three

Maddy was relieved to see Colton Winslow charge through the station door with her sister Lainey close behind. If anyone could make sense of this horrible situation, it was her brother-in-law. She crumbled into Lainey’s embrace while Colt stood to the side, patiently waiting to hear what had happened.

As much as she wanted to stay in the warmth of her sister’s arms, she knew the faster Colt had the details, the faster they could begin collecting evidence and find Bernardi’s killer. Pulling away, she motioned for him to follow her into the back room where the cell block was located.

Lainey fell into step behind Maddy before Colt held up his arm to stop her. “You’d better stay out here, honey.” When she shook her head, he added. “We need someone to direct Mark Lowell to the back when he gets here.”

The look on Lainey’s face said she clearly wasn’t fooled by his suggestion that the medical examiner of Vineyard needed help finding his way to the cell block, and for a minute, Maddy thought she would protest. With an exasperated sigh, Lainey nodded.

Her younger sister had never seen a dead body before, and she probably would have nightmares forever if she saw Bernardi. Maddy was a cop, but she’d only seen one other body herself. She shuddered at the memory of old Mrs. Roosevelt who had died in her sleep. Ordinarily, it wouldn’t have required police presence before the funeral home arrived for the body, but her son had insisted that his sister had something to do with his mother’s death. Since Maddy had been Flanagan’s shadow back then, she’d gone out with him to investigate.

Fortunately, she’d been able to get through the initial ordeal without a major GI disaster. It turned out the son had been right about his sister, and the crime had been solved in less than a week. But she’d never forget the way the old woman’s eyes had stared up at her—
almost as if she were begging for someone to find her killer. Maddy still had an occasional bad dream about those eyes.

“Maddy, you want to start at the beginning and tell me how this prisoner was shot to death on your watch?” Colt asked as he stared down at the body.

She took a deep breath and blew it out slowly. “I was in the bathroom when it happened.”

He walked around Bernardi to the other side of the cell. “There’s a Glock next to the body.”

“Yes.” Her voice dropped to a whisper. “It’s mine.”

He whirled around to face her. “Thought you said you were in the bathroom.”

“Someone shot him while I was in there.”

“With your gun?”

A wave of nausea pulsed through her again, knowing how this must look to a trained police officer. “It’s a long story, Colt, but you have to believe that I didn’t kill him.” She swiped at the tear threatening to roll down her cheek.

His face softened, and he stepped closer to her. “Of course, I believe you, but I need help making sense of this. How it is that someone could waltz in here and kill this prisoner with your gun while you were in the ladies’ room? And where was Rogers?”

She lowered her head, thinking there was no way she would be able to make him believe her. “Out checking a domestic disturbance call that came in around one from that trailer park by the airport. You know, the one that keeps the guys busy nearly every weekend with drunk and disorderly calls.”

She waited until he nodded, deciding not to tell him that Rogers had stopped at the all-night diner for a cup of coffee afterward. Everyone knew the divorced cop was sweet on the new waitress who worked the graveyard shift there, but it would serve no purpose bringing that up now. “Anyway, he told me to leave my gun and my cell phone on the desk and to lock myself in the ladies’ room.”

“Why would Rogers tell you to do that?”

“Not Rogers. The guy on the phone.”

Colt’s forehead wrinkled in question. “Somebody called you on your cell phone and told you to lock yourself in the bathroom?”

This time she couldn’t stop the tears from falling, and she shook her head. “There was another phone in my desk drawer, and when it rang I thought one of the guys was calling to say he’d left it. The voice sounded like it was computer enhanced and—” She stopped to reach for the tissue Colt handed her.

“I don’t get it, Maddy. You know the protocol when you’re here alone at the station. Why didn’t you go into lockdown? You’re been here long enough to know you should never leave the front door open with no backup.”

“I was so scared.”

He wrapped his arms around her until the shaking stopped. “Did he hurt you?”

She shook her head and pulled away. She had to tell him the story before the medical examiner and the forensics team showed up. “He texted a picture of a man with a gun standing over Jessie while she was sleeping at Sandra’s. Said if I didn’t do exactly as he instructed, he’d kill her.”

Colts eyes widened, and he headed for the door. “Call Rogers and tell him to meet me at your mother-in-law’s. Tell him to sit tight until I get there.”

“Colt, wait!”

He stopped abruptly and spun around to face her.

“Jessie’s fine. Rogers is over there now, and other than being scared to death because I freaked out, both my daughter and her grandmother are fine. Actually, they slept right through the whole ordeal, and neither had a clue that someone had been in the house.”

Colt blew out an audible sigh of relief. “Thank God for that.” Maddy knew he loved Jessie almost as much as he loved his own daughter. Switching back into cop mode, he narrowed his eyes. “Show me the picture. Maybe we can get forensics to pick up on something.”

“Like what? He had on a mask.”

“Like a tattoo on the hand holding the gun or some other distinguishing mark.”

She turned and raced back to the front office with Colt close behind her. Ignoring Lainey’s questioning look, she sprinted to her desk, which was still partially obstructing the bathroom door. After going through the drawer, she glanced up and shook her head. “It’s gone.”

Just then Mark Lowell burst through the front door. “Heard someone saved the taxpayers a lot of money tonight,” he said, winking at Colt.

