Waking the Dead Part 30

And this family had occasion to know that all too well.

Mulder turned away. "Special agent in charge Calvin Whitman," he gestured to the man she'd pegged as CBI, "and my attorney and friend, Mark Alden. He's also Ellie's G.o.d-father."

Alden was impeccably dressed, but his dark hair was slightly mussed, and his eyes were as red rimmed as Mulder's. He gave them a nod but said nothing.

"Why doesn't everyone sit down and I'll catch you up." Whitaker waited for them to take a seat at the table. As they shrugged out of their coats, he continued, "As per Mr. Mulder's request to the governor, I brought a small team of agents and we arrived around five-thirty. My people have thoroughly searched the house and are going over the grounds. An Amber Alert was issued hours prior, when Mr. Mulder contacted the governor." There was a flicker in the man's flat brown eyes at this breach of protocol. It wasn't reflected in his expression, which remained impa.s.sive. "We've found no trace of the child so far. I have an agent taking Mrs. Mulder's statement. Others have rounded up the live-in help and we're preparing to question them."

"Steven just finished completing his statement for Agent Whitaker when you arrived." It was the first time the lawyer had spoken. "We'll expect a copy of it, and of all the case notes, to be shared with Mr. Raiker's team members in an expedient manner."

The tilt of Whitaker's head could have meant anything. But it was telling, Macy thought, that he had made no verbal agreement.

Mulder obviously thought so, too. "Just so we're clear on this, Agent." He placed his palms on the table and leaned forward, his tone fierce. "Raiker's unit is here with the blessing of the governor and our U.S. senators. They will be a full part of this team." He gave a humorless smile. "I've been through this before. I know how it works. Althea and I are suspects until proven otherwise. So is everyone else in this house. I realize that effectively shuts me out of some of the details in this investigation. But the person I trust won't be shut out. He's here to be sure other aspects of the investigation don't stall while you're wasting your time on us." When the CBI agent would have spoken, he waved aside his protest. "I'm not waiting two years to bring my little girl home this time." He rose, and Alden got to his feet as well. "I recognize there are details to be shared that you won't share in my presence, so Mark and I will leave now. I want to be there for Althea when they've finished with her."

The room was silent as the men left, shutting the door behind them. Upon their exit, Whitaker eased his bulk back in is chair and eyed Raiker. "Your inclusion here puts us in a dilemma. You have to realize that."

"The thing about dilemmas is they always have solutions." Adam's voice was no less steely. "Consider those solutions, Special Agent. You can't afford not to utilize us."

The other man rubbed at the folds on the back of his neck. "I want you to . . ." He paused then, seemed to choose his words more carefully. "I'm suggesting that you avoid any conflict of interest by letting my people complete the search of the premises. I've got a crime scene responders going over the girl's room right now."

"And once they're done, we have free access to the property and copies of any and all reports as they're formulated." Raiker clearly knew how to play the game. "My people will be included in all briefings and task a.s.signments."

"The information is a two way street." The agent looked at Macy and Kellen, making no attempt to mask his expression now that Mulder had gone. The man was plainly unhappy with their presence. "If I learn that you've withheld something from me, you're off the case and I'Il have you detained for obstruction."

Macy noted Raiker's fingers clenching around the k.n.o.b of the cane he carried. It was his only sign of temper. His voice, when it came, was silky. "Threats are the realm of the unimaginative, Special Agent. You've got some very powerful people lined up behind Steven Mulder. They were summoned because the investigation into the previous kidnapping of Ellie Mulder went nowhere."

"And you were the superstar there. Yeah, I got that." Curiously, the squaring off seemed to have eased something in the other man. "I knew your rep when you were with the bureau." His gaze lingered on Raiker then, as if taking in the eye patch and scars on his throat and hands. "Got another earful about your outfit from my director. As long as we understand each other, I think we ought to get along well enough."

His gaze traveled between her and Burke. "Which of you is the forensic linguist?"

"That'd be me."

His gaze settled on Macy then. "We don't have a ransom note. At least nothing's been found yet. But if the offender is going to reach out, I'd expect it to be within twenty-four hours. Give him time to see the girl safely situated and then turn his attention to the next matter."

