Lupi 09 - Mortal Ties

what we were to talk about today. I’ve roughed in some possibilities, and we
     were going to talk about them.”
    “I need their phone numbers and full names. Also the names and numbers of anyone else
     you called or can think of, his address, and the make and model of his car and bike.”
    “But his car and motorcycle are still there.”
    “Humor me.”
    The car was an older Lexus; Beth didn’t know the year, but thought it was at least
     ten years old. The motorcycle was newer, a black BMW with lots of chrome. Beth didn’t
     have a clue about the license numbers, but that would be easy to find. She sent Lily
     Carly’s and John’s contact information, as well as that of the other two people she’d
     called. She’d also called the hospitals, who hadn’t admitted to having a Sean Friar
     on their premises. Ditto for the morgue. “You said he referred to your appointment
     when you saw him last night.”
    “Yes, yes. ‘See you tomorrow,’ he said. Shouldn’t you be doing something?”
    “I am. Do you know if he’s seeing anyone?” Beth had insisted she and Sean were not
     a couple.
    “He’s not.”
    “You’re sure.”
    “We’re friends. He would have told me.”
    Lily didn’t doubt Beth believed that. “Do you have a picture of him?”
    “Sure.” Beth lifted her phone, touched the screen a few times, and held it out. “This
     one’s pretty good.”
    It was a close-up of a forty-something man with sun-streaked hair and dark eyes. Caucasian,
     clean-shaven. His nose and his grin were both slightly crooked, lending an appealing
     asymmetry to otherwise regular features. Lily’s heart sank right down to the pit of
     her stomach, where it thudded around uncomfortably.
    Rule leaned in to look at the small screen. He and Lily exchanged a glance. There’d
     been a chance, however faint,that Beth’s Sean Friar wasn’t the one Lily had a file on. The photo took away that
     small hope. “Send it to me, okay?” she said, handing Beth back her phone.
    “What are you going to do?”
    “I’m here on a case, so I can’t—no, wait, don’t explode. I’m taking you seriously,
     but I can’t drop everything and personally look for him. I’ll put someone on it.”
    Beth looked dubious. “You’ve got people you can put on things?”
    “Yeah.” Lily pulled out her own phone. “Local FBI, in this case. There’s a chance
     this is connected to, ah…a Unit matter. I’ll explain that in a minute.” She looked
     up the number, touched the call button, then glanced at Rule. “One of your people,
     maybe, for the house?”
    He nodded. “We do want to be sure he isn’t there and injured.”
    Or dead, but neither of them would mention that possibility in front of Beth.
    Cullen spoke for the first time since sitting down. “I’m good with locks.”
    Rule stood. “You’re too appealing a target. I’ll talk to Scott. He’ll know who else
     can handle the lock.”
    “I’m faster. Besides, there could be a connection.”
    “Target?” Beth said, looking between them. “What do you mean, he’s a target?”
    Meanwhile, Lily had identified herself and asked to speak to Special Agent Bergman.
     She’d already talked to the woman once today, on the flight in. That wasn’t the first
     time they’d spoken. It was Bergman’s office that’d run the original check on Sean
     Friar when Lily first crossed paths with his brother, Robert Friar.
    Bergman agreed to have someone look into Sean Friar’s apparent disappearance right
     away. Lily gave her Beth’s number and address verbally; the rest of the info could
     be sent electronically…in a minute. First she had to do something she dreaded.
    Rule stood at the door, talking to Scott. Cullen was still on his stool. Beth was
     standing bolt still, staring at Cullen.
    “What do you mean, someone wants to kidnap you?”
    “Or kill me,” Cullen said cheerfully. “We aren’t sure which, but taking me hostage
     seems more likely.”
    “But—but—” She spun to face Lily. “Someone wants to kidnap Cullen and someone already
     has kidnapped Sean, so—”
    “Whoa.” Lily held up both hands. “We don’t know what’s happened with your friend.
     It’s a huge jump from ‘I don’t know where he is’ to ‘he’s been kidnapped.’ ”
    “Did someone try to kidnap Cullen? Is that why you’re here?” She shook her head. “That
     doesn’t make sense. Why would you come here if someone tried to kidnap him back in
     San