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coworkers, they were all in bed by ten-thirty. No one is sharing
rooms, and the Movie Motel doesn’t have keycards, so we can’t tell
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when someone leaves or accesses their room.”
That was a dead end. If Rafe thought for one second he could
convince the higher-ups that this BAU team should be pulled, he
would call the director himself, but no one was going to listen to him.
He’d quit.
Nate shook his head. “The feds are finishing up forensics. They’ll
transport the body to the morgue, and then I’m sure they’ll bring in
their own expert. Sorry, Caleb. I know you don’t like other doctors in
your clinic.”
The doctor shook his head briefly. “I’ll take care of it. I think
you’ll find the feds will be more than willing to let me do the
autopsy.”
Rafe stepped forward. He felt bad for the doctor. It was hard to
give up control. “I’m sorry, but Joe is going to insist on his own guy.”
The doctor set his bag down. “I already have the go-ahead.”
Cam’s mouth dropped open just a bit. “How did you manage
that?”
The doctor shrugged slightly. “I know a few people. I made a call,
and now I’m the one doing the autopsy. Don’t worry. I won’t fuck it
up. I’ve had a lot of practice doing autopsies lately.”
The last bit was said with a ferocious scowl sent Nate Wright’s
direction.
“Damn it, Caleb. I did not invite the Russian mob to town. You
can’t blame me for that.”
The doctor grunted as though he really, really could blame the
sheriff. He walked over to Holly and put a hand on her shoulder. “Get
dressed and come with me.”
Holly looked up. “Caleb, I appreciate you spending the night, I
really do, but I have to work.”
“No.”
“You have got to stop doing that,” Holly complained. “You can’t
just say no.”
Nate stepped in. “Stella closed for the day. We’re all closing up
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shop so we can stay in. It’s better that way. Consider Bliss closed for
a few days. We can all handle it. It should keep the tourists safe.
We’re sending some business to Creede and some to Del Norte.”
Holly’s hand curled around Laura’s. “All right, then. But I could
just stay home. I promise I won’t answer the door.”
Caleb stared at her.
Her mouth turned down in a stubborn pout. “I know—no. Fine.
I’ll get dressed, or should I go to the morgue in my undies?”
The doctor’s lips curled up just the slightest bit in a way that told
Rafe he would be perfectly fine with that scenario.
“I don’t suppose there’s any way we could get on that crime
scene?” Laura asked, wiping her eyes. She straightened up, and Rafe
saw the minute she put her tears behind her and pulled her
professionalism around her.
“I’m supposed to bring you in for questioning,” Nate admitted.
“What?” Cam practically screamed the question.
Laura put a hand on his chest. “You know they’re going to want
to talk to me. The key now is to make sure they don’t take me into
protective custody for my own good.”
“I will not allow that to happen, bella,” Rafe promised. He turned to Nate. The sheriff was really his only law enforcement ally. “I am
convinced that someone on my former team is responsible for this.”
“Rafe,” Laura breathed as though she couldn’t believe what he’d
said.
“You knew it all along,” Rafe replied. “It’s someone very close.
Cam and I are going to run back to our motel and pick up our things.
You have wireless somewhere in this town?”
Nate grimaced. “At the station, but I doubt you’re going to be
very subtle investigating people who are standing right behind you.
It’s a small station. You’re out at the Movie Motel? Gene has dial-
up.”
Now Cam was the one groaning. “I can make it work. We need
access to employment files. There has to be something in there. I have
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three suspects in mind, though you’re not going to like them, Rafe.”
Rafe was being realistic. There was no longer any room for
friendship beyond Cam’s. “We look into Edward, Brad, and Joe. Even
before Brad was on the team, he was always hanging around. And
he’s been divorced three times.”
“But his girlfriend from high school was murdered,” Cam added.
That little fact was not lost on Rafe. “It’s why he claims he joined.
They all have something in their pasts. Edward’s never been married,
but his mother died in a car accident, and we all remember what
happened to Joe’s wife.”
Joe’s wife had committed suicide. He remembered standing
beside his friend at her funeral. And Brad had more than once talked
about how he couldn’t forget his girlfriend, his first love. Edward had
lived with his mother. He’d never been married, and as far as Rafe
knew, he’d never even had a real girlfriend.
The Marquis de Sade hated women.
Rafe’s brain was working overtime. “We need to look at those
files and dig up everything we can. If we eliminate these three as
suspects, we move deeper.”
Cam crossed his arms over his chest and looked supremely
confident. “If the information is on a computer, I can find it. I can find files they thought were long buried.”
Translation—Cam was a gun. All Rafe needed to do was point
and shoot. But he didn’t have to be there while Cam looked. “Cam
can take the SUV. I’ll go back with Laura.”
