3
Huntsville Police Department
815 Wheeler Avenue
Huntsville, Alabama; 12:45 p.m.
“The only prints are on the first letter and those are yours.”
Adeline had expected that would be the case. “But it’s the same paper. Same type of glue as the first letter.”
Chief Burton Spencer nodded. “No question. The clerk at the FedEx drop-off center in Hattiesburg doesn’t recall what the sender looked like, only that he was male. The street address he provided doesn’t exist.”
Adeline had called the chief en route. A lab tech had been standing by when she arrived downtown. Less than an hour later they had the results, not that she had needed a lab tech to tell her what she already knew. Both letters had evidently been created and sent by the same individual. Both were void of prints, other than hers on the first one, or any other trace evidence beyond the glue. And neither one gave the slightest hint at what the message had to do with Adeline.
“Cherry Prescott lives and works in Hattiesburg,” Adeline went on, “but her abandoned vehicle was found near Moss Point. My hometown. I don’t know her, but obviously the person who abducted her knows me.”
The idea that this could have something to do with her family was almost ludicrous.Almost.Nine years had passed. Why the hell wouldthat ancient history be coming up now? And what would the Prescott woman have to do with it? Why had she been in the area? Did she have family there? Was she investigating a case related to something going on in Hattiesburg?
Adeline had questions. Lots of questions.
“I know what you’re thinking,” the chief warned. “This may or may not have anything to do with your past. My immediate assessment would be that somebody’s playing a game. Trying to muddy the investigation down there by dragging you into the mix.” He leaned forward, braced his forearms on his desk. “Bottom line, this evidence could be crucial to the Prescott case. I’ve put in a call to the sheriff in Jackson County, Mississippi. When he calls back, we’ll get his take on how this involves you and determine a course of action from there.”
Adeline rolled her eyes. “I can just imagine what that old bastard has to say.” The words were out of her mouth before she could stop them.
Spencer’s expression turned to one of displeasure. “I understand that you have ample reason for despising law enforcement in Mississippi, but, as one of my detectives, you will show the proper respect as this situation moves forward. Understood?”
“Yes, sir.” Adeline damned sure didn’t want any more trouble. She’d gone through enough bullshit a few months ago with that internal affairs investigation into the last case her former partner, Kevin Braddock, and she had worked. Damn she wished Braddock was here now.
But he’d resigned and moved to Baltimore to be with CJ during the final year of her residency. The two were deliriously happy. No one deserved that kind of happiness more. Braddock didn’t need Adeline dragging him into her personal problems.
Since Braddock’s departure she’d spent most of her time as a “floating” partner, working with whoever needed her. She knew the deal. None of the older guys wanted her as a partner and the chief wasn’t about to put some rookie’s life in her hands until the dust hadcompletely settled. She and Braddock had pushed the limits on the Nash/Abbott case, and they had paid the professional price.
But, by God, they’d gotten the job done and she would do it again if the need arose. Not a single sex worker had been murdered in this jurisdiction since Tyrone Nash got what was coming to him. Edward Abbott, well he was just a freaking psycho who had been no danger to anyone except to those who got in the way of his bizarre plans for CJ.
Honestly, it was a flat-out miracle Adeline was getting this promotion. Not everyone was happy about it. That was why the princess letter had felt exactly like sour grapes. She’d had no reason to suspect some dirtbag was planning to drag her into a case in Mississippi.
“I expect you to be on your best behavior while we see how this is going to play out,” Spencer cautioned. “We’ll get a whole hell of a lot more cooperation if we play nice.” He tucked his reading glasses into place and glanced at his notes. “Besides, there’s a new regime in Jackson County now. I understand the new sheriff’s doing a damned good job.”
Yeah, yeah, she got it. “You’re the boss.”
“Sometimes you appear to forget that fact,” he reminded. “Case in point, if you received this letter four days ago, why am I just now hearing about it?”
“I told you.” She shoved a hand through her hair, wished she had taken the time to put it into a ponytail before rushing over here. “I thought it was a joke.” She shrugged. “About the promotion. And my birthday’s next Thursday. I figured some of the guys were just giving me a hard time.”
Spencer shook his head. “Obviously whoever delivered the first note and mailed the second one knows where you live. Perhaps is watching you. This is not to be taken lightly, Detective.”
She got that, too. Didn’t like it one damned bit. “The only person in Mississippi who knows my home address is my mother and she wouldn’t give it to anyone. Whoever tracked me down went to a fair amount of trouble.” All the more reason she’d assumed it was one of her colleagues. The initial letter hadn’t seemed threatening ... until now.
“Now we understand this isn’t a joke,” Spencer chastised. “This is serious.”
Definitely serious. Though she couldn’t imagine any of her Mississippi relatives going to the trouble of sending her a note like this. If one or more of them had decided to seek out a little delayed revenge, they would have simply attempted to put a bullet between her eyes. This kind of tactic wasn’t their style.
The intercom on the chief’s desk buzzed. “Chief,” his secretary announced, “that call you’ve been expecting from Pascagoula is on line one.”
Uneasiness slid through Adeline. She hadn’t set foot in Mississippi—much less Jackson County or Pascagoula—in nine years. What the hell was this about?
The chief thanked his secretary and took the call. Adeline sat up straighter. Maybe now they would find out what was going on with the Prescott investigation and, hopefully, some clue as to what it had to do with her.