Chapter Seven

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Owen drove toward the Barber estate in San Antonio while Ruby continued to tap away on her tablet. She'd launched right into work mode shortly after she'd confirmed that Francine was actually at her residence. The confirmation had happened by Ruby calling and speaking to a housekeeper. So, by now, Francine almost certainly knew they were on their way to see her.

But Ruby hadn't mentioned the mask.

Which meant they'd be able to gauge Francine's reaction when they sprang the info on her.

Owen had talked to Marty about the mask discovery, and while Outlaw Ridge didn't have jurisdiction in the two murders, Owen would play his deputy card and use his position to question Francine.

Of course, the San Antonio cops would interview Francine as well, but Marty had greased the wheels on that by talking to a high-ranking friend at SAPD. They'd all agreed to give Owen and Ruby one shot at getting the truth from Francine, and then they'd step in.

In the meantime, Ruby had contacted the retailer to try to get a photo of the mask that'd been made for Francine. With any luck, they'd have that before they even arrived at the Barber's house.

He glanced over at Ruby, who was going through the purchase list of yet another retailer. Even though she'd gotten the hit on Francine for buying a mask, Ruby had wanted to rule out anyone else on their possible suspect list who had also gotten one. He didn't believe there were two killers, but the lone killer could have ordered the mask in Francine's name to set her up and then purchased a second one elsewhere to use in the actual murders.

There was a third possibility going on as well. One that didn't sit well with Owen, but he had to at least consider that Brynn might be wearing the mask to the murders to throw them off her scent. But as far as he was concerned, that was a long shot.

"People call my team Owen's Outlaws," he muttered.

He hadn't intended to say that aloud. Still, it was good he had because while he drove the last ten miles to the Barbers, he could run this particular theory past Ruby.

"Yes, they do," Ruby replied, staring at him while she waited for him to continue.

"People were calling us that eleven years ago when I first started Strike Force," he went on. "Brynn was certainly aware of that, aware of what the team could do. So, why wouldn't she just come to me, expecting that I would have helped her get revenge if that's what she wanted?"

"Maybe because Brynn isn't the same person she was three years ago," Ruby replied without hesitation, which meant she had already considered this.

Of course, she had. Ruby had a reputation for leaving no stone unturned, and Brynn's possible state of mind was a big ass stone. Too bad they didn't know what was beneath it.

"I took another look at the reports and the photos from Brynn's attack," Ruby continued a moment later. "I'm sure you have, too, so you're aware she could have survived. An outside chance, but she could have if she'd gotten medical treatment shortly afterward."

Yeah, he knew that. "According to the CSIs, about thirty percent of her blood was in that room, and there was no additives to it to indicate she'd stockpiled her own blood and used it to stage a crime scene. So, if she was still alive after she was attacked, she would have likely bled out more when she was moved. Forty percent blood loss is fatal."

Ruby made a sound of agreement. "Plus, there's the injury that caused the blood loss. Maybe a head wound if it patterns Howie's and McKinney's murders." She paused, blew out a breath. "Even if she survived the attack, a head wound that serious could cause all sorts of permanent damage."

True. He thought of the blunt force trauma to the two recent victims. Probably blows delivered by a hammer. And it sickened him to think the asshole Trent had done that to Brynn. Sickened him even more to consider that she'd maybe miraculously survived only to be dealing with injuries that'd left her impaired.

Impaired enough to kill?

Maybe.

"I searched again for any person coming close to Brynn's description receiving treatment in any hospital or medical facility anywhere in Texas or the neighboring states," Ruby explained. "And I came up with a goose egg."

"Ditto," he muttered. "You also ruled out Brynn being transported on a plane, including private ones."

"I did. And if Trent moved her by vehicle, he didn't show up on any traffic camera anywhere near Austin. He also didn't take her to his parents because again, he didn't show up on cam feed."

Of course, Owen had already considered and reconsidered every bit of this, but it was good to hear it spelled out. "So, you don't believe Brynn is alive?"

She opened her mouth, closed it, then grumbled a single word of profanity. "Actually, I believe she could be."

Surprised, he glanced at her to make sure she wasn't doling out what he'd wanted to hear. She wasn't.

"The Brynn we knew was stubborn, independent, and resilient," Ruby finally said. "And yes, I know that doesn't mesh with her putting up with the other time Trent attacked her and you saw her bruises."

It did and didn't mesh. Brynn could have truly believed the abuse was a one off. But there was another gut-twisting possibility. Brynn had maybe dug in her heels about Trent after Uncle Owen had essentially demanded that she dump Trent and have him arrested. She could have survived the second attack and then voluntarily stayed with Trent in what would have likely become a long-term abusive situation.

Owen had lost plenty of sleep over that second possibility.

