“No, sir, I most certainly did not.” Casey spoke as respectfully as she could. But she really didn’t like this man. “If I had, I would have told you and the task force about it immediately. I followed Hope. I’d planned to try to stop her. I was too late. I realize how upset you are, and that emotions are running high. But, the bottom line is that Hope wasn’t intentionally undermining you or the FBI. She was behaving like a terrified mother. She wasn’t thinking clearly. And now she’s beating herself up enough for everyone. So I suggest we not waste time with accusations, but move on to finding your daughter. I know that’s what you want. Please, Mr. Willis, let’s just find Krissy as quickly as possible.”
Her words seemed to placate Edward a little, because his jaw snapped shut and he nodded. “Fine.”
The tension was still crackling, when there was a brief knock at the open door, and Patrick stepped inside. Behind him was a nervous, weathered-looking man who had to be Sidney Akerman.
“We’re here,” Patrick announced. “Ready to get started.”
“Sidney?” Vera Akerman rose from the living room sofa and made her way out into the hall. “My God, it is you.” She looked torn between relief and disgust.
Hope harbored no such torn loyalties. She whirled around, facing her father with blazing eyes. “How could you?” she demanded. “How could you compromise your family like that? Felicity and I were innocent children—your children. And now Krissy—she barely knows of your existence, yet she’s become part of your collateral damage. How can you live with yourself?”
“I can’t,” her father replied without flinching. “That’s why I’ve spent my life inside a bottle. And that’s why I’m here now, even knowing you hate my guts. If I can help bring Krissy home safely, I’ll do anything, sacrifice anything, to make it happen.”
“How valiant. Unfortunately, it’s thirty-two years too late for my sister, and my daughter…my baby…” Hope’s voice quavered, and she turned away.
“Hope.” Vera went to her daughter, put her arms around her. “I feel what you feel. But put it aside. We have to find Krissy.”
Sidney met his ex-wife’s gaze, and he was clearly speaking to both her and Hope. “To tell you that I was a stupid, naive pawn would be the truth, but meaningless. It changes nothing. Please—I’m not asking you for forgiveness. I’m just asking you to accept my help. Let me look at mug shots. Let me work with a sketch artist. Let me try to aid this investigation.”
Hope stepped away from her mother and dashed the tears off her cheeks. “That’s why you’re here,” she informed Sidney. She gestured toward the group of waiting professionals. “It certainly isn’t for a family reunion. So go see what you can do.”
Sidney was entrenched in mug shots and recaps when Casey’s cell phone rang.
“Hey,” Ryan greeted her. “Marc called and told me what’s going on. Sidney Akerman there yet?”
“He got here about an hour ago,” Casey replied quietly. “I’m not sure what’s going on. The FBI’s not in a sharing mood. They’re pissed at me about the ransom drop. By their rules, I should h
ave shared my suspicions with them before I took off to follow Hope.”
“Yeah, well, by their rules I wouldn’t be calling you with this interesting bit of info.”
“I’m listening.”
“Henry Kenyon’s construction company was bought up after he died. Guess who the buyer was? Bennato Construction, employer of one Joe Deale.”
“You’re kidding.”
“Nope. And from what I’m pulling up, Bennato is connected—mob connected.”
“This one I’m going to share,” Casey said.
“By all means.” Ryan chuckled. “It might get you back into Hutch’s good graces.”
“Goodbye, Ryan.”
“One more thing. When the FBI wants to pick up Deale, he’s at the Laketown Bridge. They’re repaving.”
“Thanks.” Casey ended the call on her BlackBerry.
“That was one of my associates,” she announced to the task force. “Evidently, the construction company Sidney worked for was bought up after the owner died.”
Guy Adams shot her an impatient look. “So?”
“So the company who bought it is Bennato. I’m sure you know they’re reputed to have mob connections.”
“We’re aware of that.”
“Wait a minute.” Hutch rapidly scanned his notes. “Claudia Mitchell’s fiancé works for Bennato.”