Chapter 8

CHAPTER EIGHT

Her stalker was the dead man found buried on her parents’ farmland. The flash of guilt in Cole’s eyes convinced her that he was one step away from arresting her.

“I didn’t kill him.” She couldn’t quite hide the hint of desperation in her tone. “And you have no proof that I did.”

“There is plenty of circumstantial evidence pointing toward you,” he said in a low voice. “And I want to believe you, but if you didn’t bash his head in, who did?”

“Isn’t it your job to figure that out?” The moment she said the words, she wanted to take them back. She tried again. “You mentioned doing the death notification to his parents. I assume you’ll interview them at the same time. Crow must have had friends, someone who knew him on a personal level.”

He watched her for a moment as if trying to decide how to respond. Hearing car doors slamming outside, she stepped toward the window to see that Zeke and Flynn had returned.

Crossing to the door, she let them in.

“I have a call out to Cassidy; she’s on her way,” Zeke said upon entering the room. “Using the strip mall isn’t a great place for a trap, we need at least four of us to cover each side to make it work.”

When Cole didn’t say anything, she assumed he was taking himself out of the mix, so she reached for her phone. “Okay, we have Cassidy, now let’s try Steele, Brock, or Grayson. Roscoe is on his honeymoon, but I’m sure one of the others will join us.”

“I need to head to Peabody for a death notification,” Cole said with a frown. “If you wait for me to get back, I’m happy to be your fourth.”

She sent him a sideways glance, trying to judge if he was serious. “Thanks, but we have this covered. You have a job to do and so do we.”

His frown deepened into a scowl. “I’d rather you wait for me.”

She would rather he go away and leave the matter of the shooter to the tactical team, but she managed to bite her tongue. Obviously, Cole wanted to stay close because he’d be taking her into custody at some point in the not-so-distant future.

Like first thing tomorrow morning.

Her stomach twisted painfully, but she refused to show any sign of weakness. She knew she hadn’t bashed Bradley’s head in. She had fired that shot, then followed his blood trail until it disappeared.

Yes, she should have notified the police.

But she hadn’t. And that decision haunted her now.

“What’s up?” Steele’s voice echoed in her ear.

“Hey, Steele, I’m being targeted by a gunman. Zeke, Flynn, and Cassidy are heading here to the American Lodge. We need another cop to help with the stakeout. Are you interested? ”

“Absolutely. I can be there in twenty.”

Humbled by her team’s willingness to jump in to assist, she smiled. “Great, thanks. There’s a strip mall tucked behind the MMA gym. I’m hoping to goad the shooter into taking another try at me.”

“Does Rhy know about this?” Steele asked.

“No.” She found herself holding her breath, fearing Steele would back out.

“Okay. Be there soon.”

When Steele ended the call, she turned to her colleagues. “He’s on his way.”

Zeke and Flynn exchanged a glance and nodded. “Sounds good,” Zeke said.

“We’re going to head back to the strip mall to settle in,” Flynn added. “I’ll text both Cassidy and Steele to meet us there.”

“Good. I’ll need to borrow one of your cars to head over. Mine was towed to a local garage, so I don’t have my own ride.” She managed a smile. “Hopefully, this guy will show. I’m anxious to take him down.”

“And if he doesn’t?” Cole asked.

She shrugged. “We can try again tomorrow. But I think he’ll come tonight.”

“Use my truck.” Zeke tossed her the keys.

“We’ll be in touch.” Flynn gave her a nod, then he and Zeke went out to his car, leaving the pickup truck behind.

A long, heavy silence stretched between her and Cole once the guys were gone. He took a step toward the door, paused, then turned back to her. “I’d like your phone number so I can text you when I’m on my way back.”

Her gut instinct was to refuse since it wasn’t her job to make it easier for him to arrest her. A moot point, really, since he already knew where to find her. “Okay.” She gave him the number, watching as he typed it into his phone.

