Simon Says Die

come along. It could have been a long time before someone actually noticed. As a diversion, the sprinkler system wasn’t a good plan.”
    Hamilton tapped his hands on the table. “Maybe,” he admitted. “It could also be that Mrs. McKinley panicked when she realized I was going to get a search warrant. Busting the sprinkler was the only thing she could think of to create a diversion. It wasn’t perfect, but it did work. She could have gone outside through that back bedroom, the in-law suite. No one would have seen her.”
    Pierce crossed his arms over his chest. It was difficult to argue when what Hamilton said made sense.
    Tessa pulled a manila folder out of her purse. She placed it on the table, and took out a small stack of black-and-white photos. “These are the still pictures from the motel security camera. They’re not the best quality, but I felt they were pretty definitive. You can clearly see the license plate on the car.” She handed the photos to Pierce.
    He looked at them for a full minute before tossing them back on the table. “That’s Madison’s car, but that isn’t Madison.”
    She picked up the photos and studied one of them. “What makes you say that?”
    â€œSomething is off, but I can’t put my finger on it. It will come to me. But one thing I can tell you, whoever the woman in that picture is, she’s doing her best not to let the camera get a clear shot of her face.”
    Tessa slowly flipped through the photos. “You’re right. Not one of them shows her full-on. She’s wearing sunglasses in half of them, and has her head turned to the side in the rest. All I can say for sure is she has dark hair, the same general build as Mrs. McKinley, and she’s wearing the same clothes.” She glanced up. “You’re not disputing the clothes are you?”
    â€œNo, those are Madison’s clothes.” He didn’t allow himself to think what it could mean if someone had stripped her clothes from her body. It hurt too damn much to go down that road.
    â€œLet’s say you’re right, that she’s the victim in this. What’s your theory?” Hamilton asked.
    â€œMadison came to Savannah in the first place because someone had impersonated her and fired her property management company. And the person who used to take care of the yard each week has disappeared. Or at least, that’s my opinion. Have you actually seen Newsome since we were at his house the other day?”
    Hamilton shook his head. “No. But no one’s filed a missing person’s report.”
    â€œMaybe he doesn’t have any family to file a report,” Tessa offered.
    â€œPossibly. I can get someone to dig a bit more.”
    â€œThat’s a start,” Pierce agreed. “Now, why would someone fire the property management company and possibly be responsible for the yardman’s disappearance?”
    â€œBecause he, or she, didn’t want anyone checking on this house,” Tessa said.
    â€œRight. If we assume Madison really was abducted this morning, the person who abducted her knew this house intimately. He knew another way inside so he could take her without anyone seeing him. And if we add in all the notes, the phone calls, the vandalism—”
    â€œIt’s all about the house,” Tessa said.
    Pierce nodded. “Seems that way. I think someone was living in this house and wanted to get rid of the property manager and yardman so no one would report that he was here. Half the neighbors aren’t around this time of year, so no one would even know there wasn’t supposed to be anyone in the house. They wouldn’t report anything if they saw lights on at night, or a car outside. When Madison came down to check on the house, and ended up staying, the man who’d been living here decided to try to inconvenience her enough, or spook her, so she’d leave.”
    â€œIf that’s the case, why abduct her?” Hamilton asked.
    â€œTo make sure she got the message,” Tessa said.
    â€œAnd what message is that?” the lieutenant asked.
    â€œHe wants her out of the house.”
    Pierce shook his head. “I don’t think so, Tessa. I think he started out trying to scare her away, but now he’s having too much fun. He’s changed his plans. He’s not worried about the attention he’s attracting, or that cops are involved. Think