Page 271 of Cold Case, Warm Hearts

“Unlikely. She’d have called her best friend.”

“If she had any friends, I couldn’t find them,” Wade said.

“I think there was a woman in the picture on her dating profile. Let’s see if we can identify that woman. She might be her friend.”

“You expect to identify a random woman in a picture?”

“Scoot over,” she said.

He shuffled out of the way as the overpowering scent of jasmine engulfed the area. She took over his computer, and he backed away to get some fresh air. Two minutes later, Jamie had all three dating profiles open in separate browser tabs.

“The woman I saw is in two different pictures.”

Wade scrunched his eyebrows together. “I don’t know why I didn’t notice her before. I know who the woman is, and I recognize the event. I worked security for extra cash.”

“Care to elaborate?”

“The woman Mary Van Britton is standing beside is Senator Martin at her annual gala. I recall the silver dress the senator was wearing that night. If you look closely, you’ll see the fundraising sign behind them,” Wade said.

“I’ll give the senator a call and see if she knows anything about a gift the judge might’ve received before disappearing.”

“I doubt she’ll remember it. 2016 was a long time ago.”

“You recognized her gown, and you’re not exactly into fashion, so anything’s possible,” Jamie said.

Wade’s cellrang as he pulled up to the Hickory Run State Park visitor center. “Brunner speaking.”

“Hey, Wade. It’s Jamie.”

“What’s up?”

“The senator remembers our victim.”

“Good deal.”

“They weren’t friends.” Jamie said.

“How did she know her?”

“It was more of a professional relationship. Sadly, she says Mary didn’t mention anything about a gift.”

He sighed. “That would’ve been too easy.”

“She did remember thinking the judge had a new boyfriend. She claims she acted like a woman in love in the days leading up to her disappearance.”

“Interesting.” He drummed his fingers on the steering wheel. “Maybe we’ll find the answer if we keep digging into those dating sites.”

“Only if we can find out who she was meeting,” Jamie said.

“Exactly.” He tensed as Emily’s SUV drove into the lot. This was a conversation he’d been dreading, but someone had to make her aware of the danger. “I have to go.”

“Check in after,” Jamie said.

“After what?”

“I know you’re at the park. You don’t think I can figure out what you’re doing there?”

“I want to warn her about the danger she may be in,” Wade said.

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