tell me things, so let me tell you what I’ve found out. Colin Ross lived in New York City for decades before he met his wife. Apparently he was quite the ladies’ man. I talked to a few of his old girlfriends—if you can call them that. He wasn’t big into commitment. At least, not until Amy.”
It was the second time Josie had heard this. A voice in the back of her mind wondered if perhaps the weight of having and providing for a family had become too much for Colin. Had he arranged to have Lucy eliminated somehow? But no, that made no sense. If that were the case, they would have found her body by now, not a note suggesting the parents wait for a call from the kidnapper.
“What about financially?” Josie asked.
“His parents are both professors. Upper-middle class but certainly not rich. Colin worked several jobs to put himself through the MBA program at NYU. Got the job at Quarmark right out of school and worked his way up the ranks. He’s been the head of the pricing department for several years, bringing in six figures a year.”
So a kidnapping for ransom made sense, Josie thought.
“I talked with his mother. She said he’s been in touch with her but that he asked her not to come to Denton. She says that they don’t get along with Amy. She thinks that Amy has consistently tried to isolate Colin from everyone and everything he knows.”
“Has Amy ever denied them access to Lucy?” Josie asked.
“No. They don’t particularly like her, but she’s always been good about making sure they have a relationship with Lucy. At least, that’s what Colin’s mother told me.”
“What about Amy? Anything interesting in her past?” Josie asked.
Trinity sighed. “No. Her life is as boring as the day is long. Lived in New York City for over seven years before she met Colin. Took odd jobs, mostly waitressing work to keep a small, shitty apartment in Brooklyn that she occasionally shared with roommates. I could only find one of the roommates. She had nothing to offer. Amy was nice, quiet, kept to herself.”
Between the death threats from his job and his money, Colin was looking like the most probable reason behind Lucy’s kidnapping. Someone was out to either punish him or just get a big payoff.
Trinity said, “I’ll keep digging since I just heard from a reliable source that the FBI is now involved. I shouldn’t let you know what I find since you won’t tell me anything, but I will because you’re my sister.”
“And because you care,” Josie pointed out. “You care that a seven-year-old girl’s life is on the line.”
“Caring is overrated, dear sister,” Trinity said.
“Liar.”
Trinity laughed. “We’ll talk soon.”
Josie ended the call and trudged up the steps where Noah could already be heard snoring. She collapsed into the bed next to him, and a few minutes later, she felt Noah’s hand slide into hers. Their fingers interlaced, and she fell asleep instantly.
Seventeen
Josie woke to the sounds of Misty, Harris and Pepper downstairs. She checked her phone but there was no news. Lucy Ross had not been found. The kidnapper hadn’t called yet. Beside her, Noah stirred, his hand reaching for her. She turned toward him and pressed herself against his body, resting her cheek on his bare chest. He pulled her into him, his fingers brushing through her hair. “You have guests,” he said.
“I know,” Josie mumbled. “She’s kind of freaked out right now.”
“You think she made coffee?”
Josie laughed. “I’m sure she did. She’s got a two-year-old and a full-time job. She’s chronically sleep-deprived.”
“You haven’t had coffee in a few days,” Noah said.
“What?”
He pressed a kiss into her scalp. “You think I haven’t noticed?”
“That I haven’t had coffee?”
“That you haven’t been feeling well.”
“It’s stress,” Josie said dismissively. “With your mother passing, the case, and now this little girl.”
“It hits hard, doesn’t it?” Noah said. “Lucy Ross.”
A lump formed in Josie’s throat. “Yes.”
He hugged her close. She felt his breath on her forehead. “Let’s get to work, then.”
Josie texted Mettner and Gretchen to find out where they were—both had slept as long as she and Noah, which was most of the day—and promised to meet them at the mobile command center in a half hour. Josie and Noah showered and grabbed a quick bite to eat. Misty had made them an early dinner that was so delicious, Josie was tempted to ask her to move in permanently. On the way to the command center, Josie