Blood Vines

CHAPTER SIXTY-FIVE

Wednesday, March 17

11:40 A.M.

Reed sat at his desk, staring blankly at his computer screen. He’d been unable to stop thinking about that last interview with Alex. He had replayed the things she’d said about Clarkson’s last call to her, the things about her father.

“Maybe my dad’s behind all of it. Even Dylan.”

She had come off as desperate and irrational. To him-and the entire team. Guilty of murder or not, they’d written her off as a first-class whack job.

That’s what he wanted to believe. His gut told him otherwise. Or were his personal feelings interfering with his professional judgment? In terms of the case, it didn’t matter. He was off it. But on a personal level, it bugged the hell out of him.

He wasn’t one of those guys, wasn’t one of those cops. He didn’t get personally involved. Didn’t let his emotions get in the way of rational thinking. So what the hell was going on here?

“Maybe my dad’s behind all of it. Even Dylan.”

A missing piece of the puzzle. One the investigators at the time wouldn’t have considered. Unless alerted by someone.

Patsy. She was the only one who would have been able to do that. Instead, she had run away. What had Harlan said? That Patsy had been overcome with guilt and despair.

The guilt fit now. She had suspected Alex’s father’s involvement, but had kept her mouth shut. Out of fear. Maybe. For her young daughter. For herself?

On a hunch, he picked up the phone and dialed information, retrieved San Francisco State’s number. The main office directed him to the College of Behavioral Sciences. There, the department secretary confirmed his hunch.

Tim Clarkson hadn’t had a faculty meeting the day before.

So, where the hell had he been? Why had he made certain Alex was out of the way for the day?

Her father. She’d been right. About it all. That’s why Tim had called her at the spa, meaning to leave a message for her. To prepare her.

Reed’s thoughts raced forward to the note her ex had left for her. I have news. Clarkson’s meeting with Alex’s father had been successful. Or so he had thought.

Why kill Clarkson?

Reed answered his own question. To keep his secret safe. Of course. But what secret? That he was Alex’s father? Or something more ominous?

“You okay, Reed?”

Tanner stood in his doorway. He motioned her in. “I’m good. And you’re just the person I needed to see.”

She wandered in, sank onto the chair across from him. “What’s up?”

“Followed a hunch and gave San Francisco State a call. Clarkson didn’t have a faculty meeting yesterday.”

“So one of them lied.”

“My bet’s on him.”

“That doesn’t surprise me.”

He ignored that. “The question is why.”

She nodded. “Thanks. We’ll work on that. Cell records will help there.” She leaned forward. “Got some interesting information from the Ashton Drake people. Apparently, each doll is unique and comes with a serial number and adoption papers.”

She paused. “You adopt your baby. It’s all very official. They’ve got ‘adoption’ documents going back to the seventies.”

“Tell me you’ve got a name.”

“Not yet. By the end of the day.”

She stood and stretched. “Sorry you’re off the case.”

“How’s Saacks doing?”

“He catches on fast. He’s trying to nail down who at Red Crest took Schwann’s call. I’ll keep you updated.”

His cell vibrated. He glanced at the display and saw that it was his father. They hadn’t spoken since two nights ago, when his dad had told him to get off his property.

He thanked Tanner, then answered. “Hello, Dad.”

“I need to see you. Can you come over?”

“When?”

“Now?”

“Where are you?”

“My office.”

Reed frowned. His father sounded strange. Shaken. “What’s this about, Dad?”

“I’ll tell you when you get here.”