by DiAnn Mills
“I guess four or five months ago. He looked well. How are your sons doing?”
She blinked. “Each in his own way.”
“Sorrow can invoke unusual behavior. Please let them know I was here. I’ll be going. If there’s anything I can do for you, please don’t hesitate to contact me.” He pulled a folded piece of paper from his pocket. “Here’s my cell phone and e-mail. Sometimes when we’re upset, talking to a stranger makes us feel better.”
She took the offered paper. “Thank you for stopping by.”
“Have service arrangements been made?”
“The funeral is Friday, to give the authorities adequate time to complete the autopsy and for family and friends to arrive from out of town.” She dabbed beneath her eyes.
“I’ll be there. How can I ensure you’re okay?”
“I have a good support group.” She hesitated. “I’d like to be informed of Erik’s condition. Let me give you my cell number.”
He quickly lifted a notepad and pen from his shirt pocket and jotted down the information. “I’m glad Nathan provided well for you. If he can’t be here, then continuing in your lifestyle must be a comfort.”
“He always took care of us. His family came before every business decision. I’m thankful for the heritage he left his sons.”
Albert swallowed his desperation. Nathan’s death meant Erik had no future.
FOR THE SECOND TIME in less than twenty-four hours, Tori drove her Charger to the Moore home. She refused to ride with Cole in his ultraexpensive truck. Stupidity marched across her mind, did an about-face, and marched again. Why hadn’t she run a full report on him at the time he appeared ultra-confident, ultra-egotistical, and ultra-yardman?
According to his background, he gave the Avengers and other superheroes a run for their money.
She had no choice but to apologize and swallow her pride. Clear the air. Work the case. Caressing wounded pride meant she gave her worst to the investigation. She parked her car at the same place along the curb as early this morning. Yawning, she grabbed her purse and tool kit. If she could still function, she’d pay Max a visit later on and provide an update. Hopefully get him to open up about the seriousness of his cancer and find out if his family had been told. Probably not.
Cole waited at the curb with his laptop. He looked far too good for a man she was upset with. Broad shoulders. Those incredible sky-blue eyes. And he wore jeans like . . . Never mind, Tori. Put on your professional badge.
She waved and joined him. “Before we go inside, I want to say something.”
He grinned. “Do I need to step back?”
Had he paid for those perfectly white teeth? “You aren’t making this easy.”
“I’m not? Let me alleviate your angst.”
Tori snorted, so unladylike. But since when did she worry about impressions? “Angst?”
“Yep. I told you I was a yardman. Said nothing while you and your partner dragged me through the trenches. I own a landscaping business, but with Nathan’s death, I’ve decided to be reinstated in my former career. As you said earlier, all in one day.”
Still confident in his own shoes. “I’m embarrassed. Your career doesn’t define who you are or your value as a human being, but I allowed it.” She took a breath. “I’m very sorry.” And she meant it.
“It’s okay. I led you astray.”
She reddened at the thought of him steering her in an . . . inappropriate direction. “Are you always this—?”
“Arrogant? Witty? Charming?”
He had the scruffy beard thing going too. She pointed to the front door of the Moore home. “Seriously, how do we work amicably?”
“I’ll try harder to cooperate. The disadvantage is we’re close to Sally and the boys. We care about them. And we’re going to uncover the killer’s motivation. Could be ugly.”
“As in we might not like what we find?”
“Are you prepared to learn the truth no matter what the cost, even if it’s Sally’s friendship?”
Sally and Nathan lived as community examples of good citizens and parents. Her stomach took a dip. Bringing the truth to the surface came with a price, and she’d chosen to pay it a long time ago. “Neither of us wants to discover any kind of a scandal about Nathan or Sally. But no matter what we uncover, I can handle it.”
“Special Agent Templeton—”
“Tori.”