“Thanks.” He held her gaze for a long moment. Then he took a step toward her and reached for her hand. She was so surprised she didn’t resist. “I don’t think you killed Crow, but I’m going to need your help to prove that.”

His statement caught her off guard. “You believe me?”

With a sigh, he nodded. “I do. But I doubt my lieutenant will share my viewpoint, so the sooner we figure out who did kill him and why, the better.”

“We?” She regarded him thoughtfully. Trusting men wasn’t easy for her, but for some odd reason, she believed him. “Okay. I can go along with that idea.”

“Good.” Still holding her hand, he stepped closer and brushed a kiss along her cheek. “Please stay safe until I can get back.”

The sweet caress ridiculously made her heart race. “I’ll be fine.”

“I’m counting on that.” Releasing her hand, he headed outside. Alone in the room, she felt a strange sense of loss. Having spent the better part of the past twenty hours with Cole Roberts, she was disconcerted to realize she missed him.

A man she barely knew. A detective who would more likely than not arrest her in the next day or so.

Why now? she thought wearily, dragging her hands through her hair. Why was she keenly aware of the one guy who was so wrong for her?

This wasn’t the time to be distracted by a good-looking man. She was immune to that sort of thing or was until now.

Glancing at her phone, she realized the rest of her team wouldn’t need her for at least another thirty minutes or so. Crossing to Cole’s computer, she dropped into the chair to pick up where they’d left off digging into the guys on Mike’s list.

It was either do something or go crazy. She preferred action, but a computer search would have to do.

Yet her mind wandered back in time to that fateful night when she’d heard the sound of her bedroom window opening. Replaying the sequence of events, she knew with absolute certainty she had only wounded the intruder’s arm. Was that enough to have caused him to stumble and fall, hitting his head on a rock?

And if so, who had buried him?

It didn’t make sense, but stranger things had happened.

Squashing the temptation to call Shelly, she forced herself to search social media. They’d found Oliver and Evan, but she didn’t think either of them was the shooter/arsonist.

With painstaking slowness, she moved on to the next name. She was only halfway through when her phone buzzed with an incoming text from Zeke.

We’re ready.

About time! She jumped out of the chair and dug in her pocket for Zeke’s truck keys. Darkness had fallen, but there was a light outside each of the motel rooms. She crossed the parking lot, unlocking Zeke’s truck with the key fob. She took a moment to pull the spare vest from Zeke’s back seat. Covering her torso would have to be good enough. Head shots were extremely difficult to make, and cops were taught to aim for center mass.

If this guy was a cop, that’s what he should do. Although he hadn’t come very close that first night outside the gym.

The truck key fob slipped from her hand, and as she bent to pick it up, a gunshot rang out .

What in the world? Dropping to her knees, she reached for her weapon and scanned her surroundings. How had the shooter found her there?

The lights along the front of the motel made it difficult to see. She avoided them, searching for the assailant. Another gunshot ripped through the air, pinging off Zeke’s truck.

He must be somewhere near the trees.

“Who’s sorry now?” The male voice was low and full of spite. It was the first time the perp had said anything, and she wasn’t sure if that was a good thing. Edging along the side of the vehicle, she tried to pinpoint his location. Then she had to duck back behind the truck when another gunshot rang out.

It was almost as if this guy knew she was alone! How long had he been out there watching the motel? Long enough to see Zeke, Flynn, and Cole all leave?

There was nothing worse than being on the defensive. She made herself small, hoping Gary had heard the gunfire and was calling it in.

Her plan to draw the shooter had worked, but not in the way she’d intended.

She only hoped she could hold him off long enough for her backup to arrive.

Cole sat in the living room of Mr. and Mrs. Crow. To his critical eye, they didn’t look shocked or horrified upon learning of their son’s death.

“He’s been gone a long time,” Erma Crow said in a low voice. “We figured something bad had happened to him.”

“Where did you find him?” Henry Crow asked .

Cole chose his words carefully. “His body was uncovered by construction workers here in Peabody. Do you know of anyone who would do something like this? Did your son have enemies?”

