Page 110 of Lost and Found

“Wes, I can’t do this. I’m a sweaty, teary mess. They’re going to know—”

“You can do anything for Matt.” He put a hand on her shoulder and squeezed. “They’re going to know that you’re terrified something happened to him. That’s the truth. They want to know what you know and who else might know. You know nothing. That simple.”

“I knew enough to have a key and go to the condo. What if they ask how I found the key?”

“That’s simple. You found a key and an address in Ryan’s belongings and were curious. You’re an investigator. That’s what you do. It’s what you’ve always done when you come across a question. You don’t have to say you went into the bedrooms. Nothing beyond the living room. That’s where you were when Angus called.”

“They might know how long we were there. God, how long were we there? It felt like centuries.”

“Take a breath. They just want to know what you know. And that’s nothing. There’s nothing you won’t do for Matt. You walk in there like you know nothing, and we’ll walk out together. I promise.”

Her phone rang. Jennifer Yang’s name displayed on the screen. She reached to accept the call.

“Now’s not the right time for that. We have to focus on Matt.”

“All of this is connected. After what we just saw, and knowing Jennifer has more security cameras than Fort Knox—what if she knows where Matt is? What if, I don’t know. What if it’s all connected?”

“I don’t see how it could be, but…” He let out a breath and nodded.

“Jennifer. Hi,” Bailey answered and heard the panic in her voice despite the upbeat bravado she’d tried to fake.

The other woman said nothing.

She double-checked the screen. The call was still connected. “Jennifer?”

“What’s wrong?” Her fear was palpable.

“Erick took my son. I’m going to go get him.”

“You have to be careful.”

Bailey looked to Wes. Her bravado disappeared with Jennifer’s warning. It took everything she had not to run off the road.

“Jennifer, this is Wes Wilder. We know you didn’t tell us everything. You need to tell us now. Off the record. Whatever you want. But you have to say it.”

“You said you thought you were close to figuring it out.” The other woman’s voice shook.

“Yeah,” he confirmed. “Closer now than when we called.”

“He’s a bad person.”

“Erick?” Wes confirmed.

“And powerful.”

“We know that. What don’t we know?”

“I saw him that night.”

Bailey’s stomach plummeted.

“What night?” Wes pressed.

“The night Caitie died,” Jennifer wept. “I saw him later, not where he told the police he was. And he saw me. With his friends. You know the other two. They hurt me,” she whispered, crying. “And they said if I told anyone that I saw them, they’d do it again.” She sobbed. “They have several times. Over the years. As a reminder. Because they can. No one will ever believe me. I’m so sorry I didn’t tell you. I’ve never had the guts to…”

“Jennifer,” Wes said, caring but firm, “now you have.”

“They’ll kill me.”