Chapter 23

Laurel wearily climbed the stairs to her mother's house and unlocked the door, stepping inside and nodding to the two patrol officers in their car by the fence. They'd watch the house all night. "Mom," she called out, kicking off her boots and outerwear. Fred rushed up and rubbed against her legs, and she leaned down to pet him.

"I'm in the kitchen." Deidre peered around the corner. "I made spaghetti. It's pretty simple. I didn't even put anything interesting in the sauce."

Laurel walked that way, rolling her shoulders. "That sounds delicious." She couldn't remember ever being this tired. She'd fought off serial killers before, and she'd run through woods and icy snow while being shot at, but pregnancy . . . That took a toll. She reached the kitchen and sank onto one of the wooden chairs. "How are you?"

"I'm much better. I just wish I could've told you who drove that darn truck." Deidre dished up two plates to bring to the table. "I've decided to concentrate on work. Our preorders for the spring and summer blends are way up. When I say ‘way up,' I mean you'd better find somewhere to invest the earnings."

Laurel tugged her hair out of its clip. "I've found several places to invest. Just let me know how much I have to play with."

Deidre flopped onto her seat, wearing a tight-fitting black yoga outfit with a white tank top beneath her jacket. "Not that we're rich. I know we keep investing our profits, but still, it's nice to be able to buy shoes if I want to buy shoes."

"I concur." As the smell of fresh tomato paste hit Laurel, her stomach rumbled. She reached for a fork and instantly dug in. "I need to talk to you."

"Ruh-roh. Are you moving out?" Deidre poured herself a glass of cabernet.

Laurel's eyebrows lifted. "You want me to move out?"

"No, I don't want you to move out. I figured once you'd finished building your barndominium that you would, but with this weather, your plans have been put on hold, haven't they?"

"They have," Laurel said. She was converting an old barn down the road into a home for herself. With the baby coming, perhaps she should discuss the matter with Huck. They could build something together. His cabin wasn't big enough for a baby, but then again, they hadn't discussed fully moving in together.

Deidre watched her thoughtfully and then sipped her wine. "There are a lot of thoughts crossing your face. Maybe you and Captain Rivers need to sit down and have a nice talk."

"I suppose so," Laurel said thoughtfully. "We haven't planned much."

"You haven't known about the baby for long. Give yourself a break."

The last thing in the world Laurel wanted to do was take the smile off her mom's face, but they really did need to talk. "Zeke Caine called me earlier today and said that he has been phoning you."

Deidre paused with a fork halfway to her mouth and then set it down, still with pasta entwined through the prongs. "Yes. He has called the office several times, and I have ignored him."

"He doesn't have your personal cell phone number?"

"Not yet, but if I remember, he's rather persistent." Deidre paled.

Laurel stood up and fetched a glass of water before reseating herself. "He's dangerous."

"I know," Deidre burst out. "I've wondered if he was in the truck that tried to run me off the road."

As had Laurel. Of course, it could've been Jason Abbott. Or another killer she hadn't met yet. She pushed the pasta around her plate with her fork. "I was thinking that perhaps you should travel sooner rather than later to Asia."

Deidre blinked. "Laurel, I'm leaving in two weeks."

"Yes, I know, but harvest times for tea leaves and the other ingredients you love started a week ago and will continue for months."

Deidre stared at her over the rim of her wineglass. "You want me out of town, Laurel Snow."

"I really do," Laurel agreed. "Things are heating up around Zeke Caine and Abigail, and I have another serial killer in the area targeting women—so far blondes. Mom, you're blond." She shook her head. "My experience and judgment indicate you're in peril. My stress level would decrease if you moved up your travel plans."

Deidre reached for her fork and plopped the mass of pasta into her mouth, chewing while staring at her the whole time. "I'll need to talk to Dolores."

"I appreciate that, Mom. I'll pay for any fees incurred by changing plans."

Deidre waved a hand in the air. "I have as much money as you do, Laurel Snow. I can afford my own fees. Plus, they're all a write-off." She leaned forward. "I don't feel right leaving you here alone with your entire team out of town."

Laurel couldn't deny the sense of isolation right now, but she needed to abandon emotions and start strategizing. She took a bite of the perfectly seasoned pasta. She'd never understood how her mom created such delectable meals. No matter how many times Laurel attempted to measure ingredients and spices, she never achieved the same results. Deidre rarely used recipes and haphazardly tossed in ingredients.

