“Court records of the adoption were sealed.”
The aunt and uncle truly had protected her identity and history. “Okay.”
“Grew up middle class. Apple pie Americana. No scandal. Straight and narrow and boring, if you want to know the truth.”
“Okay.”
“She attended junior college in her home town in Virginia before transferring to Columbia.”
“South Carolina?”
“No, Columbia University in New York. Graduated with a BA in journalism. She hopped around to various and sundry TV stations, never staying long at one before moving on, always to a larger market, till she landed this gig in Dallas early last year. Local network affiliate. She gets a lot of face time. Network uses her for regional stories that go national. There’s a bunch of her stuff on YouTube.”
Trapper didn’t admit to having watched hours of it.
“I have her car tag and driver’s license numbers.”
“If they’re in the email, I don’t need them now.”
Carson rumbled on. “She lives in downtown Dallas, one of those glassy condo buildings near Victory Park.”
Trapper didn’t tell Carson he’d just been there, but he did ask, “Alone?”
“The condo’s in her name, and that’s the only name on the mailbox. I made up some gobbledygook and talked to the concierge of her building. No roommate since she’s lived there. Let’s see…what else? Oh, she was arrested once in Seattle.”
“What for?”
“Protest march. There were numerous arrests. At her arraignment, she pled guilty, paid the fine.”
“What was she protesting?”
“A colleague was jailed for contempt of court because he wouldn’t reveal a source. She was guilty of passion for her profession and First Amendment rights, and that’s as sinister as she gets, Trapper.
“She’s square with the IRS. No debt other than her mortgage. Pays her bills on time. She’s ambitious. She’s got the goods. I gather an interview with The Major would be a real plum. End of story.”
Like hell it is, Trapper thought. “Anything else?”
“Nothing noteworthy. Bits and pieces. You want details, they’re in the email.”
“Thanks, Carson.”
“Can I get back to honeymooning now?”
“Just one more request.”
Carson groaned.
Trapper said, “Do this and then you can screw yourself blind.”
Chapter 4
Kerra brought her car to a stop within a few feet of the black SUV parked crosswise in the drive that led up to Major Franklin Trapper’s house. She left the motor running as she got out and cautiously approached the driver’s side of the truck.
Trapper, watching her through the side mirror, saw in her face the instant she recognized him as the person in the driver’s seat. She marched the rest of the way, and when she came even with the door, knocked hard on the window.
He lowered it. “Hi.”
“What are you doing here?”