“Okay, I think it would be better if you lead out. Sally knows we’re here to image their personal devices. I called her on the way and told her about the task force. Nathan knew about my prior stint with the US Marshals, but she had no idea. She indicated I’d deceived her. Not sure my apology sufficed or she understood why.”
“I don’t understand either.”
He appeared to think through his answer. “My last case left me doubting why I was ever in law enforcement.”
He didn’t elaborate further. Maybe she’d learn more later.
Why hadn’t she thought of alerting Sally to their visit? Self-absorption and preoccupation about Max added to the list of her current flaws. “Would she prefer strangers to work Nathan’s murder? I understand how she might feel that way.”
“It will be tough at times. Remember what she said this morning. She’d rather have a friend investigating the case. Lance will use this as another excuse to buck the system, in this instance his mother and law enforcement. Not sure about Jack.”
“Lance can be extremely difficult,” Tori said.
“Is it teenage rebellion, or does he have a solid reason for his hostility? Nathan and I talked about him often. No matter what Nathan tried to do or say, Lance always kicked it back in his face. No sign of drugs. Friends are top-notch. Grades are so-so. No current girlfriend.”
“Would he open up to you now you’re investigating the case?”
“Hard to say.”
Tori observed the man beside her. “You genuinely care about them, don’t you?”
“I do. Every aspect of their lives affects me. I’m a Christian, and the only person I’d made any headway with regarding faith is Jack.”
Sounded like Kevin. “My brother believed. A lot of good faith did him.” A twinge of irritation sounded in her words.
“Past tense? What happened?”
“Died of cancer two years ago.”
“I’m sorry for your loss.”
She rubbed her left wrist, and uneasiness crept up from the soles of her feet. She should have left the faith thing alone. An awkward silence added another obstacle between them.
“Shall we get our job done before it’s midnight?” she finally said. “Those inside will wonder what we’re doing out here. Besides, I want to see Max when we’re finished.”
He walked toward the front door. “I want to tag along when you see Max.”
She scrambled to keep up. “Why?”
“We got off to a bad start. Need to fix it. Justice is our goal here, not personality conflicts.”
What kind of man was Cole Jeffers? Deputy Marshal extraordinaire? A Bible-thumper? Complexity and rugged good looks could drive a woman to distraction. But the Christianity thing made her want to run.
COLE AND TORI followed Sally into the kitchen. He recognized her stepmother and dad, Kit and Wes Brent, and Tori greeted them too. Sally still wore the same clothes from early this morning. Ruffled hair. Red-rimmed eyes. Valuing the Moores as a family had its advantages and disadvantages. As much as he wanted to prove Sally’s innocence, he needed to take his own advice about being an investigator and truth seeker. This could get ugly before arrests were made. Airing dirty laundry meant relationships were weakened. Possibly destroyed.
Caring Jack was in the thick of the adults. A shoulder for his mother. Cole seized his thoughts. Jack shouldn’t ignore his grief. Putting it off meant the recovery period would stretch into other areas of his life. Jack and Nathan had spent quality time together, and those moments were now memories.
“Where’s Lance?” Cole said.
“In his bedroom. He hasn’t emerged since this morning.” Sally poured herself a glass of water. “I brought him lunch and dinner. He took the tray but refused to talk.”
“That’s not healthy.”
“He’ll come around,” she said, while her eyes glistened with pain. “I’ll try again later.” She faced her parents. “Tori and Cole are here to examine every device in the house.”
Her dad eyed Tori, then Cole. “What are you talking about?”
Cole remembered her dad’s often-surly attitude. “We’re copying all the information from the family’s electronics.”
“Do you have a court order?” he said.
“Tori has it.”
“I want to see the judge’s signature.”
Sally nodded at Tori, and she pulled the paper from her purse and gave it to Wes.
“Here you are.”
Sally took it from his grasp. “They are here to do a job, and we will not interfere.”
“Glad Cole and Tori are on this.” Jack breathed out a hint of stress. “Something was definitely off when Dad told Mom he wanted a divorce.”
