Page 169 of The Advocate’s Ultimatum

“He’s probably right, but even more likely is that it wasn’t Hannah at all.”

The waitress returned with menus, interrupting the moment. Rourke thanked her, then looked back at Sabre once they were alone again. “But honestly? I think the Mustang itself is a dead end.”

Sabre sat through her meal hoping Rourke didn’t see how uncomfortable she was. She mentioned a couple of cases, no specifics, but made sure he knew she was struggling with her career. “I’m not even sure I want to continue practicing law. I was trying to take a break from it all when this fell in my lap.”

He sympathized with her, saying all the right things.

Finally, Sabre thought it was safe to go. He insisted on walking her to her car. She avoided looking around because somewhere several cars back from the restaurant, JP and DuBois were waiting.

Chapter 64

Wednesday noon

DuBois stood beside an unmarked sedan half a block from the restaurant while the traffic crawled along Harbor Drive. He had lined up three vehicles with two detectives and two undercover officers, plus a wild cowboy to catch a man who might have hidden a kidnapped child for eight years.

Patrick Urban, who worked Missing Persons, arrived a few minutes late wearing the irritated expression of a detective pulled into somebody else’s operation. He was tall, lean, and in his early forties. Too neat to be homicide, DuBois thought.

He walked straight toward DuBois. “Where’s Nelson? Shouldn’t he be here if there’s concern that someone else killed Maddox?”

“He’s aware, but the timing didn’t work so he gave us the go-ahead.”

“So, this is officially my nightmare now?”

DuBois nodded. “Looks that way.”

Urban glanced toward the restaurant. “You really think the girl’s alive?”

“We think there’s enough to act.” DuBois knew that wasn’t the same answer.

Urban frowned. “You’ve actually met the reporting witness?”

“Attorney Sabre Brown and her PI have figured it out. Sabre also got information from her client, Bay.”

“Is she credible?”

“She’s terrified, but she’s also a victim of the same perp.”

DuBois introduced the rest of the team.

“Chen and Martinez are running secondary and tertiary.” He motioned toward the undercover officers. “Lopez and Hall are standing by if we need static surveillance.”

Urban looked around the street setup approvingly. “And the civilian?”

DuBois glanced toward JP’s truck parked farther down the block. “JP Torn.”

Urban’s expression tightened immediately. “No.”

DuBois almost smiled. “Not really how this works.”

“I’m serious. If this turns into an active recovery, I’m not running a civilian through surveillance.”

“You’re not.”

Urban crossed his arms. “Then why is he here?”

Because he belongs here, DuBois thought. Instead, he said, “Because he knows the case.”

“That doesn’t make him law enforcement.”