Page 177 of Secrets Hidden In The Glass

Chapter Thirty

Nate slowed as he approached the row of houses across from the Roxbury Sports Complex, keeping his eyes open for some sort of media trap. He and his deputies had taken several precautions to guarantee that reporters and news vans didn’t follow him and Callie off the island earlier this morning, but now that they were in Boston, he wasn’t in charge anymore. When he didn’t see anything suspicious, he moved over a lane in the busy midmorning traffic.

Callie flipped her visor back into place and eased closer to the windshield as she looked out. “This is it, right? We’re close?”

“Yeah.” He glanced in the rearview mirror, then put on his blinker to grab one of the parallel parking spots. “I got her address from the Registry of Motor Vehicles. I told her I would text when we got here.”

She took his phone from the center console. “I can do it if you want.”

“Sure,” he said, maneuvering the pickup in between two cars and the remnants of last night’s snowfall. “She’s in my contacts. Danielle Deluca.”

“Found her,” she mumbled as her thumbs flew over his screen. “There we go.” She handed him his phone. “We should be all set.”

“Thanks.” He shut off the engine and smiled at her, sliding her hair behind her ear. “How are you holding up?”

She returned his smile as she took his hand and pressed his palm to her cheek. “I’m okay. Maybe a little nervous.”

He stroked his thumb along her skin. “Today’s a good thing.”

She nodded. “I know.”

He caught a movement in his peripheral vision and looked toward the houses as a tall, heavier-set woman with shoulder-length black hair opened her door and reached for the paper on her welcome mat. He immediately recognized Danielle Deluca from her RMV photo. “That’s her. Are you ready?”

She took a deep breath. “Yes.”

He glanced in the mirrors one more time—just to be certain they weren’t about to be ambushed by men and women holding microphones and cameras. “Let’s do this.”

Callie got out, meeting him at the hood.

He captured her hand and laced their fingers as they started up the walkway. He studied Samantha Fletcher’s old roommate as they got closer—pretty face, big brown eyes.

She opened the screen door she’d let close. “Sheriff Carter.”

“Danielle.” He offered her a friendly smile as he extended his hand, fully intending to start their visit off on the right foot. The more relaxed his witness was, the more information he was bound to get. “It’s nice to meet you.”

Danielle nodded, clearly uncomfortable as her gaze kept wandering to Callie. “You, uh, you look so much like Sam.”

Callie sent Danielle a small smile. “Thank you for calling in—for talking to Nate yesterday.”

“I wanted to a long time ago—call the detective in Connecticut…” She cleared her throat. “Um, come in.” She opened the door wider. “Get out of the cold.”

Nate waited for Callie to wipe her boots on the mat, then did the same and walked in behind her. The kitchen was small, clean, and decorated simply with red curtains and a plant sandwiched between the stove and sink on the gray laminate counter.

“Do you need anything to drink? Or maybe you’re hungry?” Danielle crossed her arms, then uncrossed them just as quickly. “Let me take your coats,” she rushed on.

Nate took off his thick patrol jacket as Callie took off her pale blue pea coat. “You don’t have to go to any trouble. We can keep these with us if you want.”

Danielle nodded. “How about the living room? I have some of Sam’s stuff—the box I was telling you about.”

“That’s great.” Nate immediately zeroed in on the small U-Haul box on the coffee table as they followed Danielle into the living room.

“Go ahead and sit anywhere.”

Nate took a seat on the couch next to Callie as Danielle sat across from them in a rocking chair. “Thank you again for seeing us.”

“You’re welcome. It’s nice to take a day off every now and again, especially when I might be able to help.”

“That belonged to my mother?” Callie gestured to the box and small canvases leaning against the side of the table.