“What?” Wes pounded the kitchen table, his white hair and high cheekbones giving him a fierce look. “Why didn’t you tell us he’d lost his mind? How long has this been going on?”
Sally touched his arm. “Dad, I’m dealing with his death and unknowns prior to it. Not sure how I can form the words, but we can talk later while Tori and Cole are busy.”
“Is the media aware of his ludicrous intention?”
Cole held his breath. Sally’s dad had anger issues, and enduring one of his tirades didn’t sit well.
“I don’t think so,” Sally said, “or we’d’ve heard by now. I have no clue who knows what happened, except the boys, our attorney, a few police officers, another FBI agent, and of course Tori and Cole.”
Kit hooked her arm through Wes’s. “Let’s discuss this with your daughter outside.” She glanced at Jack, mirroring a mom look Cole had seen from Sally. “In private.”
“Sure. I’ll do homework here in the kitchen.”
“We need every device in the home,” Tori said. “That means smartphones, iPads, notebooks, computers.”
Sally directed them toward the dining room. “I gathered all I could find and put them on the table.”
Cole entered the room ahead of Tori. The three-foot rectangular crystal chandelier glittered over a pile of technology. “Neither Lance’s laptop nor his iPhone are here,” he said. The familiar devices with the maroon A&M emblems must be with the teen.
Sally crossed her arms over her chest. “He wouldn’t give them up.”
“Does he know Tori and I are assigned to the case?”
“No. When I attempted to tell him, he turned up the volume on his music. I thought about your not telling me about the US Marshals, and I’m okay. You have your reasons, and right now I need friends. But I thought the US Marshals were in charge of witness protection and prisoner transportation.”
“One of our other responsibilities is working as a task force with other law enforcement agencies. Houston’s ASAC and I worked a case some years ago involving the bombing of an oil rig, which resulted in a death.”
“I see. The more I think about it, I’m relieved the investigation includes two dear friends.”
“Appreciate it. I’ll talk to Lance.” The teen was playing a toddler’s game.
“Cole seems to know how to get his attention,” Tori said. “Both of us will do our best to calm him down.”
He respected Tori’s input. Working with her, he saw success rising to the top, but her sidekick gave him doubts. Right along with Lance’s lack of cooperation.
Tori and Cole waited until the adults made their way to the patio area. “Can we tackle the hard stuff first?” he said.
“You’re reading my mind. Shall we take a battlefront with Lance?”
He chuckled to relieve the tension. “I’ll lead the way. Once Lance learns about my previous role in law enforcement, I’m afraid his trust level will hit rock bottom.”
She shook her head and started toward the landing. “Deputy Marshal Jeffers, do you have a strategy?”
“I’m going to ask for his help. Does he know anything that could point to the killer or a motive?”
“With the way he felt about Nathan, why would he help? From what we’ve seen, he hasn’t shed a tear, only nursed a black eye and used bad language.” She glanced away. “Family relationships are never what they seem.”
“Right. Neither of us likes the downside of this.”
They mounted the stairs and moved down the hall to Lance’s room. Cole hoped this encounter wouldn’t have any resemblance to this morning’s. He knocked. “This is CJ. We need to talk.”
No response.
Cole tried again. “Tori’s with me—we’re investigating your dad’s death together.”
“FBI must be hard up. Go mow a yard.”
The comment rubbed him wrong. “Lance, what you don’t know about me is I’m a Deputy US Marshal.”
“What?”
“I’ll be glad to explain but not with a door between us. Tori and I have a court order. So it’s either one of us or law enforcement who don’t care anything about you. Your devices are needed, but more importantly, Tori and I are requesting your help in getting to the bottom of this.”
“Like what?”
“I’m counting to three. If you don’t open this door, it’ll be a repeat of this morning.” Cole glanced at Tori and shook his head. “One. Two.”
