Say Goodbye (Romantic Suspense #25) by Karen Rose

            “Anyway, she donated the basketballs and the organization auctioned some of them off. The others they gave to kids as prizes for selling the most raffle tickets, that kind of thing.”

            Croft tilted her head, studying him. “Did she buy the basketballs herself?”

            He nodded, remembering that argument all too well. “I told her to use my credit card, but she’s stubborn. Said she had money saved and wanted to do some good.” His throat closed. “She said that she wished there’d been an organization like that to help me when I was a kid.”

            “She knows about your bio-father, then?”

            “Yes. She knows my whole family.”

            She is my family.

            I need more than that.

            He cleared his throat again. “Let’s talk about Angelina Ward. You want to take the lead?”

            “Nah. She might like the looks of you better. I’ll be bad cop this morning.”

            “Only this morning?” Tom teased.

            “Shut your pie hole,” she said, but with obvious affection. “You’re growing on me, kid.”

            “Let’s do this. I assume she won’t want to let us in, but I’ll bat my eyelashes or something.”

            “She’s not going to tell us anything, and if she lets us in, I’ll be shocked. But if she does let us in, be on the lookout for anything we can use to track her husband. Sometimes it’s as simple as a hotel brochure they’ve set aside or a Post-it Note on a fridge.”

            A maid answered their knock. “We don’t accept solicitors.” She started to close the door.

            Producing her badge, Croft rested her hand on the door, halting its progress. “Special Agents Croft and Hunter, here to see Mr. Ward.”

            The maid’s eyes widened. “He’s—”

            “That will be all, Carmela.” The words were delivered in a clipped staccato by a woman with waist-length black hair who wore a spotless white pantsuit. “Please return to your duties.” When the maid was gone, Angelina Ward glared at them with unveiled malice. “Get off my property.”

            Tom smiled. “Ma’am, we’d just like to talk to your husband. That’s all.”

            Angelina’s chin lifted. “He’s at work.”

            “No, he’s actually not,” Tom said. “We’ve just come from there.”

            “Well, he isn’t here. Leave, or I’ll report you for trespassing and harassment.”

            Tom wanted to roll his eyes, but he held his smile. “We’re merely trying to get information on one of his business associates. Maybe you know him? Roland Kowalski?”

            The woman’s nostrils flared and her jaw tightened. “Leave. Immediately.”

            “Mommy?” a little boy’s voice asked uncertainly.

            Angelina instantly changed from vicious to warmly maternal as she turned to the child who was hidden behind the door. “It’s all fine. These people are salesmen and are leaving.”

            “I’ll make them leave,” the boy said, and Tom could picture the child’s chin lifting just as his mother’s had.

            “No, sweetheart. Let Mommy handle this.”

            “Call the police, Mommy. My teacher said so. I’ll call them. I know the number—911.”

            “Smart kid,” Croft said, and Angelina glared at her.

            “Go find Carmela, baby.”

            A small foot stomped. “I am not a baby.”

            “She’s got cookies,” Angelina said, ignoring the tiny tantrum. “Chocolate chip.”

            “Okay!” The child ran, his footsteps growing softer as he raced toward cookie goodness.

            Angelina turned back to face them, teeth bared. “Leave.”