Carla Cassidy - Scene of the Crime - Baton Rouge

Alexander couldn’t help the suppositions that raced through his mind. His plan was to buy a book, chat like a customer and then once the signing was over have a more in-depth discussion with the author.

“I didn’t expect this kind of crowd,” he said, leaning closer to Georgina.

“I checked her out before you picked me up. This is her fifth crime book and she’s grown quite popular,” Georgina replied. “You think the guy behind her is her agent?” she asked dryly.

Alexander flashed a tight smile. “I’ve heard that literary agents are tough, especially those from New York City.”

A small laugh escaped Georgina and the sound pooled warmth in the pit of his stomach. It had been over two years since he’d heard the sound of her husky laugh.

He averted his gaze from her and instead focused on the other people inside the store. It was possible the very man they sought was right here in the room, eager to buy a book about the people he’d kidnapped.

Or perhaps Michelle took her research to a whole new level and she and the mountain man behind her were responsible for the disappearances of the FBI agents. It would make one hell of a publicity stunt.

His stomach knotted. Could that be what this was all about? Surely not. He hadn’t seen any publicity concerning the missing FBI agents and the book that was being sold. The various departments involved had been playing the details of each case close to their vests.

As far as Alexander knew, no reporter had tied them all together to come up with a serial kidnapper at work. Until this morning, when it was reported that a task force had been formed. He’d like to get his hands around the neck of whoever had leaked that information.

He glanced at Georgina and noticed that she was perusing the crowd with narrowed eyes. She was probably thinking the same thing he was, that the perp might very well be right here in this room, eager to buy a book about the people he held captive. Hopefully the author they were about to meet would have some answers.

He breathed a sigh of relief as finally there was only one person in line before they’d be at the author’s table.

“Professor Tanner,” Michelle greeted the man in front of them warmly. “I can’t believe you’re here.”

“Now, how could I miss such a special event for one of my best students?” the tall, well-built man replied.

“You’re part of the reason I’m where I am,” Michelle said as she signed a book for him. “Your classes were always so fascinating.”

“Thank you. Let’s hope there continue to be plenty of students who enjoy my classes.” He took the book she’d signed for him and then Alexander and Georgina stood before the author’s table.

“Hello, would one or both of you like a book autographed?” Michelle asked with a bright smile.

“I’d like one,” Georgina said. “You can just sign it to Georgina.”

“And we’d both like to have a little chat with you when this is all over this evening.” Alexander pulled his official identification from his pocket and placed it on the table. To hell with the idea of pretending to be a fan, he thought. He just wanted to cut to the chase.

Michelle looked at it and then at him with a faint alarm on her pretty features. Alexander quickly tucked his identification away.

“Can we talk someplace other than here?” she asked. “I’d rather not have any of my readers know that the FBI is questioning me about anything.”

“There’s a coffee shop about three blocks from here at the corner of Magnolia and Mission Road,” he said.

She nodded. “I know the place.” She glanced at her wristwatch. “I’ll be here for another half an hour or so. Shall we meet there in about an hour?”

She appeared curious and a bit apprehensive, but not particularly scared or guilty. Alexander was eager to question her and find out what, if any, role she might have played in the crimes. “Make sure you’re there. Otherwise we’ll find you someplace where it might be less private.”

“I’ll be there,” she replied, her lips morphing into a thin line as she turned her attention to Georgina. “Did you really want a book?”

“Yes.”

Michelle quickly signed the book and handed it to Georgina. “I hope you enjoy it,” she said as if by rote.

The two of them left the table, paid for the book and then exited the still-busy bookstore. It wasn’t until they were back in Alexander’s car and headed to the coffee shop that Georgina spoke.

“So, thoughts?” she asked.

“I have several. My first thought is what a great publicity stunt it would be for the three agents she wrote about in her book to suddenly go missing.”

He felt Georgina’s gaze lingering on him, could almost hear the wheels churning in her head. “It would be a great publicity stunt, but there’s been nothing in the news until this morning to let people know that we’ve determined that the missing FBI agents are tied together.”

“Odd, though, that the news broke on the morning of her book signing.” He glanced over to her, noting how pretty she looked in the faint glow of the dashboard lights.

“Odd, or coincidental,” she agreed. “Nobody in the crowd caught my eye as looking particularly suspicious. Even Michelle didn’t look overly worried or guilty when you showed her your identification and said we needed to talk to her.”

“I guess we’ll have a better feel for her after questioning her,” he replied as they pulled up in front of the coffee shop.

They grabbed one of the tall tables in the back where they would have a little more privacy, although there were few people in the place. Most of the college students would frequent the coffee shop throughout the day, but on a Saturday night they would all have better places to be.

“Sit tight. I’ll go get us some coffee,” he said. She sat on one of the tall stools and opened the book she’d bought as he headed for the counter.

“I’d like a medium black coffee and a medium caffe mocha, hold the whipped cream.” He was vaguely surprised that what had been Georgina’s favorite drink rolled effortlessly off his tongue after all this time. He wasn’t even sure if she still drank what he’d just ordered for her.

He paid for the drinks and grabbed them, and as he turned to face her, he immediately knew something was horribly wrong. She had her cell phone at her ear.

Her face was the pale shade of death, but her eyes were huge and darted at him frantically. He raced to the table at the same time she set her cell phone down with a hand that visibly shook.

“Georgina, what happened? Who was on the phone?” He set the cups down and reached for her hand. Her icy-cold fingers grabbed onto his and held tight.

“It was him.” Her voice whispered from her. “He said he was the person we were hunting.” She drew a deep breath, some of the color returning to her cheeks as she disengaged her hand from his and instead curled her fingers around the warm cup in front of her.

“Are you sure it wasn’t some sort of a prank phone call?” he asked.

Her green eyes held a faint tinge of fear as she slowly shook her head. “He said he’d be in touch again and that Macy told me to get a good night’s sleep, that I was going to need my rest if I was going to save her.”

Myriad emotions rose up inside Alexander, questions about if the call had really come from the man they sought and when he might make contact again. More importantly, why out of all the task force members had he connected with Georgina? His stomach clenched tight.

Did this mean that Georgina was in danger?

Chapter Four

Georgina took a drink in an effort to warm the cold that had gripped her insides the minute she’d heard “his” voice on the phone.