Page 74 of Night Moves
Drake sat back, but his jaw was clenched tight. “Do you know a man named Kirk Gentry?”
“Nah. Should I?”
“He’s in the same profession as you,” Drake said, sounding disgusted.
“Which does he do? This or that?” Odell laughed.
Natalie’s anger reached boiling point and she wanted to get away from this jerk, but they hadn’t asked questions about Laura. “You dated Laura Zimmer.”
“So?” Odell shifted in his chair and held out his fingers to study them. “That’s not a crime too, is it?”
“I assume you know she was murdered,” Drake said.
“Yeah, so what? You gonna try to do me for that too? ’Cause I was in here when she died.”
“We wanted to ask if you have any idea who might’ve killed her,” Natalie said.
“Nah. She was an okay chick. Not spoiled and bratty like a lot of the ones who came from money. Can’t imagine anyone was out to get her. Unless it was one of her crazy viewers.”
“Viewers?” Natalie and Drake asked at the same time.
“Yeah, man, she had this makeup and fashion channel online. Not like she had many viewers. She was a true wannabe and a has-been before she ever got started.” He laughed.
Drake glared at the guy. “Have some respect. We’re talking about a murdered woman here.”
Odell’s smile evaporated, but the cocky expression remained.
“The channel couldn’t be under her name or the investigators would have located it,” Natalie said.As would Drake and his brothers.
“Not in her name. She used a one-word name like Rihanna or Pink. Not that anyone had a clue who she was, and it was kinda funny. She didn’t know that everyone was laughing at her. Sad in a way.”
Natalie tightened the grip on her knees. “What was the name she went by?”
He angled his head, and his eyes narrowed. “Honestly? I don’t remember.”
“Well, think.” Natalie finally snapped and slammed a fist on the table.
“Okay, okay. Don’t make me get the guard to protect me.” He sat back, and that snide grin returned.
Natalie had worked with all kinds in her line of work, but never had she been this frustrated. They needed information he might possess to find Kirk, but this guy hadn’t cooperated in the least.
“I think it mighta started with an O like my name.” He tapped his chin. “Or maybe I just like O. Or I’m thinking of Oprah.” He bent down to scratch his jaw. “Anything else I can help you with?”
She shared a look with Drake, who gave a sharp nod. He knew as well as she did that they weren’t going to get a straight answer, and they were wasting their time.
Natalie stood and took one long last look at the creep, sitting there in his prison garb, pretending like being locked up didn’t bother him. But once she looked past the snide and cocky appearance he’d thrown in their faces, she glimpsed an underlying unease and maybe even fear.
The report Erik created said he’d had a difficult childhood with a drug addicted mother. He’d likely become who he was because of his upbringing. She imagined him as the scared little boy sitting in a low-rent apartment or even a motel room, car, or abandoned building, hungry and watching his mother shoot into her veins the drug she’d spent their money on instead of food. Instead of a decent apartment or clothing. Or any other need he might’ve had.
Sure, some people overcame difficult childhoods. She’d succeeded, but many didn’t. Odell was a prime example of that. If he didn’t overturn his conviction on appeal, she hoped he got the help he needed to come out a reformed man. And she especially hoped he didn’t emerge from this place as one of the many who became even more depraved while locked up.
19
In the Nighthawk Security office at their long conference table, Erik described the new safe house location to Drake and Natalie. So far Drake approved. From their father’s days at PPB, he knew of an old lodge out in the middle of nowhere. The owners rented the former resort to groups, and PPB had used it for getaway weekends. He was more than willing to rent it to the Byrd’s for a few days.
“So there’s plenty of room for everyone and no connection to us.” Erik grabbed a handful of peanut M&Ms from a bowl on the table, and sat back, looking pleased with himself.
“What about the ability to set up an early warning situation?” Drake asked.
