Page 18 of Tough as Steele

Randy let out a heavy sigh. “If you don’t narrow down the scene more, this job will take days to complete.”

The guy wasn’t telling Nate anything he didn’t already know, and he didn’t have days to wait for evidence to be processed. “Start at the bedroom then work your way to the most likely means of egress. Hopefully, by that time, I’ll have learned more about how she could’ve been spirited out of the house without anyone seeing them.”

5

Londyn entered the nearly deserted detectives bullpen at PPB and nodded at the few detectives working at ten on a Friday night. She used to be able to count on Ian Blair to be there, but since he’d started dating, he cut out as soon as he could and only worked nights when necessary. She was happy for him and anyone who found a life mate. She wanted to find the right guy, but she’d reached the point in her dating life that one too many failures had put her off even looking.

She started across the room, and as detectives caught sight of her, eyebrows rose. Probably her party attire. As she settled in her chair, she could easily imagine Nate Ryder in the Washington County bullpen on a Friday night. He seemed like the kind of guy who would work long hours. She hadn’t noticed a ring on his finger, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t with someone. He could be engaged or even married but didn’t wear a ring for some reason.

Why did she keep thinking about him in a personal way? Thinking about dating at all? With Mimi missing, they were the last things she should be contemplating.

She forced her attention to her computer and tapped Mimi’s name in the department software. Clean. Not that Londyn had expected Mimi to have a record. Londyn moved on to Clarice’s name. No infractions, not even speeding. She tapped in Charles’s name.Interesting. He’d been arrested and convicted for assault in his early twenties.

She searched the record, but the database only provided the arresting agency. Multnomah County Sheriff. Londyn needed the files, and she needed them before Nate learned of Charles’s offense. Nate probably had a contact there. So did Londyn. Her youngest sister Bristol was a Multnomah County deputy.

Friday night or not, Londyn texted Bristol.

I assume Dad told you about what happened tonight. I need a file on Charles Winston. He’s Mimi Vandervoort’s son-in-law. He was convicted for assault in his twenties. Your agency arrested him.

As Londyn waited for a response, she moved on to Wendy Powell’s name. The computer stalled, and a circle spun on the screen while the computer thought.

Londyn tapped her foot. She didn’t have time for this. She glanced at the timer on her phone. Three hours gone. Just twenty-one to go, but if Wendy told the truth, Mimi could have gone missing two hours earlier, which meant Mimi’s survival odds had diminished even more. The mere thought cramped Londyn’s stomach.

Wanting to pound a fist on the monitor to release her frustration, she sat forward. The page loaded. Finally. Londyn scanned the file, running her finger down the screen.

What? No way. Wendy’s rap sheet included embezzlement and bankruptcy fraud.

How could Mimi have hired a convicted felon? She couldn’t have done a background check. Once they had Mimi back, and they would get her back, Londyn would insist Mimi find another assistant.

Londyn’s phone rang. Her lieutenant’s name appeared on the screen. Odd. He was off this weekend too.

“Sir,” she quickly answered.

“Where are you?” His question sounded like a demand.

“At my desk. Why?”

“Stay there. I’m on my way, and we need to talk.” He ended the call.

Uh-oh.She’d obviously done something wrong, but what? Had Nate complained about her? He didn’t seem like that kind of guy, but maybe she was wrong about him. Still, she was out of his hair, so what would be the point in complaining? And even if he had, her LT wouldn’t make a special trip into the office for such a thing.

Her stomach growled. Right, she hadn’t eaten any dinner. Mimi’s party was to include a buffet of yummy appetizers, and Londyn had planned to fill up on those.

She grabbed a protein bar from her desk drawer. With Mimi missing, Londyn wouldn’t get any sleep tonight, so she would also need a caffeine jolt. She retrieved a cola from the drink machine then chomped on the bar while she did an internet search for Wendy. A list of articles filled the screen. Londyn clicked on the first one from a local news station, where she knew the reporters fact-checked.

Fifteen years ago, Wendy worked as an executive assistant in Los Angeles. She’d embezzled money by submitting regular invoices for a bogus company. The bills were paid to post office boxes that she’d set up under the company’s name. She’d kept the dollar amounts of each check low so they would be less likely to be questioned on the profit-and-loss statement.

At the same time, she’d been blackmailing her boss for having an affair. So even if he knew about the embezzlement, he couldn’t fire her. Until he slipped up and his wife found out about the affair. Then he fired Wendy and reported her to the police. His new assistant discovered the embezzlement, and Wendy was charged with that too.

She did a short stint in a minimum-security prison in California then moved to Oregon. She had to have lied about her last job, and it seemed as if Mimi hadn’t checked that either. Or maybe Wendy had someone pretend to be her prior boss. If Wendy had embezzled and committed blackmail, she could figure a way around her arrest record. People with no scruples could often find a way.

Based on what Londyn knew, it wouldn’t be a stretch for Wendy to arrange a kidnapping. Not a stretch at all.

Mimi’s assistant shot to the top of Londyn’s suspect list, and Londyn needed more information about her.

Londyn’s phone dinged with a text from Bristol.

One of the detectives working tonight is getting the file and will email you a copy. You owe me.

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