Fatal Legacy (Otter Creek Book 4)

by Rebecca Deel

  Beside him, Del shivered.

  “Cold?”

  “I feel as if someone’s watching my every move.”

  Josh felt the same. He and Alex didn’t know yet who they were up against. Made protection more challenging when each person was a possible threat. “Alex’s ride has bullet-proof windows and armor plating.” Didn’t mean a tango couldn’t take them out, but it would be harder to do damage. If the shooter had an RPG, Alex’s reinforced ride wouldn’t be enough protection. While he knew the SUV’s limitations, Del didn’t. She relaxed against the seat. At least he’d given her some measure of security.

  The drive passed with a few comments between the women. Josh and Alex continually scanned their surroundings. No messages from either Rod or Ethan. All in all, Josh considered the first half of the trip a success when they drove down the main drag of Oakwood. Del provided directions to her mother’s place.

  Minutes later, they parked in the driveway of a two-story brick home with a wrap around porch. Flowers in planters decorated the porch every few feet. Bushes provided landscaping for the yard. Del grew up in beautiful surroundings. The neighborhood appeared to be a good one in which to raise children.

  Ivy reached for the door handle.

  “Wait.” Alex’s voice rang sharp in the SUV’s interior. He stepped out, closed the door behind him.

  Ivy scowled.

  Josh reached over and flipped her hair. “He’s your bodyguard, Ivy. To stay safe, do what he says without question. If you don’t, it might cost not only your life, but his as well.”

  “I hate this.” Her hands fisted on her thighs. “We were in the wrong place at the wrong time. I don’t want you or Alex hurt or killed because of that.”

  “Trust us to do our jobs and we’ll all have a better chance at getting through this unscathed.” Josh prayed his statement was true. If his suspicions about the shooter being former spec ops turned out to be accurate, their job would become harder. “When Alex gives the all clear, we’ll go inside.”

  Two minutes later, Alex opened Ivy’s door and held out his hand. “Stay right with me.” He helped her to the ground and kept her body between his and the vehicle. They circled the back and stopped at Josh’s door.

  Josh got out and motioned to Del. She slid over the backseat and placed her hand in his. “Whatever happens inside, I’ve got your back, sweetheart. If the situation becomes too much to handle, we’ll leave. No more than an hour, okay? Detective Tyler wants an interview. I didn’t set a definite time, but the sooner we leave Oakwood, the better.” His skin crawled. Not a good sign.

  “Thank you.”

  “Don’t thank me yet, baby. Day’s still young.” Too many things could go wrong. He helped her to the driveway. “Inside.” He and Alex kept the women between them and hurried to the front door. Del shoved her key in the lock and threw open the door as Josh had instructed her on the drive over. Once the door closed behind them, Josh drew a deeper breath. He held Del in place until his partner signaled them to move. Alex pulled the drapes to prevent the shooter from getting eyes on them and took up position to the side of the window.

  Alex signaled they were clear. Josh removed his hand from Del’s arm. “Stay away from the windows,” he murmured.

  “Mom?” Del called. “Where are you?”

  “Del! Oh, honey.” Footsteps echoed down the hall and stairs. A petite, blond fashion plate hurried into the living room and came to an abrupt halt at the sight of Josh and Alex. Her astonished look morphed into one of welcome. “Del, you didn’t tell me you were bringing Ivy and some new friends.”

  She smiled. “I didn’t tell you I was coming either. Don’t I get a hug or anything?”

  Josh darted a glance at Alex. His friend rolled his eyes and resumed surveillance. Del couldn’t have told her mother they were coming. Mrs. Peterson wouldn’t answer the phone when her daughter called the night before or this morning. Made no sense to him. His parents kept their cell phones handy and charged the entire time he’d been deployed. No matter what time he called, his parents answered their phone within two rings.

  Dee Peterson’s face pinked. She wrapped her arms around Del for a moment. “I’m glad you came home.” She enveloped Ivy in a hug before turning to face Josh. “Introduce me to your friends, Del.”

  “This is Josh Cahill, Madison Santana’s brother, and Alex Morgan, his friend.”

  Josh shook her hand. “Nice to meet you, Mrs. Peterson. Hope you don’t mind us tagging along.”

