Page 38 of Enigma

“That’s the strange part. After I explained our scheduling process and gave her the paperwork to fill out, she said she needed to discuss it with her family first and would call back. But she never did.” Ross’s expression grew more troubled. “You think this woman had something to do with what happened to Lloyd?”

“It’s possible,” Jason said. “Did she give you a name?”

“Sarah Something . . . SarahMitchell, I think.”

“Sarah Mitchell.” Olive filed the name away.

Another alias, most likely, but it was something to investigate.

“I should have paid more attention.” Guilt filled Ross’s eyes. “If I’d thought something was wrong . . .”

“You couldn’t have known,” Jason assured him. “But if you think of anything else, anything at all that seemed unusual, please call me.”

He handed Mr. Ross his business card.

As they left the clinic and walked to Jason’s car, Olive saw him processing what they’d learned.

The woman who’d attacked Lloyd hadn’t just shown up randomly at his house. She’d been researching him, learning his routines, and trying to identify the best way to approach him.

“She was planning this for at least a week,” Olive said as they climbed into Jason’s car.

“Maybe longer.” Jason started the engine but didn’t immediately put the car in gear. “The question is, what does she want with my father specifically? Why go to all this trouble?”

“Because he has something she needs. Information, access to something, or . . .” Olive paused, thinking about the financial records Tevin had discovered. “Or he’s been working for her all along, and this is just the next phase of whatever they’ve been planning.”

“Then why would she try to kill him earlier?”

“Excellent question. Maybe to make him look like a victim? Maybe he was never supposed to actually die.”

Jason’s jaw thumped. “I hate that we can’t rule that out.”

“But we can’t assume it either,” Olive reminded him. “Until we know for sure, we keep looking for him.”

As they drove away from the strip mall, Olive found herself thinking about the name Sarah Mitchell. It felt significant somehow, though she couldn’t put her finger on why.

It was another piece of the puzzle that would hopefully make sense once they had more of the picture.

But one thing was becoming clear: Whoever had taken Lloyd wasn’t acting on impulse. This was a carefully orchestrated plan, and Olive and Jason were still several steps behind.

CHAPTER 24

As Olive and Jason continued down the road, Olive found herself looking over her shoulder, wondering if they were being followed.

She saw no one. Yet she still couldn’t relax.

Too much was on the line.

“What next?” Jason asked. “To the police station?”

“I think we should see if they have any updates.”

“Agreed.”

The Clearwater Police station was a low, concrete building that looked like it had been designed more for functionality than comfort. Detective Santos led Olive and Jason to a small conference room.

“We found your father’s phone last night.” Detective Santos placed a clear evidence bag on the table between them. “It was in the parking garage, level three, wedged under a car.”

Olive stared at the phone through the plastic bag, trying to picture everything playing out. Had the person who’d taken Lloyd left it there? Or had Lloyd managed to slip it there, hoping someone would find it?