"I'm not alone, Mom. I'm an FBI agent." One without a team in place.

"You promise you'll stay with Huck or he'll stay here?"

Laurel's shoulders finally relaxed now that her mom had agreed to leave town. "Of course."

Deidre grinned. "Are you actually working on instinct here, like a gut feeling?"

"Oh, no." Laurel hurried to assure her mother. "I'm calculating risks and odds and what I know about Zeke Caine, Jason Abbott, Abigail Caine, and whoever the serial killer might be if it's not Abbott."

"Do you think it's Abbott?"

Laurel looked down at her half-finished dinner. "I really don't know." How irritating.

"How soon do you want me to leave?"

"Tomorrow works for me," Laurel said.

Deidre's jaw dropped. "Laurel, I can't leave tomorrow."

"Sure, you can. I already looked into it." She forced a smile. "In fact, I have you and Dolores booked at a luxury spa in Arizona for three days before you take the long flight to Asia to obtain the best tea ingredients in the world."

Deidre took a big gulp of her wine. "I believe that's bribery."

"It's on me, and I already prepaid. The spa does not offer refunds."

Deidre's mouth opened. "Laurel Snow, that is blackmail."

Laurel accepted the label without hesitation. "Guilty of blackmail and bribery in one night. That's a new one for me."

"That's a new one for me, too." Deidre pushed away from the table and stood. "I have to pack."

"I am happy to help, and I already contacted Dolores. A car service will collect her and then arrive here tomorrow morning at five o'clock."

Deidre threw both hands up. "Five in the morning? Laurel, I can't possibly—"

"Yes, you can. I already talked to your employees. Sally and June are more than happy to take over. They were planning to do it in two weeks anyway, so we're just starting a bit earlier."

Deidre put both hands on her trim hips. "What did you bribe them with?"

Laurel blanched. "Thousand-dollar bonuses each week."

Deidre shook her head. "I taught you too well."

Laurel warmed. "That's kind of you to say. I can afford it, Mom, and having you out of town eases my mind while I work these cases."

"That does matter to me." Deidre leaned in and kissed her forehead. "Although you have to promise me you'll be safe."

"I promise. I've been trained by the best."

Deidre leaned back. "Come help me pack. Are you sure you can solve these cases in two weeks? Because I'm not moving abroad."

"Absolutely. By the time you get home, it will be safe for you. I promise," Laurel said, ignoring the ball of dread in her stomach.

She had to find this killer.

* * *

After helping her mother pack, Laurel snuggled down in bed, her body exhausted and her mind spinning. Fred curled into her side, sleeping contentedly. Laurel normally had more control over herself than this, but the two cases weighed heavily on her. There was no doubt there would be another victim soon if she didn't find the river killer, and probably yet another victim if she didn't find Jason Abbott. Unless the cases were one and the same, which was entirely possible. Her phone buzzed and she pulled it from the table. "Agent Snow."

"Hey, it's Huck." His low voice rumbled over the line.

She burrowed deeper into the blankets. "What are you doing calling me at this hour?"

"We had a sighting of Jason Abbott about a half an hour ago."

She sat up in bed. "Where?"

"I already checked it out. He wasn't there, and I have Fish and Wildlife officers as well as Genesis Valley police officers canvassing the entire area. Do not get out of bed. You need sleep."

She thought through her options and couldn't find a way to help with any such search. "Tell me about the sighting." She lay back down, pulling the covers up to ward off the chilly night.

"Abbott broke into a mom-and-pop convenience store a block away from the Center Diner."

She thought about the area. "I've been in there. I stopped for a slushie one day."

"You bought a slushie?"

"Yes. The purple ones are delicious. Do you have him on camera?"

Huck whistled, no doubt for his dog. "We do. I have the CCTV feed right now. We can look it over tomorrow, but basically he broke into a back door and stole a bunch of food."

"How did he look?"

"Fine. He was wearing black jeans, a dark sweatshirt, and a hat, but it's undeniably him—with a newly shaved jaw."

Her heart beat faster. "Did he look at the camera?"

Aeneas barked in the background. "I already fed you," Huck called out. "Laurel's not coming here tonight. Relax. The dog's looking for you."

