“Male.”
“But it wasn’t Josh?”
“I don’t think so. It might have been, but I don’t think so. His voice was muffled.”
“Panella and his silly machine?”
“No. Nothing like that. Just—”
“—muffled.”
“Yes.”
“What did this muffled voice that might or might not have been Josh say?”
She ignored his patent skepticism. “He said, ‘If you want information about your brother, come now.’ He emphasized the now and told me where the bar was located. He didn’t give me a chance to ask or say anything before disconnecting.”
He thought all that over. “What did he say when you called back?”
“I did so directly because I needed better directions on where to find the bar. His had been rushed and imprecise. But when I called, he didn’t answer.”
“Although he’d just called you?”
She raised her shoulders. “He didn’t answer.”
“Regardless, you wasted no time setting out.”
“That’s right.” She considered telling him about the car which she was almost certain had followed her, but thought it best not to volunteer anything. “As you assumed, I called him again en route when I got turned around on one of the back roads. He didn’t answer then, either. That’s the truth. That’s all I know. I swear it.”
“That’s the truth?”
“Yes.”
“All you know?”
“Yes.”
“Then why hold out on me? Why didn’t you tell me this last night when I asked—repeatedly—why you went to that bar?”
That touched a nerve. “Well, just possibly my reticence had something to do with you snuffing your partner, kidnapping me, tying me up, and marching me into a dark woods for what I feared was my execution.”
Building up a full head of steam, she continued. “I was scared out of my mind! I’d just seen you kill a man, and you were suggesting that I”—she slapped her hand against her chest—“was part of a plot to set you up as a fall guy. I was afraid if I told you about the call, you would demand to know more, and I couldn’t tell you any more, because I don’t know any more!” By now she was shouting.
Unruffled, he watched her for a moment, giving her time to simmer down, then said, “Let’s see.”
“What?”
“Call back. See if he answers this time.” He extended her the phone.
An active phone. A lifeline. He was offering it to her. But she would never be able to complete a 911 call before he stopped her, and she didn’t dare redial the unknown caller who’d summoned her to the bar. If the person on the other end was Josh…
She left the phone lying untouched in Shaw’s palm.
“No?” he said. “Then I’ll call again.”
“Again?”
He turned the phone so she could read the screen. “See? Last night. Ten fifty-two. I was approximately a half hour’s drive away from the bar when I pulled off the road to switch license plates. I took the opportunity to check your phone. Out of curiosity I called Unknown.”