the sound muted, their conversation lapped against her mind. âHe said something else, too.â
âWhat?â Reed stepped toward her and took the remote from her hand.
She let him have it, concentrating on the memories tightening her throat and rasping along her nerves. âSomething about the desperation a parent feels when theyâve lost a child.â
âHe was referring to Vincent Bertram kidnapping you.â
âI know. But the way he said it was weird. Pointed. What if he meant this woman, too?â
âPossible. If the copycat stalked the victim ahead of time.â
She glanced at the missing-personâs report lying on the desk. Or the copycat knew what the report said. An uneasy feeling pinched the back of Dianaâs neck. She shook her head, trying to dispel the feeling and the thought that inspired it. She could feel Perreth watching her from the mouth of the conference room. She knew he beat his wife. Reedâs confronting him about it was the cause of the bad blood between them. But any other suspicions she had were pure imagination. âI donât know. Maybe Iâm reaching on that. But the location of the Laundromat is still reason to look into this further.â
Reed pointed the remote at the player. The images of her and Kane slowed to a natural cadence. On the screen, Diana started walking for the door, then suddenly turned around. Reed turned up the sound.
âWhat did you say?â Dianaâs voice sounded tinny, like a distant echo on the tape, but her words were clear.
âHe took her last night. After stopping in at your sisterâs wedding reception to pay his respects.â
âThe Copycat Killer?â
âOf course.â
âHow do you know this?â
âI know a lot of things, Diana. Like the desperation a parent feels when kept away from a child. Especially when she needs you most. I could tell you all about it if you would visit me.â
He stopped the tape, freezing Kane and Diana on the screen. âIs that the part you meant?â
She nodded. âDo you think Iâm just reading into what he said?â
âMaybe. But the location of the Laundromat is enough reason to check it out.â Switching off the television and removing the tape, he strode to his desk and plucked his suit jacket from the back of his chair. âNikki, call me if any more reports come in.â
âWill do.â
âAnd keep trying to find Meredith Unger. Irealize itâs Sunday, but it seems damn suspicious she picked today to fall off the edge of the earth.â
âIâll find her.â
Reed glanced at Perreth. âWe wait on the press.â
Perreth glowered in answer.
Reed didnât seem to notice. His focus skimmed over Perreth and landed on Diana. âYouâre coming with me.â
Â
D IANA SETTLED HERSELF into the passenger seat of Reedâs sedan, secured the seat belt across her chest and peered out the bug-spattered windshield. âSo what were you and Perreth discussing in there?â
Reed shifted the car into gear. Eyes glued to the road ahead, he merged with traffic flowing a block off the capitol square, but instead of turning down East Washington Avenue and heading for Nadine Washburnâs east-side home, he kept going, circling the state capitol grounds.
Diana dug her fingers into the carâs armrest. âReed? Where are we going?â When he had asked her to go with him, sheâd assumed he was taking her to question Nadineâs mother. It was beginning to look as though she should have remembered the old saying about assuming making an ass of you and me.
â Youâre going to the hotel where Sylvie and Bryce are staying. They booked you a room adjoining theirs. An officer is posted in the hall. Youâll be safe there.â
âIâd be safe with Nikki at the station.â
âYes, you and Nikki and the reporters Iâm sure Perreth will try