Page 26 of Wired Justice

Chapter Fifteen

Kamani Freitan looked tiredto Sophie. Dark circles under her eyes looked bruised, and her thick black hair straggled out of its braid as if she had slept on it. She stood beside Sophie, her partner in her shadow, and glanced around the area at Julie’s belongings. “Think this might be a homicide?”

“Could be just a kidnapping,” Jake was avoiding eye contact with the detective. Sophie noted the rigidity of his shoulders, the tightness of his voice.. “These are definitely her things, and we have evidence linking her to Rayme and Webb.” He gestured with his chin to Sophie. “Show her the chain.”

Sophie slid the slender gold charm bracelet out of her pocket and dropped it into Freitan’s extended hand. “We took this item of Julie’s off Holly Rayme not long ago.”

“Rayme and Webb said they got to know her, took her to Volcano, and rolled her for her money and jewelry. They claim they let her out of their car at this mile marker. Uninjured, with her clothing and her backpack. We had no reason to doubt their story at the time,” Jake concluded.

Freitan’s partner, Detective Wong, surveyed the area. “We should photograph this, and then take the items into evidence.”

“Yeah. Our officers picked up Rayme and Webb; we can interview those two down at the station. Since we’re being stonewalled on the family body dump case.” Freitan’s full mouth tightened into an irritated line.

This was her chance. Sophie cleared her throat. “I have a theory. I would like to be able to use your secure Internet connections at the station to run my idea through some software I possess. My theory has to do with these missing persons cases.”

Freitan had sharp dark eyes that reminded Sophie of a mynah bird. “What’s this theory?”

“I can’t tell you until I have a chance to assemble numbers and run statistical analyses on some data I need to put together.” Sophie met the woman’s gaze squarely. “I promise I will share any findings I get with you. But I need a hack-proof place to work that’s cool and dry. This environment kills computers.” Sophie gestured to their damp and dripping surroundings.

Freitan gave a brief nod. “I ran background on you. You were quite the tech agent in the FBI. You will need to sign confidentiality agreements, but I’m down with that.”

Wong nodded as well. “We will have to run it by our station chief, but I don’t anticipate a problem. You two have been straight up with us and brought us good leads.”

Relief brought a smile to Sophie’s face. She couldn’t wait to get DAVID burrowing for missing persons data. “Terrific. You won’t regret this. When can we get started?”

Freitan tipped her head back to survey the sullen clouds, prematurely darkening the area. “Tomorrow. We have a lot of ground to cover, dealing with this scene and interviewing Webb and Rayme. And we’ll still need an okay for you to use the facility. Wong and I will be in touch.” Freitan ran an assessing glance over Jake, his black combat clothing smeared with leaves and mud. “You’re filthy, Jake. You need a good scrub in a hot shower, my man. Take two, baby, and I’ll see you in the morning.”

Jake glared, then stomped away through the brush toward the Jeep, the back of his neck reddening. “Kamani! Rude!” Wong smacked Freitan’s arm.

“What? Dunn’s a dirty boy who needs a good rubdown,” Freitan laughed, unrepentant. “I wouldn’t mind hitting that.”

Freitan was never going to get anywhere needling Jake that way, and he deserved a little inappropriate teasing after all he’d put Sophie through early in their working relationship. Still, she felt protective. “That kind of speech is inappropriate, Detective,” Sophie said. “You wouldn’t like a male officer to engage in sexual innuendoes with you, would you?”

“And you don’t think I deal with that kind of shit talk every day from the guys?” Freitan tossed her head defiantly. “I’m just getting in a few licks for our team.” Her grin was toothy and feral. “So to speak.”

Sophie shook her head and followed Jake at a slower pace, leaving the detectives to photograph the site and collect the evidence. She felt exhausted but wired.

What would they do in that cabin all evening until tomorrow?

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