Free The Betrayed (Krewe of Hunters) by Heather Graham

level with one person, then they just have to tweak it when Richard comes out,” she said. “That was the idea.”
    “But you and Taylor Branch and the convention manager—Bari Macaby—were the last people to see him, correct?” Van Camp said.
    Jilli nodded.
    “Did Richard ever say anything to you about a strip club?” Aidan asked.
    There was shock in her eyes. “A strip club?”
    Aidan smiled. “Most men I know—and women, too, for that matter—have been in one at some point. Bachelorette parties, bachelor parties, birthdays.”
    “Yeah, but
Richard? In the middle of a campaign?
”
    “Did he have a friend named Lizzie? Or Elizabeth?” Aidan asked.
    She shrugged. “He might have. I didn’t know all his friends. Lizzie...or Elizabeth. Not an unusual name. I know several.”
    “Thank you,” Aidan said. “I hope you get some sleep.”
    She still looked confused by the strip club question. She hadn’t moved when they reached the door. “Come and lock this,” Aidan told her gently.
    She rose like a sleepwalker. When they were out in the hallway, Aidan heard the bolt slide home.
    “Muscles, Mischief and Magic next?” Van Camp asked.
    “No, let’s do Richard’s room,” Aidan said.
    Van Camp opened the door to the suite.
    It was larger than Branch’s with a huge living area, a conference table that would seat twelve, a good-size kitchenette and a bedroom. Richard had been almost OCD neat; the outer rooms could be described as Spartan. Aidan headed into the bedroom. “See what you find out here,” Aidan told Van Camp and Voorhaven.
    Richard’s clothing had been neatly hung and his shoes were lined up in the closet. His computer was gone. Aidan knew it was at the police lab so they could search for anything that might give them a clue.
    There was a notepad by the phone. It was blank.
    But Aidan picked it up and held it to the light. He could see where a pen had pressed into the paper.
    He didn’t have a pencil to run over the slight indentations on the page. But he studied it for a minute, trying to make out the words.
    They said
Lizzie grave.
    Aidan had the strange feeling that Richard had idly written the same words over and over again.
    Because they were always at the back of his mind?

4
    M o was curled on the sofa with Rollo’s massive body taking up the second half, and Grace was in the rocker. They were just reaching the end of
Elf
when Mo’s phone rang.
    “Hello?”
    It was Tommy Jensen.
    “They’ve finished up here,” he said. “They’ve let me open!” he told her. “My God, Mo, you should’ve seen it. They went through the parking lot inch by inch. They collected more garbage than I ever knew existed. My headless horseman is gone, of course—I almost feel I should change the name of the place. Then, after they were finished with the outside, they came in. They sprayed stuff all over—fingerprint stuff. Jeez! There were hundreds of people here last night. But I guess the cops are dotting their i’s and crossing their t’s. Anyway, they’re letting me open. Will you come out to the bar tonight? Please?”
    It occurred to her that the police had warned people about going out. But she wasn’t alone; she was with Grace. And she had Rollo. She looked at her wolfhound, who was watching her as if trying to discern her conversation.
    “Grace is here. I’m sure she’ll want to come, too.”
    Grace nodded enthusiastically.
    “Have you heard anything else?” Tommy asked.
    “Only what they’re saying on TV.”
    “They closed down all the headless horseman attractions today. It’s going to be a killer for the merchants. Oh, bad wording!” Tommy said.
    “That’s why Grace is here. They closed the Mausoleum tonight.”
    “Yes, of course. Well, come out here and commiserate with me. My staff’s heading in. I’ll miss the dinner hour...but maybe if people see your car, they’ll come.”
    “I can bring Rollo?”
    “Sure, but you know the law—put on his service-dog