"I have a few contacts in the penal department." Macy was certain Adam's words were a gross understatement. The man seemed to have to have contacts everywhere. "Everyone scooped up in that last case where Ellie was rescued is accounted for in their respective prisons."

"And there's no one else out there that maybe slipped by you guys?" The gibe was nearly hidden in Whitaker's words. "How can you be sure you got everyone affiliated with that case?"

Raiker lifted a shoulder. "You can never be positive. That's why I'm arranging another round of interviews with each suspect in that case. I've got phone calls in to each warden to set it up."

"Video?"

"In person."

The special agent nodded. "That'll save us some serious time and manpower."

"When will we have access to the scene? And the rest of the house?"

Macy caught the barely discernible note of frustration in Kellan's voice. She seconded it. As private forensics consultants, it was rare that they were ever called in on a fresh crime scene. This was one of the quickest callouts she'd ever been part of, and they were effectively being shut away from the scene for several more hours, if not days.

"When the crime scene unit is finished. It'll be evening at the earliest. Until then, you're free to sit in on the interviews of the employees. That's probably going to take us most of the day."

"How many people are we talking about?"

Whitaker glanced down at a sheet of paper in front of him. But before he could answer, Adam said, "Mulder employs nearly forty full- and part-time employees in the winter months. That would include the daughter's teacher and various instructors: piano, dance, whatnot."

"How many live on the grounds?"

"None live in the house," the special agent said, "but the teacher has a small apartment over one of the garages. A mechanic, two stable hands, and a couple groundskeepers have places above various other outbuildings. Everyone else lives off-site." He consulted the notes again. "Eight security officers, six maids, four drivers, three cooks, one personal a.s.sistant-a sort of secretary to Mrs. Mulder-a hairdresser, ma.s.seuse . . . it's like a d.a.m.n village around here."

"And how many of those people were here yesterday?" Kellan asked.

"Thirty-eight were on the grounds at some point." He lifted a shoulder. "A few never made it in because of the weather. Others left early. All have been notified that they're wanted in for questioning. About half have arrived so far."

"You would have looked at the tapes first," Macy noted. She wondered if the agent had been getting to that or if he wouldn't have brought it up if she hadn't asked. "They've got live video feed, right? That means a security station somewhere with someone manning the cameras. Something had to have shown up on them."

"Nothing that we've found yet. But we've only been here a couple hours. I've got some of the best techies in the agency going over those cameras. Whatever is there, we'll find it."

"How many of the security officers have arrived?"

"Six. And we've made contact with the other two. They're on their way."

Macy understood where Raiker was going with his question. She'd be willing to bet that Mulder had spared no expense on security for the estate. "What are the security specs?"

"Well, you saw the twelve foot walls around the perimeter," Whitaker said dryly. "Cameras are mounted every thirty feet. Motion detectors on the grounds. The guard station is manned twenty-four-seven. The gates don't open without key-card ID and thumbprint identification."

Raiker's voice was sharp. "But the guard out front has override powers."

"No. Only security inside can override. But we've found no record that they did so yesterday. We're looking deeper."

Exchanging a glance with Burke, Macy said, "Let's get to those interviews then. Starting with Mulder's security team." There didn't appear to be any way to get on to the estate without security knowing about it.

Which meant one of the members of the team might well have a.s.sisted with Ellie's kidnapping.

About the Author.

Kylie Brant is the bestselling author of nearly thirty contemporary romantic suspense novels, including Waking Nightmare, Waking Evil, and Waking the Dead. She's a two-time Rita nominee and a Romantic Times Career Achievement award winner. One of her books is listed by Romantic Times Magazine as an all-time favorite.

Kylie lives in the Midwest with her husband and a very spoiled Polish Lowland sheepdog. Visit her website at www.kyliebrant.com or contact her at brant.com.

Berkley Sensation t.i.tles by Kylie Brant.

WAKING NIGHTMARE.

WAKING EVIL.

WAKING THE DEAD.