  “I’m always happy to meet Del’s friends. Would you like iced tea?”

  “Sounds great, ma’am. Thank you.”

  “I’ll help, Mom.” Del trailed her out of the room.

  Josh shifted position to keep her in sight, pleased to notice her step toward the cabinets near the kitchen window, then abruptly change direction toward the refrigerator.

  She nudged the door closed with her hip, a full pitcher of tea in her hands.

  “Here.” Josh hurried forward. “Let me take that.” He carried the pitcher to the counter where Mrs. Peterson had lined up five glasses. “Would you like me to pour, Mrs. Peterson?”

  “No, thank you. We’ll be along shortly.”

  “Yes, ma’am.” Josh turned, winked at Del, and left the kitchen. He returned to the same place as before, one defensible and close enough to reach Del in seconds if they came under attack.

  The living room was so silent, Ivy startled when he appeared. Her gasp earned him a glare from her and his friend. Josh’s eyebrow rose. Alex was feeling protective after having known Del’s cousin less than a day? He grinned. Couldn’t happen to a better man. Ivy hadn’t been in Otter Creek long, but he suspected she was a keeper.

  Josh studied Ivy. “You okay?” he asked, voice soft enough not to carry into the kitchen.

  “Sorry,” she whispered. “I keep waiting for the other shoe to drop, you know?”

  “Let us do the worrying. Your job is to act normal.”

  The rest of their visit with Mrs. Peterson passed without incident until Josh signaled Del it was time to leave.

  “We need to go, Mom,” Del said, standing. The rest of them followed suit.

  “Oh, but I thought we could spend the day together, Del.” Mrs. Peterson’s eyes filled with tears. “You just arrived. Surely you and Ivy can stay for a while. There are plenty of things for your friends to do in town if they don’t want to stay here. I’m sure listening to women gab isn’t something they’ll enjoy.”

  “I can’t stay this time, Mom. I have to return to Otter Creek. Remember all those books that are taking over my house and store?”

  “They can wait, Del. I can’t. Who knows what tomorrow holds? I might have a heart attack overnight.”

  Josh’s jaw tightened. He wouldn’t let Del be blamed for their fast departure. Her relationship with her remaining parent was important to her. “It’s my fault we can’t stay, Mrs. Peterson. I need to return to Otter Creek before long.” He held out his hand to Del’s mother. “Thank you for being so gracious to unexpected guests. Please, come to Otter Creek soon. My family adores Del and would love to become acquainted with you.”

  Dee Peterson’s smile reminded him why he loved Del’s. It lit up the room. A few more tears and recriminations, and Josh and Alex escorted the women back to the SUV.

  Safely inside the vehicle, Del drew in a deep breath, tilted her head back against the seat.

  If safety hadn’t been an issue, Josh would have enjoyed his time in Mrs. Peterson’s company. She was a gracious hostess and an interesting conversationalist. After the shooter was behind bars, he’d suggest bringing Mrs. Peterson to Otter Creek for a weekend. She might like spending time with his sprawling family. Loneliness must be an issue as all her children were out of the house. Bound to leave her too time to worry.

  “When it’s safe, we’ll bring your mom to visit.”

  Del nodded, not opening her eyes. Alex cranked the engine and set the vehicle in motion. About the size of Otter Creek, it
didn’t take long to reach Oakwood’s police station. He found a parking spot near the front entrance.

  Inside the lobby, Josh showed the desk sergeant his badge. “Detective Tyler is expecting us.”

  The officer examined his credentials, nodded toward the double doors on his right. “Bullpen. Last desk on the left, near Lt. Wood’s office. Go on back.”

  Through the doors, the noise level picked up from various phone and face-to-face conversations. Two men sat handcuffed beside desks. Josh steered Del and Ivy away from the men and a woman who cursed an officer typing his report. A bald man occupying the last desk glanced up, noticed them approaching, and stood.

  “Detective Tyler?”

  “Help you?”

  “Josh Cahill. This is Del Peterson, Ivy Monroe, and Alex Morgan.”

  Shouting erupted as one of the cuffed men bolted from his seat and raced for the doors. Alex shifted position automatically, making himself a barrier between the women and the rest of the room.

