Dixie Under Siege (A Warrior's Passion #2) - Natasza Waters Page 0,93
bother to look at Kallis’s record of assault charges?”
Obviously, Blanchard wasn’t one of the three officers Det. Dean had brought in on Dix’s case or he would have known about the previous charges. That made Dixie nervous. Who was Blanchard? Why was he here?
The detective flashed a look at Dean. “Why didn’t Dixie file a restraining order against Chandler when she thought he was her stalker?” he asked.
“Today,” Dixie finally spoke up. “I only found out Saturday night. Lumin and I were scheduled to meet today to file the restraining order.”
Det. Dean gnawed on his left cheek. “I’ll finish this up, Blanchard.”
The other officer’s lips tightened but he took the hint and left the room.
“Who was that guy?” Dix asked.
“Doesn’t matter.”
“It does, if he doesn’t belong to this department. It does if he was sent here by Senator Kallis.”
Dean palmed his forehead, then rubbed. “What happened, Dixie?” He sat in the chair Blanchard vacated across the table from her and Lumin. “Why were you outside the Ardon building?”
She turned a look toward Lumin, who paused, then nodded.
“I never went inside the building, Detective. Chandler texted me. Told me he had Gethsemane. He said he’d let her go if he could see me in person. She’s an innocent victim in all of this.”
Dean ran a hand down his pinstriped tie. “Not according to CDR Hunter, but go on.”
She wasn’t sure what he meant. The cops wouldn’t let her speak to Josh since they’d arrested her. “I agreed to see Chandler if he promised to let her go. He told me to meet him downtown at the new office. When I arrived, I texted him and said I was outside waiting. He never answered. After half an hour, I went home.”
Dean nodded. “This case is going to get dirty, Dixie. I won’t lie to you. Any time politics gets involved, justice can get derailed. Before I came in here, we received a warrant to search the Kallis estate. Not sure what we’ll find, but Melodie Kallis is nowhere to be found. If what CDR Hunter and his SEALs saw the other night is true, then yes, Melodie would be a person of interest and have a motive to kill him, but it doesn’t look good right now for you. Especially since you were raped in New York, and I imagine you believe it was Chandler Kallis.”
“I don’t know who it was. I never saw his face.”
“But the notes started arriving soon after your assault.”
She nodded. “Yes, about a month later.”
Lumin crossed her legs and said, “Detective, even the circumstantial evidence is not enough to charge Dixie. If this went to court, it would be thrown out the first day. We know Chandler raped his sister. In fact, we have video. But there’s something you don’t know.”
Det. Dean straightened his shoulders and nodded.
Lumin continued. “Chandler admitted to Dixie that he had Captain Gethsemane Reynolds. She works for the Office of Naval Intelligence. Currently, she’s on a special advisory council to stop human trafficking. And so is Senator Kallis. According to Admiral Thane Austen, Ardon Corporation has been suspected of human trafficking in the past. If Gesem found something that led to Kallis’s involvement with the slave trade, the senator would have a lot to lose.” Her brows snapped together. “Now, you have another person of interest.”
Dean’s gaze shot to the table, considering her words. “You think Chandler and his father were at odds over Captain Reynolds. Chandler wanted to use her to lure Dixie and the senator wanted her dead.”
Lumin nodded. “All theory until I start digging up the truth. Which I will.”
The detective’s gaze swerved to Dixie. “Did you see anyone while you waited at Ardon’s office building?”
“I never went inside. When I first arrived, I did see a man and a woman leave the building. It would have been around eight thirty p.m. or so. I couldn’t make out their faces.”
Lumin lowered her chin. “Detective, did you see these people on the video recording?”
He nodded. “I did, but they kept their heads down. The woman was a brunette. Tall. The gentleman had grey hair, broad build, wearing a business suit and held the woman’s arm as they exited the building.”
Lumin blinked and Dixie could see her wheels turning. “CDR Hunter can probably identify Captain Reynolds, regardless if he can see her features. Detective—please don’t get offended when I say, help us find the real killer and release Dixie.”
Dean sighed. “I can’t. I’m sorry.”
Dixie flattened her palms on the cold tabletop. “Why?”