CHAPTER FOURTEEN
May walked back to the police precinct feeling hopeful. Kerry was going to make the call somewhere quiet, and then she was going to walk down the road and take May’s truck back to their parents’ place. It would be hers tonight and tomorrow morning.
May hoped she’d get it back in one piece.
She headed into the police department, where Owen was finishing off on a call.
“I’ve just spoken to Sheriff Jack,” he told May. “Reed was very shocked to hear his sister was killed. Jack said his shock seemed genuine, but that he wasn’t as torn up about it as he expected he would be. So I don’t think they were close, and Jack also suspects he knows more than he’s telling. But he couldn’t get any more information out of him.”
That seemed typical behavior for Bert Reed, who seemed to keep his secrets close. But May hoped their ace up the sleeve, aka her sister, might breach his defenses.
“Kerry is going to ask one of her colleagues to search the FBI databases,” May said. “She’s going to see if Madeline’s name appears there at all, if she was a person of interest. She’ll call if there’s any information.” May sighed. “But in return, she wants to borrow my car. She needs it tomorrow early morning. So I’ve given her the keys and she’ll take it back to my parents’ house. Could you give me a ride home later?”
“Sure!” Owen said eagerly. “I’ll gladly do that. Will you need a ride to work tomorrow, too?”
“I’m hoping I might have it back by then. But if not I’ll call you. Thanks so much.”
She smiled at him, feeling glad that he was on her side.
At that moment, her phone rang. It was Kerry. With her heart leaping, May grabbed up the call.
“Well, sis, I have some interesting information,” Kerry said.
“What is it?” May switched the phone to speaker as Owen hustled over, pulling up a chair and reaching for a pen.
“Madeline Reed is a person of interest to the FBI, due to her frequent trips out of the country and also the movement of large sums of money in and out of her accounts. There were a couple of minor reports made a while ago that alerted us to her. Unfortunately I can’t get into those at short notice so I don’t know what the actual transactions are. But she is on our radar. And we’ve been monitoring her bank accounts. Recently, however, there has been less activity there, apart from one large payment she made, which is rather interesting.”
“Who was that made to?”
“Well, this is where it gets complicated,” Kerry said. “Because I can’t tell you confidential information. Not if I’m not involved in the case.”
May waited, her heart thudding. Was her sister going to insist on getting involved?
“I can just say that you need to look into a local person’s bank accounts more closely. As if you do, you might find a large payment went through there,” Kerry said cagily.
“And who exactly is that person?” May asked.
“Well, it’s a local journalist,” Kerry said.
“And?”
May waited expectantly.
“That’s all I can say,” Kerry concluded triumphantly. “I’m sure if you guys spend a few days on the case, researching your people, you will come up with it in due course. It might take a while. Of course, you could always ask the FBI to come on board and handle your case. Then I’d tell you.”
There was a resounding silence.
“Kerry,” May said, swallowing. “You promised.”
“I did,” Kerry agreed, her voice innocent. “But you have the choice, sis.”
“You promised. You said you’d give me the information,” May said in a small voice.
“And I have,” Kerry said. “I gave it to you. You just didn’t accept the whole package, which includes me. Next time, don’t make assumptions.”
“Kerry, you said you’d help,” May said, her voice shaking a little.
“And I did, sister dear,” Kerry said, her voice full of mock sorrow. “I told you all I know. And now I’d like to get in your car and go home. Tell me if you find anything out.”
May stared at Owen, seeing her own helplessness reflected in his gaze.
She felt devastated. She’d had so much hope for tomorrow, believing she could at least make some inquiries about the money, but Kerry had taken yet another example of big sister power over her.
May felt a wave of anger rise up and surge through her. Kerry had them over a barrel.