Free Lullabies and Lies by Mallory Kane Page B

cases, but he wanted her to talk about them. She’dbeen there, seen things that wouldn’t be found in a case file.
    She sniffed impatiently. “A couple of weeks ago an elderly lady hired me to contact the members of her high school cheerleading squad. It was very simple. I found most of them via the Internet. The rest I located through friends and alumni records from the high school. She’s planning a reunion now.” She shook her head. “I don’t understand. The people I help have nothing against me. Why would they steal my daughter?”
    “What if one of those cheerleaders had just poisoned her son-in-law because he’d been beating his wife, her daughter?”
    “Are you kidding me?” Sunny laughed in disbelief.
    Griff spread his hands. “Not the greatest example in the world, but in working on a case, you could innocently stumble upon a crime in progress, or someone like Gross, who’s running for office and doesn’t want his dirty laundry aired. Your questions could push an unstable person over the edge.”
    Sunny’s eyes narrowed.
    Good . Griff felt a surge of triumph. She was getting over the idea of her clients as innocent people she was bound to protect.
    “You need to change the way you think about your cases. Forget the happy endings cr—stuff. Think of each client as a suspect, guilty until proven innocent.”
    Her brow furrowed and her eyes snapped with irritation. “That defeats the whole purpose of my—”
    “Tell me about every case you’ve ever had, no matter how small, starting with the cheerleaders. Were any ofthe ladies reluctant—” Griff stopped when his cell phone rang. He glanced at the Caller ID. It was Lieutenant Carver.
    “Carver, what have you got?”
    “Looks like Mabry’s death is going to be ruled accidental.”
    Griff balled his fist. “Damn it. I need to see the CSI report and the medical examiner’s findings.”
    “I’ll arrange it. Meanwhile, I do have some good news. Brittany Elliott came through with some information. Turns out that when her boyfriend got out of prison about two months ago, he contacted her. Told her he wanted her to go out West with him. Just her and their baby. He apparently became violent when he found out the same private investigator who’d gotten him sent to prison had adopted his child.”
    “Violent? Against the girl?”
    “Nah. Busted up some furniture, though.”
    “Have you located him?”
    “Not yet. We’re still working on it.”
    “Okay, thanks. When you find him I want to talk to him.” Griff paused. “Carver, I need a twenty-four hour watch on Ms. Loveless’s house.”
    “I’m already devoting twelve man-hours a day to her, in case the kidnapper tries to contact her personally.”
    “The note on her windshield was a note from the kidnapper. It warned that someone she knows could be hurt.”
    “Was there a ransom demand?” Carver’s voice rose in excitement.
    “Nope. I believe the kidnapper is referring to Mabry’s death, but just in case, I’d like an unmarked car in the area at all times.”

    “Can’t do it. I’ll make sure a black-and-white drives by every hour.”
    “Remove your officer from the house and give us a car instead. I don’t think there’s going to be a ransom demand. This isn’t about money.”
    “I’ll do what I can.”
    Griff disconnected.
    He looked up to find Sunny staring intently at him.
    “Who is Lieutenant Carver looking for?”
    “Burt Means.”
    “I testified at his trial for statutory rape. Brittany was just fifteen. He was twenty.”
    Griff’s gaze pinned her. “Well he’s contacted her.”
    Her eyes widened in shock. “Has Lieutenant Carver found him?”
    “No. They’re still looking. Carver’s contacting his parole officer.”
    “We’ve received some odd phone calls. Usually at night. We’ll have to look in Lil’s logbook, but I think one caller said something about meddling in other people’s affairs. You think he could have done this?”
    “It’s a lead.