Page 38 of The Familiar Stranger

Dr. Beetle didn’t have an answer for that, either.

But she’d told me enough.

Another thing I’d deduced during our conversation was that this man—and it was a man—hadcometo Savannah. So, he didn’t live in the city on a regular basis. I’d solved cases in only a few states in this country. If he were on the periphery of a crime, somehow hurt as a result of the arrest or whatever damage might have been done along the way, he could be anywhere. But my gut told me he was from one of those locations where I’d done business. At least that would be my first line of attack.

Our ride pulled up to the curb, and the driver rolled down the passenger window and said, “Hurry up and hop in. I gotta make a living, but truth be told, I hate coming around this place.”

CHAPTER27

Back at the hotel, we ordered two bottles of wine and some sandwiches, then took turns in the shower, sliding into the luxurious robes we’d purchased from the spa in North Carolina. The wine-and-dine arrived, and Maddie poured each of us a full glass of pinot grigio before settling cross-legged on the bed, same as me. While she’d been taking her shower, I’d opened my laptop and begun to type all the data points from everything we’d learned today.

But now, I set the laptop aside and took the glass of wine. We clinked glasses but said no toast or any words at all. We just sat there soaking in the quiet of the space, me trying to clear the noise in my mind.

Deep breaths, Sloane …

As always was the case when I was trying to enjoy a moment of peace, my cell phone rang. It was Andi.

“Did you go see Dr. Beetle?” she asked.

“Hang on just a second, okay?”

I shot a glance at Maddie, covered the phone, and whispered, “I’m not sure how much to say to Andi yet. We haven’t had two minutes to breathe.”

With a flick of her fingers, Maddie whispered back, “Just tell her that.”

I nodded, then said into the phone, “Yes, we did see her?—”

“And …?”

“We learned a lot, but to be honest, it’s been a long day, and I’m resting for the evening—” which was a lie “—but we’ll be back at it in the morning.”

“You promised to keep me in the loop, remember?”

“I do. Why don’t you go get some rest too, and we’ll talk to youand your dadagain tomorrow?”

Given Andi had always been a bulldog for information, I wanted to make it clear that her father would be included in all discussions.

She huffed an irritated, “Okayyy, fine. Y’all take care, then. Talk to ya tomorrow.”

I hung up, sipped my wine, and wiggled the glass in Maddie’s direction.

“I’m on it,” she said and reached behind her to the nightstand, where she’d placed the bottles of wine and the food. She grabbed the open one and refilled both glasses.

As she handed mine to me, she said, “Did you mean what you said about resting for the night?”

“Of course not. We’re so close to finding this guy. It’s all I can think about.”

She reached for our sandwiches, two fried green tomato BLTs, not the healthiest choice, but they looked delicious.

She handed me my sandwich, and I took it, unwrapped it, and dove in.

“Not bad at all,” I said, then took another big bite. “Cade would be all over these big slabs of bacon.”

As I said his name, I felt a stab of guilt about not calling him yet.

I needed to check in sooner than later.

“It’s divine,” Maddie said, wiping her mouth with a napkin.

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