Say Goodbye (Romantic Suspense #25) - Karen Rose Page 0,213

hack those, so they hadn’t seen Pastor.

“Any luck on your phishing e-mails?” the tech asked.

“No. I’m worrying now that they’re going to compare notes and realize someone is trying to break in.” Because the Wi-Fi feed had shown the employees working on their computers, so it was likely that they’d seen his e-mails.

“We’ll keep watch, but if any of the recipients go to the security office, we won’t be able to see them.”

Either the chief of security’s office didn’t have a camera or it was hardwired. Tom figured it was the former.

The tech chuckled. “The head nurse just told Brooklyn that she’ll have her BeDazzling stuff in an hour.”

Tom returned his attention to the monitor linked to the feed from Liza’s pendant.

“Can we go to the sunny room to do our work?” Brooklyn asked.

“What’s the sunny room?” Liza asked.

“The solarium,” the nurse explained. “It’s a common area and there are tables there where patients do puzzles and paint. BeDazzling would be a great use of the solarium, Brooklyn. We’ll get a wheelchair for you.”

Because the child was too weak to walk on her own.

“But first, you need to take a short nap,” Liza told Brooklyn. “Those BeDazzler machines need some muscle, so you should rest.”

Tom wondered who Brooklyn’s mother was. Innes had only said that she traveled for business. She could be one of the legit clients. Tom hoped so.

He’d check the patient database, but he’d have to do so from his home system. The warrants only covered information specific to Pastor, so looking at Brooklyn’s records on FBI time would make the Bureau in violation, and he wasn’t going to do that.

The ringing of his work phone jerked his attention away from Brooklyn. It was Raeburn. He couldn’t know about Rafe, but Tom still feared he’d sound guilty when he answered his boss.

“Special Agent Hunter.”

“It’s Raeburn. We need you back at the field office, ASAP.”

Tom frowned. “Why? I thought I was assigned to surveillance today.”

“We picked up Daniel Park, Pastor’s banker. I want you and Croft in Interview with him. Now, Agent Hunter.”

Tom wanted to argue, because panic was spiraling in his gut. But Rafe was in the employee lot, ready to assist should Liza need it. So he drew a breath and said, “Yes, sir. On my way.”

SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA

TUESDAY, MAY 30, 11:30 A.M.

“Look, Liza, I did it! Isn’t it pretty?” Brooklyn beamed.

She’d used a lot of her energy to push down on the BeDazzler tool, forcing the shiny rhinestone gem into an extra hospital gown. Her face was flushed from the exertion, the edges of the scarf she wore to cover her baldness damp from her perspiration.

“So pretty!” Liza held the cotton gown up. “This is going to be the awesomest thing.”

They’d chosen a simple heart design. Brooklyn had wanted to do something elaborate, but Liza had convinced her that if they started small, they could be finished faster and she could wear the gown while she worked on the next project. In truth, Liza wasn’t sure how long she’d be here and she didn’t want to leave Brooklyn with nothing.

Still smiling, Brooklyn sagged into the wheelchair. “Can you do the next part? I’m tired.”

“I can indeed. You just rest and tell me what to do.”

Brooklyn grinned at that. “I’m the boss.”

“So what color do we use next, boss?”

“Red.”

Liza saluted. “Yes, ma’am.” She reached for the red gem but froze when she saw a man entering the solarium. Frail-looking and about seventy, he wore round-rimmed glasses and his face seemed familiar. And then she knew.

Oh my God. It was him. It was Pastor.

She’d seen the photo tacked to the bulletin board in Tom’s home office, the one taken of Pastor, his wife, and the twins shortly before he’d run to Eden thirty years ago. He was older now, of course, and looked terrible, his skin gray and his hair thinning, but it was him.

He was being pushed by one of the nurses, and following behind was a woman in her midfifties. Her hair was liberally streaked with gray and pulled off her head in a simple bun.

But it was the item she wore around her throat that had Liza’s attention. A locket on a thick, heavy chain. An Eden locket. The nurse pushed Pastor to one of the tables by the window and covered his lap with a blanket. He leaned his head back, as if enjoying the sun on his face.

Belatedly aware she’d been staring, Liza jerked her attention back to the pile of red gems. But