Page 85 of Deadly Evidence
But now...she fingered the small square of plastic, remembering a visit to Gil’s place years ago.
She’d been just a teenager, but she still recalled him preening over the purchase of a new, top-of-the-line dually crew cab.Oyster shell white, he’d said, with the air of someone who’d just picked up a bauble at Tiffany’s.Fully loaded. We bought it from a dealer in Fort Worth.
She looked over her shoulder at Brady, who still sat studying a map spread out on the table and had his cell phone at his ear. “I need to run over to Gil’s place. It’s important.”
“Hold on.” His brow furrowed as he listened to someone on the line. After a couple of seconds, he responded in a voice too low to catch, then he disconnected the call. “What’s up?”
She tossed the key chain on the table in front of him. “I need to talk to Gil.”
“This dealer name doesn’t match the source of that new pickup of his. I checked.”
“Yes—but Gil has had alotof new trucks over the years.” Anna’s words poured out in a desperate rush. “And I just keep thinking of all the times he’s warned me to ‘be safe’ and just ignore what happens along the border. Why would he be so insistent?”
“Because he knows—as you do—that itissafer for the average person to just stay clear?”
“Maybe he’s seen or heard something that will help me get Lacey back,” she retorted. “Maybe some of his men were out fixing fence...or overheard something in town.”
“I’ll come with you. But let me make one more call.”
Brady punched in a speed-dial number. “Marcy—Brady here. I need a history on a white Ford 3500 pickup registered to Gilberto Banuelos, Gelman County.” He recited the license plate number, drumming his fingers on the table. “Yeah—I know you tried once before. But give it another try. Maybe under another name...yes, in Gelman County.”
Anna fidgeted at the door, fear and impatience spinning through her mind. “Comeon,” she urged.
He held up a hand. “I could lose reception. Wait...”
Grabbing a pencil, he braced the phone against his ear with his shoulder and started writing. As soon as he ended the call, he was on his feet.
“There is no truck by that description registered to your uncle, Anna, and the plates don’t match the vehicle—they were stolen from a Dodge Ram. The police in Dallas recently filed a report on a stolen truck that may match the one at Gil’s place.”
Stunned, she turned to face him. “He’d never do anything like that.”
“But he has at least one new employee, Jose Nieto. He was out by the barn when we were there.”
“A guy who didn’t exactly look like Mr. Personality, come to think of it.”
Brady pulled on his jacket. “You stay here, and I’ll go over there to check things out. I want to get the VIN number off that truck to make sure we have a match.”
“No. I’m coming along.”
He sighed heavily. “It’s safer for you here, Anna. Please.”
“You don’t know his place like I do. You need me—and I need to do everything I can to find my daughter.” She raised a brow as she fished for her truck keys in the pocket of her jeans. “If you go by yourself, I’ll just follow.”
In fifteen minutes they were speeding down the highway with Brady at the wheel. In another ten, they’d turned off onto the Rocking B Ranch road and were pulling to a stop in front of Gil’s house.
The yard was oddly still and silent. The little hairs at the back of her neck prickled. “This is weird,” she said in a low voice. “His blue truck is here, but not his housekeeper’s Chevy...and that German shepherd of his usually raises a ruckus.”
“Stay here.” Brady stepped out of the car, scanned the area, then started for the house.
He circled the perimeter, and when he came into view, she could see that he’d drawn a handgun. He knocked on the door, standing well to one side of it. He knocked louder...then tried the handle.
The door swung open and he eased inside.
A few endless minutes later he appeared at the door with his cell phone at his ear, gesturing for her to hurry inside.
“I’m calling 911,” he said as she stepped past him. “He’s in the kitchen—and he doesn’t look good. I’ve been through the house—there’s no one else here. Just be careful—his dog is closed in a bedroom, and it’s trying to tear the door down.”
Alarmed, she rushed down the hallway—then drew in a sharp breath.