She blinked into the darkness. "I doubt that's what he's barking about."

"You'd be surprised. He's really cranky when you're not around," Huck said as clothing rustled. "So am I."

She missed them both. "When I met you, your default setting was grumpy."

He chuckled. "I think that's fair to say, and I like the phraseology."

"Me, too," she said. "I heard it from Nester last week. Back to the case. So, Jason Abbott looked healthy but hungry. What did he steal?"

"He hit the cash register, which held about five hundred dollars, and then took food and water. He was wearing a backpack, and he filled it."

"He doesn't care that we saw him," Laurel mused. The man had narcissistic personality disorder, most likely. That made sense with what she knew about Jason Abbott. "We're still waiting on the results from dumping Haylee Johnson's phone. I wish we could obtain a tap on Abigail's phone. I know he'll reach out to her."

"Do we have enough for a warrant?"

She thought through all the facts she could accurately attest to in an affidavit. "We do not for Abigail, unfortunately. I could reach out and ask her."

"I wouldn't," Huck said. "She'll just play a game with you. You won't know if she's telling the truth or not."

Unfortunately, that was true, and Laurel didn't have the energy to deal with her half sister right now. "Jason robbed a convenience store miles away from the Genesis Valley Community Church, where Teri Bearing's body was found. Have we found any witnesses who might've seen him in that area lately?"

"Not yet," Huck said. "I have the canvassing officers reporting in every fifteen minutes, and if anybody gets a hit, they're to call me immediately. Thus far we don't have a damn thing." He cleared his throat. "I've been taken off my mom's case, but I can argue that the Jason Abbott case is separate right now. Kind of."

They had no proof that Abbott was committing the river killings. Yet. She wiggled her toes in the now-warming sheets. "We have more than we did yesterday. At least we know that Jason Abbott is still in the vicinity. Have you gleaned any news from the tail we've had on Haylee Johnson?"

"Not a word," Huck said. "I had them check in an hour ago, and she's been in her apartment outside Genesis Valley all day and night."

Laurel sighed. "I can't believe Abbott hasn't contacted her."

"Obviously not, because he had to rob a place to get food and money. He has to know that we're watching her."

Yes, but Abbott believed he was smarter than everyone else. "He'll want to outfox us by contacting her. He's probably biding his time, though." She enjoyed employing both colloquialisms.

"Most likely," Huck agreed. "How did your plan with your mom go?"

"Successfully," Laurel said. "She's leaving tomorrow morning with Dolores for the spa, and then they'll fly to Asia and meet with all of the growers. I have her staff rearranging her visits and timelines so she doesn't have to worry about it."

"You're a good daughter. I take it you and your damn cat will be moving in with me?"

She rolled over and curled onto her side. "Fred and I can stay here if you want. He doesn't like it when you swear at him."

"That cat couldn't care less," Huck said, chuckling. "I would very much appreciate it if you both moved in here. I don't like you being alone there, even though, yes, you are a trained FBI agent."

She sighed. "I am sleeping very soundly these days, and I wouldn't mind backup." As if on cue, Fred stretched against her, purring loudly. "Should we talk about a more permanent arrangement?" She winced. Personal matters were not her forte.

"I've been thinking about that," Huck said. "We have several options."

The sound of something popping came across the line, and it took her a second to identify it as a log in his fire. She missed his fire and wished she relaxed in front of it right now. Her mom's place just wasn't as warm. "List our options, please."

"We could expand my place and build a second level, or if you prefer, we could redesign that barndominium that you have planned."

She petted the cat and scratched behind his ears. "I was thinking the same thing. I would like to remain here on the family property closer to my mom, especially once the baby's born." She had no doubt Deidre would provide valuable babysitting. Plus, her mom was the most loving person she knew, and a baby would need that.

"That's fine by me," Huck said. "We can go over the plans. I will need a shop, though. You know that, right?"

She calculated the available space and mentally designed where each building should be erected. "We have acres upon acres of land here. You can have the biggest shop ever built."

"Now, that sounds like a good plan. I'm glad we're creating a future together, Laurel."

"As am I," she said, drowsiness hitting her. "All we have to do is find a couple of serial killers, and then we're in the clear."

He sighed. "Right. Just that."