“Robbery?” Lauren could barely speak through her dry mouth.
The officer nodded. “I’m sorry to have to add to your burdens, but that’s the most recent update.”
“We appreciate it,” Jason said. “Is the search focused in Rhode Island now?”
“It’s as good a lead as we’ve got, so the Rhode Island authoritie
s are following up. Of course we’ll still be vigilant here. This is her home, and if she panics and needs help, she might come to you.” He studied Lauren intently, as if sizing her up.
“What?” she asked, uncomfortable under the scrutiny.
“If you hear from her, you will let us know?”
“Of course! And I don’t appreciate you thinking otherwise.”
Jason’s grip on her shoulder tightened. “He’s just doing his job.”
She nodded. Antagonizing the police wasn’t a smart strategy.
“If there’s anything else you can tell us that you think might help find her, call. I’ll let myself out. Lock the door behind me.” He tipped his head and started for the door.
Then he was gone.
“Robbery?” Lauren asked.
“You can’t even pretend to know what’s in her mind anymore,” he said.
She nodded. “You’re right about that. If she’s in Rhode Island and heading away from here, do you think she’s given up on whatever it is she wants from this house?”
Jason spread his hands in front of him, apparently as confused as Lauren was. “Like I said…”
“I can’t begin to guess at what’s going on in her mind.” She sighed then met Jason’s gaze. “Hey. Why didn’t you tell the police there might be something here she’d come back for?” Lauren bit the inside of her cheek.
It hadn’t been easy for her to remain silent. She’d been surprised Jason had kept quiet, too.
He shoved his hands into the front pockets of his jeans, staring at her. “I did it for you. We have no solid proof she wants anything here, just a series of coincidences like you said. I figured I’d give you the benefit of the doubt.”
“Even if you are certain she’s behind the vandalism, the tampering and the arson?”
He nodded, not denying his belief. “Even then. She escaped. She’ll be caught eventually and the truth will come out.” His expression filled with compassion and, despite the emotional distance between them, something that looked suspiciously like love.
Lauren’s heart beat more rapidly in her chest, her emotions a rioting mix she didn’t know how to deal with. And as long as he kept his feelings inside, as long as he kept sending out mixed signals instead of overt ones, she didn’t have to.
She ran her tongue over suddenly dry lips. “I don’t know what to say except thank you.”
She might not have anticipated her sister would fake mental illness, but she had to believe that whatever Beth’s motives had been, she was far away from here by now.
“THEY HAVE TO LEAVE the house sooner or later,” Brody said in the whiny voice Beth had come to hate. She cringed every time he opened his mouth.
Still, she’d needed him and he’d come through. She’d managed to contact him with the nurse’s cell phone and leave a message. He’d gotten into the prison by telling them he’d left his tools behind, and a little fire had distracted people, enabling him to sneak her out amid the chaos. Minimum security and paying close attention to who was stationed where had helped.
But now that she was out, she didn’t need Brody anymore. Only he didn’t take a hint. Why would he when he knew about the diamonds, Beth thought, frustrated.
“Beth? Can’t you figure something out?” he asked.
“We need to have patience.” She glanced around the hiding place she’d chosen, a detached garage in a neighbor’s house next to her old home. It wasn’t comfortable but it was safe.
These neighbors spent winters in Florida, and like most people in town, they didn’t use burglar alarms. In this old garage, they’d had no reason. Even better, this particular neighbor had had a property line dispute with her grandmother. They’d lost in court, naturally. It had been so easy for her grandmother as mayor to switch old land surveys on file. Beth figured it was smart of her to pick a house where there was no love lost between the owners and the Perkinses. Less chance of the police thinking Beth would be hiding out there.