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“Yes. Janice. I’m Hollis Calloway, a private investigator who is assisting Attorney Locke Dangerfield in a homicide case,” she said, presenting the woman with her business card.

“According to Mr. Dangerfield’s client, he met with someone at the Lemon Drop Café two doors down. I noticed this business has video cameras on the sidewalk out front.”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“This particular meeting took place during the daytime, around the lunch hour.”

Janice nodded. I bet you it’s the same meeting those other gentlemen were looking for video footage of.”

Hollis lifted her brow. “What other two gentlemen?”

“They were detectives and spoke with Mrs. Jones. They came on a day that she was here.”

“Did she give them the footage they wanted?”

“No, an adjuster who worked for the insurance company got the footage the day before.”

“An insurance adjuster?”

“Yes. He said their policyholder fell outside on the sidewalk in front of that café and needed footage of that day to substantiate the claim. I understand he got the footage of several businesses on this side of the street, too.”

“Hollis nodded. “I see.” Actually, she did see. Was that the reason Detective Connors had said he had a feeling Karl Halifax might not be guilty because of the guy from that insurance company? Did he suspect, like she was thinking, that posing as an insurance claim adjuster was all a ruse? Hmm…That was interesting.

“Well, thanks, Janice, for all your help.”

“I honestly don’t feel like I helped any,” the woman said.

Hollis smiled. “You did. Enjoy the rest of your day.” She then walked out of the boutique.

***

“And you’re sure our daughter is alive, Detective Connors? Have you seen or talked to her to make sure she’s alright?” Darlene Roker asked. She was sitting beside her husband, Walter Roker, on the sofa as he held her hand. His sister, who had arrived in Tampa from New York before midnight, was sitting on the other sofa.

“No, I haven’t seen or talked to her, but she is in protected custody.”

Detective Connors hoped that calmed them somewhat. When he and Tomlin had arrived, the Rokers had demanded to know how their daughter’s location had gotten leaked when they had only shared the information with law enforcement. It took him and Tomlin a full half-hour to assure them the leak was being investigated.

He continued by saying, “We met with the judge and Karl Halifax’s attorney this morning. He reported that Nyla Roker was able to escape from the house and get to safety.”

“And you want us to trust anything Karl Halifax’s attorney say?” Walter Roker bellowed. “I understand he was once an ex-convict himself.”

“Walter, please. Will you let Detective Connors finish answering questions and stop interjecting your opinions, which are not helping matters?”

Connors appreciated the aunt speaking up. She was the only one of the three who was not over-emotional. “And where is my niece now, Detectives?” the aunt, who’d identified herself as Katherine Farrell, asked.

Detective Connors glanced over at Tomlin, then back at the aunt and said, “We’re not at liberty to say.”

Walter Roker stood. “What do you mean you’re not at liberty to say? She blocked our calls again.”

“Do you blame her?” Katherine Farrell snapped at her brother. “I blame both you and Darlene for her location being leaked. She made it clear that until you accepted the man she loved, she refused to talk to either of you. What did you expect? For years, the two of you tried controlling Nyla.”

Detective Connors didn’t want to get in the middle of a family disagreement and knew Tomlin felt the same. He cleared his throat. “We were glad to report that your daughter is alive, and this continues to be an ongoing investigation.”

“Well, I think we all know who tried to kill my daughter. The members of that gang whose leader, Karl Halifax, murdered. Doing so put a target on my daughter’s head.”

“You don’t know that, Walter. You heard what the detectives said. It’s an ongoing investigation,” Katherine Farrell said, trying to reason with her brother again.

“All you’ve ever done, Kat, is side with Nyla. You should have stood against her relationship with that ex-convict the way we did,” Darlene Roker screamed before storming out of the room in tears.