Would she run into Brody while she was in Scarlet Falls? Detective Brody McNamara had investigated Lee’s murder. Hannah had seen him on previous visits, when he’d been tying up his loose ends of the investigation. But the case was in the prosecutor’s hands now. Hannah had no reason to see Brody on this trip.
So, why was she disappointed?
Brody had stuck by the Barrett family when Lee’s killer had filed assault charges against Grant. To Hannah, Brody’s proven loyalty was more attractive than Royce’s shallow good looks. Not that Brody wasn’t hot, because he was, but the cop had something special: integrity. After spending twelve hours a day mired in the moral flexibility of Herb Fletcher and Las Vegas, integrity was damned appealing.
She opened her photos app and flipped through the images Grant had sent her. Six-year-old Carson in his lime-green soccer uniform, his smile showing the gaps of two missing teeth. When had he lost those? Faith in her high chair, face, hands, and tray smeared with something red. Spaghetti sauce?
Hannah clutched the phone to the center of her chest. Since Lee’s death, being away from the kids ripped her up inside.
She rode the elevator to the ground floor and headed for the lobby, where she passed two bouncers and a short line of patrons waiting to pay their entrance fees.
“Could you hurry up?” one woman complained. “The parade’s about to start.”
Hannah exited onto the concrete apron and took a solid breath of cool night air. Vegas spread out flat and open in front of her. The club was located in an industrial neighborhood. An express tire and lube sat dark across the street. The building next door housed a hotel uniform distributor. Except for the motel on the other side of the parking lot, the surrounding businesses were closed. Lights glared from a billboard advertising Carnival.
Two couples hurried past her and went inside. The parking lot was oddly empty considering the packed space inside. But then, the main show was about to start. She supposed no one who paid a seventy-five-dollar cover charge was going to leave before the big event.
She made her way to the rear of the large lot, where she’d parked the rental car. As she walked, she opened the voice memo app on her phone. “Contact Timothy in London.” She slid the phone into her purse.
By the time she crossed the fourth row, she was shivering and regretting the sleeveless sheath dress and strappy Jimmy Choos she’d selected for the party. She spotted the sedan fifty feet away and quickened her pace. Her jacket and flats awaited.
Shoes scuffled on pavement. Quick footsteps and labored breathing sounded like someone running.
“Fucking bitch,” an angry male voice said.
What the—?
A body collided with Hannah, knocking her over. They both went sprawling across the pavement. Pain shot up Hannah’s spine as her tailbone hit asphalt. A body landed on her and rolled off. A young girl of about fourteen looked up at her. Slim and small, she was dressed in crotch-skimming spandex hot shorts and a tube top. Tears slid from terror-rounded eyes.
“Come back here!” Footsteps on pavement.
The girl grabbed Hannah’s shoulder. “Please help me. If he catches me, I’m dead.”
“Who?” Alarmed, Hannah scanned the lot.
“He’sgonnakillme.” Panic blurred the girl’s voice. Hannah could barely understand the words.
A man emerged from between a minivan and an SUV. He was a lean six two or three, with black hair and a goatee. His gaze swept the scene and locked on Hannah. He paused, hard eyes considering her.
Hannah untangled her legs and scrambled to her feet.
He focused on the girl. “Let’s go.”
Breathless and whimpering, the girl cringed on the pavement. The man moved toward her. “I said—”
Hannah scooped her purse off the ground and stepped between them. “I don’t think she wants to go with you.”
“I don’t give a fuck what she wants.” His dark eyes narrowed to mean slits. “You’re gonna want to mind your own business.” He leaned sideways to peer around Hannah and held his hand out toward the girl. His fingers curled in a Come here gesture. “Let’s go.”
“No.” The girl’s voice trembled.
His head tilted, as if he couldn’t believe she’d defy him. He shoved Hannah out of the way and grabbed the girl by the arm, dragging her upright.
Options raced through Hannah’s mind. Precious few of them. She wanted to run back to the club, but she couldn’t make her feet turn around. The pair would be long gone before she could return with club security or the police. Wanting more agility, she slid out of her heels.
The girl’s eyes pleaded. Her lips moved. Help me. The man started dragging her away. But she threw her butt backward and sank her weight low, fighting in earnest now.