Free The Christmas Bell Tolls by Robin Caroll Page B

again. “Just a name. That’s all I need. I’m not
asking for her address, her financial information, or surveillance video—we’ll
get a warrant for all that, but right now, since time is so critical, I really
need that name.” She held her breath and waited. Would the girl hand over the
information?
    “Every minute that
my daughter is out there, she’s away from her medication.”
    “Margaret
Brewster.”
     
    “Are you sure the
name doesn’t ring a bell?” Eva asked for the third time in the fifteen minute
drive back to his house.
    Darren gave her
the same answer as the previous two times. “Nothing.”
    “There has to be
something.”
    “I know.” But for
the life of him, he couldn’t figure out a connection. He’d been mentally
scrolling through cases: names of perps, witnesses, even victims. Nothing. He’d gone through people he’d met through his
church’s outreach programs. Nothing. The name Margaret
Brewster had no recognition for him.
    “We need to run a
check on her.”
    “We will.” But
would Wilson? Darren had called Agent Lacey to let her know their hunch had
paid off. She’d given him the heads up that Special Agent in Charge Leo Wilson
had returned from questioning Barbor and was furious that he and Eva had snuck
off.
    On one hand, there
was good news in that Barbor and his sister were cleared as suspects. On the
other, Wilson was so furious that, according to Agent Lacey, the man had been
tempted to have them both picked up and hauled in for interfering in an
investigation. Of course, he couldn’t do that to Darren, but Eva… This was the
main reason he hadn’t told Eva what Agent Lacey had said.
    But Eva was smart. Too smart. “Will Leo Wilson do that? I mean, I’m sure
he’s noticed we’re gone by now and I can’t imagine he’d be too happy. Especially with me involved.”
    “He’s quite angry,
from what Agent Lacey said.”
    “I figured.” Eva
turned off the main road. “So, do you think he’ll actually run the name
immediately?”
    “I think he’s
doing everything by the book.”
    “And that would be
what in this case?”
    “He’ll run the
name and see if anything pops up.” Yet, he very well could shut Darren out of
the investigation because of his and Eva going out on their
own .
    “You don’t sound
confident in that.” Eva shot him a quick look before focusing back on the road.
    “I just don’t know
if he’ll keep me in the loop. We usually don’t tell parents every little detail
of the investigation.”
    “But you’re an
agent.”
    “And
the father. Who the SAC is upset with.” He
could respect Wilson’s going by the book, but so far, that hadn’t yielded them
results like his and Eva going off book. “But Agent Lacey will follow up and
make sure every resource is utilized.”
    “I have an idea.”
She jerked the car to a quick turn.
    “Eva, what are you
doing?” He held the door armrest a little tighter as she picked up speed.
    “I’m going to go
to the lab. I can put her name in our database and see if we have any hits.
Then, if any of the evidence we collected matches, we’ll already have the
information.”
    “I’m not sure
that’s a good idea.” All he could see was the trouble she’d get into.
    “It’ll be fine.
And you can use Maddie’s system to run a check on her with your sources, too.”
    Oh, she was going
to get them both into big trouble.
    But she was
determined to find his daughter, and that, above all else, warmed him to the
tips of his toes.
    “Okay. Let’s do
it. We’ll probably get in huge trouble for this, though. Are you sure?” He
stared at Eva’s profile illuminated by the car’s dashboard lights.
    She smiled. “Go
big or go home, I always say. To the lab.”
    Lord, please
keep Savy safe just a little longer. Thank you for this lead. Now, he just
needed to find out who Margaret Brewster was and why she wanted his daughter.

Nine
     
    “You aren’t supposed
to be here.” Sarah Newton met Eva at the