Page 50 of Safe
“Don’t go anywhere,” I snapped, pushing back from the table and storming out.
Warren was watching through the glass. As soon as I came out, he was on his phone, already dialing. “I’ll alert the police down there.”
“I’ll try Danielle,” I said, fumbling with my own phone. My heart pounded as I punched in her number. No answer.
Damnit, Cody.
I tried not to dwell on why he wouldn’t pick up; I just didn’t have the time.
As I turned to go back into the room with Thomas, my phone rang, and I felt a sudden surge of desperation as I answered the call.
“You let her fucking use her credit card?!” I was pissed, and I was about to let him know that. He should know better. I gave very specific instructions that clearly didn’t matter because they’re too fucking busy playing house to remember why they’re there in the first place.
“Whoa, Alex, calm down. She hasn’t used the card. I pay for everything.”
Lies.
I looked back through the window at Thomas sitting at the table.
“You sure about that, Cody? Because I’m standing outside the interrogation room, where Thomas just told me thatshe swiped her god damn credit card at a convenience store, and now Landon is heading down there after her.”
Could he be that fucking reckless?
“Wait, what?” There was a pause, and I didn’t bother to fill it. I couldn’t decide if he was trying to figure out a way to lie out of this, or if he, honest to God, didn’t know. I was pissed at him, but I also know he’s never lied to me. “Shit. Breakfast. She must not have had enough cash on her. It’s the only time I wasn’t with her.”
“Get her the fuck out of there. Find somewhere else to go.”
“Relax. We’re not there. We’re in Colorado Springs. I’ll find a reason for us to stay here longer. But I’m not going to tell her what you just told me. She doesn’t need to worry.”
“You better fucking hope so.”
Is he serious right now?
I shoved my phone back in my pocket and strode into the interrogation room. Thomas straightened up, stubbing out his cigarette and squaring up his shoulders as he watched me.
“I need everything you’ve got, Thomas. The more you tell me, the nicer my report looks, and the better the odds you can get a pretty good deal.”
Despite my best attempt to speak in a calmer tone, Thomas swallowed hard as his fingers twitched against the cool metal table, but I knew pressing too hard would make him shut down. He’d come here on his own; that counted for something.
“Okay—sure.” The unsteadiness in his voice told me he was rattled.
I sat waiting, trying to balance my anger with patience. Thomas took one last shaky breath.
“Landon called me the morning after Danielle was sent to the hospital. Said he had a job. He booked me a room at the Comfort Inn, east side, facing the hospital. Left a bag of cash forme at the front desk. Didn’t say much, just that I was supposed to call him if Danielle left.”
He wiped his brow. “So, I did it. Sat for weeks by that damn window, watching you come and go. I’d do nights, Landon took days. But she slipped out anyway. He was furious when he found out she’d left without either of us noticing. That’s when he had me start tracking her credit cards.”
I narrowed my eyes. “Why would he do that? I’m a fucking detective. Seriously, you really think I’d let her use her own cards?”
“I didn’t think you would. But he seemed to think she was stupid enough. I mean, with all due respect, I’m here right now because she did.”
I clenched my fists under the table. I wanted to punch this little bastard out of his chair and into the wall, but he wasn’t wrong. I’d confiscated her phone, confident that she was too smart to use any of her cards, which, in hindsight, was a bad idea. Clearly, I overestimated how much she understood about tracking people.
“What’s he driving?” I asked, forcing myself to remain calm and patient.
“He left in a black Dodge Charger. Can’t say if he’s still got it.”
“Tags?”
