“Okay, good. Hopefully, he’s the last of the gang.”
“We can only hope so.”
“I’ll let you return to work. I’ll talk to you in a little bit.”
“For a lunch date. Decide on where you want to go,” Adam said.
“Ask Tori to come with us if she would like.”
“I’ll do that.” Then he ended the call and Tori came out of the kitchen carrying some lockpicks and a master key card for one of the hotels. She was smiling, probably feeling like he was, elated they’d found so much evidence to put these guys away.
“Do you want to have lunch with Sierra and me when we’re done here?” he asked Tori.
“Yeah, sure, that would be fun.”
Once they were done there, Adam called Sierra and told her they were on their way back to the bureau to pick her up.
“What were you talking to Sierra about concerning seeing the bureau’s security videos?”
“Some teen flattened all four of her tires.”
Tori’s jaw dropped. “At the police bureau?”
“Yeah, and Sierra’s car was the only one targeted.”
“Do you think it had to do with Dover?”
“Could be. Unless she did a sketch of someone and the person is paying her back by hiring a teen.”
“Wow. I hope they catch the delinquent and learn what the deal was then.”
When they reached the bureau, Sierra hurried to greet them. She gave Adam a hug and kiss. “All of you did great on that haul. I’m starving. Where do you want to go?”
“A hamburger place?” Adam asked.
“Yeah, sure, that would be great,” Sierra said.
“Hmm, mushrooms and blue cheese on mine. And french fries… Sounds so good,” Tori said.
“Too bad we don’t have time to stop by the ice cream shop too,” Sierra said.
Adam laughed. “It’s becoming our standard after-meals treat.”
“Good thing we like to run.” Tori climbed into the back seat of the Hummer, and Sierra sat up front while Adam drove to the hamburger shop.
“When do I get my picture back?”
“It’ll be used in evidence at a trial for the kidnapping charges so it will be a while.”
They finally reached the restaurant and ordered their meals. Ethan walked in, and they all smiled at him and waved him to their table.
Adam handed him a menu. “Imagine you coming here today.”
Ethan chuckled. “I was going to the fast-food chicken place when I saw your Hummer here and thought I would join you.” He caught the waitress and placed an order. “So what’s going on with you all?”
“Tori and Adam made a huge haul based on an informant’s statement.” Sierra sounded proud of them. “Maybe we’ll catch the rest of the people involved in the hotel robberies and boat theft.”
Adam sipped from his water glass. “And those who are causing trouble for Sierra.”
“Now that’s good news,” Ethan said.
“Yeah, it is. What about you? Got any good cases?” Adam asked.
“Sierra’s sketches of the men nailed them. We picked a couple of them up based on some good tips this morning.” Ethan smiled at her and raised his water glass in a salute.
“Oh, great. That’s wonderful. I’ll be working part-time again, starting Wednesday, so I won’t always be there if you need me.”
“Is that what you wanted?” Ethan was frowning like he planned to speak to the chief himself about it and make him change his mind.
She smiled. “Oh, yes. That’s all I’ve wanted.”
Ethan relaxed. “Okay, that’s great then.”
“Oh, and we’re mated.”
Ethan laughed. “I’m not surprised and congratulations.”
Their hamburgers arrived and they began to chow down. Adam and Tori had a lot of work ahead of them this afternoon, first of all, questioning Phyllis. But he was anxious to spend the evening with Sierra and enjoy their time together.
Later, they would set Kinney up to speak to Dover at the jail.
“By the way, Kinney wants to cooperate this time, afraid they’re going to come after him again,” Adam said.
Tori said, “How are things going for you so far, Sierra?”
“Oh, good. With working part-time starting Wednesday, I’m back to teaching art classes on Thursday and I’m moving my things to Adam’s home until we decide what we want to do.”
Tori smiled. “Moving? Now that’s when the real fun begins.”
“Yeah, what a job.”
After lunch, they said goodbye to Ethan, and Sierra returned to the office. Tori and Adam went into the interrogation room to question Phyllis. She sat stiffly in a chair behind the table, and this time, Tori took over. They had to feel out who would be the best at getting the truth out of their suspects—and if it didn’t work with Tori, Adam would take her place. He realized that having a female partner in this business could be a real boon. Some might be more comfortable talking to a woman, others, the opposite.
“Tell us who planned the kidnapping of the young girl.” Tori placed the sketch drawn of Phyllis based on the girl’s description on the table.
“I have an alibi for that day,” Phyllis said. “You have the wrong person.”
“An alibi? Okay, so where were you and who witnessed you weren’t anywhere in the vicinity of the Chinese restaurant where you allegedly stole the car and at the strip mall where you grabbed the girl, then tied her up at Ms. Redding’s home?”
“At home with a male friend.”
“He’s in jail. I mean, you have matching tattoos, so I was thinking you meant Dover.” Tori frowned at her. “Oh, sorry, you mean the new guy you’re with.”
Phyllis’s eyes narrowed. “I’m not with him. We’re just friends.”
“Name?” Tori had her pen poised to write the name down in her notebook. When Phyllis didn’t answer her, Tori said, “No name, no alibi. That’s how this works.”
“Victor Freemont. He’s a bartender and he’s home during the day.”
“So he’s up late at night.”
“Right.”
“And sleeping during the day, like around the time you allegedly were stealing a car and kidnapping a girl.”