Page 169 of The Woman Left Behind

“To what?”

“Last count, around forty K.”

Harry whistled.

“I called the bank. Asked them to dig back further, give me everything they got,” Rus said.

“Bribes?” Harry asked.

Rus shrugged. “My guess, yes. We’ve heard no word he had alternate employment, unless he took cash under the table. Though, why the man would be stupid enough to deposit them, I have no idea. But if that’s the case, he’s been on the take or hiding income from the IRS for at least the last seven years, even after he quit the department and before Ballard was killed.”

Abruptly, Harry felt his throat close.

Now he knew what it meant when that shoe dropped.

They’d been working together long enough, Rus instantly went alert.

“What are you thinking?” he asked.

“Even after he quit?” Harry asked back.

“Yeah. Actually, there were more then.”

“And before Ballard was killed?”

Rus fell silent.

Then his body jerked when his mind hit the same plain Harry’s was on.

“Get on the bank, Rus. Expedite that shit,” Harry said.

“Saw a picture of him,” Rus replied. “Dark hair. White guy. Beard.”

Dark hair, white guy, always wore a beard.

Goddamn it.

“He’s shit scared,” Rus said quietly.

“He’s shit scared,” Harry agreed.

“Cheryl Ballard is even more scared. She knows.”

“She knows,” Harry stated.

“And if he can find her, she’s next.”

“Yep. She’s next,” Harry said. “I’ll talk to Theresa. If there’s anyone in line before Farrell, I’ll owe her a marker to get them bumped. I want Farrell’s death declared a homicide. I want it everywhere we’re looking for Karl Abernathy as a person of interest in four homicides. I want the Dietrichs’ son to understand we’re now worried for their safety, and they need to come in so we can see to it. I want Cheryl Ballard’s next of kin to know the same thing. And I want Dern, Patterson and Bakshi back in my interrogation room.”

“Abernathy’s also wanted for two cases of sexual assault, along with five of attempted sexual assault.”

At this news, fury coursed through Harry’s body, and he had no choice but to stand there and let it burn down deep.

“Abernathy committed the robbery at the Dietrichs’ behest,” Rus spoke the words out loud.

“He committed the robbery,” Harry agreed.

“He framed Sonny and Avery.”

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