“None that I know of,” Erma said, without looking at her husband. “He was a nice boy. Didn’t like school much, but he worked hard at the bar.”

When Henry didn’t expound on that, Cole asked, “Where did you think he’d gone twelve years ago? Had he mentioned wanting to travel?”

This time, they exchanged a quick look as if gauging how much to say.

“Look, I can’t find out what happened to your son if you don’t tell me what you know.” Cole added a note of steel to his tone. “I need your cooperation. At the time you reported him missing, three months after you last saw him, you told the detective on the case that you thought your son went to Madison to find a new job.” He’d stopped in at the precinct on his way here to get the former detective’s file on the missing person case.

“I, uh, yes.” Erma shot a guilty look at Howard. “We had a disagreement with Brad over his taking over as bar manager. We didn’t think he was ready for that level of responsibility.”

A wave of relief hit hard. An argument between Brad Crow and his parents opened them up as possible suspects too. “How long after your disagreement did you notice your son was missing?”

Erma chewed her lower lip. “We, uh, thought Brad was staying with a friend.”

“Which friend?” That detail had not been in the initial report, making him think they were making it up. “I’d like to chat with him or her. ”

“Wade Adams,” Erma said. “We called Wade before notifying the police to report him missing, but Wade hadn’t seen him. Wade lived here in Peabody at the time.”

He jotted the name down, secretly thrilled to have another potential suspect in Brad’s murder. “Anyone else? Did your son have a girlfriend?”

“Not that I know of,” Erma replied. “He dated a few different girls, but none were serious.”

“Do you have their names?” he pressed.

“Oh, that was such a long time ago.” Erma’s hands twisted in her lap. “I don’t recall their names.”

“What about you, Mr. Crow?” He looked directly at Henry. “Do you know of any girlfriends or other friends that I can get in touch with?”

“I worked long hours at the bar,” the older man said bluntly. “I didn’t pay any attention to Brad’s friends, female or otherwise.”

“Why did you wait three months to notify the police?”

“You have to understand, Brad was an adult.” Erma’s expression was pained. “He could do what he wanted. We assumed he’d moved in with Wade and had gotten a different job. Then we thought he must have moved to a new city.”

He wasn’t sure he bought their story. Most parents would still maintain contact even after a fight, wouldn’t they? “Do you still own the bar?” He asked the question, despite already knowing the answer.

“No, we sold it early last year,” Henry said. “We barely scraped by during the pandemic, and to be honest, I was tired of working so many hours. I drive a school bus now, and Erma cleans houses. We make ends meet.”

Staring at his notebook, trying to come up with additional questions, a strange wave of apprehension washed over him. Instantly, he thought of Jina and her decision to head out to the strip mall. It was tempting to rush through this to join her, but he forced himself to make sure he’d covered all the bases.

“Why did you assume Brad had headed to Madison?” he asked. “Did he know someone there? Maybe a former classmate?”

“Oh, uh,” Erma faltered, glancing at Howard. “I don’t remember if Brad specifically mentioned Madison or if that’s just where we assumed he’d go. It’s a much bigger city than Peabody.”

So was Milwaukee, which was closer. Brad’s parents weren’t being nearly as helpful as he’d anticipated. He watched Erma closely, wondering if she’d known or suspected her son had been stalking Jina and possibly other young women too. If he could prove that the guy had been a stalker, his suspect pool would widen exponentially.

“Do you have any of Brad’s personal things here? I’d like to go through them.”

“We got rid of Brad’s things a long time ago,” Henry said bluntly. “He didn’t have much, and there was no reason to keep them.”

Again, he found that odd. He hadn’t gotten rid of Renee’s clothing for a solid year after her death, and he’d known she wasn’t coming back. Would a parent really toss the only items their missing son had left behind? Especially when they didn’t know whether he was alive or dead?

“I really need you both to think back to those days before Brad disappeared. Even a small detail may help me figure out what happened to him.”

