and maybe entertain the idea that this guy might actually be able to help her.
Which he couldn’t. No one could.
She stepped past him, into the hallway. “Zoe.” His voice was almost kind. She’d been through something traumatic and he adjusted accordingly. His wife probably loved that gentle voice. Zoe chose to ignore it.
She didn’t go back to the front of the store. There was nothing but blood and death up there, and the woman who had been shot hadn’t wanted her help. Zoe had called for the ambulance, then realized she had to find the ID’s Moose had made for her before the cops came. Now she needed to get out of here before they asked too many questions. Before her name ended up on a police record, and her whereabouts were discovered. Anything that could lead to her would do exactly that—and the wrong people would find her.
Zoe moved to the exit door at the end of the hall. Jude Brauer had told her to stay put. Right. The last time she’d stayed it had ruined her life. Not again. No way.
“You can’t leave, Zoe. You just witnessed a crime. Wait for the cops so you can give your statement.”
“I didn’t see anything.” The words slipped from her mouth and she winced.
“You’re going to lie?”
No, she wasn’t going to lie. “I can’t talk to the cops.”
“That guy knew you, and yet he didn’t kill you.” Jude cocked his head to the side. “Was that because I was here?”
“How am I supposed to know?”
“I’m guessing that you know a whole lot more than you want to admit to me right now.”
She didn’t say anything, because he was right. Sirens grew in volume. They were right outside. An ambulance. Cops. She couldn’t trust the cops. That had been made completely plain to her when she’d tried to report what she’d seen. No one had believed her, and then she and Tyler had been followed. They’d barely escaped.
Zoe had no intention of repeating that frightful afternoon.
Jude turned toward the sound. While his gaze was averted, Zoe slipped out the back door.
Still, part of her almost wanted to stay.
Almost.
She’d ditched him. Jude could hardly believe she’d actually done it. Slipped out the back door right when his back was turned, leaving him standing in the hallway talking to himself. He sprinted to the door and ran outside. Looked around. She was gone from the areas lit by streetlights. Had she hidden in the shadows?
“Police!” a voice called from the front door. “Anyone here?”
A woman screamed. Not Zoe; it must have been the purple-haired woman from behind the counter. She needed help.
What he wanted to do was search all the dark places out back for Zoe. Instead, Jude announced himself as he strode into the Laundromat, then explained to the responding officers what had happened. An ambulance showed up, and the injured woman was taken to the hospital. Then two suited detectives and a couple of crime scene investigators arrived. Moose’s body had to be processed.
He explained again what had happened, but all Jude could think about was those wide green eyes. Terrified. Scared of him, and searching for a way out.
“She just left?”
Jude nodded. “I only turned around for a second and she was gone.”
The detectives shared a look.
“She was scared. Jittery. I’m going to search the back parking lot some more. Maybe you can pull feed from the security cameras. Get a picture of her.”
“If Moose actually had real cameras instead of fake plastic ones then that might be doable.”
Jude sighed. His lead was gone, and so was the woman. Now he was back to square one on who had been sending money to the pharmaceutical company. Or why. He said, “I’m going to look out back.”
What he should do was head back to the office and write a report on what he’d tried—and failed—to do. Though he’d rather drive the streets in this area and try to find the woman. He’d probably never see her again.
Why that bothered him Jude didn’t want to think about. She was probably a criminal involved in a deal with Moose, walking the darker side of the law.
The detectives shook his hand. One said, “We’ll call if we need anything.”
Jude nodded and headed to the door, his thoughts still on Zoe. The fear in her eyes had been real. She’d been scared. Frustrated she couldn’t find whatever she was looking for. Had she stuck around, Jude might have been able to find out more about her. If she needed help, she should have asked him for it.
Jude clicked the locks on his car and realized he’d left it unlocked when he heard the gunshots. Thankfully no one had stolen it while he was inside. Couldn’t be too careful in this part of town. He slid in behind the wheel, ruminating about the case.
Everything about it smelled of a powerful broker who needed...something from the Salt Lake City–based pharmaceutical company. Money laundering, but why had they used this approach? Surely there were easier ways to do it than using the many accounts held by such a high-profile company.
As Jude drove in the general direction of the office, his phone rang. He touched the display screen, and said, “Agent Brauer.”
“Jude, honey. It’s Mrs. McAffrey.”
“Is something wrong with you or Turner?” Mrs. McAffrey was his eighty-six-year-old neighbor, the widow of a Salt Lake City police officer.
Turner was Jude’s dog, who she kept an eye on. He figured she left the gate between their yards open because she wanted the company of his old mutt. She also gave him so many treats, and scraps of chicken, Jude hardly needed to feed him.
“No, honey.” She used the endearment like it was going out of style. “He was out barking at the squirrels an hour ago, but it’s all quiet now.”
“Oh, good. What can I help you with?”
“Well, see, the water in my bathroom sink won’t shut off. I’ve turned and turned the knob but it just keeps streaming out.” She paused, and then in her hopeful voice said, “Could you come look at it, honey?”
“I’m at work right now, but I can call a plumber for you.” He knew she didn’t sleep much, but had she looked at the time?
“And have some stranger traipsing through my house?” There it was, her hopeful voice again.
Jude ground his teeth, but heard a noise in his backseat. It didn’t sound like any of the debris rolling around back there. Instead, it almost sounded like a giggle. He glanced in the rearview, but couldn’t see anything. He needed to keep his eyes on the road, not lower the mirror’s angle. He made a
