question.

The captain frowned. “Sergeant Deerdan, I think.”

Addie shifted her weight from one foot to the other. “So she’s the only other person who got up close and personal with him.”

“I’ll pull up his booking photo.” Romeo started typing.

She turned to Julio. “You’re sure it’s him?”

He could only nod. “It’s his face.”

She squeezed his shoulder.

Julio was about to explode out of his skin. What was Walter doing to her? Where had he taken her? Addie turned to one of her agents, the one with short hair who was married to a Benson detective. Hummet sat beside her, and on his other side was Lucas Westbrook. Both of them had shown up almost immediately.

Seemed like everyone was onboard with finding Samantha.

Figuring out who had stabbed Megan Deerdan.

Bringing him to justice.

These two, Special Agent…Julio was pretty sure it was Stella Davis—or Hummet if she used her married name—and Eric Hummet, had been there the day Samantha was blown out of that house with Romeo. Two years ago. The day she lost their baby.

Julio strode to the far side of the room and looked out the window.

Everyone had shown up. They would find her.

So why did he feel so useless?

“He’s right,” Detective Lucas Westbrook called out. “It’s Walter Barnes.”

Detective Hummet said, “It’s just a first glance, but it’s a match. The computers at Vanguard can confirm. And when we find him holding her captive, we’ll have all the evidence we need to nail this guy to the wall.”

Julio turned back to the blond man, Westbrook, and caught a look of respect sent his way—because he’d noticed it first?

Over the far side of the room, a younger guy came in. Long hair, down to his shoulders and civilian clothes. Not a cop. He spotted Cat, Romeo’s sister, in the crowd and headed for her.

Another guy came in behind him who looked like Cat’s guy, but a little bigger in the shoulders and arms. He held himself in the way a lot of cops did. This guy headed for Lucas, and their handshake shifted into a hug.

All these interconnected people.

He’d crossed paths with most of them in his career with the fire department. All these first responders, along with private citizens who pitched in. Police. FBI. Vanguard. The fire department did work that was a whole lot simpler, but still just as valuable in saving lives.

They were the ones who would save Samantha.

Julio looked at Addie. “Where is she?”

He needed to move. He needed a target, because he was itching to run. Like last time, when he’d raced over and launched himself at Walter Barnes before he could strangle Samantha.

Would Julio get there in time today?

Addie turned to the room. “I want all property listed in his name, or the name of any relatives. A former spouse, and her relatives. Give me all possibilities. He needs a place he can control. This is a guy with a domestic violence rap sheet who isn’t afraid to take a shot at getting back at people who’ve wronged him.”

“Is he the arsonist?” Deluca said.

Julio shook his head.

Addie said, “We have more circumstantial evidence that he isn’t our guy than that he is.” Not so conclusive, but she probably had to be careful not to say something definitive that was only a theory she couldn’t prove.

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