Read Online Wrong Number by Rachelle Christensen - Free Book Online Page A

defensive, but she was failing. “So I’m basically being held here like a criminal?”
    “No, this is the CBI, remember? I want you to understand that everything you are going through is for your protection.”
    “Yeah, I’m sure it’s for my own good.” She looked toward the window again, wishing that she could enjoy the sunshine on a carefree day.
    Edwards furrowed his brow. “As a matter of fact, it is. The case you’re involved in has been upped to a level of national security.”
    “What!” Aubree sat up straighter in her chair and bumped her drink on the meal table. Edwards caught it before it spilled.
    “I can’t believe what a mess I’m in.” She put her head in her hands and took a deep breath.
    Edwards tapped the files with his fingers and cleared his throat again. He rubbed his hand over his hair, which was cut nearly to a buzz. He met her gaze, and now she noticed worry lines around his eyes.
    “Last night we placed a decoy in your home to see if anyone came around. But no one did. By this afternoon, when no one had even driven by your house, we were beginning to feel like maybe we’d overreacted.” Edwards held up his hand before Aubree could agree. “But then we discovered the identity of the person we found in the manhole.”
    Aubree’s shoulders slumped. “So because of who this person is, I’m still not safe?”
    “Yes. The identity of this person has us worried about the funeral tomorrow and your safety.”
    “Can you tell me who it was?” She clasped her hands together.
    “That has to do with this briefing. We found him because of the information you gave us.”
    “His uniform?”
    “We collected information on all missing persons in the last twenty-four hours and narrowed it down to only those who wore a uniform of some kind.” Edwards flipped open a file and showed her a picture of a huge naval aircraft carrier.
    Aubree leaned forward and examined the photo. “The USS Midway ?”
    “So you’ve been there?”
    “Devin and I went last summer.” Aubree winced when she said Devin’s name, but she let the memory wash over her. They had spent a few hours at the retired aircraft carrier-turned-museum in San Diego Bay. It had been exciting to see inside a real aircraft carrier because her dad hadserved in the navy. Dozens of cramped stairwells winding throughout the belly of the carrier had made the deck of the Midway even more appealing when they had climbed to the top of the sun scorched airstrip.
    “But they don’t have uniforms there, do they?” Aubree tried to remember, but she didn’t think the retired naval officers who had helped guide some of the tours had all looked the same. It was a busy place, though. She remembered hearing that the flagship of Desert Storm had about three million tourists per year.
    Edwards pulled out a few more pictures of the Midway . “No, several of the guides wear the same hats and a polo shirt with USS Midway emblems, but the uniformed person missing was head of the night security watch.” He tapped his foot and looked at Aubree. “We wondered why anyone would feel the need to murder a security guard at a popular tourist attraction. Then we realized it may coincide with a special visit from the secretary of defense. He’s planning on visiting the naval carrier on Friday—that’s tomorrow.”
    “How would killing a security guard get them close to the secretary of defense?” Aubree rubbed the back of her neck. “Are you sure my case is connected to all of this and not to Devin’s gambling?”
    “We asked the same question. And we’ve come to the conclusion that Devin’s gambling didn’t have anything to do with his murder.” Edwards opened his briefcase and took out a few files. “Remember how I told you one word could be very important from the conversation you heard?”
    Aubree nodded.
    “You heard the word intruder , which by itself was a bit puzzling, but when we added it to the security guard at the USS Midway , we