Page 14 of Rescuing Sara

“And the CSI crew is finished going over your car, Danni,” Miller put in. “No prints other than yours, no other little surprises left behind and standard permanent marker ink on the note. Nothing special about the paper around the rock. Since you filed a claim with the insurance company yesterday, it’s ready to be towed to the garage of your choice.”

“Thanks, Sergeant Miller.” Danni gave him the courtesy of his rank. “Captain Haggerty, do you know anything about something called the Larsen case?”

“The which?” Frowning, the captain removed her reading glasses from the end of her nose and put them in her uniform’s breast pocket.

“The Larsen case,” Danni repeated. “Right before he died, Leo asked me if my father had ever mentioned it to me.” At Haggerty’s frown, she hastily added, “Dad almost never talked about work, but I could tell when a case was really bothering him. If I asked him about it, all he would say was, ‘It’s a tough one, alright’ but nothing more. Of course, since he worked Vice, all his cases would be disturbing.”

Haggerty features relaxed. “Your dad wasn’t the kind to tell tales out of school,” she agreed. “I don’t remember ever hearing about that case, but I’ll look and see what I can find.”

“Just out of curiosity, are cold case files digitized?” Patrick asked, his voice now calm and steady.

“Most of them, yes,” Haggerty said thoughtfully. “If I can’t find an electronic file on it, I’ll have records search for it. There may be old paper files, but I doubt it. Did Leo say it was a cold case?”

“No,” Danni said, shaking her head. “Just asked if Dad ever mentioned it.”

The phone on Haggerty’s desk buzzed and she picked up the receiver and greeted the caller. She listened for a minute and her features tightened again. “Let me put you on speaker,” she said. “The intended victim is sitting here with me.

She hit a button on the phone and said, “Go ahead, Clancey.” Regarding the others she said, “Phillip Clancey is a senior analyst in our lab.”

“The contents of the syringe Sergeant Miller brought us was a combination of snake venom, probably from a cobra or maybe one of the deadlier snakes found in Australia, and cyanide, enough to kill a good-sized man almost instantly,” Clancey’s voice proclaimed. “Would that describe the intended?”

“Try a woman who stands around five foot seven and probably weighs just enough to donate blood,” Patrick called out.

Danni made a face. “I weigh more than that,” she responded. “And I’ll weigh even more if I keep eating your cooking.”

For the first time in hours, Patrick smiled. “You think?” he replied.

“Thank you, Clancey,” Haggerty said and returned the receiver to its cradle. Sitting back, she folded her hands at her waist and silently regarded Danni.

“The same combination that killed Leo Anderson,” she said at last. “It’s beginning to look like you were always the intended target, Danni.”

“I think,” Miller said, “We need to have an officer drive the two of you back to your car. What is it, Lieutenant Danton?”

Patrick looked up from his phone. “Text from the BP member who is joining us for the duration of the mission. He said he can pick us up here and take us back to the church.” Glancing at Danni, he added, “I told Hank Patterson where we would be. The new guy will meet us outside in five minutes. Is there anything else you need to discuss with Captain Haggarty?”

A pain-filled weariness stained his face as he slid the phone into his coat pocket and Danni could only guess how crappy he must feel. What he probably needed was a hot shower, a good meal and a stiff drink.

“I think that’s all,” she said. “Will you let us know if you hear anything about Sara from the tipline?”

“Absolutely,” the captain said as they all stood. “And please text me the contact info for Leo’s family when you find it. Good to have met you, Lieutenant Dalton.”

“My pleasure, ma’am.” He inclined his head and, putting his hand in the crook of Danni’s arm, steered her toward the door, falling into step to follow Miller into the hallway. His hand’s warmth radiated through Danni’s coat sleeve, and she marveled at how strong yet light his touch was.

“Call if you need me,” Miller told them when they reached the front doors. “I have other cases and I may not be able to get away but call me.”

“Do you know yet who will be appointed to take over Sara’s case now that Leo is–”

The word “dead” stayed in her throat, as if saying it would make the reality of the situation only that more final.

“I don’t know,” Miller admitted. “But I’ll call you when I hear anything.”

She nodded and Patrick opened the doors. A blast of cold air hit them, and she shivered. Uniformed officers and men and women she guessed were plain-clothes detectives were gathered about the area, talking together or showing notes. Lowering hervoice and knowing he would know exactly what she was saying, she asked, “do you want to talk about it?”

“Not really,” he said.

“Do you know what the new BP member looks like?” she asked.

“He sent his picture with his text,” Partrick told her. “What was all that about Sara’s grandfather and Everett?”

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