Page 79 of Save Her Life

“I’ll get him home,” Eric spoke up.

“To the field office?” Brice said.

“Wherever you wish.”

Brice nodded.

“You guys work it out. I just need to leave now.”

“Just be safe. Are you sure you’re okay to drive?” Eric asked her.

“You sound like Rowe.”

“It’s a valid question.”

“I’ll be careful.”

“You better be.” He pulled her into a hug and kissed her forehead forgoing their unspoken rule about public displays of affection in a professional setting. He pulled back and said, “I’ll let you know if anything pops up here that might help.”

“I wouldn’t expect less. Thank you.” She stood there for a few seconds, absorbing the contours of Eric’s face and dippedinto his eyes. This man brought out her strength. She could only hope it would be enough to see this through and get the crucial information she needed out of Patton so she could save Olivia.

THIRTY-SEVEN

The administrative staff at the prison were miserable with Sandra as they followed the standard protocol for visitors. She was stripped of her gun and anything that could be deemed a weapon, even patted down by a female corrections officer.

“You realize I’m FBI?” Sandra said.

The woman looked at her as if to say that was the only reason she was being admitted at this hour. “Just doing my job, ma’am.”

“I’ll take it from here.” A man in his fifties with a lean, lanky frame approached. “Warden Synder,” he told her as an introduction of himself.

“Special Agent Sandra Vos.”

“Oh, I know who you are. Your boss too. I made something clear to him, and I’m going to do the same with you. This meeting is unprecedented and could be seen as violating the inmate’s rights. He never approved this visit.”

Did this man not know why they had an interest in speaking with Patton? “I’m not sure what Assistant Director Rowe told you, Warden, but Darrell Patton is of primary interest to the FBI pertaining to a kidnapping.” She left it vague, thinking that Elwood would have done the same.

“Your boss told me that much, but it still doesn’t make it cool in my book.”

The fact the warden so strongly defended the rights of a convicted killer didn’t earn any respect inherbook.

The warden continued. “Patton has the right to signal the guard to leave the room at any time, and if he does, you are to let him go. Are we understood?”

Elwood hadn’t mentioned that stipulation, and she was curious if the warden had said this to him. “Understood. Now, I’d like to get started.” She met his gaze, not backing down when his drilled through hers.

The warden held the eye contact for a few beats before nodding and saying, “Follow me.”

As she traversed the linoleum hallways that she’d been down just days ago, dread washed over her. It was sinking in that she was about to come face to face and one on one with the man who had killed her brother. Her heart started thumping wildly in her chest, and her throat constricted. She must have been a fool to even think she could pull off talking to him while remaining calm. But she wasn’t beyond trying.Remember, this is for Olivia.She’d repeat it until it flooded her with the strength and courage to see this through.

The warden stopped outside a door with a window and a guard standing next to it. “This is it,” he told her.

She nodded, unable to speak, afraid to even try. She imagined her words coming out as a croak. She gave the guard a fast look before grabbing the door handle and giving it a turn. Her pulse pounded in her ears as a fresh shot of adrenaline flooded her system. Behind this door was Sam’s killer. Unplanned or not, the result of his actions cost her Sam. This thinking ramped up her rage, overriding her anxiety and easing her doubts about her abilities. To hell if he was taking Olivia from her too.

One deep breath, and she swung the door open. She walked inside with confident strides, holding her head high and squaring her shoulders.

Darrell Patton was seated at a table and facing toward the door. He was chained to the table by restraints that hooked to cuffs around his wrists. Manacles were around his ankles and linked to hoops on the floor. He watched every step she took.

“You,” he seethed. “They dragged me from my cell foryou? Guard!”

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