"If Trent had attacked her, he could have then tried to get her medical help. Private medical help," Ruby emphasized, thankfully drawing Owen out of his own head and putting his thoughts back on the investigation. "And his parents could have helped arrange that."

"Oh, yes," Owen couldn't say fast enough, taking the final turn to their destination after a prompt from his GPS. "But you said if he had attacked her," he pointed out.

"Because I can't rule out Marlie having done it. Or Francine. Heck, or even Trent's father, Carlton."

This time his oh, yes was just as resolute. It was true that any of them could have harmed Brynn, but Trent was still the top culprit as far as Owen was concerned.

"As a teenager, Marlie was arrested for getting in a fight with a girl she claimed was flirting with Trent," he commented, though he was certain Ruby knew about it. "And she ended up having to agree to anger management counseling and community service."

"She's got a hot temper and had an obsession with Trent," Ruby added. "Not a good combination. She could have attacked Brynn, and Trent or someone else could have gotten Brynn medical treatment."

Or disposed of the body.

Owen didn't like dwelling on that, but he had to at least consider it. Had to consider something else, too. If Francine had indeed been the attacker, then Brynn likely wasn't alive. Francine would have made sure of that.

But why would Francine be killing now?

Had there been some kind of trigger that Ruby and he hadn't managed to uncover?

Those were the questions spearing through his head when he turned into the Barber's upscale neighborhood. Mansions, of course. To Owen, the Barber's house looked pretentious and uninviting.

And too damn big.

He wasn't sure why anyone would want that kind of space around them unless it was just for show. Then again, from everything he knew about the Barbers, they were into show, which was why Brynn had never fit into the image of the girl they wanted for their son. Brynn was too middle class. Too unconnected to the people who were important to the Barbers.

Both Ruby and he had been to this house before. In fact, they'd made several visits after Brynn had disappeared. The cops had even checked the place, but they hadn't found Trent, Brynn or any indication that she had recently been there. In other words, no makeshift medical treatment set up in one of those maze of rooms to tend to her injuries.

Since there was no security gate, Owen drove straight through to the neighborhood and to the house. There was a red Porche in the driveway, and he immediately heard Ruby tapping on her tablet again.

"It's Marlie's vehicle," Ruby relayed.

So, she'd come here after making that phone call to him. He suspected Trent's parents would be a lot more receptive to her than he'd been.

Owen parked next to the Porche, and Ruby and he were about to get out when her tablet dinged with an incoming message. "Finally," she muttered, clicking on an attachment.

It seemed to take way too long for the picture to load, but he wanted to cheer when he saw what the retailer had sent Ruby.

A mask of Brynn's face.

And to go along with that, the retailer had included a copy of the signed receipt of delivery. It was Francine's signature.

"Bingo," he snarled.

Ruby nodded in satisfaction. "I'll have my techs forward it to Marty and the cops in Austin, Dallas, and San Antonio," she said, doing the keystrokes to make that happen.

Once she was done, they got out of his SUV, threading their way around the curving walkway to the front door. He rang the bell, and a woman dressed in a gray uniform opened it.

"Owen Striker and Ruby Maverick to see Mrs. Barber," he greeted.

The woman made a nervous glance over her shoulder before she leaned in, lowering her voice to a whisper. "She'll see you, but she's told me to give you five minutes. Then, I'm to come in and insist you leave."

Owen shrugged. "I'm betting she'll give the cops longer than that if they want it. They'll be here soon."

That put yet more nerves in the woman's faded blue eyes, but she motioned for them to follow her. She led them into what Owen supposed would be called a parlor. Lots of fancy stuff that looked as if the decorator was trying way too hard but not succeeding.

Francine was on a copper-colored sofa with Marlie on the matching loveseat across from her. Both women looked up when they stepped in, but as expected, neither issued any greetings.

"You've got five minutes," Francine snarled.

"So, I understand. This shouldn't take long though, and depending on the answer you give, the cops might be along soon to arrest you."

"Arrest me," Francine said on a gasp. She sprang to her feet as if the sofa had propelled her off the cushion. "I've done nothing wrong. What lies have you been telling about me?"

Owen ignored her rant and tipped his head to Ruby to spell it out since she'd been the one to find the info. "Six weeks ago, you purchased a personalized silicone mask from a company called Sheer Illusions. A mask of Brynn's face."

Every muscle in Francine's mouth seemed to turn to steel. "I did not," she insisted.

Marlie huffed and stood as well. "What kind of witch hunt is this? Francine doesn't have a reason to buy a mask like that."

Ruby ignored both of them and pulled up both the purchase order and the photo of the product that'd been delivered. Francine marched toward the tablet, clearly ready to launch into a verbal tirade.

But she didn't.

