Page 40 of Twin Threats In Austin
“Detective Paddock, but you can call me Rochelle.”
“Only if you call me Gabby,” the officer said with a small nod as she skimmed the area. Her gaze fixed on Camden. “I take it that’s US Marshal Remington.”
“Yes, it is,” Rochelle confirmed before giving a quick rundown of the situation.
Gabby looked to be in her early thirties. She had brown hair that was tied back in a ponytail and a CrossFit-honed physique.
“There’s a note,” Rochelle informed her, motioning toward Kage’s door.
The pair joined Camden after Gabby grabbed tongs and a paper evidence bag from her vehicle.
With the tongs, Gabby removed the note. It was folded in two, making it easy to open without destroying or adding fingerprints. It read:Not cool how you left me. I thought we had something special.
“Kage was having a relationship with the black-haired woman?” Rochelle asked. The same question was most likely on everyone else’s mind.
“Interesting,” Camden said before giving Gabby a summary of Kage’s background and history with law enforcement.
“Did he have any priors before the mail fraud?” Gabby asked.
“No,” Camden responded.
“I’m no detective,” Gabby started, “but isn’t it a stretch to go from mail fraud to murder?”
“And kidnapping,” Rochelle added before outlining the torture victims endured.
Gabby shook her head.
“You reported not being able to see who was in the trees,” Gabby continued.
“That’s correct.”
“Or being able to make out who came to your home last night,” Gabby added.
“Correct again.”
Gabby turned to Camden. “Can you think of any reason someone would want to set Kage up?”
“Maybe our black-haired witness can shed some light into Kage’s personality,” Camden said.
Rochelle thought about Millie. The Laundromat owner did nothing but sing Kage’s praises. The photo sent a cold chill up her spine. The doppelgänger theory was too out there to mention to Gabby. And yet, it would explain a lot.
Still, why would a doppelgänger haunt the same places as Kage? Why make it seem like he was guilty?
To throw law enforcement off the real trail?
A doppelgänger was also a convenient excuse.No, Detective, it wasn’t me. It was my evil twin. How many times had she heard that excuse thrown out during an investigation?
More times than she cared to count.
“Did you send in the plate?” she asked Camden.
“Yes,” he said. “My supervisor should have a res—”
His cell dinged, stopping him in midsentence. He checked the screen already in his palm. “Detective, we have an address.”
Rochelle shifted her gaze to Gabby. “Are you fine here if we head out?” As she spoke, a second SUV pulled up and parked.
“I’m good,” Gabby said.
