“Yes, I’m going back tomorrow to talk to one of Roger’s friends. But I want to hear from Fran and Richard first. What they saw and heard.”

The couple, dressed in their pajamas and robes, had entered the house and were comforting Brinley.

“You can talk to them but it isn’t much to go on,” West warned him but Jason still wanted to hear their story. He just needed that one detail that would blow the case wide open.

Jason sat down in a chair across from the couch trying to appear calm and in control, at least for Brinley’s sake.

“Fran, Richard, it sounds like you had an exciting evening.” He tried to laugh to keep the tension to a minimum. “What can you tell us about what happened?”

The couple looked at each other and Fran nodded at her husband who began to speak. “I was taking the dogs out to let them do their thing. I was in the side yard that connects the two properties. Anyway, I looked over at Brinley’s house and there was a light that swept through the living room. I didn’t think she was home yet because her car was gone.”

Shit. Brinley’s car was at the motor inn. They’d need to retrieve it tomorrow.

“Go on,” Jason urged. “What else?”

Fran patted Brinley’s hand. “Richard yelled at me to bring out his shotgun and call the police. I grabbed his gun from the wall while I dialed 911.”

“Then the dogs must have known something was happening because they started barking and howling, which of course started Huck doing the same over here.” Richard hopped to his feet and began to pace. “The light went out in the house and I heard a crash. He must have gone out the back door because I heard a rustle of bushes and then nothing but the barking dogs.”

“So you didn’t see him?” Brinley’s softly spoken question echoed Jason’s own thoughts exactly.

“I didn’t,” Richard agreed. “I keep saying him but I guess it could have been a woman too. Hell, it could have been more than one person. I just didn’t see a whole hell of a lot, to tell the truth. I wish I had. I would have shot his ass so full of buckshot he’d be walking funny for a week.”

“I know you would have. Thank you, Richard. And you, Fran. You scared him away and I don’t know how to thank you for that. I’m so grateful.”

“Now, honey, everything’s going to be fine.” Fran hugged Brinley and gave her a reassuring smile. “Now this person knows we’ve got some loud and angry dogs plus a shotgun. They won’t be coming around here again any time soon.”

Unfortunately Jason couldn’t agree with the sentiments. Someone was determined to get to Brinley.

One way or another. But they’d have to go through him first.

They chatted with Fran and Richard for a few more minutes before the couple took their leave. A deputy came into the living room holding a crowbar in a plastic bag.

“Is this yours, Brinley?” West asked, holding the tool up for her inspection. “My deputy found this on your dining room floor.”

“No, I’ve never seen it before.”

“We’ll send it to the lab and see if we can get any prints off of it.” West sat down next to Brinley and scratched Huck on the neck, getting a lick in return. “The lab is done with your home. They’ve pulled a few fingerprints and of course we’ll need you to check if anything is actually missing, but tomorrow morning is soon enough for that. In addition, your front door is broken and will need to be fixed. I can recommend a good handyman if you like.”

“Thank you—that would be helpful.”

Jason hated hearing that broken tone in Brinley’s voice. He’d rather have her feisty or even angry than this… She just seemed sad and beaten.

West glanced up at Jason and then back at Brinley. “You can’t stay there with a door that won’t close or lock. Do you have some place you can stay for the night?”

She blinked a few times and then nodded. “I can stay at a motel.” Her eyes widened when she apparently realized that would mean sleeping at the motor inn where Roger was murdered. “Or maybe a hotel on the edge of town. Out by the interstate.”

“You can stay here,” Jason cut in. The poor woman was dead on her feet and traumatized. He wasn’t that big of an asshole to send her to some motel where she’d be terrified and sit up all night staring at the locked door. “I have a spare room. You can even have Huck in there if you like.”

He thought she might argue but her eyes filled with tears instead. “I think I’d like that. I can’t–”

She choked up and buried her face against Huck’s fur. She didn’t want to be alone and Jason didn’t blame her in the least. What she didn’t realize was that he’d been in a few dangerous situations before. He wasn’t a rookie cop on his first big case.

“Let me walk West to his truck and then I’ll show you to your room, okay?” Jason knelt down in front of her so he could look into her eyes. Her lips were trembling and she looked like a woman on the edge. When everyone got the hell out of here he’d let her cry or scream. Whatever she needed.

“I’ll have my deputy board up your door, Brinley.”

She managed a watery smile. “Thank you, West. I’m glad you were here. I’m sorry if I was mean to you last night. I really am.”

“You don’t have to apologize. Just let Jason take care of you and I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Outside the crowd was dispersing since there was nothing new or exciting to see and the deputy was pounding nails into a sheet of plywood over Brinley’s doorway.

“I’ll call you tomorrow if we find anything.” West pulled open the driver side door of his truck. “Take care of her. She looks shattered. I’ve seen that before in burglary victims. They feel violated. She’s not going to feel safe for a long time.”

“I’m sticking with her like glue from now until we find this guy. I’ll take her with me tomorrow. I’m going to talk to a friend of Gaines. Hopefully he’ll know something.”

“That reminds me. What did his brother say?”

Jason quickly reviewed what they’d learned, West taking notes and action items in his notebook.

“I should have the autopsy report sometime tomorrow. I’ll call you since you’ll be on the road. Did you get any gut feelings talking to Stuart Gaines?”

“Not really, although I guess you could say they have motive. Roger owed his brother money and was basically living above the garage sponging off of them with no end in sight. Seems pretty harsh to kill him though when they could have just tossed his stuff on the front lawn.”

West shrugged and shoved the notebook in his pocket. “I’ve seen people killed over a hell of a lot less. A pack of smokes and a Red Bull got a guy stabbed not long ago. If you’re okay I’m going to head out. Keep in touch with me tomorrow.”

“Will do,” Jason agreed, sending off his brother with a wave of thanks. Twenty-four hours after Roger Gaines’s murder they had more questions than ever.

It was long past time to get some answers.

Chapter Nine

‡

Brinley shoved the covers down for the millionth time but instead of trying to turn over and go to sleep she swung her legs to the floor and climbed out of bed. She’d been tossing and turning for hours – first too cold, then too hot – and despite being near exhaustion it was clear she wasn’t going to sleep easily. If she’d been in her own home she would have popped an antihistamine which would have put her out like a light.

But of course she wasn’t home. Her house had been invaded. Tarnished by some asshole who had kicked in her door. Had the burglar been looking for her just as Roger Gaines had been? Or was it simply all a not-so funny coincidence that she’d had someone break into her home the day after someone ended up dead with her address in his hand?

Not to mention what her mother said about coincidences…

Jason must agree with her mother because he’d tucked her up into his spare bedroom with Huck sleeping outside the door to the hallway. She was sure she was going to wake the dog up when she opened the door and stepped over him to head to the kitchen. Maybe some warm milk would help her sleep. Even if it didn’t, she couldn’t lie here all night staring at the ceiling and running ever more disturbing scenarios through her fatigued brain.