He could. He seemed to be able to handle a lot, from cooking to building a house. She told herself to have faith that he would handle the investigation of her sister’s disappearance as capably.
“Thank you for everything,” she said as she inched up on her tiptoes and brushed a kiss across his cheek before making her escape. She noticed his home was almost spartan, but had fabulous bones and stunning views. There were a few bedrooms upstairs, hinting at the fact that the detective hadn’t planned on living there alone.
Which made her wonder if he’d built the home with someone special in mind.
She forced that thought away and went to her room. Although it was early, she was tired and wanted to be at her best when they confronted Matt. Closing her door, she changed quickly and got into bed, hoping to make it an early night.
JACKSON STOOD AT the sink, listening for the familiar creak of the floorboards just inches away from the landing and in front of the first bedroom. More than once he’d thought about fixing it, but it served as a very reliable alarm system.
The creak came as Rhea went across the hall to the bathroom and then back, telling him it was safe to head up once he finished the dishes. He took his time, thinking about the materials they’d reviewed earlier, as well as planning an approach to Matt Davis tomorrow.
If Davis was as Rhea had said, he’d be less than pleased about their reopening the case and holding up the insurance payout. He’d push the other man in the hopes of either eliminating Matt from that prime suspect spot or collecting enough evidence to be able to charge him for Selene’s murder.
Selene’s murder.
Rhea wouldn’t handle it well if that’s what the evidence proved, but it would at least bring closure. Even if that closure brought pain.
He finished the dishes and went upstairs, careful to step around the creaky floorboards to not wake Rhea. Once he was in bed, he returned to his earlier thoughts, planning tomorrow’s mission. The approach and what would follow if Matt’s alibis failed to satisfy the many questions he had.
He was just starting to drift off, the plan running through his brain, when he heard the warning squeak that someone was in the hall. A second later, a soft footfall, someone barefoot, alerted him that Rhea was coming down the hall.
His door was open, and he rose up on one elbow as the shadow of her petite figure came into view. She leaned her hand on the doorjamb and, in barely a whisper, she said, “I can’t sleep.”
JACKSON SAT UP, revealing a broad bare chest with a smattering of chest hair angling down...
Rhea wouldn’t think about where that happy trail led, and was reconsidering her visit when he said, “Bed is plenty big, and I’ve got lots of pillows.” He grabbed a couple and laid them down the center of the king-size bed, creating an effective bundling board.
“Thank you. I promise not to be a bother.” She hurried to the side of the bed where he wasn’t, slipping beneath the sheets. They were smooth, but slightly warm from where he’d been lying earlier.
The bed dipped a little as he settled down again. “Good night, Rhea,” he said, his voice husky.
“Good night...Jax.”
RHEA WOKE TO an empty bed and the smell of coffee and bacon.
Hurrying, she washed, dressed and met Jackson in the kitchen, where he was forking perfectly crisp bacon slices onto a plate.
“How do you like your eggs?” he said.
She didn’t have the heart to tell him she normally didn’t eat breakfast. “Whatever is easiest.”
In no time, he was cracking eggs one-handedly and scrambling them like a pro.
She poured cups of coffee and asked, “Milk and sugar?”
“Cream and two sugars, please,” he said, and she smiled.
“Just like me,” she said, earning her a heated look and a laugh.
“Light for sure. A good wind could blow you away, but sweet?” he teased.
She laughed and shook her head. “I can be difficult at times,” she admitted.
He lifted an eyebrow in challenge, but she ignored him easily, especially when he laid a plate of eggs, bacon and toast before her and the smells awakened her hunger. She dug into the meal with gusto.
In truth, she was much lighter than she had been six months ago because she hadn’t been sleeping or eating well, worrying about what had happened to Selene. Hoping against hope that the feeling inside her that Selene was still alive wasn’t wrong.
She was so famished, she finished her plate well before Jackson had finished his, prompting his laughter. “Girl, you sure can put it away.”
“And you can sure cook. Thank you.”
“You’re welcome, but we should get going. Avalon isn’t all that far away, but we’ve got a lot to do.”
In a rush, they cleaned up and were on their way to Selene’s hometown, which was only about forty-five minutes away from Regina and two hours from Rhea’s home and gallery in Denver.
Rhea had done the drive many times before tensions between her and Matt had cropped up and the trips had become one-sided, with Selene only visiting Denver for their girls’ weekends.
As they drove, Rhea went over the discrepancies in Matt’s alibi. “He said he was gone for only about an hour to check out his client’s building location, but I spoke to the neighbors and they said that he was gone for a lot longer. At least three hours if not more.”
Jackson shot her a quick glance as he drove. “That gives him more than enough time to do the round trip to Regina.”
“And still supposedly ‘check out his client’s location,’” she said, emphasizing his explanation with air quotes.
Jackson shook his head. “Who goes to a building site at night? I didn’t believe it then, but the Avalon officers confirmed the alibi.”
“They did, but how much of that was influenced by the officer who works with Matt?” she asked, questioning it the way she had from the very beginning.
Jackson clenched his jaw, clearly not liking her assertion. “I’d rather not think that an officer let a murderer go free on account of a personal relationship.”