  Milo Tyler muttered a curse. “Zoo in here today. Let’s go in the interview room where we won’t have to shout to be heard.” He led them around desks and down a hall. After opening a heavy wooden door, he ushered the group inside. “Have a seat. Be back in a minute.”

  Josh knelt beside Del, studied her closed expression. Stress. More days of unrelenting pressure waited. He dropped his voice to a whisper. “Tyler will record the interview. Don’t volunteer information, but answer his questions.”

  The detective returned, carrying two folding chairs in one hand and a file folder in the other. Josh sat on one chair beside Del while Alex settled on the other side of Ivy.

  Tyler closed the door and dropped into a chair on the opposite side of the table. “I’m recording this interview. Helps me keep the notes straight.” He placed the folder on the table, gaze fixed on Del’s face. “Ms. Peterson, who wants you dead?”

  Del drew in a sharp breath. “I thought this was an arson case with an accidental death.”

  The detective narrowed his eyes. “You haven’t been in town for months. Someone trashed your house before it was torched. The M.E. dug a 9 millimeter slug from the vic’s brain. Overkill for someone who likes to watch stuff burn.”

  “She’s not a hostile witness, Detective,” Josh said. “Del’s offering her help. As you mentioned, she’s been in Otter Creek for months. Who would have a grudge against her after all that time in another town?” His voice, though soft, conveyed a clear warning.

  Del would hate to be on his bad side. Did the detective realize who Josh was, what he had been? Though not sure of the specifics, she recognized an extraordinary awareness not present in most of the law enforcement personnel she knew. The result of his specialized military training, she suspected.

  “You’re positive the arsonist didn’t panic when he discovered a woman in a supposedly empty house?” she asked. The idea that Reece’s killer murdered someone in her home made Del physically ill. Whether the victim was Lily or someone else, she didn’t want circumstances in her life to spill onto an innocent.

  “Evidence indicates the killer shot the woman, then ripped your house apart. Trashed every room. Not the work of a panicked arsonist. It was cold, calculated. Lucky you weren’t at home or you’d be the one on that stainless steel slab at the morgue.”

  Del swallowed hard against the surge of choking bile. Under the table, Josh clasped her hand in a tight grip. Drawing strength from his wordless support, she raised her gaze to Tyler’s. “Have you identified her?” She waited for Tyler’s reply, stomach knotted. Del didn’t want the victim to be Lily. Logic told her, though, her cousin’s luck had run out.

  “I just informed the immediate family. Vic’s name is Lily Delray.”

  Ivy covered her face with her hands, shoulders jerking with silent sobs. Alex slipped an arm around her shoulders. To Del’s surprise, her cousin turned toward her bodyguard and let him fold her into an embrace. Del was too angry to cry. Soon, though, she’d be still enough to grieve the loss of her cousin.

  “M.E.’s sure this wasn’t a domestic?” Josh asked.

  “No signs of injury except the gunshot.”

  “So the shooter surprised her or she knew him. Is it possible Lily’s husband scored a gun, shot his wife, and burned the place to cover his tracks?” Alex asked.

  A look of frustration crossed Tyler’s face. “I wish. Like nothing better than locking up abusers. Delray’s alibi is iron-clad. He was in Atlanta with a group from his work. They took the company van, didn’t return to town until after the fire was out. I’ll ask you again, Ms. Peterson, who wants you dead?”

  “I don’t know.”

  “Or won’t say.”

  Heat burned her cheeks. “He killed my cousin, a woman who cried when she saw an animal in pain. Lily had no defenses against her own husband much less a total stranger. She didn’t deserve to die like that.”

  Josh’s hand tightened around hers. She’d made a mistake, one Detective Tyler was sure to catch. He narrowed his eyes. How could she deflect his attention without lying?

  “He? How do you know the killer is a man, Ms. Peterson?”

  “A generic term, Detective. I don’t know who the killer is.”

  “You’re experiencing trouble in Otter Creek.”

  A statement, not a question. Rod had mentioned Tyler to Ethan. Did he know about Reece’s murder or the burglar? Local law enforcement people must share information. They didn’t seem to respect the federal officials, though.