She just froze for a couple of seconds. Owen couldn't be sure, but he thought it was genuine shock. Maybe because the woman hadn't expected them to track down info like that.

"I didn't buy that," Francine said, and this time there was less venom and volume to her voice. "I swear, I didn't. Someone must have used my credit card."

"It was delivered here," Ruby pointed out. "And you signed for it." She showed her the receipt.

Francine shook her head but frowned when she saw the signature. "Someone must have forged my name because I didn't order that, and I didn't get it," Francine snapped, and some of the volume had returned. "Janelle," she practically shouted, and the housekeeper who'd answered the door came scurrying in.

"Yes, ma'am?" the housekeeper immediately said. But her words were drowned out because Francine was talking over her.

"Six weeks ago, did a package come to the house from a place called Sheer Illusions?" Francine demanded.

The housekeeper's forehead bunched up, and then she shook her head. "I don't recall a package like that."

Francine aimed a smug glare at Ruby and him. Owen gave her a smug glare right back, and he was a hell of a lot better at it than she was.

"Is that your signature?" he asked.

"No." But she stopped. "I mean, it looks like mine, but I didn't get a mask."

"Maybe your husband did," Ruby suggested.

Francine seemed to latch onto that as a lifeline. Then, it must have sunk in what that might mean.

"Carlton's at work," Francine said. "I'll call him, but he wouldn't have a reason to order something like that."

Still, the woman hurried out of the room, no doubt to contact her husband, and Owen shifted his position so he could keep an eye on the driveway. He didn't want Francine to bolt. However, if she did do that, it would only give the cops even more cause to arrest her.

Marlie folded her arms over her chest and huffed. "Wow, you two will do anything to clear your precious Brynn's name. That apparently includes planting evidence."

"Think that through," Owen suggested. "If we'd wanted to clear Brynn's name, why would we use a mask of her face? Why not use…yours instead?"

Judging from her quick intake of breath, Marlie hadn't considered that. Still, she shook her head. "But you heard what Francine said, you saw the way she reacted when she claimed she didn't buy that mask."

"Claimed?" Ruby repeated, picking up on the same sliver of doubt he'd heard in Marlie's comment. "You think she could have bought it?"

Marlie certainly didn't jump to defend the woman, and her folded arms tightened even more. "If she said she was innocent, then she is," she muttered, not sounding at all convincing.

"But?" Owen prompted.

It took several moments for Marlie to respond. "But I feel that Carlton and Francine haven't given their all to finding Trent."

Owen took some time answering as well while he processed that comment. "Why do you think they haven't given it their all?" he asked, but then he immediately offered up an answer. "Is it because they already know where he is and have been helping him all these years?"

"Maybe," she muttered, nibbling on her bottom lip.

Oh, that clearly didn't sit well with Marlie. She wanted Trent, and his parents were maybe keeping him from her.

Owen went with a couple of questions that would hopefully spur Marlie into revealing, well, anything. "Where would Francine and Carlton have hidden Trent all this time? And why keep him hidden? If he'd done nothing wrong, why not just encourage him to come home?"

"Because you two have made the cops believe he did something wrong," Marlie snapped. "He's on the run because of you."

Ruby shrugged. "He wouldn't have to go on the run if his parents are helping him. Just think, all this time they could have known exactly where he was, and they're keeping that info secret from you. Is that because they don't want Trent to be with you?"

Marlie's eyes narrowed. "They want it," she insisted. "They adore me, unlike Brynn. Just because her uncle has money, it doesn't mean she had class. Trent wanted to be with someone with class."

Owen made a sound of disagreement that had a taunt to it. "Trent was with Brynn so obviously class wasn't an issue for him."

"He wouldn't have stayed with her," Marlie practically shouted, but she didn't add more because Francine came back into the room.

In her short absence, the woman had gone pale, but there was still plenty of anger in her expression. However, she didn't aim that anger at Ruby and him.

But rather Marlie.

"I want you to get out now," Francine ordered Marlie. "And don't ever come back."

Marlie's arms unfolded and flopped to her sides. "Why? What happened?"

"You used my credit card to buy that mask," Francine snapped. "You tried to set me up."

"But I didn't." Marlie was frantically shaking her head now.

"I know it was you. You were the only one with access to my home, and to my purse, who would have done something like this. Now, get out!" Francine shouted.

Marlie gave a pleading glance to Owen and Ruby as if she expected them to defend her.

They didn't, of course.

Marlie cursed them, then tossed more profanity at Francine, and then she stormed off.

"And you go with her," Francine insisted, volleying glares at Ruby and Owen.

Owen didn't budge. "The cops will be here soon. Do you have proof that Marlie ordered that mask?"

"Yes," Francine said through clenched teeth. "And that's information I'll give to the police, not to the two of you. Now, get out."

With that, Francine turned and walked away.

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