Girl Missing Read Free Page B

him, and the doors shut behind her. “Look,” she said. “I have a dead body with no name. Now, I couldjust call her Jane Doe and leave it at that. But somewhere, there’s someone who’s missing a sister or a daughter or a wife. I’d like to help them out, I really would.”
    “Fingerprints.”
    “I’ve done that.”
    “Dental X-rays.”
    “I’ve done that, too.”
    “You sound capable. You don’t need my help.” The doors slid open and he stepped out. “It’s not as if I don’t care,” he said, leading her on a brisk chase down the hall, toward the reception area. “But I don’t see why I should get dragged into this, just because my number happens to be written in some—some restaurant matchbook. She could’ve gotten it anywhere. Stolen it—”
    “I never told you it was from a restaurant.”
    He halted and turned to her. “Yes, you did.”
    “No, I didn’t. I know I didn’t.”
    He fell silent. Their gazes locked, both of them refusing to yield ground. Even a guy as smooth as you are can slip up , she thought with a dart of satisfaction.
    “And I’m sure you’re wrong,” he said evenly. He turned and went into the reception area.
    Sykes and Ratchet were standing by the front desk.
    Sykes turned to Kat and said, “We got your message …” His gaze shifted to the man with her, and he reacted with surprise. “Mr. Quantrell. What brings you down to …” Suddenly he glanced back at Kat.
    “It was his phone number, Lou,” said Kat. “But Mr. Quantrell says he doesn’t know the woman.”
    “Talk to her, Sergeant,” said Adam. “Maybe you can convince Dr. Novak I’m not some ax murderer.”
    Sykes laughed. “Novak giving you a hard time?”
    “Since I can see you two already know each other,” said Kat in irritation, “I’ll just take Mr. Quantrell at his word.”
    “I’m so relieved,” said Adam. “Now, if you’ll excuse me …” He gave Kat a brief nod. “Dr. Novak, it has been … interesting.” He turned to leave.
    “Excuse me, Mr. Q.?” called Sykes. “A word, please.”
    As the two men moved to a far corner of the room, Kat caught Adam’s glance. It said, This has nothing to do with you .
    “We’ll see you downstairs, Lou,” Ratchet said. Then he gave Kat a nudge. “C’mon. You got any more of that god-awful coffee?”
    She could take a hint. As she and Ratchet walked to the elevators, she looked over her shoulder. The two men were still in the corner, talking in low voices. Adam was facing her, and over the head of the shorter Sykes, he caught sight of her backward glance and returned it with a look of cool acknowledgment. The tension in his face was now gone; he was back in full control.
    In the elevator she said, “Okay, Vince. Who is he?”
    Ratchet shrugged. “Owns some pharmaceutical company. Cyrus, something or other.”
    “Cygnus? He owns the Cygnus corporation?”
    “Yeah, that’s it. He’s always in those society pages. You know, this or that black-tie affair. Surprised you haven’t heard of him.”
    “I don’t read the society pages.”
    “You should. Your ex was mentioned in them the other day. He was at some campaign benefit for the mayor. Had a nice-looking blonde on his arm.”
    “That’s why I don’t read the society pages.”
    “Oh.”
    They got out of the elevator and headed to Kat’s office. The coffee machine was doing overtime today. The glass pot had already been emptied twice, and what was left in it now looked positively vile. She poured out a cup and handed it to Ratchet.
    “How does Lou know Mr. Society?” she asked.
    Ratchet frowned at the evil brew in his mug. “Some private thing. Quantrell asked Lou for a little police assistance. Something to do with his daughter.”
    “Quantrell has a daughter?”
    “That’s what I hear.”
    “He didn’t strike me as the daddy type. Not a guy who’d let sticky little hands anywhere near his cashmere coat.”
    Ratchet took a sip from the mug and winced. “Your