Chapter 34

CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR

Sawyer met Cam in Brynlee’s kitchen. “Find anything?”

“Not yet.” He shook his head. “Turner’s next door questioning the neighbors. Hopefully someone saw something.”

Sawyer nodded. “Have you checked out back yet?”

“That’s next on my list.”

Cam followed Sawyer as he stepped out into the small, fenced backyard that he and Brynlee shared.

“Looks like whoever it was came through this way,” Cam stated as he inspected the back door.

Sawyer stepped closer and shook his head, his lips turned down when he saw the splintered wood of the doorjamb. How the hell had he missed that?

He scrubbed a hand over his face. “I was distracted. I heard her scream and I never even thought about it.”

Cam nodded and began to pull equipment from his bag. “I’ll print it.”

Sawyer spun around, his gaze encompassing the small yard. If the person had entered through the back of the house, they most likely would have come through the back yard instead of parking out front. He began a slow circuit of the space, his eyes glued to the ground near the house. As he moved closer to the fence, he noticed several small impressions in the soft ground.

Footprints.

He leaned in, inspecting them closely. They were faint, but distinct enough to make out the shape. The prints were smaller than he expected, almost delicate. He had initially assumed a man was behind this—someone strong enough to snatch a cat and cruel enough to kill it. But these footprints, coupled with the long hair pulled from under her car, told a different story.

He straightened up, his mind racing. If these weren’t Brynlee’s, then they could belong to the person responsible. But if that person was a woman, it changed everything. He had been looking for someone who fit his preconceived notion of a male aggressor. This new possibility opened up a whole new set of questions.

He turned, gesturing for Cam to join him. "Come take a look at this."

He walked over, gaze immediately locking on the small footprints. “Are those Brynlee’s?”

“I don’t think so.” Sawyer pointed to the prints. "I’ll check her shoes to make sure the pattern doesn’t fit. Besides,” he continued, “nine times out of ten she’s barefoot when she’d out here. Some shit about grounding herself or whatever.”

Cam raised a brow, a smirk pulling at the corners of his lips. “Grounding?”

Sawyer waved a hand in the air. “Don’t ask.”

A half hour later, they’d checked each of Brynlee’s shoes against the impression near the fence. The ground was still damp from the flooding the other morning, and the ground hadn’t yet had a chance to dry out and shrink. Even so, the shoe print on the ground was nearly a half-inch larger than Brynlee’s.

“It’s not hers,” Sawyer stated. “This is too big to be hers—and too small to be a man’s.”

Cam nodded slowly as he photographed the impression. "It would make sense. But why the hell would a woman do this?"

"I don’t know," Sawyer admitted. “But think about it—the way they went about sabotaging her car, cutting every line underneath? A man would likely know which specific line to cut. It’s like whoever did it was trying to make sure they got the right one but didn’t know which it was.”

Cam rubbed his chin thoughtfully. “And when that didn’t work, they went after Scooter to send a personal message.”

Sawyer frowned. What the hell had Brynlee gotten herself mixed up in? “But who? And why now?"

Cam leaned against the patio table and crossed his arms over his chest. "We know it’s someone close to Brynlee, someone who knows her routines and has access. Maybe Jessica was pissed that Brynlee fired her and decided to retaliate.” Cam raised an eyebrow. "What about her relationship with Brynlee? Any signs of tension before the firing?"

"Brynlee said Jessica was getting increasingly difficult to work with," Sawyer said. "Late to work, rude to clients, sloppy with her job. Brynlee gave her several chances, but she kept messing up."

"So Jessica felt she was being pushed out, maybe?" Cam suggested. "And when it finally happened, she snapped."

Sawyer nodded. "It fits. And a woman could come and go from the salon or Brynlee’s house without anyone thinking twice. Less suspicious than a man."

Cam leaned back, crossing his arms. "We need to talk to Jessica. Get a sense of where her head is at. If she’s behind this, we need to catch her before she does something even worse."

"Agreed," Sawyer said, standing up. "But we need to be careful. If she’s unstable, confronting her could be risky. We need a plan."

Cam nodded. "Let’s get some backup. We’ll approach her carefully, see if we can get her to talk without spooking her."

As they made their way to Jessica’s apartment, the tension in the car was palpable. Sawyer’s mind raced with possibilities, each one more troubling than the last. If Jessica was behind this, there was no telling what she might do next.

They arrived at the apartment complex a short while later and knocked on apartment 4D. After a moment, Jessica opened it, her eyes widening in surprise and worry. “What can I do for you?”

"We need to talk to you about Brynlee Layne,” Sawyer said, keeping his tone calm but firm. "Can we come in?"

Jessica hesitated, her eyes darting nervously. "Uh, sure. Come in."

They stepped inside, and Sawyer took a moment to survey the room. It was cluttered, with clothes and personal items strewn about. Jessica seemed on edge, her hands fidgeting as she gestured for them to sit.

Sawyer took a seat, maintaining eye contact. "Jessica, we’re investigating some incidents involving Brynlee. We need to ask you a few questions."

Jessica’s eyes narrowed. "Incidents? What kind of incidents?"

"Someone’s been trying to hurt her," Sawyer said bluntly. "Her car was tampered with, and her cat was killed. We’re trying to find out who’s responsible."

