“They can’t prove murder with what they have,” David continued. “The ballistics don’t tie the gun to Blake, but to his bodyguard. And no one else so far is talking about what happened with Saul that night.”
“It’s not the first cold case solved where nothing could be done to bring justice,” Evie mentioned.
“Been here before, will be here again,” David agreed. “It just leaves a bad aftertaste.”
Evie understood the sentiment. “You should tell Lori thanks for us, Ann,” she teased, “and ask how she likes retirement. She must be living with a few hundred secrets like that of a guy being buried in a wall.”
“She’s not nearly as colorful as you’re trying to paint her, Evie,” Ann replied, amused.
“Uh-huh. That’s like saying you don’t have interesting friends. It doesn’t hold given I’ve met a few of them.” Evie slid a lid on the last box. “Sharon and the guys are coming this way for dinner. You want to join us? Taylor and Theo are now wrapped too. We’re going to choose a new county and move on as a group.”
“Sharon found her family?”
“A mother and two daughters, alive and well, with the case being closed simply as resolved. They don’t need the press attention, and the only one who could be arrested over what happened to cause them to run is already doing jail time, enough he shouldn’t get out even with early parole until after the girls have graduated college.”
“A good ending.”
“Five for five with one group alive is a nice opening set.” Evie looked around the office space. “I already miss this place. The next county is likely going to find us working in some basement with florescent lights with a need for lots of air fresheners.”
David laughed. “Isn’t that the truth? You have a preference for where we go next, Evie?”
“Let’s stay somewhere north—I’m getting resigned to all the snow. I wonder if there’s something like a missing magician in those county summaries? That would be neat. Or maybe a missing chef? We’d enjoy working a foodie crowd of suspects.”
Her phone rang in her pocket. She dug it out, noted the caller ID. “And this day was going so smoothly.” She answered the state dispatcher, “Lieutenant Blackwell,” then reached for a pen and wrote down an address. “Tell him an hour. I’m on my way.” She slid the phone back in her pocket. “Huge favor, Ann—can you pack up my hotel room?”
“Sure.”
She took out her hotel room key and handed it over. “Cole thinks my arsonist just got caught by one of his own fires. I’m on my way to Hoffman Estates.” She stuffed the address in her pocket and picked up her backpack, grabbed her coat and gloves. “Choose somewhere interesting for us, David. I can handle anything but a missing schoolteacher. I’ve had my fill of classrooms for a lifetime. I’ll meet up with you in the next county.”
“Done. I’ll see you there, Evie.”
She headed out. She liked working with him. They were wrapped with both cases before the end of January. That had a good feeling to it too. She’d landed on a successful team and planned to make the most of it. She was even optimistic she would sort out how to answer Rob and get her life in order in the coming month.
She was pulling keys from her coat pocket, hurrying to her car when her feet went out from under her. She stared up at the sky, stunned, then shifted to see if anything was injured but found her coat had padded the worst of the impact and started to laugh. Life had a way of tumbling her occasionally. She got carefully back to her feet, rescued her backpack. Still laughing a bit, she unlocked her car. She’d hurt her pride more than anything else. She could always count on life to throw her some surprises. She started the car, hoped the heat would kick in quickly. Then she drove to meet Cole at the fire scene, wondering what she would find waiting for her there.
Dee Henderson is the author of numerous novels, including Traces of Guilt, Taken, Undetected, Jennifer: An O’Malley Love Story, Full Disclosure, and the acclaimed O’MALLEY series. Her books have won or been nominated for several prestigious industry awards, such as the RITA Award, the Christy Award, and the ECPA Gold Medallion. Dee is a lifelong resident of Illinois. Learn more at DeeHenderson.com or facebook.com/DeeHendersonBooks.
Books by Dee Henderson
Danger in the Shadows
The Negotiator
The Guardian
The Truth Seeker
The Protector
The Healer
The Rescuer
True Devotion
True Valor
True Honor
Kidnapped
Before I Wake
The Witness
God’s Gift
The Marriage Wish
Full Disclosure
Jennifer: An O’Malley Love Story
Unspoken
Undetected
Taken
AN EVIE BLACKWELL COLD CASE
Traces of Guilt
Threads of Suspicion
Resources: bethanyhouse.com/AnOpenBook
Website: www.bethanyhouse.com
Facebook: Bethany House
Twitter: @Bethany House
Threads of Suspicion Page 38