Page 41 of Look for Me

The officer paused for a second. “I’m sorry, Pastor. Miss Lewis is dead.”

Martin couldn’t breathe. “What about Corinne’s daughter, Dahlia?”

The office raised his eyebrows.

Martin suspected they had no idea anyone else was supposed to be in the house. He figured that after Corinne’s abduction, the Key Largo police went to her house and found Wanda dead.

Surely they could tell if there had been a child in the house. For example, when Martin went to see his sister Tina in Atlanta, her house was strewn with children’s toys and clothes.

If, in fact, the police could not tell that Dahlia had been in the house, it could mean that Corinne had been prepared to run.

Again.

“Dahlia is only three years old,” Martin added, trying to be helpful. “And Corinne’s pregnant.”

“Due in seven months.” Pastor Butler let out a grunt of some sort.

In seven months? Who’s the father?Martin played back his meeting with Corinne at the sidewalk bench, followed by the visitors to the chocolate shop. He wondered if he should tell the police about Corinne’s visitors, but he had sent those photos to Pilar, who had in turn sent them off to people she knew.

Martin had to find some way to help Corinne. He felt alone.

Please, God, let her live.

The officer kept his poker face, but Martin was sure he had provided the police with new information that they would have to process.

Martin turned to the Uber driver. “Could you wait for us?”

“It’s going to cost you,” he said.

“No problem. Read a book.” Martin smiled. “Thanks, man.”

As the officer led Martin and Pastor Butler to Wanda’s house, Martin saw the sidewalk stranger again. This time, she had a badge of some sort dangling over her belt.

She looked straight at Martin.

And Martin flinched.

* * *

She walked toward Martin.

Martin stepped back before he realized how dumb that was. He stepped forward again, but it was too late.

A little smile escaped her face. “FBI Special Agent Ruby Tanaka.”

At this point, Martin figured he had two options: reply in kind or play hostile witness.

He had never met an FBI agent before—

Well, I’ll take that back. Camden La Salle from Riverside Chapel still works for the FBI.

Martin extended his hand, but Tanaka didn’t shake it.

“I’m wearing examination gloves,” she said.

“Oh. Germs?”

“I don’t know what she sees in you.” Tanaka shook her head.

---