When she opened it, her brow furrowed, worsening her headache. “An article from Richard’s paper?” She checked the date. It wasn’t today’s edition.
“Check out the focus of the article.”
She read the introduction and immediately found flaws with its lead. Talk about slanted. “David McBride?” Her stomach did a flip-flop.
“Tanner’s brother.” He let his bombshell hover in the air.
Her palms grew damp. “What? Why?”
“Exactly.” He popped another candy in his mouth. “Reporter’s questions. Why would Rick-the-Dick print a nasty article about Tanner’s brother when Tanner was working for him?”
She pressed her palms to her head. “I don’t understand.”
“Find out,” he said and left.
After she read the article three times, she lowered her aching head, more confused than she’d been last night. Why would Rick-the-Dick write this about Tanner’s brother? Moreover, why would Tanner keep working for him?
Who the hell was Tanner McBride?
She had a sinking feeling he was hiding something else.
Chapter 50
Clicking through her emails a few hours later, Meredith paused when she saw one from Gene. She hit the link.
Meredith, I ran another drug test on Jemma’s blood after we talked and found something. Can you come by the lab today?
Meredith sat up in her chair. Talk about great news! They could hand the Attorney General’s people more evidence. Leave it to Gene to follow through.
She grabbed her coat and went to find her grandpa. She sure as hell wasn’t contacting Tanner. Her grandpa wasn’t in his office, and after asking around, she discovered he was interviewing a city council member until noon. She wrote a note and put it on his desk in case he finished early. She didn’t want to worry him.
Since it was only a few blocks away, she settled for a New York power walk down Main Street to the Justice Center, which housed the police department, the sheriff’s office, the coroner’s office, and the local courts. She had new evidence to collect.
They were going to take these bastards down.
***
Gene’s lab had a sterile antiseptic smell that tickled her nose. The stainless steel counters gleamed. Her gaze tracked to the small doors in the far wall, and she shuddered. No need to think about the bodies inside.
“Gene?” She pocketed her gloves in her purse.
Goosebumps broke out across her arms as she surveyed his tools. Scalpel. Saw. Oh, no need to look anymore. She struggled to find something else to focus on. His Halloween cardboard cutout skeleton in the corner didn’t help. If Jill had been there, she’d have found something to joke about.
The thought of Jill only made her want to cry. She missed her sister and didn’t know how to make things right between them.
When the back door opened, she turned with a smile. “Hey, Gene.”
The man was wearing a sheriff’s uniform. Her lungs seized. Her body locked.
“Barlow,” she breathed out.
Her mind screamed, Run. She spun around.
Knocked into a table. Charged around it.
She reached for the door, ready to sail out and slam it in Barlow’s face.
Strong arms grabbed her shoulders from behind, making her sockets scream. “Don’t struggle. It’ll only make it worse.” Rough hands dug into her skin when she tried to wrench free.
“Where’s Gene?” Oh, God, please don’t let him be hurt too.
“He’s on vacation today since the weather’s so nice. The IT department has his email password. All I had to do was say he was under investigation. They gave it up instantly.”
She exhaled sharply, relieved Gene was okay. She didn’t know what Barlow had planned, but it was clear he and Kenny had reached a whole new level of desperation. Hadn’t last night proved that?
Tanner was right. Desperate people did stupid things.
She didn’t want to end up like Ray. She wouldn’t.
“You’re hurting me,” she whined, hoping he’d lower his guard, giving her the chance she needed. The door was only a few yards away.
His grip loosened. “Behave. Then I won’t have to.”
“Okay.” Her voice quivered.
He dropped his hands. She swung her purse in an arc, smacking him in the neck.
She raced to the door.
She was nearly there when Barlow clamped his hands around her chest. He squeezed her like a python. She saw stars. “I can’t…breathe.”
“Stop fighting me! Kenny picked up Jill. We’ll kill her if you try to escape. Do you understand?”
Her legs turned to rubber. “You have Jill?” she choked out. “Oh, God…I want…to see her.”
“Not part of the plan. Now, I’m going to let go. Remember, I’ll call Kenny if you make a break again. Nod if you understand.”