hadn’t. The moment their gazes connected, she sucked in a deep breath. He’d been asking about the case, right? Or had it been about something else? For a quick second, she’d seen a need in the depths of his eyes she hadn’t seen in a long time, a need she recognized. But why was it there? Wasn’t Natalie taking care of business? Then again, Joanie hadn’t mentioned anything about an affair between Drew and the television news reporter.
Twice this week, she’d watched as the woman met Drew in the parking lot when he got off work. Although they always left in separate cars, Toni wondered if they would hook up later for dinner somewhere, or at his house for a romp between the sheets.
She glanced back at her notes. “The flash drive is still a mystery to me, Drew. I’ve watched that video twice and can’t figure out anything I think Maria Tindal might have been interested in. I certainly doubt she could afford any of the items for herself.”
“She might have been making a purchase for someone else,” he said. “Someone with money.”
“Possibly, but I feel like I’m missing—”
At that moment, the phone on Drew’s belt rang, interrupting her words. He stood and pressed the talk button. “Detective Logan.”
“This is Joanie in Dispatch. A domestic dispute has escalated into a hostage situation—a teenager threatening to shoot his mother’s boyfriend.” She gave Drew the location.
“I’m on it,” he said, quickly putting back on the gun and holster he’d taken off earlier.
“You’re a hostage negotiator?” Toni asked him. Not all policemen and detectives were hostage negotiators. Because hostage situations were tense, stressful, and anxiety-filled, special training was required.
“Yes. I’ve been a back-up negotiator for last two years. I’ve only done a couple of them. You want to tag along?”
She was already grabbing for her own gun and holster. “Yes.”
They made it to the location in record time. It was in a nice neighborhood, filled with single-story, older homes. It wasn’t like the ritzy neighborhoods she’d visited since moving to Alexandria, but the majority of homeowners were keeping the lawns decent and their homes in pretty good shape.
Two cars of uniformed cops were parked outside a house. Already a crowd of curious bystanders was forming, and officers were keeping the onlookers back. She and Drew were out of the cruiser as soon as he brought it to a stop. They immediately approached the officer she recognized as the same one who’d met them at Maria Tindal’s crime site last week.
“What do you have, Officer?” she asked him.
He glanced over at her. “Renita Horsley’s ten-year-old daughter told her mother that her boyfriend molested her last night. The girl also told her older brother. He went and got a gun from a friend and intends to shoot the man.”
“Where are the mother and daughter?” Toni asked, looking around.
“One of our female officers has the mother seated in a patrol car, trying to calm her down. She’s so worried her son is going to ruin his life.”
“Did she file a report on what her boyfriend did to her daughter?” Drew asked.
“She’s doing it now, but she won’t tell us where her daughter is.”
Toni knew they needed to make sure the little girl was not in the house somewhere. She walked with Drew over to the squad car and glanced in. He flashed his badge to the woman who was seated in the back seat, and Toni flashed hers. “Ms. Horsley, I’m Detective Logan and this is my partner, Detective Oliver. How old is your son?”
“Ellis is only sixteen. He told me plenty of times to leave Sam...only I couldn’t. What happened to Bethany is my fault. I will never forgive myself.”
“Where is Bethany now?” Drew asked.
“At my mother’s. I took her there this morning after she told me Sam had touched her inappropriately. When I got back, Ellis had a gun on Sam. I pleaded with him to put the gun down, but he wouldn’t.”
The woman paused a minute, and then with tears in her eyes, she said, “Detective Logan, Sam is bad news. I realize that now, but I don’t want my child to ruin his life if he kills Sam. I also don’t want you to kill Ellis to save Sam. My son is a good child—a good student and respectful of everyone. Please, don’t hurt my boy.”
Drew looked away from the woman, not saying anything more. Toni knew there was no way he could make any promises. Instead, he looked at Toni