Read Online Final Touch by Brandilyn Collins - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Brandilyn Collins
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from Shaley’s call over and over. One thing that bothers me is this statement: ‘I never wanted you to marry Gary. He’s a lowlife.’”
Brittany folded her arms. Why was he even repeating those awful words?
“You know she didn’t mean that,” Rayne said.
The agent cleared his throat. “That’s just it—Ronald Fledger made her say it.” He turned to Gary. “But why that term— lowlife? It makes me think the kidnapper knows your background.”
“What does Gary’s past have to do with this?” Rayne retorted.
Gary shrugged. “Who doesn’t know? Once Rayne and I got back together, it was all over the tabloids.”
It sure was. Plus a lot of lies. Gary’s conviction for armed robbery, his years in prison. The former cell mate he’d asked to get close to Shaley upon his release from prison so the man could feed Gary information about the daughter he’d never met. How the tabloids had twisted that story.
“True.” Agent Scarrow nodded. “Still I wonder why, of all things he apparently told Shaley to say, he included that.”
Gary frowned at him. “What are you getting at?”
Agent Scarrow tilted his head. “Do you think Ronald Fledger has any ties to anyone you knew in prison?”
Rayne made a face. “That would be quite a coincidence.”
“I’ve told you everything I know.” Gary spread his hands. “I can’t think of anyone in prison who had it in for me. Who might set Fledger up to do this for some kind of revenge. Besides, I was in a Nevada prison, and Fledger was in California. But if someone was paroled and got this crazy idea…”
“Do you have contact with anyone who was in prison with you, or may now be out?”
“I told you in our first interview—no.”
“You’re sure about that.”
“I’m positive.”
“What is this?” Rayne demanded.
“Let’s talk about your ring.” Al stayed focused on Gary.
Rayne huffed. “You’ve already talked about that too!”
“Rayne, be quiet. ” Gary frowned at her, then looked back to the FBI agent. “What about the ring?”
“You told me it was the wrong size, which surprised you. So you made last-minute plans to have it resized here in Santa Barbara and delivered to you.”
“Right.”
“But the question remains—how did the suspect know that van was coming here, and that Shaley would be personally meeting it to get the ring?”
“I don’t know. ”
“Shaley told the jeweler she’d be meeting the van,” Brittany interjected. The agent gave her a look, but she wasn’t about to keep out of this. “You should be asking Pogh Jewelers these questions. Those people are the only ones outside the wedding party who knew that.”
Agent Scarrow looked at Gary—and Gary stared back. Suddenly Brittany understood. She and Rayne exchanged a horrified, knowing glance.
“Are you saying you think Gary is involved in this?” Rayne sounded shocked.
The FBI agent lifted a hand. “It’s a base I have to cover.”
“ What? ” Gary straightened.
Rayne eyed Agent Scarrow, open-mouthed. “No, you don’t. You certainly don’t! Because Gary didn’t have a thing to do with this! And every minute you spend thinking about that is a minute you aren’t looking for the real kidnapper!”
No kidding. Brittany glared at the agent. Didn’t the man know how on edge they all were already? How could he even think this?
“Listen.” Gary’s voice bristled with indignation. He leaned forward and pointed at Agent Scarrow. “You hear me good. I had nothing to do with Shaley’s kidnapping. I don’t know how Fledger knew about the ring and the van.”
Rayne flung out her arms. “This is insane—”
“Rayne, quiet! I don’t need you to stand up for me.”
“Of course I’m going to stand up for you!”
Gary sprang to his feet and faced Agent Scarrow. “I’m not answering any more of your questions, understand? I will not. Waste. Our. Time. If I have to, I’m calling a lawyer right now. You just find Shaley.”
The agent
Brittany folded her arms. Why was he even repeating those awful words?
“You know she didn’t mean that,” Rayne said.
The agent cleared his throat. “That’s just it—Ronald Fledger made her say it.” He turned to Gary. “But why that term— lowlife? It makes me think the kidnapper knows your background.”
“What does Gary’s past have to do with this?” Rayne retorted.
Gary shrugged. “Who doesn’t know? Once Rayne and I got back together, it was all over the tabloids.”
It sure was. Plus a lot of lies. Gary’s conviction for armed robbery, his years in prison. The former cell mate he’d asked to get close to Shaley upon his release from prison so the man could feed Gary information about the daughter he’d never met. How the tabloids had twisted that story.
“True.” Agent Scarrow nodded. “Still I wonder why, of all things he apparently told Shaley to say, he included that.”
Gary frowned at him. “What are you getting at?”
Agent Scarrow tilted his head. “Do you think Ronald Fledger has any ties to anyone you knew in prison?”
Rayne made a face. “That would be quite a coincidence.”
“I’ve told you everything I know.” Gary spread his hands. “I can’t think of anyone in prison who had it in for me. Who might set Fledger up to do this for some kind of revenge. Besides, I was in a Nevada prison, and Fledger was in California. But if someone was paroled and got this crazy idea…”
“Do you have contact with anyone who was in prison with you, or may now be out?”
“I told you in our first interview—no.”
“You’re sure about that.”
“I’m positive.”
“What is this?” Rayne demanded.
“Let’s talk about your ring.” Al stayed focused on Gary.
Rayne huffed. “You’ve already talked about that too!”
“Rayne, be quiet. ” Gary frowned at her, then looked back to the FBI agent. “What about the ring?”
“You told me it was the wrong size, which surprised you. So you made last-minute plans to have it resized here in Santa Barbara and delivered to you.”
“Right.”
“But the question remains—how did the suspect know that van was coming here, and that Shaley would be personally meeting it to get the ring?”
“I don’t know. ”
“Shaley told the jeweler she’d be meeting the van,” Brittany interjected. The agent gave her a look, but she wasn’t about to keep out of this. “You should be asking Pogh Jewelers these questions. Those people are the only ones outside the wedding party who knew that.”
Agent Scarrow looked at Gary—and Gary stared back. Suddenly Brittany understood. She and Rayne exchanged a horrified, knowing glance.
“Are you saying you think Gary is involved in this?” Rayne sounded shocked.
The FBI agent lifted a hand. “It’s a base I have to cover.”
“ What? ” Gary straightened.
Rayne eyed Agent Scarrow, open-mouthed. “No, you don’t. You certainly don’t! Because Gary didn’t have a thing to do with this! And every minute you spend thinking about that is a minute you aren’t looking for the real kidnapper!”
No kidding. Brittany glared at the agent. Didn’t the man know how on edge they all were already? How could he even think this?
“Listen.” Gary’s voice bristled with indignation. He leaned forward and pointed at Agent Scarrow. “You hear me good. I had nothing to do with Shaley’s kidnapping. I don’t know how Fledger knew about the ring and the van.”
Rayne flung out her arms. “This is insane—”
“Rayne, quiet! I don’t need you to stand up for me.”
“Of course I’m going to stand up for you!”
Gary sprang to his feet and faced Agent Scarrow. “I’m not answering any more of your questions, understand? I will not. Waste. Our. Time. If I have to, I’m calling a lawyer right now. You just find Shaley.”
The agent
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