“All right.” The door opened. The bruise around Lance’s eye had deepened to an ugly blue-black, worse than this morning. Clothes were strewn from one corner of the room to the next, a new development from earlier in the day.
“What is this US Marshal—?” Lance spit out curses as though he were describing toppings for a pizza.
Pick and choose your battles, Cole. “Sit down, if you can find a place, and I’ll give you the quick story.”
Lance glared but then found an empty spot on his bed. Cole and Tori lifted junk from two chairs and did the same.
“Over two and a half years ago, I was a US Marshal. Sniper expertise. While transporting a witness to a safe house, we were attacked and I took a bullet to the stomach. The bad guy got away. I didn’t handle it well and took a leave of absence. Lately I’ve been thinking about going back. Your dad’s murder helped me make the decision. This afternoon I was officially reinstated. I worked a task force with the FBI some years ago, and that’s where Tori and I come in.”
“Did my dad know about your past?”
“Yes. I asked him to keep it to himself. Personal reasons until I dealt with why I’d left.”
“So you and Tori are on the case. What about her partner, the old guy with the bad cough and attitude to match?”
Lance had a lot of room to talk. “Him too. But just us tonight.”
The teen wore a permanent scowl. “You’re going to take my stuff whether I like it or not?”
“We’re not taking anything, Lance.” Tori spoke for the first time. “We’re imaging them.”
“Thought I had rights.”
“You do.” Her voice sounded soothing but firm. “Unless those items are required for an investigation. I know you and your dad had your differences, but don’t you want his murder solved?”
He stared at her. A slight nibble to his lip.
“Lance,” she said, “are you withholding evidence?”
“Yes,” he whispered. “I had good reasons to hate Dad. Not for anyone to kill him, but I might know why.”
“Is the information on your laptop?”
He shook his head, stood, and reached into his pocket, wrapping his fingers around something. “I downloaded everything on Dad’s computer a few months ago after we had a blowup.” He handed a thumb drive to Tori. “You and CJ need to see it. Makes me sick.”
COLE INSERTED the flash drive into his own laptop and sat beside Lance on the messy bed.
Whatever they were about to see discredited Nathan. “Weren’t these files password protected?”
“Yes. Or so Dad thought. His computer was off-limits and for business use only. Took it back and forth with him to work. He used fingerprint entry security, but I still got into his devices.”
“How?” The moment Cole posed the question, he had the answer. “You copied his fingerprint.”
“Pretty easy, actually. Got the idea in my computer class about biometrics a few months ago. At the time, gaining access pumped me more than reading all the files, until after he blew up at Mom and let Jack and me know how we were a burden. Guess the idea of being right about him wasn’t really what I wanted to find.”
Cole and Tori viewed the screen. Business data. Geology reports. Statistical analysis from various drilling sites. Fracking information, including types of fluids needed and the amount of sand. Pressures used to pump fluid and sand. Comparison of high and low pricing for the last several years. Nothing incriminating. “What did you find?”
“Boring stuff until last night. Click on Geology Reports 2014.”
Cole opened the folder. “Several subfiles here.”
“VermontMtg14.”
Disgust punched Cole the moment the file was open. Nathan and a blonde woman together in Vermont. Taking in the fall with changing leaves. Smiles. Kisses. Repulsive. Porn. No wonder Lance hadn’t slept.
“Dad’s executive assistant,” Lance said. Cole had recognized her. “Looks like she managed a few other duties on her off hours.”
“Anita Krantz,” Tori said, her voice edged with turmoil.
“My mom has cooked dinner for her. Gone shopping and played tennis with her. All the while Dad was lying and . . .”
Again Cole chose to pick his battles with the teen about his language. If the profanity continued, he’d intervene. Lance hurt in the pit of him, and his way of expressing it was honesty and bluntness. Condemning his choice of words now would only isolate Cole from ever making a solid friend and opening the door to a Father who wouldn’t disappoint him. He clicked on Nathan’s calendar.