Chapter 28

CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

Sawyer pushed open the heavy door to Joe's bar, and the low hum of conversation enveloped him as he stepped inside, the scent of beer and fried food hanging in the air.

Though it was only early afternoon, a decent crowd had already begun to accumulate. He scanned the room, and his gaze landed on the bartender, her dark curls pulled into a messy bun. She was cleaning a glass and chatting with an older man seated at the bar.

Sawyer walked up to the bar, nodding at a couple of regulars who were deep in conversation. He leaned slightly against the counter as the bartender set the glass aside and sent a flirtatious smile his way.

"What can I get you?" she asked.

"Just some information, if you've got a minute," Sawyer replied, pulling out his badge and flashing it briefly before tucking it away. "I’m Detective Reed."

Her eyes narrowed slightly, a hint of caution creeping into her expression. "What do you need?"

Sawyer pulled out his phone and brought up a photo of Zane. He held it out for her to see. "Do you recognize this guy? His name’s Zane. He says he was here last night."

She leaned closer, squinting at the photo for a moment before nodding. "Yeah, I remember him. He was here. Had a couple of drinks, kept to himself mostly."

"What time did he leave?"

The bartender paused, her brow furrowing as she thought back. "Must’ve been close to ten. He wasn’t in any hurry, but I remember it was just before the late crowd started trickling in."

Sawyer nodded, mentally noting the timeline. Zane would have had plenty of time to leave the bar and head over to Brynlee’s house. "Did you notice anything unusual about him? Anything out of the ordinary?"

She shook her head. "Not really. He watched the game for a bit, then headed out.”

“Thanks for your help.” Sawyer offered her a brief smile before turning to leave, his mind already racing two steps ahead.

Zane had been at Joe’s, just like he’d said. But there was still the matter of the long hair that had been found near Brynlee’s car, something that didn’t match up with Zane’s short cut.

Could he have worn a wig? Sawyer considered the idea, but it seemed out of character. Zane had been to Brynlee’s house multiple times; he wasn’t trying to hide his presence before. Why would he start now?

The thought nagged at him as he walked toward his car. If Zane had really cared about Brynlee, and Sawyer was inclined to believe he did, why would he do something so drastic, so dangerous? The brake lines hadn’t been just tampered with—they’d been cut with precision, almost ensuring a catastrophic accident. That wasn’t something you did on a whim or out of anger. It was premeditated.

Sawyer sighed as he slid into the driver’s seat, his hands gripping the steering wheel. The case was getting more tangled by the minute. On the surface, Zane didn’t have a clear motive to hurt Brynlee. And yet, the pieces didn’t quite fit together.

As he pulled out of the gravel lot, his thoughts kept circling back to the same question: If not Zane, then who? And why would they go to such lengths to disguise themselves?

For now, Sawyer would have to rule Zane out. But the flicker of doubt in his mind refused to go away. Something still wasn’t adding up. And until he had more answers, everyone remained a suspect.

* * *

According to the lab reports, the hair belonged to a woman—quite possibly the same woman Brynlee had fired just a few days ago.He needed to follow up on Jessica, see if her anger had turned into something more sinister.

Sawyer pushed open the glass door of Blissful Beauty, and the soft chime above the entrance rang out, announcing his arrival. The place looked pristine, the polished floors gleaming under the soft lighting, and the faint scent of lavender lingered in the air. Soft chatter filled the air, and Sawyer noted three women seated in the chairs along the wall, their hair in various states of disarray.

A woman emerged from the short hallway near the bathroom, and she turned a polite smile his way. “Welcome to Blissful Beauty. How can I help you?”

“I’m Detective Reed with the sheriff’s department,” Sawyer introduced himself as he stepped closer to the counter. “I’m looking to speak with whoever’s in charge while Brynlee Layne is recuperating.”

The woman’s expression shifed from polite curiosity to understanding. “That would be me,” she replied. “I’m Melanie. How can I help you, Detective?”

Sawyer nodded, appreciating her directness. “I’d like to ask you a few questions about a former employee, Jessica. Could we talk somewhere private?”

Melanie hesitated, then gestured toward a hallway leading to the back of the salon. “We can use the break room. Follow me.”

Sawyer trailed behind her, nodding to the ladies in the salon area as he passed. The salon was spotless, each station meticulously organized. He could still hear the low hum of the dehumidifier in the massage room, but it already looked far better than it had the other day when he’d been here.

They reached the break room, and Melanie sat down, motioning for Sawyer to take a seat across from her.

“So,” Melanie began, folding her hands on the table, “what do you need to know about Jessica?”

Sawyer leaned forward slightly, keeping his tone neutral. “I understand she was fired recently. Were you here when it happened?”

Melanie’s brows furrowed as she nodded. “Yes, I was. Jessica came in late that day and Brynlee wasn’t having it. She pulled her aside, and the next thing I knew, Jessica was shouting. She was furious, made a huge scene, and then stormed out. It was pretty intense.”

“Have you seen her since then?” Sawyer asked.

Melanie shook her head. “No, I haven’t. She just disappeared after that. We haven’t heard a peep from her.”

“Why did Brynlee fire her?”

Melanie drew in a deep breath. “Jessica is a great stylist, but…” she gave a tiny shake of her head. “She’s just not a great worker. She was late more often than not, and her attitude over the past couple of months wasn’t great. It was starting to affect everyone here, and Brynlee…”

Melanie grimaced. “Well, you know how it is. She had to do what was best for the business.”

Sawyer paused, considering his next question. “Do you think she could have been responsible for the flood damage? Could she have accessed the valve in the bathroom?”

She frowned, thinking it over. “I don’t think so. Everything happened so fast that day. She showed up late, Brynlee fired her, and she was out the door in no time. I didn’t see her go near the bathroom, and honestly, I don’t think she had the chance.”

Sawyer studied her for a moment, then nodded. “What does Jessica look like?”

“The last time I saw her, she had shoulder-length brown hair with purple tips,” Melanie replied. “She changes it up pretty often, though, so I can’t know that for sure.”

Sawyer noted the description. It wasn’t much to go on, but every detail helped. “Thanks, Melanie. I really appreciate your time.”

Melanie gave him a small smile, though it didn’t reach her eyes. “No problem. I hope you find what you’re looking for.”

Sawyer stood and made his way out of the salon, the door chiming softly behind him. Another dead end. He couldn’t shake the feeling that he was missing something, a crucial piece of the puzzle that kept slipping through his fingers.

Sawyer racked his brain, trying to think if he knew any women with long, nearly-black hair. He didn’t think so. He’d have to ask Brynlee later if she was close to anyone who watched the description. They’d yet to question her, but Sawyer wanted to do that himself.

She still had no idea she was in danger, but she was safe enough in the hospital, surrounded by family. Until she was released, though, he had a million other leads to chase down.