Jessica’s face paled, her hands trembling. "You think I did it? I had nothing to do with that! Brynlee fired me, yeah, but I’m not a psychopath."

"We’re not accusing you," Cam interjected calmly. "We’re just gathering information. Can you tell us where you were today?”

Jessica’s eyes flickered with anger. "I had an interview at 2:00 at a salon over in Danbury, but the rest of the time I was here. So I don’t have an alibi if that’s what you’re asking. But I swear, I didn’t do anything to Brynlee. I was mad, sure, but I wouldn’t hurt her."

Sawyer studied her, looking for any signs of deception. "Jessica, if there’s anything you know that could help us, now’s the time to tell us. Even if it’s something small."

Jessica shook her head, tears welling in her eyes. "I don’t know anything, I swear. I’m not a bad person, Detective. I was just... upset. But I didn’t do this."

Sawyer exchanged a glance with Cam, both of them sensing that Jessica was telling the truth. But there was still a nagging feeling that something was missing.

"All right, Jessica," Sawyer said finally. "We appreciate your cooperation. If you think of anything, anything at all, let us know."

Jessica nodded, wiping her eyes. "I will. I’m sorry.”

As they left the apartment, Sawyer felt a mix of relief and frustration. Back in the car, Cam turned to Sawyer. "What do you think?"

Sawyer sighed. "I think Jessica’s not our culprit. She’s scared, but she’s not lying. We need to keep digging. Someone out there has a reason to hurt Brynlee, and we need to find them before it’s too late."

* * *

Sawyer and Cam exchanged a brief look as they approached Zane's apartment. The man was a wildcard, his past with Brynlee making him a prime suspect, but something about the situation didn’t add up.

Sawyer knocked on the door, his knuckles rapping sharply against the wood. A moment later, Zane answered, his expression a mix of irritation and wariness. “Detective Reed.”

“We need to ask you a few more questions,” Sawyer said, keeping his voice neutral.

Zane sighed, stepping aside to let them in, and Sawyer’s gaze scanned the small space. The apartment was relatively clean; and empty can and a discarded fast food wrapper littered the coffee table, while a sweatshirt lay strewn over the back of the couch.

Once they were inside, Zane leaned against the arm of the couch and crossed his arms over his chest. “What’s this about?”

Sawyer didn’t waste time. “Brynlee’s cat was killed earlier today. We’re trying to piece together who might be responsible.”

Zane’s eyes widened slightly, then narrowed. “And you think I had something to do with that? Are you serious?”

“We’re just covering all our bases,” Cam interjected, his tone calm but firm. “We need to know where you were.”

Zane scowled, his eyes flashing with anger. “I was at work, like I am every day. You can check with my boss.”

Sawyer studied him, noting the tension in Zane’s posture, the way his hands gripped the counter. “You got off at five, right? Where’d you go after that?”

Zane sighed. “I came home. Alone. Is that what you want to hear?”

“Did you see Brynlee at all?” Sawyer pressed.

“No, I didn’t see Brynlee,” Zane snapped, his temper flaring. “You made it pretty damn clear yesterday that the two of you are together. I told you I’d stay away from her, and I have.”

Sawyer could feel Cam’s gaze on him, but he ignored it. He felt zero compunction about lying to the man to keep Brynlee safe. “This isn’t personal. It’s about finding out who’s behind this.”

“It sure feels personal.” Zane’s fists clenched at his sides, his voice rising. “You think I’m the bad guy because I moved on, because I have a history?”

Cam stepped forward, trying to diffuse the situation. “No one’s accusing you, Zane. We’re just trying to get the facts straight.”

But Zane wasn’t having it. He pushed off the counter, his voice laced with bitterness. “You can play good cop all you want, but I know what this is. It’s discrimination, plain and simple. You hate me because of my past with Brynlee, because I was with her before you even looked twice at her.”

Sawyer’s tensed at the man’s words, and he fought to kept his voice level. “This isn’t about Brynlee’s past. It’s about her safety now.”

“I told you—“I didn’t hurt her, and I didn’t hurt her cat.” Zane shook his head, his temper boiling over. “I’m done talking. Next time you want to question me, I’ll have a lawyer present. Maybe then you’ll stop treating me like a suspect just because I’m her ex.”

With that, Zane turned and stalked toward the door, leaving Sawyer and Cam standing in the middle of his apartment, the tension in the room almost suffocating.

Zane threw the door wide and stared at them, unyielding, until Sawyer finally nodded. “Thanks for your time.”

The door slammed behind them, and Cam made a small sound in the back of his throat. “I take it you two didn’t get off on the right foot.”

Sawyer snorted. “Not exactly.”

Cam was quiet for a moment as they descended the stairs and started toward their car. “Is it true?”

Sawyer cleared his throat. “It’s not a conflict of interest, if that’s what you’re asking.”

Cam didn’t say another word as he slid into the car and cranked the engine. Sawyer turned his gaze out the window, his mind spinning. Zane’s defensiveness had struck a nerve, but it also raised more questions. If Zane was innocent, why react so strongly? And if he wasn’t…

They had to dig deeper. Because if Zane was involved, Brynlee was in more danger than ever.