River Justice by B.J. Daniels

Author:B.J. Daniels
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2024-05-07T12:26:17+00:00

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

THE DISPATCHER PUT the call through to the sheriff’s cell phone. “It’s Penny, the waitress at the café. I found an envelope on a table here after the evening rush with a note that says, Give this to Holden McKenna.”

“Did you see who left it?”

“No, but the cook said he thought it was a woman. Didn’t see her, but he said she didn’t seem familiar. Probably not from around here.”

“Don’t let anyone else touch the envelope, please,” Stuart said. “I’ll be right there.”

Five minutes later, he was bagging the envelope with a large chunk of dark hair inside. He didn’t need to wait for the DNA report to know it was Holly Jo’s or question why it had been left at the café. He was only thankful that it hadn’t been a finger or a toe. The fact that it was a thick chunk of her hair made his stomach roil. He feared what might come next. He swore he would find this kidnapper if it was the last thing he ever did.

Once they had proof of life—the hair didn’t prove that Holly Jo was still alive. He needed a photo. As he left the café, he got the call from Holden that a photograph had been received. The FBI lab already had it.

He would make arrangements to send the hair on to the lab so it could be matched with the hair from Holly Jo’s brush. He saw no reason to show it to Holden, who was already furious over the photo and what had been done to the girl’s hair.

Stuart was anxious to hear about the cardboard box of Robert “Bobby” Robinson’s ashes from the funeral home that were also now at the FBI lab and asked that a DNA sample be compared to Holly Jo’s DNA. He knew he was spitballing as he drove out to the McKenna Ranch. It was late. He’d grabbed a sandwich and ate it as he drive.

His mind whirred. What wife didn’t pick up her husband’s ashes? She’d paid the bill but hadn’t wanted an urn. The ashes had never been picked up? Maybe she’d been too angry at him for dying—especially since alcohol had been involved after the rodeo. Or maybe, his gut told him, something was wrong.

Stuart was anxious to talk to Holden about what he’d found out. He was positive now that the rancher knew a whole lot more than he was telling him—starting with Holly Jo’s father.

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