Page 98 of The Lost Bones

“And now Sterling is missing because of her!” Ivy screeched, terror gripping her face. “It’s all her fault. He admires her so much and now his life is in danger for that very reason.”

“I bet when we find him alive and well, he’ll realize thatyou’re the one who deserves his attention and admiration,” Andrew assured her.

“I hope so. The lengths I’m going to…”

“What lengths?” he asked casually.

She pursed her lips and shook her head, looking away.

After a few more minutes of trying to get her to talk, Andrew left the room to join Mackenzie and Sully. Nick returned too. Mackenzie stood next to him, looking at him questioningly.

“I didn’t smoke,” he groaned.

“Just making sure.”

“What do you think, Doc?” Sully asked. “I doubt she’ll hurt him.”

Andrew wore a mask of grave concern, folding the file in his hands. “On the contrary, I think she is very much capable of inflicting harm on him. Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.”

“That makes no sense.” Mackenzie shook her head. “People have been targeted for hurting me in some capacity. And those messages about protecting me…”

“She hates you. There’s no doubt about that,” Andrew replied. “But there is one other profile we didn’t consider. This could be the work of someone who’s obsessed with causing you harm.”

“I don’t follow,” Sully confessed.

“Think about it. People getting killed in Mackenzie’s name has not only caused her emotional distress but literally endangered her life. Ivy could have easily guessed that those messages would eventually become public, with everyone from uniform to forensics having access to the evidence. And that interview she gave. It was because of that that Brett flipped out and almost killed Detective Price.”

“But why would she want to harm Sterling?” Nick asked. “Surely her entire purpose is to have him for herself.”

“I don’t think she has any intention of killing him. In fact, it explains why he was easily abducted, considering he’s a strong guy. He trusts her. In her head, Sterling would blame Mackenzie for his ordeal after being rescued and then finally see Ivy the way she wants him to. Unless…” Andrew bit his lip, hesitating. “If she starts believing that Sterling’s feelings for you won’t change, then she might snap and kill him.”

“Too bad we can’t hold her,” Sully complained. “She’s free to go.”

“I believe you will find that Ivy Pierce is linked to the prostitution ring. She did time in juvie and bounced around foster homes. She fits the profile. I suggest you find the connection, because there is no guarantee that she won’t kill Sterling out of spite.”

FORTY-NINE

APRIL 26

“How do you think Sterling will react after he finds out that his girlfriend is crazy?” Nick spoke around the cigarette. “How many bank accounts does Jennings have? Jesus.”

Mackenzie and Nick were in the conference room with piles of papers—Rafael Jennings’ financial statements. However, people like Jennings didn’t have transparent finances.

“We won’t find anything here,” Mackenzie growled, pushing away another pile. “There’s no record of him paying King of the Road, even though we know he used one of their cars to drive to Hamilton’s property.”

“Must be from one of his offshore accounts.” Nick pressed the heels of his palms into his eyes. “Did Peterson find any connection between Ivy and Jennings?”

She shook her head. “Their educations, careers, social groups don’t intersect. Unless they met randomly somewhere…”

He dipped his thick eyebrows low, deep in thought.

“You have nice eyebrows,” Mackenzie said.

His expression didn’t change as he took out the case she had gifted him years ago and put the cigarette back inside it. “You have nice nostrils.”

“Nostrils?”

“I was just matching your poor flirting skills,” he teased dryly.