Piper poured Landon a cup of coffee.
He looked exhausted and she felt half sorry for him. Then again, it was Landon—annoying, irksome, overprotective Landon.
He set the mug down and raked a hand through his hair. “When do you think they’ll be back?”
“Probably another hour or two.” She frowned, noticing how haggard he looked—mottled black in the shape of crescent moons rimmed his bloodshot eyes and stubble covered his hollow cheeks. “Have you eaten?”
“Today?”
She rolled her eyes. It was a wonder the man didn’t turn to skin and bones. “I’ve got some lasagna left in the fridge. Let me heat you up some. It’ll only take a bit.”
“All right.” He started to straddle the stool and stopped short.
Her lips twitched. “Problems?”
He yanked an evidence bag from his pocket and tossed it on the counter.
“What’s that?”
“A key I found on the boat earlier today. I wanted Cole’s opinion on it.”
“Looks like a locker key.”
“That’s what I thought, but I tried every lock in Yancey from Burt’s gym to the ferry station. No luck.”
“Maybe it goes to something on another island or in another state. Jake said he thought the truck Liz was driving had Washington plates.”
“It’d help if there was a manufacturer name or number on the key, but it’s blank.” He shook his head. “It’s like this guy wanted to remain untraceable. And that, quite honestly, scares me.”
“Why?”
“Because it means he knew he was going to do something wrong ahead of time.”
She pulled the plate from the microwave, the mouthwatering scent of tomato sauce and oregano hovering in the air as she set it in front of him, the cheese golden and bubbling.
“Thanks, Piper. It smells delicious.” He bent to take a bite and paused. “You made this?”
“Don’t worry. I wouldn’t feed you something Kayden made.” Her eyes narrowed. “Unless I was really mad at you.”
He chuckled and took a bite.
She leaned against the counter, thankful to see him eat. He worked too hard and took horrible care of himself. He needed a good woman, someone like Nancy Bowen.
“The only consolation is,” he said, tracking back between bites, “with the amount of blood we found on the boat, it’s highly unlikely our mystery man is still a threat to anybody.”
“How do you know it was his blood?”
“Since it’s already leaked, I guess it wouldn’t hurt any for me to tell you. The blood found on the boat doesn’t match Liz Johnson’s. We’re definitely looking at a second victim.”
“Okay, but how do you know the blood belonged to our mystery man?”
Landon paused midbite. “We made an assumption.” He dropped his fork. “I made an assumption.”
“It’s a natural one.” She skirted around the counter and hopped on the stool beside him. “The only reason I thought of it was because Cole mentioned the mystery man sent a text. . . .”
“He did. It could have been the person on the receiving end of the message that . . .”
“Was killed,” they said in unison.
Landon wiped his mouth. “Good work, Piper.”
She let the counter support her weight. Had Landon Grainger just paid her a compliment?
Landon finished off the hearty slice of apple pie and sat back satisfied. “That was delicious. When’d you learn to make a pie?”
“I used to make them with Mom.”
He winced at the sadness in Piper’s eyes. It was stupid of him to bring it up. She’d been young when Libby died. He hadn’t thought. . . .
She took his plate.
“I can get it,” he offered.
She ignored him and moved to the sink to rinse it off. “So . . . still haven’t found Liz’s missing truck?”
“Nope.” He stood and stretched. It’d been a long day—a long couple of days. “Starting to run out of places to look.”
“Have you tried the glades?”
“No. It’s next on my list. So far all my time’s been swallowed up by taking the boat apart.”
“Looks like you did good work.” She indicated the key with a tilt of her head.
“Found it taped inside the toilet of all places.”
Her face scrunched. “Eww.”
Landon chuckled as his radio crackled. He pulled it from his belt. “Grainger.” The peace had lasted longer than expected.
“You found McKenna yet?” Slidell grumbled.
“Found one of them.” He winked at Piper.
“The one we want?”
“No, but he’s expected back soon.”
“Back from where?”
“He and—”
“I’ll be right there!” Slidell hollered. “It’s the blasted phone again. I’ve got to go. You heading back over here?”
“Be there in twenty.”
Piper slipped the clean plate into the drying rack. “He sounds happy.”
“About as happy as a bear who stuck his hand in a honey pot and found a swarm of angry bees. Word of the murders leaked out, and the phones have been ringing off the hook ever since.”
“You’d think he’d be thrilled with all the publicity.”
“This is bad publicity, and he wants nothing to do with it.”
“Maybe he shouldn’t be sheriff, then. How you handle hard times is a true show of character.”
Sadly, in that area, Landon found Slidell wanting. It wasn’t easy working for a man he didn’t respect. “Thanks for dinner.”
“You’re welcome. I’ll have Cole call as soon as he gets in.”
Landon slid his hat on, and Piper walked him to the door.
“Lock the deadbolt behind me,” he instructed.
“Yes, sir.” She gave a mock salute.
“Cute, pipsqueak.” He tugged her ponytail. “I mean it.”
“I told you to stop calling me that.”
“Fine. Good night, Piper.” He shut the door and waited until he heard the lock click into place before leaving.