Part 7 (1/2)
Walter turned to look at Jack and tilted his head toward the interrogation room. ”Inside, Stratton.”
Jack brushed by him.
”Have a seat.” Walter held his hand out.
”I'm good.”
”No, you're not. We may have a problem, Jack. Have a seat.”
Jack folded his arms as he glared at the man.
”Fine. Be a hard-a.s.s. I just spent an hour of my life talking to a fruit loop, and you want to cop an att.i.tude?”
”Listen. I know Thaddeus is out there-”
”Out there? Out there is believing reality TV is real. Totally nuts is what that guy is.” He jerked his thumb back toward the door.
”There's more to it than what Thaddeus told you.” Jack rubbed the back of his neck. ”With your access as a federal agent, if you look into Marisa's background-”
”What about her background?” Walter c.o.c.ked his head.
”If you have access, you need to look. It's all there.”
The door opened as Jennifer walked in. Walter turned toward her, and Jack caught the slight shake of his head. Jennifer walked over to sit down.
”Jack, I just spoke with Sheriff Collins, and he said you had more information. What is it?” Jennifer asked.
Jack looked down at her but didn't say anything.
”You have to be kidding me,” Walter snapped.
Jennifer held up a hand. ”She told you?”
Jack tried to get a read on her, but her expression was neutral.
They have to know. Why else would they have come out so fast?
Jack nodded. Walter walked forward and placed his hands on the table. ”I'm going to ask you a few questions, Officer Stratton.”
”Ask away.”
”Right now I have a witness who's been in and out of inst.i.tutions. All he's saying is Marisa Vitagliano left with two guys. That doesn't even register as far as sending out a beat cop. So, how do you know Marisa, Jack?”
”We're friends.”
”Friends?” Walter nodded. ”Have you slept with her?”
”Yes.”
”Are you and Marisa still a thing?” Walter walked closer to the table.
”No.”
”Jack.” It was Jennifer's turn to speak. ”Can you try to see how this looks from our side?”
”It's not just Thaddeus.” Jack shook his head. ”She was nervous. We were supposed to talk about why she was scared. Marisa Vitagliano isn't her real name. She has a past. If someone found out who and where she was, it would be dangerous for her.”
Jennifer looked at Walter.
Walter nodded, and then rapped his knuckles on the table. ”I know all about her past. I'm the guy who put her here. But I don't think that's what's going on right now.”
”Hold on.” Jennifer held up her hand. ”We can go back and forth all night, Jack.” She shot Walter a shut-up look and turned back to Jack. ”How about I start, and you finish. Angelica...”
”Mancini.” Jack sighed. ”Now you know why I'm worried.”
Walter leaned down so he could whisper something to Jennifer. Her lips pursed; she crossed her legs.
”I'll tell you what I think, Jack.” Walter's rock-chewing voice was back. ”I think I've got a crazy homeless guy who was furious he didn't get his ham sandwich and cappuccino. He goes to the cops, but they laugh at him, so he gets real mad. Then he comes to you, the jilted ex-boyfriend. You strike me as the hot-headed, jealous type. You get paranoid, and want us to track her down because you think she ran off and is banging her new guy.”
”You're an idiot,” Jack snarled.
Jennifer stood up so she could walk between the two men. ”Marisa is Severino Mancini's daughter. She went underground eleven years ago. She's had no contact with him, and nothing about her has been raised on any agency's radar.”
”Until last night, when you guys contacted the state and her name tripped a flag. That's why we're here, Jack. We even went so far as to make inquiries with Severino himself. Just to do our due diligence and for Angelica's sake. Guess what? No one's been in touch. Nothing. And that's what this looks to be-a big fat load of nothing.”
Jennifer folded her hands. ”Jack, I understand your concern, but that is what this looks like. Right now all we have-”
”All he has is his ex-girlfriend got in a car with her new Asian boyfriend.”
As Jack took a step forward, Walter grinned.
”Go ahead, smart guy. You're already walking a beat. Take a swing and see what kind of duty you'll be pulling.” The two men stared at each other before Walter growled, ”I'm gone.” Then he turned and stormed out the door.
Jennifer put her hand on Jack's arm. ”Jack, please sit down.”
He looked at her for a moment before he pulled out a chair to sit down.
”I know you're concerned about Marisa, but we'll handle this from here,” Jennifer rea.s.sured him.
”If you think I'm just going to sit back and do nothing, you don't know me. I can't just leave her out there.”
Jennifer frowned. ”Jack, let me talk to Walter and Sheriff Collins to see what we can do about it. Did you tell the sheriff who she really is?”
Jack shook his head. ”I haven't told anyone.”
”Good. I know you think something happened, but sometimes a lady just needs to get away. If that's what's going on, we want to make sure she has a place to come back to, so we need to keep this low profile. Give me a minute?”
Jennifer walked to the door. Jack got up and paced the small room.
Could she have just gone away? All I'm going on is Thaddeus...