Total pages in book: 114
Estimated words: 108849 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 544(@200wpm)___ 435(@250wpm)___ 363(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 108849 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 544(@200wpm)___ 435(@250wpm)___ 363(@300wpm)
“I suppose,” Monty said thoughtfully, his hands shaking. “This is a big case, and The Killing Hour has gone viral. He’s probably just gotten himself enough business to last the next five years. Plus, he probably didn’t mind sticking it to you a little bit, Laurel.”
Laurel studied him. “You need to rest.” The color had leached out of his face. She placed too much reliance on Monty with the absence of her team. He exhibited signs of imminent syncope, and if he passed out, she might not act quickly enough to catch him. “Go home, Monty.”
“No. I need to help Huck. Tell me what’s bugging you about the crime scenes.”
She couldn’t force him and understood his desire to help the captain. “I don’t like that the ice was broken differently in Teri Bearing’s death from the pattern at the other crime scenes.”
Monty looked back up the hallway. “You think we have a copycat?”
“The possibility has occurred to me,” Laurel said. “We want to look at Teri Bearing’s husband as well as lover. Statistically, the killer is usually close to the victim. We know the mayor is an obvious choice because of Teri’s affair with Pastor John. But perhaps Pastor John hasn’t been truthful about his plans to work with Teri to take the deal from Zeke.” Although she hadn’t discerned markers of untruthfulness from him.
“Neither man has a decent alibi,” Monty said. “But didn’t a number of people know about the affair? The cat was out of the bag, right?”
Laurel nodded. “Yes, but not publicly. Not to the point that Pastor John would be ruined nationally.”
“I guess,” Monty said. “What else is bugging you about this case?”
Laurel breathed out and pounded her palm rather gently against her forehead. “Okay, one thing at a time. It’s the dyed hair. Huck’s mom’s hair. That’s the key.”
Monty frowned. “I don’t understand.”
Ideas and scenarios ran through her head faster than lightning. “Me neither. The answer is just out of my grasp.” She only had so much time left to find answers before Norrs rightfully pulled her off this case, and then it’d be too late. “We’re need to speak with the mayor again, but first, Monty, have two of your burliest officers go pull in Pastor Zeke Caine. We have to determine if Delta’s ‘pastor’ was Zeke. I would like a show of force when he’s brought in.”
“Yeah?” Monty asked. “Are you sure? It’s Sunday, and he’ll be at church.”
This could be a colossal mistake. “Yes. Thank you.”
He straightened. “Do you want to come with us?”
She exhaled slowly. “No. I want him to wonder why I’m not there. If he asks, tell him I had more important matters with which to deal.”
“You’re trying to tick him off,” Monty noted.
“Yes. He most likely has issues with impulse control. Let’s shake him up a little.”
Monty rocked back on his heels. “Should we cuff him?”
“Not if you can help it,” Laurel said. “I don’t want to cross the line, but make the movements public if anybody’s around, and look tough. I want him angry when he sits down.”
“You’ve got it,” Monty said weakly. “I’ll get a couple of badasses.”
“Then go rest. Okay?”
He nodded.
How concerning. He’d actually agreed. Laurel sat back, trying to refrain from worry about Huck or Monty.
She hoped she knew what she was doing.
Chapter 38
Laurel sat on the far side of the conference table in front of the murder board that depicted the river killings. Her phone dinged, and she lifted it to her ear. “Agent Snow.”
“Hey there, it’s Dr. Ortega. I figured you’d be working overtime just like I am today, and I wanted to call you real quick.”
She straightened. “Hi, Doctor. Do you have news for me?”
“I wanted to give you a heads-up that we’ve identified the body of Jason Abbott from his dental records. His teeth were still somewhat intact after the crash and the fire.”
Her shoulders dropped. “I’m not surprised, but I was hoping that it wasn’t him.”
“It’s definitely him. Also, I sent over the toxicology report on Haylee Johnson. She was clean. There were no drugs in her system.”
That wasn’t a surprise. “Was Abbott dead when he hit the ground?”
“I’d say he was alive when the truck went over the cliff and dead by the time it hit the ground and exploded. I’ll send you a complete autopsy report sometime tomorrow.”
She didn’t see Jason committing suicide. Who wanted him dead? Probably a lot of people. Yet only one most likely benefitted from those journals being destroyed before Jason’s death. Abigail Caine. How could Laurel prove that Abigail had killed him? It had to be her. “Switching to the recent drowning homicides. Have you found trace evidence on any of the victims? Any dog fur?”
“Nope. Nothing,” Ortega said. “It’s like the guy touched them with gloved hands when he dragged them across the ice. We found absolutely nothing. We have no idea where he kidnapped them or how he held them until he killed them. My guess is a plastic-lined trunk, to be honest.”