Page 75 of Special Agent Murphy

Chapter Forty-five

“Hello.”

“Hi, this is Agent Edwards calling. You passed me your card last night. I got the feeling you wanted to talk.”

“Have you found Misti yet, the girl on TV who was kidnapped?”

“No, and time is running out. If you have any information—”

Interrupting Kayti, the other woman’s voice meant business. “We have to talk. Can you meet me at a restaurant near the bank I work at?”

“Of course, where is it?”

Once Kayti realized it was only a few miles away, she made arrangements to meet with Roni Johnston, the name showing on the bank’s business card, in ten minutes.

“My lunch break just started so I’m on my way.”

“Good, me too. See you soon.”

Recognition hit them both at the same time. Kayti entered to see Roni craning her neck, watching so she could wave her over. She slipped into the booth across from the middle-aged woman, held out her hand and smiled.

“I’m Special Agent Katherine Edwards. Thank you for reaching out last night.”

“Katherine? That was my mother’s name. It’s a good sign. I’ve been hoping you might not call, but I knew what I have to say might help get that poor girl home, so it needed to be shared. Then after your man had words with my Nate last night and punched him in the stomach – though he had it coming, he swung first – I almost decided that if you called, I’d flip you off. Now, I’m glad we’re meeting.”

Her man punched Nate? Huh!?

Concentrating on what was important, Kayti started right into the subject at hand. “If you have anything that might help me find Misti, you’ll be doing the right thing. You know that. Senator Bond has posted a reward for any information that might lead to her rescue.”

“A reward. I didn’t know. That’s not why I gave you my card.”

“Makes your statement all the more valuable. Thank you for reaching out.”

While Kayti waited impatiently, Roni gathered her thoughts. “Okay, so I was at that bar a few weeks ago with some lady friends. Nate doesn’t know we stopped there for a beer; he wouldn’t approve.”

“Then I won’t tell him.”

Roni’s relief shone through her embarrassment. She took a sip of her coffee that arrived with the menus and started, “You know the area where they have that small hallway before you enter the washroom?”

Kayti thought for a minute and the memory of her being there came to mind. “Yes.”

“Well, I’d just gone to the toilet, and the zipper on my pants let go. While I fiddled with it, I was behind there and heard two men talking. They were sitting at the table nearest the wall. At first, I thought they were describing a TV show, they sounded like a couple of crazies. They said how they would hold the girl in the bathroom, then keep her high so she didn’t give them any trouble.”

All ears, Kayti stopped her and asked, “Can I share this conversation, Roni, kind of like what folks do on WhatsApp?”

“I don’t know what that means.”

“It’s a business app on my phone where we can have more than one person on a call.”

“You have to?”

“I want to include my partner.”

“Oh! Okay.”

Kayti inwardly glowed when Murphy answered on the first ring. “Where are you, Kayti? Tell me you weren’t in another car accident.”

“Seriously? No. I’m calling because I have something important. You need to listen now.” Kayti couldn’t help the pissy tone. She looked across at Roni and jokingly raised her eyebrows and smiled when Roni rolled hers in sympathy.

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