Total pages in book: 86
Estimated words: 83986 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 420(@200wpm)___ 336(@250wpm)___ 280(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 83986 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 420(@200wpm)___ 336(@250wpm)___ 280(@300wpm)
“So in theory, she could have driven from the mansion to the beach house, and Voss could have been waiting there to kill her.”
“That’s what the police think.”
“But you don’t.”
“I just—I’m not finding any evidence that Voss didn’t love his wife, and I’ve been through everything.”
Owen’s middle name was thorough, so there was no reason to doubt him. Plus, he had his own software that worked faster and drilled down deeper than anything I’d ever seen when I was a cop.
“You think Voss loves his wife.”
“I do.”
“Why do you look upset about that?”
“I’m not upset. It’s just, this part doesn’t make sense. Everyone—family, friends, business acquaintances—they all said the same thing, that Elliot Voss was crazy about his wife.”
“So you’re thinking the police have it wrong.”
“I don’t know. I don’t want to make assumptions. Maybe they have evidence I don’t have access to.”
I shot him a look that I hoped conveyed my skepticism. “You’re not just a hacker, Owen, you’re a great hacker, so what don’t you have?”
“Yeah, all right.”
“Honestly, then, what do you think?”
“I don’t think he killed his wife.”
“Okay, good. What do you think happened?”
“I’m not sure.”
“You said her car was at the beach house?”
“Correct. And none of her credit cards have been used, no cash was taken out of their shared bank account or her personal one, no one in her family has wired her any funds, and nothing has been cashed out, like a 401(K) or an IRA or anything.”
“Which, assuming Voss didn’t kill her, seems to lead to the conclusion that she was probably kidnapped.”
“Right.”
“Have the cops considered that?”
“Not with the house being perfect.”
“Like whoever took her couldn’t have lured her out of the house or cleaned it up after. Has no one ever watched a movie?”
Owen smiled.
“Or we’re wrong and they planned her disappearance together.”
“Which is another possibility,” Nash said with a shrug. “I mean, they’re rich, right? Mr. and Mrs. Voss? There could have been cash in the house, or she could have driven to see someone on the way to the beach house and picked up money from them.”
“The GPS on her Lexus says she went from their mansion in Presidio Heights straight to the house in Bodega Bay,” Owen pointed out.
“But you’re saying she conveniently disappeared at the same time her husband failed to show up to speak to the SEC.”
“Yes.”
“No one thinks that’s related?”
“I’m not arguing with you,” Nash grumbled.
“So one of three things happened. Either Voss had his wife safely flee the country, they fled the country together, or she was kidnapped, but whichever happened, he didn’t hurt her.”
“Seems reasonable,” Nash replied flatly, “but SFPD is not gonna bite. They’re certain he killed her and chopped her up into little pieces.”
“But what’s his motive?”
“She had a life insurance policy worth five million dollars,” Owen informed me.
“But that doesn’t matter,” I grumbled. “First off, Voss is a fugitive. Second, at the moment, Carrie’s missing, presumed dead. He wouldn’t get a dime since the insurance company isn’t paying out on her maybe being dead, only on her for sure being dead.”
“True,” Nash agreed.
“And even if her body shows up, at that point they’re certainly not paying Voss. Murderers don’t get paid for killing people to get the insurance money.”
“That’s all valid,” Owen agreed. “So then what? Why is Carrie missing?”
“She has to have been kidnapped. Maybe Rhodes took her to keep Voss from talking,” I suggested.
“No. It’s not Rhodes,” Owen stated.
“How do you know?”
“Because our boss was asked by the FBI to locate the man, which of course he did.”
The government employed lots of contractors, and Jared Colter—between his friends, enemies, and his web of contacts—was at the top of that list.
“Where is he?”
“Lying low in Moldova.”
“Which is a non-extradition country,” I said, crossing my arms. “That sucks. Does our boss have a plan to bring him back?”
“That is a CIA decision, and one that hasn’t been made yet.”
I understood. You didn’t just ask a sovereign nation if you could pop in and grab someone like drive-thru. The only thing worse was not asking and then getting caught with your hand in the cookie jar.
“Apparently,” Nash took up the explanation, “Rhodes is hanging out in wine country there in Moldova, in Nistreana, and Jared has eyes on him. Did you know they make some really good red wine there?”
“I did not.”
Nash shrugged.
“And is Rhodes alone?”
“Yep. No Carrie.”
“Well, he could have had someone else kidnap her and is having her held someplace for him so he doesn’t look guilty.”
Owen shook his head. “Rhodes is living with friends who are footing the bill for his stay. All his assets are frozen. He can’t hire anyone to do anything.”
“Someone else could be footing the bill.”
“No, that makes no sense. Rhodes has nothing. No money, property, investments, anything. And he’s not going to miraculously get his fortune back. He needs to build a new one, and that will take time. Why would his friends help him kidnap Carrie when he’s basically dead in the water? There’s no payday for anyone, and even if Voss doesn’t testify, they have Rhodes on so many other broken laws. The man is never returning to US soil unless he’s in cuffs or a body bag.”