Page 69 of Tear Me Apart

They promise to be in touch and slide out the door, leaving him no wiser as to the real reason they are interested in the case again. Oh, their claims made sense—Parks is new to the job, Starr is their—ahem—star detective for cold cases. It will be a big win for them if they solve something so heinous and so old.

And yet...

Zack walks down the hall to the guest room, sits for a few moments staring at the walls. There has been nothing new to pin up for over three years. No talk, no articles. From the beginning, no real new information has ever come out. The case is as cold as it gets.

Except there is a living, breathing child out there somewhere. His child.

And he gets the sense these detectives have a fresh lead.

Zack taps his finger along the sharp edge of the desk, then, with a deep sigh, pulls the door closed behind him and heads off to grade his papers.

37

“Well done getting him to agree to the DNA swab.”

Parks and Starr are back in the unmarked, heading to their new offices on Murfreesboro Pike.

“Think he suspects anything?” Starr asks.

Parks smooths his mustache with two fingers, his left wrist draped casually on top of the steering wheel. “The man was a decorated military intelligence operative and is now a professor. Both professions rely on an ability to understand what motivates people. Yes, I’d say he was very suspicious.”

“Yet he still allowed me to take his DNA. Either he’s wily, or totally innocent. How long do you think you’ll be able to hold him off?”

“I think he did us a professional courtesy letting us walk out of there. He smelled a rat. Over under...three days, tops. Will that be enough time?”

Starr nods. “I’ll put a huge rush on it, see if I can call in some favors. It will be tight, but I’ll make it happen. At least we’ll be able to update everything and do a search for the girl with fresh eyes and fresh samples.”

“Then what?”

“Good question. Do we sit him down and tell him what we found in Gorman’s files?”

“We’ll have to. He deserves to know. But Colorado... I don’t know, Breezy, this doesn’t feel right to me. Too much of a coincidence that Gorman dies while hunting down the first lead he’s had in years. Maybe it was just an accident.”

“To me either, boss. That’s the problem. Should we get in touch with law enforcement out there, see if they can shed some light?”

“What do we say? Our old boss went skiing with his family, fell off a cliff, and we think it smells to high heaven? No, hold off. Keep looking. Dissect everything. It’s too early to bring in outsiders.”

“Roger that, sir.”

“And, Breezy? Do me a favor, and check soldier boy’s travel records.”

“He’s an English teacher, Bob.”

“Once a soldier, always a soldier. He knows how to move without drawing attention to himself. Humor me and make sure he hasn’t been a very bad boy, okay?”

He pulls into the parking lot, and Starr gets out, then leans in the window. “Aren’t you coming in?”

“No, I think I’ll take a drive.”

“Where are you headed?”

“Thought I might stop by and see Andrea Austin.”

“Gorman’s widow? Smart idea. Check in when you get back. I’ll update you with what I know.” Starr slaps the roof of the car and walks into the building.

Parks heads to Green Hills. He doesn’t bother to call ahead. Andrea is a freelance journalist who works from home. If she isn’t around, he’ll call, but chances are...

He is right. Her Prius is in the driveway.