Deceived (Private Justice Book #3): A Novel by Irene Hannon Read Free Book Online Page B

sudden pressure in her throat.
    If Connor picked up her momentary lapse in control, he let it pass. “Do you have a few minutes now? I’d like to get some specifics on time and location.”
    “Yes. My first appointment isn’t until nine. I saw the boy about one-fifteen, on the escalator at the south end of the mall outside the Penney’s store.”
    “What was he wearing?”
    She closed her eyes and tried to visualize his clothing. Came up blank. “I’m sorry. All I remember is his face.”
    “What about the guy he was with? Can you give me a description of him?”
    “I only saw him from the back. But he was wearing a T-shirt and a baseball cap.”
    “Did you notice the colors?”
    She concentrated, trying to re-create the man’s image in her mind. “The cap was red . . . but I can’t remember the T-shirt.”
    “Any guesses on his age?”
    “No, although he had broad shoulders and seemed muscular.” She sighed. “That isn’t much to go on, is it?”
    “The red cap helps. So does the specific time and place. What about the boy? Hair color, build, any other identifying marks?”
    “His hair was the same color as mine, and he was on the slight side. But he was too far away to see much detail.” She turned her back on the window and rested her elbow on her desk, dropping her head into her hand as her mood took a nosedive. “I bet your colleagues think this is nuts, don’t they?”
    His momentary hesitation gave her the answer, though he couched it in more diplomatic terms.
    “They’re cautious. We try very hard to satisfy our clients, and the chances of doing that are lower in a case where the odds are stacked against us.”
    “Then you should know that you’ve already satisfied me by agreeing to look into my story—no matter the outcome.”
    “I’ll keep that in mind. However, I’m still going to explore every avenue I find that might give us a clue to his identity—starting with a visit to the mall this afternoon. I’ll be in touch as soon as I have anything to report.”
    “Thank you—for everything.”
    “My pleasure.”
    The line went dead, and Kate stared at her phone. Had there been a slight note of husky intimacy in his final comment? A suggestion that this case was more special to him than most? That she was more special than his typical client?
    Shoving her hair behind her ear, Kate shook her head and answered her own questions. No, no, and no.
    Connor Sullivan was a pro. Every job was important to him. She was no more special than any other client. End of story.
    As for the little twinge of disappointment in the pit of her stomach when she reached that conclusion—she wasn’t even going to try and figure it out.
    Opening the file on her desk, she forced herself to focus on the background sheet for the new client who would soon arrive. No sense wasting any more time thinking about Connor Sullivan or his trip to the mall this afternoon. Either there were clues to find or there weren’t.
    But based on her brief meeting with him, and the aura of competence and determination he projected, she was certain about one thing.
    If the clues were there, he’d uncover them.

4
    Z oom in slowly on the entrance to the up escalator.”
    As the mall security officer adjusted the image on the screen, Connor leaned closer. None of the mall cameras were focused on the specific escalator he needed to see, but at least it was in the background on this feed. Better than nothing, though the image got fuzzier the closer the officer pulled it in.
    He noted the time at the bottom of the screen: five after one. “Hold the zoom there. Let’s run it from here.”
    The image came to life, and Connor focused on the monitor, searching for blond hair and a red baseball cap.
    At one-ten, a red baseball cap moved into view. A man, based on the build. But as he swung onto the escalator, it was clear he was alone.
    Three minutes later, another red-capped man appeared—with a blond-haired child in tow.
    Connor’s