Here We Come (Aggie's Inheritance) (117 page)

Aggie’s
voice
choked
as
she
said,
“Laird?
When
did
you
get
so
wise?”

~*~*~*~

“Ok,
let’s
go
over
this
one
more
time.
How
long
was
it
after
Ellie
left
the
library
until
you
got
outside?”

“I
told
you!
Just
long
enough
for
the
librarian
to
do
both
our
books
and
the
lady
between
us—five
minutes?
Maybe?
I
don’t
think
it
even
took
that
long.”
Vannie
sounded
angry,
but
the
cause
was
evident
when
she
added,
“Why
are
you
wasting
time
sitting
here
asking
us
the
same
questions
over
and
over
instead
of
out
there
finding
Ellie?”

“This
is
how
it
works,
Vannie.
Just
let
William
do
his
job.”

William
seemed
unfazed.
He
continued
with
the
same
questions
he’d
already
asked
twice
as
if
there
had
been
no
interruption.
“Ok,
and
you
are
sure
that
she
didn’t
mention
going
anywhere
with
Luke
today?”

“No!
Ask
Luke!”

“Stop,
Vannie.
Stop.”

The
air
seemed
to
crackle
with
tension
as
the
girl
glared
at
Aggie
and
then
sighed.
“I’m
sorry.”

William turned to join
Megan in questioning Luke, but
something on the girl’s face stopped him. He
laid
a
hand
on
Vannie’s
head
and
whispered.
“I
know
it’s
frustrating,
but
trust
me.
It
works
or
we
wouldn’t
do
it.”

“Luke
didn’t
take
her.
He
would
have
told
you
if
he
did.”

“I
know.”

The
truth
of
his
words
hit
him
as
he
crossed
the
road
to
Luke’s
truck
and
Megan’s
side.
Luke
didn’t
have
the
girl
and
they’d
have
to
waste
precious
time
interviewing
him
because
people
thought
they
saw
what
they
couldn’t
have
seen.
He
just
prayed
Luke
had
an
alibi.

“What
do
we
know?”
he asked Megan as he reached the side of Luke’s truck—the very one in which witnesses swore
he
picked up Ellie from the Library not much more than an hour ago.

“Not
much.
He
was
at
a
house
in
Brunswick
from
about
nine
until
Aggie
called.
No
one
was
with
him,
but
he
says
there
are
a
few
people
who
should
have
seen
his
truck
there
until
he
left
to
come
here.”

“Ok,
you
take
those
people,
I’ll
finish
with
him.”

Megan
hesitated—waiting
to
see
something
in
him
before
she
left.
“I’ll
call
you
when
I
have
something.”

He
waited
for
Megan’s
car
to
pull
away
from
the
curb
before
he
looked
Luke
in
the
eyes
and
said,
“You
tell
me
now
exactly
what
you
know
about
this.”

Luke
didn’t
hesitate.
“Nothing.
I’ve
been
racking
my
brains
to
think
of
anything
that
might
explain
it.
I’ve
got
nothing.”

“It’ll
kill
Aggie.
”

As
if
summoned
by
the
sound
of
her
name,
Aggie
r
aced
toward
them,
shoving
her
phone
in
William’s
hands.
“Tina’s
dad
says
that
Ellie
is
under
twelve,
so
we
should
call
the
FBI.
Should
I?”