BooksBarbecue
Back The Newcomer Save as PDF
Chapters (71)
  1. Title Page
  2. Copyright Notice
  3. Dedication
  4. 1
  5. 2
  6. 3
  7. 4
  8. 5
  9. 6
  10. 7
  11. 8
  12. 9
  13. 10
  14. 11
  15. 12
  16. 13
  17. 14
  18. 15
  19. 16
  20. 17
  21. 18
  22. 19
  23. 20
  24. 21
  25. 22
  26. 23
  27. 24
  28. 25
  29. 26
  30. 27
  31. 28
  32. 29
  33. 30
  34. 31
  35. 32
  36. 33
  37. 34
  38. 35
  39. 36
  40. 37
  41. 38
  42. 39
  43. 40
  44. 41
  45. 42
  46. 43
  47. 44
  48. 45
  49. 46
  50. 47
  51. 48
  52. 49
  53. 50
  54. 51
  55. 52
  56. 53
  57. 54
  58. 55
  59. 56
  60. 57
  61. 58
  62. 59
  63. 60
  64. 61
  65. 62
  66. 63
  67. Epilogue
  68. Acknowledgments
  69. Also by Mary Kay Andrews
  70. About the Author
  71. Newsletter Sign-up

DeCurtis nodded. “Can you check your bank account? To see if the money has landed?”

“Yeah.” The FBI agent picked up her phone again, scrolled through the apps on the screen, then tapped one. She studied it, then nodded, her expression hopeful.

“It’s here. Ten thousand. Wired fifteen minutes ago.”

Joe held out his hand. “Give me your phone.”

“Why?”

“I’m gonna call him and turn up the heat. And this time, I’ll record the conversation.”

“Screw you,” Vikki said, but she gave him the phone.

Wingfield answered after the first ring and Joe put the phone on speaker.

“You again? I don’t like all these calls. I thought we had a plan. You got the money, right? Just do your damn job now.”

“Hi, Evan. It’s not Vikki, it’s Vikki’s guy,” Joe said easily. “How ya doin’?”

“I’ve had better days. What’s your name, anyway?”

“You can call me Joe. So we don’t get our signals crossed, tell me exactly what it is you want me to do.”

“I told Vikki already,” Wingfield said. “Talk to her.”

“Screw that. I don’t know or care what you told her. She’s only the middleman. I need you to tell me exactly what you expect.”

Silence at the other end of the line.

Wingfield cleared his throat. “I don’t feel good talking about this on the phone. How do I know this isn’t just a giant rip-off? That you even know where they are?”

“Watch your phone, and then call me back here,” Joe said. He disconnected, then took his own phone from the pocket of his jeans. He scrolled through the photos, found a candid shot he’d taken recently of Letty and Maya, at sunset, sitting on the beach, and AirDropped it to Vikki Hill’s phone before texting it to Evan Wingfield.

The FBI agent’s phone rang a minute later and Joe picked up.

“Satisfied?”

“They’re at the beach? Where is this?”

“They were at the beach. Can we cut the bullshit now?”

“Yeah. Listen up, because this is the last time I’m talking to you. Or her. I want Letty gone. As in permanently. I don’t want her body turning up in a week or a month. And I want proof that she’s gone. Like I told Vikki, I’ve already seen the Law & Order episode where the bad guy snatches a bag lady off the street to phony up a hit. When it’s done, send me a photo. You’ll get the rest of your funds—after my daughter is returned to me.”

“What?” Joe said. “No way. That’s not what Vikki said. I’m not dealing with a kid.…”

This time, it was Wingfield’s turn to disconnect.

Joe turned to Vikki Hill. “What do you think? Is that good enough to get him arrested and charged with conspiracy to commit?”