Page 58 of Shane
Shane hit redial and gathered his wits.
“Shane?” that same motherly voice led with instead of hello. “Are you okay? Do I need to send an assist, honey? How bad are you hurt and what do you need? Talk to me.”
Ah, so she did have a softer side. Good to know.
“No, ma’am, I’m good. Just took a quick, err, umm, combat nap, you know how it goes.” He had no idea if Mother knew what combat naps were or if she’d ever served, but that was all his brain came up with. “Tuesday said you know where Ev is?”
“I do. It doesn’t make sense, but she’s only two clicks directly east of your location. Her GPS signal’s holding steady, but be prepared to be disappointed. You might only find her burner phone when you get there.”
“Understood. Yes, ma’am.” Shane wanted to ask Sasha why everyone called her Mother or Mom. She didn’t sound old enough to have kids his age, but he held back. Something about her tone was intimidating.
“You sure you don’t need help? I can send someone. Just say the word.”
Shane appreciated the shift in her personality. A little kindness really did go a long way. “Yes, ma’am, I know you can, and I appreciate the offer, but no. I’m good.” To prove he meant what he said, Shane climbed to his feet using the tried and true three-point method of sticking his free hand firmly to the ground until he stove-piped both legs and got himself back on his feet. Once upright, he was dizzy but good. Well, good enough.
“Ms. Smart doesn’t sound like a deranged killer, does she, Shane?” Sasha asked quietly.
“No, ma’am, she doesn’t,” he told The TEAM’s technical wizard.
“You need to know that while you were out, she told me you were hurt and she wasn’t leaving you behind. That she’d stay with you as long as you needed her. Don’t you think that’s an odd thing for a cold-blooded murderer to say and do?”
Shane nodded, aware that Tuesday could probably hear everything Sasha said. “Wait a sec, I’m putting you on speaker. And no, she’s not what I expected. Listen, would it be asking too much for you to digitally backtrack Ms. Smart’s whereabouts for the last year or so? She’s recently been in the Arctic photographing effects of climate change. Before that, she was in Africa, the Serengeti. Also, check into Robert Freiburg. Tuesday works for him or with him and—”
“With him,” Tuesday whispered. “We’re partners.”
“With him,” Shane clarified, “and I don’t know how good you are with the Cloud, but—”
“Just tell me what you need, and if there’s anything to find, I’ll find it,” Sasha said with a definite twist of arrogance in her tone.
Okay then. Shane put his neck on the line for the woman at his side. “Tuesday’s a freelance photographer, and I believe her. She didn’t kill her husband, and she didn’t kill Mr. Bremmer or his kids. She didn’t even know them. The first she heard of her alleged crimes was when she saw a news broadcast at DFW. But her equipment, cameras, and computer were lost when her home exploded, so she can’t prove anything. Could you possibly—?”
“Yes, I can download her files. Just need her user ID and password.”
Shane held the phone out to Tuesday. “Mother needs your—”
“I heard. Sasha, my user ID’sTooSmart, all one word, capital T, capital S. Password’sMomandDad, all one word, M and D are caps.”
“Got it,” Sasha replied, and Shane was pretty sure those clattering background noises were her fingernails on a keyboard. But he’d also heard the quaver in Tuesday’s reply. That more than anything else made his mind up for him. She’d loved her parents. She was innocent and she was being framed. That was the God’s honest truth, because what kind of woman used mom and dad for a password? An innocent woman, that was who.
“Also, while she and I locate Everlee, could you track down any airport security footage of Tuesday’s departures and arrivals?”
“You’re thinking she’s got a stalker? Where was her last arrival?”
He turned to Tuesday and said, “Dallas/Fort Worth?”
She nodded. “Yup. DFW. Three days ago. I flew in from Anchorage on Alaska Airlines. Do you want my flight number? My itineraries?”
“Don’t need them,” Sasha replied, “or any other flight information. Understood? I can find those details easy. No trouble at all. I’m on it.”
“Are you sure you don’t need—?”
“I said I’m on it, Shane,” Sasha snapped. “Now go do your job. Get Everlee.”
“Yes, ma’am. Two clicks east? What’ll be there when I, err, I mean whenweget there?”
Tuesday shot him a small smile of gratitude.
“A Piper airplane and a helicopter last time I checked my satellite feeds. It’s a deserted private airfield with a barn close by, a single hangar, and several smaller outbuildings. It’s off the interstate, though, behind the ridge of granite outcroppings running east alongside the field you’re in now. I’ll help you get to Everlee once you’re closer. Can you accurately determine where you need to go?”