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“You really haven’t done all that, right?” he asked when the humor faded.
“Yeah, I kind of have.” She gave her aunt a quick glance and then looked back at Feng.
He frowned. “Okay, not to worry. I think I can get you through this without being arrested. And if I can’t, I’ll say I forced you.”
She wasn’t sure if he was joking, but she said, “Okay.”
“Now, can I ask you a question?” He swiped his hand over the windshield. “Who the hell is in the backseat with us?”
* * *
“Come on, let’s go finish what we started,” Burnett said to Chase.
Chase looked away from the house and back at Burnett. It was after five. Della’s father had returned to his house. Briefcase in hand, as if he’d been working all day and not hanging out at Starbucks.
“What if Della comes back?”
“My agent will stop her. And I’ve got someone combing the streets. Our time is better spent finding Stone. And we need to go by another address that we have on our expensive-tennis-shoe wearer. If we catch him, the police can’t suspect Della for the murder.”
“Since this guy was in the gang, he might be with Stone,” Chase offered.
“The others who we are pretty damn sure participated in the murder got left behind. I’m following my gut that he got left behind too. I’m thinking Stone had people around Della’s house, and a couple of his guys lost it and committed the murders. This might even be why they got left behind. Stone doesn’t want to draw attention to himself right now.”
“Okay,” Chase said, seeing logic. “But why don’t we separate? We’ll get more done.”
“Too dangerous.” Burnett started walking back to Chase’s car.
“I’m not one of your students anymore. I’m an agent.” He pulled on the label of his jacket. “In case you haven’t noticed the suit.”
“You think I’d send a junior agent out alone on a case?”
“I’m not a junior. I worked two years for the council.”
“Yeah, but oddly they have failed to send over your files.” Burnett stopped by his car.
Chase frowned. “Can I at least drive my own car?”
“No,” Burnett said. “You aren’t thinking about selling this, are you?”
“No.” Chase got in the passenger seat and called Della. It went to voice mail. Again. Where the hell was she?
* * *
Della felt her phone in her pocket vibrate again. Who was it this time? Not that she’d check. As long as she didn’t know, she wouldn’t feel guilty. Or too guilty.
Holiday was going to hate her. Burnett was going to whip her butt. Kylie and Miranda wouldn’t speak to her. Chase was …
Not now.
Della’s gaze shifted to the sky painted with reds, purples, and grays. Only a sliver of big orange sun hung over the western horizon. It reminded her of the few fishing trips she’d taken with her dad. She hated fishing, but being with him all day, just sitting by the water and discussing everything from fish to future boyfriends, had been some of her best childhood memories.
“You gonna tell me? Who’s back there?” her uncle asked again.
Della inhaled. “Do you have a firm grip on the wheel?”
“Yeah. Why?” She saw his hands tighten.
“Because … I’ve seen her do crazy things to cars.” Della swallowed and gave the girl in the backseat another quick glance. She looked so young and completely innocent, popping gum and enjoying the ride. This wasn’t the same spirit who’d destroyed St. Mary’s file room. Was it Feng, or was it seeing her childhood home that had changed her?