“How did he die?” Erma asked. He was a little surprised it had taken her so long to ask. “Was it some sort of accident? ”

“I’m sorry, but I can’t say for sure what happened to your son. It could have been an accident, or someone may have hurt him on purpose.” He watched Erma’s expression closely. “That’s why I need to know the names of his friends and enemies.”

There was another long pause as they mulled this over. Finally, Erma spoke up. “Our bar manager at the time was Ian Muller. I don’t think he and Brad were enemies exactly, but I know Ian wasn’t happy when he heard Brad wanted his job.”

“Ian wouldn’t hurt Brad,” Henry protested. “He knew his job was secure.”

“Where is Ian Muller now?” he asked, jotting the name in his notebook. “Does he still work the bar?”

“Yes, of course.” Erma seemed surprised by this question. “Ian and his wife, Amy, bought the bar from us.”

“Okay, thank you.” He tucked his notebook away and drew out a business card. “Please call me if you think of anything else. I really need to find out who did this to your son.”

Erma took the card. “Thank you, Detective.”

The older couple followed him outside. Sliding in behind the wheel, he considered heading out to the bar to talk to Ian Muller. At this time of the night, the place would still be open. Yet concern for Jina overruled his common sense.

He headed back toward Brookland, using the hands-free function in the rental SUV to send a text.

R U at strip mall?

There was no response for several long minutes, making him believe she was indeed at the strip mall doing her best to draw the shooter out. But then a response came through.

Perp at AL .

What? The shooter was at the American Lodge? How in the world had that happened? He hit the gas, sending the SUV surging forward. She couldn’t be hurt too badly if she’d texted him back, but just thinking of that, a flash of apprehension had him desperate to see her.

To hug her.

Mentally kicking himself for leaving her in the first place, he took advantage of the light traffic on the interstate to zip down the left lane, easily topping fifteen miles over the posted speed limit to reach the American Lodge.

His heart just about thumped out of his chest when he saw not one but three sets of red and blue lights flashing in the darkness.

Braking to an abrupt halt, he shot out of the car and waded into the sea of police officers milling about. Spotting Jina, he hurried to her side. “Are you okay?”

“Fine.” She scowled. “Zeke’s truck took several slugs, though.”

“Zeke was here?” He noticed Zeke and Flynn were standing beside a tall man with dark hair, whom he assumed was Steele and a pretty redhead who must be Cassidy.

“No, all four of my teammates were at the strip mall.” Her voice was laced with disgust. “I was here alone. I came out to Zeke’s truck to head over when I accidentally dropped his keys. That’s when the first shot rang out.”

He should have been there. Swallowing hard, he tried to sound calm. “I’m so glad you’re not hurt. I know God was watching over you.”

She shrugged. “Maybe.”

The wave of apprehension could have been when the first shot had been fired. Although why he would feel something was off so far away from Jina was strange. He believed in God and that Jesus had died to save them, but he wasn’t one to buy into the woo-woo stuff. Maybe the apprehension had been his imagination. As much as he’d tried to focus on the case of Brad Crow, he’d been worried about Jina.

Which brought him back to the immediate threat. “Did you get a good look at him?”

“No, it was too dark, and he was in the trees.” She glowered at the trees in question. “But I have Gary going through his security cameras to see if any of them picked him up.”

“Good idea.” It irked him to know that Gary’s security cameras hadn’t prevented the attack on Jina, but a picture of this perp would help.

“He said something this time,” Jina continued. “He asked, ‘Who’s sorry now?’”

Who’s sorry now? “Does that phrase ring a bell?”

“Not really.” Her gaze looked thoughtful.

“Jina?” A tall man with short blond hair strode into the parking lot with an air of authority. “Fill me in.”

“Captain.” Jina straightened her spine as she turned to face her boss. He’d heard about Rhy Finnegan but had never met him. “I was heading out to meet with Zeke, Flynn, Steele, and Cassidy when I was targeted by gunfire here at the American Lodge. The perp fired three shots in total, hitting Zeke’s truck twice from what I can see. I didn’t see him clearly but have requested Gary to review his security video.”

