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“There are political appointments to the White House, but I’m in a permanent staff position as the procurement manager. I ensure that the groceries are ordered to throw pillows, repairs, you name it, for over five administrations now.”
Noah sipped a coffee as they sat outside a truck stop as he digested the information. Leslie had tea and picked at a biscuit while she talked. They had pulled into a strip mall outside downtown Washington. Finally, at three o’clock in the morning, the after-bar crowd dispersed, and they had the parking lot to themselves.
“What did you report and how?”
“Nothing I would have considered important. Advanced ordering for functions and any major repairs that had to be approved against the budget. I was more in the background and didn’t interact with the president or his staff. My small office was in the basement.”
Hunter cracked the window for some fresh air, then asked. “What did Joe do with the information?”
“Once a week, a car would pick him up, and they would be gone for twelve hours. It was a four-hour drive there and the same back.”
Noah pulled out the burner phone and looked at the map. A four-hour drive would cover a few states, and they could have gone anywhere. “Anything more specific?”
Leslie closed her eyes for a moment. “He always said it was time for another rocky drive before laughing. It was his private joke.”
As he scrolled through various maps and established the distance, Noah shrugged. “The possible area is too large. No idea.”
She placed her cup in the holder and half turned in her seat. “Tell me what you can about Angela. I need to know about my daughter.”
“Just a second.” Noah quickly made a call to Dickinson. He wasn’t surprised when she answered on the second ring and placed the call on speaker.
“Only a few people know my personal cell number.” Angie sounded wide awake despite the early hour.
“It’s Hunter. Are you at the station?”
“I’m patrol Nanny tonight. Driving around and checking the guys. What’s going on?”
“Too much, unfortunately. Can you search for a location, a four-hour drive from Leslie Taylor’s home? Target unknown. The only possible clue is a rocky road.”
Her deep-throated chuckle made Noah grin. “You aren’t asking for much. I’ll see what I can do. Call me back in a few hours.”
After saying their goodbyes, he reached into the backseat and pulled a sheet of paper out of his bag. When he passed it over to Leslie, she looked confused. “What’s this?”
“A form used by the FBI for background checks. Standard throughout the country.”
The light from the coffee shop was enough to see. “The name and other information are blacked out.”
“Yes, but the data we needed wasn’t.” Noah pointed to the swirls and loops inside the small boxes. “These are a positive match to your daughter. These prints are definitive proof she is alive. We just don’t know where. Yet.”
She ran her finger over the paper as her eyes filled with tears. Then, a grin slowly spread across her face as hope made her glow. “Thank you.”
“This was sent to me in Arrow Point. Someone knew about your daughter and my relationship with the case. I want to—” When the cell phone rang, Noah raised his eyebrows at the display number, then answered. “Are you a miracle worker?”
Dickinson laughed. “I’m at the gas station near the interstate. I used an old-fashioned map with the scale, and Rocky Mount, North Carolina, was the only thing that leaped out at me. Just under a four-hour drive. Do you need me, Hunter? I can catch a flight and be there by noon.”
Noah closed his eyes and leaned back against the headrest. Having a partner for the next stage would help, but he wanted to keep Angie as distant as possible from what he had planned.
“I appreciate the help. I’ll keep in touch.”
Leslie looked up when he plugged the phone in to charge. “Is everything okay?”
“Possible lead. Are you up for a road trip? No guarantees.”
She looked at the fingerprints and wiped the tears from her eyes. “I’ve nothing to lose and everything to gain. I’m in.”
Noah winked, and soon they were back on the interstate driving south. As to what they were headed toward, he didn’t know—hopefully, some answers.