Rhea scoffed. “You think that’s never happened? That it’s possible it didn’t happen this time?”
Jackson sucked in a deep breath and held it, recalling his chief’s words about embarrassing either of the two police departments. But if losing the police chief’s job was the price to be paid for the truth, he was willing to pay that price. “Let’s not go there until we’ve run out of options. First thing I’d like to do is talk to Matt and hear what he has to say. After, we’ll take a run to the building site. See how long it takes us to get there and then back to Avalon.”
“And we can check out the road there also. Matt said he detailed his Jeep the morning after Selene disappeared because it was muddy and he was meeting a client.”
Jackson mentally reviewed the evidence Rhea had gathered. “You said the road was paved with gravel.”
“It is,” she insisted.
“Maybe it wasn’t paved six months ago,” he offered in explanation, and she shrugged her slim shoulders.
“I’m no expert, but it didn’t look like a new road to me. You saw the photos, right,” she reminded.
“I did. If things don’t add up...I have a friend in the area who has trained dogs,” he said, omitting that they were cadaver dogs in deference to Rhea’s emotions. But, as he peered at her out of the corner of his eye, it was obvious she’d guessed exactly what kinds of dogs. She worried that full lower lip and glanced away, her gaze shimmering with tears.
“And what then? What if we get nothing from it?”
“We keep on looking, Rhea. I made you a promise and I intend to keep it. We’ll go over every fact and every discrepancy. We’ll talk to the Avalon police. I called to let them know we were reopening the case,” he said.
She shot him a quick look, eyes wide wi
th surprise. “How did that go?”
“They weren’t happy. Felt like I was interfering in their jurisdiction, but I reminded them that the Regina Police Department had been involved in the investigation, as well.” He reached over and laid his hand on hers as it rested on her thigh. “We have an appointment to talk to them this afternoon.”
A deep furrow raked into her brow as she considered what he’d said. Long moments passed until she said, “I appreciate all that you’re doing.”
He brushed his hand across her cheek and said, “No need for thanks. It’s my job.” A more difficult one thanks to what he was starting to feel for Rhea.
Returning his attention to the road, he continued the drive to Avalon and the discussion about the case. “Matt started a bonfire that night. It was one thing that struck me as really odd back then. Who starts a fire and then leaves it unattended for any length of time?”
“And he kept it going almost all night, according to the neighbors,” Rhea added.
Jackson nodded, wondering what that might mean. “Matt may have been trying to dispose of...” He hesitated again, sensitive to Rhea’s feelings, but that was only making things harder and not easier, so he plowed on. “I’m not sure you can fully cremate a body in a bonfire, but it’s something we’ll have to check out.”
A tired sigh, as if Rhea was carrying the weight of the world on her shoulders, escaped her. “And what if it doesn’t prove Matt killed my sister?”
“If it doesn’t, we have other scenarios to consider and resolve,” he said without hesitation.
“The turn’s just in a few miles,” Rhea said and gestured toward the highway exit. “Is Matt expecting us? Did you call him?”
Jackson smiled and shook his head. “Matt is in for a surprise. We’ve got to rattle him, remember?”
Rhea blew out a breath and wagged her head. “Get him angry. Get him to make mistakes.”
He jabbed his finger in her direction to confirm it. “You got it. If he’s guilty, we will unravel that supposed alibi and get enough evidence to build our case.”
MATT DAVIS’S JEEP WRANGLER sat in the driveway, hinting that he was likely at home.
Jackson parked his police cruiser directly in front of the Davis home in a clear line of sight to a big bay window. He cut the engine and shifted in his seat to peer at Rhea. “Are you ready?”
Face a sickly pale, lips pressed tight, she nodded.
“Let’s roll,” he said as he sprang from the car and around to open the door for her.
Her hand was ice cold as she slipped it into his and they walked to the front door.
He scrutinized the home as they did so, taking in the recently mowed spring green grass. The landscaping was well-kept, and the home spoke of someone who took care of it.
He had barely raised his hand to knock when the front door flew open and Matt Davis stood there, his face mottled with angry red blotches that grew larger as his gaze settled on Rhea. “What are you doing here?” he said, his voice trembling from the force of his rage.
“Matt Davis?” Jackson said and angled himself so that Rhea was partially behind him.
Matt jerked his head up in challenge. “Yes, and who are you? You’re not with the Avalon Police Department.”
Jackson reached into his jacket pocket, removed his business card and handed it over to Matt, who snatched it away with a swipe of his hand.
Matt shot it only a quick look and said, “What do you want?”
“Detective Whitaker, Regina PD. We’ve reopened the Selene Davis case,” he said calmly, sensing that the more controlled he remained, the more upset Davis would become.
Matt glared at Rhea. “Why won’t you leave this alone? I told you I had nothing to do with Selene’s disappearance.”
“Just like you had nothing to do with those bruises she had?” Rhea challenged, her voice steady even though Jackson felt her trembling beside him.
Matt angrily jabbed a finger in her direction. “I never touched her. If Selene told you that, she lied.”
“She never told me, Matt. I saw for myself. I saw the way you treated her. That’s why you didn’t want me around,” Rhea challenged.