“Yeah,” Cam said. “I would be happier with that scenario.”
“No,” Laura said, her eyes wide, and her voice rising with panic.
“No. You are not going to leave Cam alone.”
“Baby, I can handle myself,” Cam protested.
Tears formed in her eyes. She looked up at Rafe, pleading with
him. “Please. I can’t lose either one of you. He killed Jana. He could
be anywhere. He could take out one of you. You can’t be alone.
Promise me, you won’t leave Cam alone.”
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Rafe’s heart ached at the fear in her eyes. “Bella, I can’t leave you alone.”
“I won’t leave Nate’s side. I won’t let them separate us,” she
promised. “I’ll be at the station, surrounded by agents. He won’t come
after me there, but he could come after someone I love. If he’s been
watching me, then he knows about us. Please.”
Rafe hugged her. He couldn’t argue with her logic, and Cam was
out of training. He looked over her shoulder and exchanged a glance
with Cam. “All right, bella.”
“I should go get dressed,” Laura said.
“I’ll go with you. That way I won’t be alone and Caleb doesn’t
have to tell me no. It’s his favorite word.” Holly took Laura by the
hand and started to lead her away.
“It’s not,” Caleb said, watching the women as they walked. He
didn’t seem to notice Laura was alive, and Rafe was perfectly fine
with that scenario. The doctor had a thing for Laura’s best friend. “I
don’t actually have a favorite word.”
Rafe couldn’t tell if the man was serious or joking. He got the
feeling Caleb didn’t joke often.
“Caleb, if you want to go and get started, I’ll bring Holly and
Laura with me to the station,” Nate offered.
“No,” Caleb replied. It really did seem like he had a favorite word.
But Rafe was with him on this one. “No.”
Cam stood next to Rafe. “We’re not letting Laura out of our
sight.”
Nate scrubbed a hand over his face. “If I don’t bring her in with
me, it’s going to look suspicious. Your SAC has already asked to talk
to her. If they think she’s going to run, they might take her into
protective custody.”
“They can’t force that on her,” Rafe said. He had no intention of
letting them get their hands on Laura.
“They can hold her for forty-eight hours,” Nate replied. “And I
wouldn’t be surprised if that’s what they do. If you let her come in
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and talk, I think they might back off.”
“All right,” Rafe conceded. “I’ll take Cam to the motel and meet
you at the station. But I expect you to have eyes on her the whole time
she’s with you.”
“Either Logan or I will be with her at all times. And we don’t have
to worry about Holly distracting anyone because apparently she gets
to go see an autopsy,” Nate said sarcastically.
“Yes,” Caleb replied. Rafe admired the doctor. He wasn’t about to
let anyone intimidate him.
Panic threatened to swamp Rafe. Everything was happening too
damn fast. Maybe he should rethink. Maybe he should just take off
with her.
Cam looked at him. “I know what you’re thinking, man. She
won’t go.”
“We could make her go.”
“After last night, we can’t leave here. We can’t make her leave.
Our best option is to find this bastard and take him out,” Cam said.
“Otherwise, we’re running for the rest of our lives. Let’s get dressed,
and I’ll get on this. She’ll be safe with Nate and Logan. It’s broad
daylight, and she’s going to a police station.”
“I’ll lock her up if I have to,” Nate offered.
“He likes to do that,” Caleb said with a little growl.
“If you don’t like to go to jail, you should pay your parking
tickets.” Nate pulled out his radio. “Logan, can you read me? I’m
bringing Laura in with me. Can you tell me who is at the station from
the FBI?”
“The athletic asshole who got his face beat on and the asshole
who looks like a professor,” Logan replied over the radio. “I guess the
corporate-looking asshole is still at the crime site.”
“Thanks, Logan. Very professional.” Nate sighed and turned back,
giving Cam a stern look. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a
second radio. “Be better than Logan. Please.” He handed the radio to
Cam. “There you go. It’s set to contact the station or me or Logan.
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And unlike our cell tower, it’s Farelly brothers proofed. I’ll keep you
updated on who’s where at all times. I guess the SAC decided to stay
and supervise the forensic team. He said he wanted to view the
autopsy when it’s ready. I bet the other two will go to that, as well.”
“I do not need an audience. I already have to tape the thing.”
Caleb ran a hand through his hair. “I hate bureaucracy. I hate
autopsies. I hate all this crap. I’ll wait in the car.”
The doctor might hate bureaucracy, but the man had major pull if
he’d managed to overrule Joe.
“I’ll go wait with the doc. He can be an obnoxious son of a bitch,
but he knows what he’s doing,” Nate said. “When Laura’s ready,
we’ll go. And if you two need anything, let me know. I still know
people in Washington, and I know Stef’s dad has some pull.”
