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“We will, don’t worry,” Val assured him. Of course, his definition of “off” and hers were likely very different. But she’d have Molly at her side.
Alone, Val knew she was strong and extremely good at her job. Partnered with Molly Sutton, they were a formidable force.
“Did Bella have any idea of why Zach would be working with Corey?” Molly asked Kaj.
“Only that he needed money for a state-of-the-art prosthesis for his fiancée, but she pays her staff very well. She paid Zach even more because he brought medic skills to the team. Antoine is trying to get into his financials. Bella still wasn’t sure if Allyson was involved. She said the woman seems impenetrable.”
“Everyone has vulnerabilities,” Val murmured. “Secrets, even.”
Molly cast her a sympathetic glance. Val had shared her conversations with Sandra Springfield and Sylvi. Molly had baggage of her own, so she’d understood.
“True,” Kaj said. “It’s not clear if Zach was being paid by Corey or extorted. Noni Feldman did tell Bella that he’d been killed because he refused to participate, so he could have been forced.”
“Let’s hope that Allyson just has a bad cold and that a NyQuil stupor is to blame for her being AWOL from work,” Molly said briskly. “But we’re prepared for whatever happens, Kaj. Don’t worry. I have Val’s back.”
“Don’t hang up,” Kaj said. “Burke is here and we want to listen. Just in case we need to call 911 for you.”
“Will do.” Val slipped her phone into her pocket, and together she and Molly approached Allyson’s front door. Val knocked and they listened. No answer and no sounds came from inside.
“She ain’t here.”
They turned together to the adjacent town house. A boy around thirteen years old leaned against his doorframe trying to look bored, but he was studying them with obvious interest.
Val smiled at him. “We’re friends of hers and she didn’t show up for movie night tonight. We got worried. Do you know where she went?”
He straightened a little, his chest puffing out with importance. “Hospital, I think.”
“Why do you think that?” Val asked.
“She got carried out by some guy. Like she was sick or something.”
Cold dread raced down Val’s spine, but she feigned simple alarm. “Oh my. We were worried about that. When was it?”
He consulted his phone. “Forty minutes ago exactly.”
“Exactly?” Molly asked. “How do you remember exactly?”
“Because I was talking to my mom—she’s at work and was checking on me—and the phone just cut out. I was coming outside to get a better signal and that’s when I saw them. One was carrying her out to a black car, all wrapped up in a blanket, and the other got into another car.” He shrugged. “They drove away.”
“Did you happen to see what the guys looked like?” Val asked.
The boy frowned. “Did I do wrong? Should I have stopped them?”
“You didn’t do anything wrong,” Val assured him. “We’re just... you know, overly protective of her. If they took her to the hospital, they’re probably friends of ours, too. We need to ask them where they took her. We’re her friends. Girls worry.”
“Yeah, I know. My mom worries all the time,” he added with an eye roll.
“Did you see what they looked like?” Val asked again.
“No, ma’am. They were wearing baseball caps. And it was dark. I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be,” Val asked. “We’ll make sure we tell her that you were a help when we catch up to her.”
“Do you happen to have a key to her place?” Molly asked.
“Nah. I don’t even know her name. She keeps to herself. My mom doesn’t like her. Says she’s a snob. But I think she’s nice. She feeds the stray cats.”
Val smiled at him again. “Thank you. We’re going to check around the back. She sometimes leaves it open for us. See you later!”