Matt made a move toward her, fists clenched, but Jackson swept up his arm, blocking his access to Rhea. Calmly, Jackson said, “Seems to me you’ve got an anger problem, Davis.”
Matt whipped his head around to nail Jackson with his gaze. “You’d be angry, too, if you were being accused of something you didn’t do.”
There was a sincerity in the man’s response that was unexpected. But sociopaths could be quite convincing, Jackson reminded himself. “If you didn’t do it, I assume you’ll be willing to answer a few questions.”
Davis deflated before his eyes, his shoulders lowering as he took a step back. But then he looked toward Rhea again and jabbed his finger in her direction. “If it means I never have to see her face again, I’ll answer any questions you want.”
“Where were you two nights ago?” Jackson said.
“Home. Asleep,” he said with a nonchalant shrug.
“The Avalon police came by and said no one answered,” Jackson pressed.
He shrugged, but met Jackson’s gaze head-on. “I sleep with earplugs, and I’m a heavy sleeper. I probably didn’t hear them.”
The Avalon Police hadn’t seen Matt’s SUV, unlike today, where it sat in the driveway. He gestured to the Jeep. “Do you normally park in the driveway?”
Matt shook his head. “I normally pull it into the garage, but I’m custom-building something in the garage. I started the project yesterday afternoon.”
“Mind showing it to me?”
With a harrumph, Matt pushed past him and to the garage, where he entered a code and opened the door to reveal a number of sawhorses covered with plywood and pieces of a woodworking project.
“Thanks,” Jackson said, but pressed on. “Let’s talk about the trip to your client’s location. You say you went the night Selene disappeared? At night, Matt?”
The other man shrugged and looked away this time, a telltale sign that someone was lying. “I had been at a site all day and, when I came home, Selene and I had a fight. I needed to blow off some steam and went outside to do some yard work.”
“You had lots of scratches and cuts on your hands. You told the officers you got them doing the yard work,” Jackson said.
Matt nodded. “There were lots of brambles, but I was so mad, I didn’t pay attention and got cut up while I piled them in the firepit.”
“And then you started the bonfire?” Rhea asked.
Matt glared at her again, but nodded. “I did. I like to keep things looking neat, and it was the easiest way to get rid of them.”
Jackson peered all around the house once more and said, “I see that you care, which makes me wonder why you left a live fire to drive up a mountain.”
Matt dragged his fingers through unruly waves of blond hair. “Stupid, I know, but I was still too wired after doing that and decided it was as good a time as any to check out my prospective client’s building site.”
“Up a mountain? In the dark?” Rhea pressed. She had never believed Matt’s alibi from the very beginning and nothing had happened that would change her opinion.
Matt glared at her, and spittle flew from his lips as he said, “Maybe if Selene had earned more at that stupid school I wouldn’t have had to bust my ass just to keep a roof over our heads.”
Rhea was barely controlling her anger. Her body shook with the force of it, but Jackson laid a hand on her shoulder. Gave a reassuring squeeze.
“I understand you were having some financial difficulties,” Jackson said.
Matt’s gaze narrowed to almost slits and settled on her. More bright splotches of red erupted on his cheeks and down his neck as he said, “I was working out of it. That’s why I drove up the mountain.
It was a big job and really helped me get things back on track.”
Me and not us. It had always been about Matt, Rhea thought, but kept quiet to let Jackson continue the interrogation. But he surprised her with his next statement.
“That’s good to hear, Matt. Especially since I told the insurance company we had reopened the case. They’re holding up the payout on Selene’s policy until we close the case.”
Matt’s barely leashed anger turned toward Jackson. “You had no right to do that. No right,” he shouted and leaned toward Jackson, his pose threatening. But he was no physical match for Jackson, who had several inches on him in height and width.
Jackson met him dead-on, his nose barely an inch from Matt’s. “I had every right, Davis. A woman is missing. Likely dead and, from what I can see, you had a hand in it.”
As he had before, Matt backed down. Bullies couldn’t handle being challenged, and it made Rhea realize why Matt hadn’t wanted her around. Unlike Selene who hated confrontation, Rhea wouldn’t have put up with the way that Matt treated Selene.
“I didn’t kill Selene. I don’t know what happened to her after she left here that night,” Matt said, a defeated tone in his voice.
“If that’s true, you’ll have no issues with helping us prove that,” Jackson said.
Matt gazed away again and nodded. “Whatever you need. I just want to get on with my life.”
“Great. We’ll be back,” Jackson said and exerted gentle pressure on her shoulder to guide her toward his cruiser.
“He just wants to get that insurance money,” Rhea said under her breath, not believing a word of Matt’s explanation.
“For sure, but he won’t get it if he doesn’t cooperate to clear his name,” Jackson said.
Rhea stopped dead and glanced at Jackson. “You think that’s possible? That he didn’t do it? That she killed herself?”
“Or that she’s still alive, like you hope.” His gaze was a dark gray, like a troubled sky, when it settled on her. With a harsh breath, he said, “Anything’s possible right now. But, fact by fact, we’ll determine what really happened.”
Cold Case Reopened Page 5