The sheriff walked off to get in his Bronco, and Rafe was left
shaken. Just a few minutes ago, the world had seemed damn near
close to perfect, and now it felt like it could fall apart at any minute.
“Come on, man, let’s get dressed,” Cam said, urging him inside.
He clutched that radio in his hand. “The quicker we start eliminating
suspects, the faster we know who she’s safe with. Except for Brad. I
don’t care if he has a rock-solid alibi for every murder. He’s still an
asshole.”
“Agreed.” After the way Brad had talked to her, Rafe couldn’t
really consider him a friend.
But was he a killer?
Hopefully the answer was somewhere out there. Rafe had to pray
Cam could find it.
* * * *
“Sweetie, are you okay?” Holly asked the minute they were alone.
Tears threatened and Laura couldn’t give into them. If she broke
now, she wouldn’t be able to stop. “Please, Holly. I can’t talk about it right now. Just tell me what happened with Caleb.”
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“He spent the night on the couch,” Holly said with a sigh.
Laura walked into the bedroom and pulled out a clean pair of
jeans and a yellow blouse. She tried to still her racing heart. She was
pretty sure they could hear it in Del Norte. She forced herself to
answer in an even voice. “That’s disappointing.”
Holly opened Laura’s closet and started looking for something to
wear. She was shorter than Laura, but they shared as often as they
could. She pulled out a simple black T-shirt and cotton skirt. “I asked
if he wanted to share my bed, just to sleep, you know, since he
wouldn’t leave.”
“I bet I know what he said.”
“No.” Holly did a damn fine impression of the man. She shrugged
out of her nightgown and pulled on the clothes. “You didn’t have the
same trouble.”
Holly was staring down at her bed. The sheets were twisted and
tangled. Of course, there were also clothes scattered through the
house. If Holly hadn’t picked up on that clue, her destroyed bed was a
dead giveaway.
“I love them.” Laura shimmied into fresh underwear, wishing she
had time for a shower. Maybe she could use the one in Nate’s office.
Nate had a decent bathroom. She understood the necessity to move
quickly, but she smelled like sex.
“I know. Everyone knows.” Holly gave her a soft smile. “I’m
happy for you. I’m just going to miss you.”
That was bugging her? “No, you won’t. I’m not going anywhere.
They’re moving here.”
Holly gave a little squeal. “Yes! That’s awesome.” She sobered a
little. “Now I can watch another of my friends be happy and settle
down.”
Laura zipped up her jeans. “Sweetie, that man is crazy about you.”
Holly sat on the bed, utterly dejected. “No. That man is just plain
crazy. I don’t know how to deal with him. I swear it’s easier to deal
with the mobster. At least he talks to me—well, he writes to me
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because his handlers won’t let him call. Caleb is a mystery. He won’t
talk about his past. All he seems willing to do is boss me around. I’ve
already been married to one man who turned out to be a bully. I don’t
need another.”
Laura turned to her friend. “I don’t think Caleb is anything like
Scott. And you know it. I’ve seen the way you look at him.”
Holly’s hands twisted in her lap. “Someone fixed my roof. You
know I had that leak? Someone from Del Norte showed up yesterday
morning with a work order and fixed the bad section. He’s coming out
next week to replace the whole thing. Do you know how much that
costs? He had a paid receipt, but he wouldn’t tell me who paid it. Just
that they paid cash. Do you think that was Stef?”
Stef Talbot was known for his acts of anonymous generosity, but
she doubted it in this case. Jen would have blabbed. It was the best
thing about Stef getting a wife. She loved to gossip. “No. It was
Caleb, and that is the most un-Scott-like thing he could do.”
Holly’s ex was very powerful, but he wouldn’t help anyone. He
was all smiles on the television when he was campaigning, but off TV
he was an asshole of the first order. Sort of like…
Laura sank to the bed. Jana was dead. Tears filled her eyes. How
could Jana be dead? Nate had said she’d been left behind with a note
addressed to Laura. Guilt pressed down on her.
“How close were you?” Holly always seemed to know what she
was thinking.
“She was a horrible bitch. We hadn’t been close in years, but I
didn’t want her to die. God, I wouldn’t wish it on anyone.” Laura put
her hands on Holly’s shoulders. “You stay with Caleb today. You
don’t walk away or let him out of your sight. You should be okay as
long as you’re in the clinic, but don’t you dare go outside without
him.”
Holly’s green eyes went wide, but she nodded. “I won’t. I think I
should stay with you.”
Laura forced herself to move. If she stopped, she would dissolve
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into tears, and she couldn’t do that. Rafe and Cam had a job to do.
They needed to get those files. Once they had what they needed and
she’d pacified the feds that she wasn’t going anywhere, she would