Page 68 of Night Hawk
“Then we need to find that proof.” She made strong eye contact. “Do you think Lisa is buried in his backyard?”
“First, we don’t officially know if Kelsey found graves. Second, we have no indication Lisa died.”
A knock sounded on the door, and Clay spun, his hand on his weapon. He looked at his brothers. “Anyone expecting a visitor?”
He received head shakes in response, and Pong’s head came up, his posture hyperalert. Clay went to the door, drawing his gun on the way. He looked out the peephole.
“It’s Trent.” Clay holstered his sidearm and opened the door.
“Heard you went to meet the Longs.” Trent pressed his lips together.
Clay had done nothing wrong but he felt a need to raise his shoulders. “We did.”
Trent rubbed the back of his neck. “Let’s talk about it.”
Clay didn’t want Toni to have to relive the conversation, but he didn’t want to alienate Trent either, so Clay stepped back, and Trent strode past him. Clay introduced him to his brothers, and they shared a look of mutual respect that one law enforcement officer automatically had for the other. No judgment for leaving law enforcement. Just respect.
“Can I get you some coffee or water?” Clay asked.
Trent rubbed a hand over a tired face. “I’d kill for a cup of coffee.”
Clay led him into the kitchen and looked at Toni. “Want a cup?”
She shook her head, still seeming like she was barely hanging in there.
Trent took a seat at the counter, three stools away from Toni. “You look like meeting them has left you shaken up.”
Toni bit her lip and looked at Clay, probably trying to decide if she should mention the key and the picture. He gave her a quick nod.
“I am, but it’s more than that now.” She slid the picture over to Trent. “The photo we thought was me and my mom is actually Lisa and Mom.”
Trent took a long look at the back of the picture. “You didn’t ever suspect that?”
“Sure, all my life I wondered if my parents were hiding siblings from me. I used to check the closets, just in case.”
Her sarcastic tone was so unusual that Clay turned to check on her.
“Sorry.” She clutched her hands together on the countertop. “I’m at the end of my rope.”
“This is big.” Trent tapped the picture. “Ties Rader to Lisa’s disappearance.”
“Yeah,” was all Toni said.
The single-serve cup of coffee started dripping, and Clay rested against the counter. “While we were there, we got Lisa’s hairbrush. Emory will process it for DNA. And I’m hoping you’ll give Kelsey permission to tell us if it matches the remains found at the school.”
Trent sucked in a sharp breath. “My department should’ve taken that into evidence.”
Clay might be cooperating but he wasn’t going to be blamed for doing something wrong when he didn’t. “You don’t have an active investigation open on Lisa, so I figured it was okay for us to handle.”
Trent continued to stare at him.
Clay pushed off the counter and planted his feet. “She’s Toni’s sister, and she’s missing for Pete’s sake. Toni has every right to find out what happened to her.”
Trent let out a breath and looked at Toni. “Sorry. Yeah, you do have the right. And I don’t have an open investigation.”
“Can Kelsey tell us if there’s a match?” Toni asked, looking like a lost little girl instead of a strong FBI agent.
Trent shook his head, and Clay wanted to deck the guy.