“And why exactly were you meeting with Zeke, Flynn, Steele, and Cassidy?” Rhy asked.

Before Jina could answer, Zeke spoke up. “We were checking the strip mall for signs of the perp. Something the locals may have missed.”

Rhy looked from Zeke back to Jina as if waiting for her response .

“That’s only part of the story,” Jina admitted. “It was my idea to surround the strip mall with officers to see if the perp might return. I thought if I presented myself at the location of a prior incident, the shooter would try again. Hence the vest.” She tapped the body armor covering her chest. “Instead, he showed up here. I take full responsibility for my actions.”

Her bold honesty was refreshing. Cole had the sense that if she’d claimed that all they were going to do was look for evidence, the rest of the team would have backed her up. Instead, she took accountability so that they wouldn’t suffer because of her. The interaction reinforced to him that Jina had been telling the truth when she claimed she hadn’t bashed Brad Crow over the head with a blunt object.

Yet believing her and proving her innocence were two completely different things.

“Thank you for telling me.” Rhy nodded, then scanned the faces of the team members. “Next time, you’ll want to keep me or Joe in the loop.”

“Yes, sir!” all five tactical officers responded in unison.

Before Rhy could leave, Gary came outside, a resigned look on his face. “I have some video, but it’s not helpful. I think this guy painted black stuff on his face because I don’t have a single camera angle with a good image of his facial features.”

“Figures,” Flynn muttered.

“You’d think some guy walking around with black on his face would raise someone’s suspicions,” Cassidy said with a frown.

“You can take a look for yourself,” Gary offered.

“Let’s do it.” Jina led the way inside the lobby.

Setting his laptop computer on the counter so they could all see, Gary showed them the various frames in which the shooter’s image was captured. His face was covered with black, and the ball cap was pulled low on his forehead.

Not one offered anything remotely useful.

“I guess we’re back at square one.” Jina sounded defeated.

“Hey, don’t give up,” Zeke said. “We may get a match on the slugs pulled out of my truck. Maybe his weapon has been used in other crimes.”

“I’m sorry about your truck, Zeke,” Jina murmured.

“Don’t sweat it.” Zeke awkwardly patted her shoulder. “It’s not the first time it’s been shot up by a perp.”

“It’s not?” Cole stared at him. “Seriously?”

Zeke shrugged. “What can I say? Our team tends to be a magnet for trouble.”

“No lie,” Cassidy said with a grimace. “It’s as if there’s a black cloud hanging over us.”

After a few more minutes, Rhy broke the silence. “Time to hit the road. There’s nothing more we can do about this tonight. We’ll regroup tomorrow.”

It was an order, not a suggestion. On cue, the team dispersed. Jina glanced at Cole. “I guess we need to get out of here.”

He was glad she was being reasonable about this. “Yes. We can find another place to stay for what’s left of the night.”

Outside, the officers were still inspecting the scene, which was centered around Zeke’s truck. Imagining Jina huddled there as bullets whizzed by made his blood run cold. Using his key card, he accessed his room, with Jina following close behind.

“Did you get anything interesting from Bradley Crow’s parents?” she asked as he packed up the laptop .

He was shocked by how badly he wanted to share the details of the interview with her. But that wasn’t an option since she was a suspect too. “I did.”

When he didn’t elaborate, she sighed. “You won’t tell me because I’m involved.”

He straightened from the table, then took a step toward her. “I’ve already compromised this case by spending so much time with you.”

She looked chagrined. “I know. I’m sorry.”

“Don’t apologize.” He was the one who should have insisted she find a teammate to stay with rather than nominating himself for the job. “I’m so glad you weren’t hurt. If anything had happened to you...” He didn’t finish.

“I knew you’d blame yourself. But it was my idea. And I admit, he caught me off guard.” Her gaze clung to his for a long moment. “There was one regret that nagged at me while I was waiting for my backup to arrive.”

“Oh yeah? What’s that?”

“This.” She reached up to draw his head down and kissed him.