  Josh had warned her not to volunteer information. She suspected Ethan hadn’t shared much, either. Would the FBI or U.S. marshals know about her house fire? Oakwood was a small town and an arson fire that destroyed a resident’s house was big news. Would the feds check?

  If Tyler knew about Reece’s murder, he would ask more questions Josh didn’t want her to answer. So she’d dangle the burglary in front of him. No proof the burglary was related to the murder. Didn’t take a genius to connect the two events since her life to this point had been entirely forgettable. The detective couldn’t know what had transpired in the last three days. He was fishing. She hoped. If he discovered she held back information, he might throw her in jail. Not a phone call she wanted to make to her mother or brothers, a situation sure to send her mother’s blood pressure through the roof and provide her brothers blackmail material for life.

  The whole experience might give her mystery group a charge. They’d be the first to attempt springing her. Her luck, they’d bake a cake with lock picks in it and extend her time as a guest of the Oakwood PD.

  “That’s true.” Josh’s hand clamped like vise around hers. Del fought to keep her expression placid. “My home was broken into a couple nights ago.”

  Tyler studied her face as sweat pooled at her lower back. “Anything taken?”

  “Police arrived before the burglar did more than break the glass and slip inside.”

  “You home?”

  Josh’s grip on her hand eased. Good. She’d guessed right about the burglary. Careful answers might help her avoid jail.

  “I woke Ivy. We called for help from my bedroom.”

  “Coincidental to have an officer on patrol that close to your house.” His expression made it clear he believed that situation unlikely.

  “I was the first officer on scene,” Josh said. “I was off duty and live a few blocks from Del.”

  “Catch him?”

  “Rabbited as soon as I arrived.”

  “Know what he wanted?” Tyler directed his question to Del.

  “He didn’t have a chance to take anything. Scared us, though.” Del wouldn’t share about the burglar’s gun as it would cause more questions than she wanted to dance around. She prayed the question-and-answer session was almost over.

  “I bet.” The detective leaned back in his chair, arms folded. “Had a run of bad luck this week. Any chance these incidents are related?”

  Del shrugged. Better to do that than give herself away. She wasn’t a
good liar. Her pastor would be pleased.

  Without repeating the question, Tyler turned his inquiry to Josh.

  “No proof either way.”

  “Holding back on me, Cahill?”

  “What makes you ask that?”

  “Don’t believe you boys are along for the ride today.” His gaze assessed Alex. “More like bodyguards.”

  Josh grinned. “Both, Detective.”

  Tyler snorted.

  “That hurts.” Amusement colored Alex’s voice as he stroked Ivy’s hair. “Only stupid men would let Ivy and Del slip through their fingers. The Army drummed stupid from us in boot camp and the Sand Box.”

  “How long were you in?”

  “Fifteen years,” Josh said. “We finished?”

  “What’s your hurry?”

  “Sun’s going down. I’m afraid of the dark.”

  Tyler rolled his eyes. “Yeah, we’re done. You think of something else, Ms. Peterson, call me. Same goes for you, Ms. Monroe.”

  Ivy turned toward Tyler, face pale and wet. “If we remember anything, we’ll call. Lily’s killer deserves death row.” She wiped traces of tears from her face with Alex’s handkerchief.

  “On that we agree.” The detective grabbed the file at his fingertips and stood. “I’ll walk you out.”

  Josh waved him off. “You have more important things to do. Chief Blackhawk will be in touch, Detective. He’ll expect progress reports.”

  A wry smile crossed his face. “Your chief was quite clear about that. Seems like a good man.”

  “The best.”

  Two minutes later, Josh crawled into the back of the SUV beside Del. “Good job, sweetheart. Honest without sharing too much. You’re a natural.”

  “I don’t ever want to do that again.”

  “I thought he’d haul us off to prison,” Ivy muttered.

  “Both of you conducted that interview without a hitch.” Alex’s gaze seemed to focus on Ivy a minute before he returned his attention to the road leading from Oakwood. “Detours, Major?”

  “Del, ready to head back to Otter Creek?”

  “I thought you had an appointment.” Del frowned. “We could have stayed longer with Mom?”