“She’ll be as protected as the crown jewels.”
It doesn’t satisfy the tightness in my chest. “Maybe Elaine could invite her to stay in your guest room til Thursday.”
“You’re joking, right? You know Mel won’t leave that cottage without a mandatory evacuation order.”
Studying my notes, I wonder how many boxes I’d have to pack if I left for Wilmington today. No, I have to wrap up this damn Houston case here, where I can focus.
Frustrated, I push the laptop back on my desk. “We’re professionals, dammit. Get creative.”
He laughs. “What would work if you were Melissa? I’d say we invite her over for dinner and mix her drinks too strong, but she’s pregnant. And even if she were still drinking, we couldn’t keep the party going for three nights. Just tell her what’s up.”
“If I can be there on Wednesday, I will.”
“Fine, but will you at least tell me what’s going on? Who is Jessica Black? Or who was, I guess...”
“Jessica Black was a high-end hooker, an escort. She was also one of Sloan’s regulars. A few years ago, she was beaten pretty badly, but she wouldn’t report the guy. Then she moved to Baltimore. I don’t have anything concrete, but my gut says she fell in love with him. How, I can’t imagine. Now she’s dead.”
Silence meets my ear for several moments. When Patrick speaks again, his voice is sober, all joking gone. “And she looks a helluva lot like Melissa.”
“Right.”
“I know what to do.”
In that one sentence I hear my partner lock into closer mode, and it’s right where I want him. Patrick can be a royal fuck up when it comes to women, but he’s damn good at his job. And to her credit, Elaine seems to have put an end to his screwing around.
“I’ve got an idea,” he continues. “It’s something I floated past you a while back, but now with this... Raleigh... I might have a connection to what you need.”
“I didn’t expect anything less. See you in a few days, and Patrick? Thanks. I owe you one.”
“It’s nothing more than you’d do for me.”
“You know it.”
* * *