“The body’s in the back.” Colt sent the Vineyard County Medical Examiner a look that instantly wiped the grin from his face before he twisted around to face Maddy again. “Can you sit over there at Landers’s desk while I do the preliminary exam with Mark? I’ll be back shortly to take your full statement.” He motioned to Lainey. “You too. This place is about to become a zoo, and I’ll need both of you out of the way.”

“Shouldn’t I come with you?” Maddy asked.

His eyes told her more than she wanted to know. No matter how much of her story he believed, she was still a potential suspect—actually, the only suspect at the present time.

“Hang tight, Maddy. I promise we’ll get to the bottom of this.” Then he nudged the medical examiner toward the cell block and disappeared behind him.

Maddy flopped down behind Landers’s desk, and her sister pulled up a chair beside her.

“You must’ve been so scared,” Lainey said, reaching for Maddy’s hand.

Maddy could only nod. She was the oldest of five sisters, and she’d always been the one to comfort the younger ones. It felt strange being the one needing support right now.

“Who’s with Gracie?” was all she could think to say without breaking into tears again. She had to get the image of that man in Jessie’s bedroom out of her head.

“She’s with Colt’s mom tonight. They’re braving the Black Friday crowd in the morning.”

“I didn’t kill him, Lainey. I swear.”

Lainey patted her hand. “Why would I think that? You couldn’t hurt a flea. Everyone knows that.”

I knew you were in trouble, Maddy. I just didn’t know how much.

Maddy glanced up to see Tessa sitting on the edge of the desk. “Please tell me you know who did it, Tessa,” Maddy said, hoping and praying her ghostly sister had seen everything and could identify the man who had killed Bernardi.

“Tessa? Don’t tell me you’re seeing her now,” Lainey said, jumping from her chair.

“You can’t see her?”

Of course she can’t. You’re the one in big trouble. Tell Lainey I said she could have at least combed her hair. She’s got that just been … well, you know the look. And personally, to flaunt it in front of me—and you, for that matter—seems a tad insensitive, don’t ya think?

“Tessa said you can’t see her because I’m the one in trouble.” Maddy deliberately left out the other part, not wanting to dwell on the lack of romance in her life at the moment.

A slight grin wrinkled the corners of Lainey’s lips. “Knowing my dead sister the way I do, my guess is that’s not all she said.”

Oh, give it a rest, Lainey. You had your fun with me when you were the only one who could see and hear me. Tessa leaned across the desk, almost in Maddy’s face now. Now start talking, sis. The only way we can help you is if you tell us what happened.

Maddy felt the hope drain from her body. If Tessa was looking for details, that meant she hadn’t seen anything and wouldn’t be able to help. She lowered her eyes and recited the story to both her sisters.

“Oh my God! Is Jessie all right?” Lainey cried out.

“She’s fine. She slept right through it. Rogers is staying with her until I get home.”

Thank God for that, Tessa interjected. What asshole uses a child like that?

“Apparently, a very clever one,” Maddy answered. “There’s only one scenario that would have persuaded me to follow his instructions like I did. He knew Jessie was key to getting my full cooperation.”

“Why didn’t you call Colt?” Lainey asked.

“I tried to, but somehow, the man on the phone saw me and threatened to kill Jessie.”

“How did he see you?” Lainey asked. “Was he hiding in one of the back rooms?”

Maddy popped out of the chair, nearly tipping it over. “Crap! I forgot to tell Colt about that. There has to be a hidden camera somewhere in this room.” She started toward the door to the cell block just as it flew open and Colt walked through.

“Get the forensics guy to check this room for a hidden camera,” she shouted, unable to hide the excitement in her voice. “Maybe we’ll find fingerprints on it.”

“What makes you think there’s a hidden camera, Maddy? It’s a little far fetched to think someone could plant one without any of us knowing about it.”

She told him how the man on the phone knew she’d been searching in her purse for her cell phone and how he warned that he could see her every move.

“Like I said, it’s very improbable that someone could get eyes on us in here.” When he saw her look of despair, he added “I said improbable, not impossible. But it makes more sense that he made a calculated guess, knowing you’d be looking for help.”

Damn! The man looks good even with bedhead. Tessa walked around him, spending a few extra seconds giving his derriere the once-over. I should have jumped his bones when I had the chance.

“Tessa’s back,” Maddy said abruptly. When Colt narrowed his eyes, she added, “She appeared before this all began and disappeared right after I got the call.”

“So she didn’t see or hear the guy?”

Maddy shook her head. “No, but she knew I was in some kind of trouble.” She grinned. “Said St. Peter’s wife sent her here to get her as far away from her husband as she could.”

“Why am I not surprised?” Colt deadpanned, before his expression turned serious again. “Tell her not to even think about getting involved in this investigation. The last time you Garcia girls tried to help out, Lainey almost died.”

Remind my ex that I’m the one who led Lainey out of the burning vines to safety. She clucked her tongue. I have a feeling this isn’t going to be nearly as much fun now that Colt knows I’m hanging around. I liked it better when he couldn’t figure out how you guys knew everything.

“What’s going to happen now?” Lainey asked, grabbing her sister’s hand and squeezing it. “Surely you don’t blame Maddy for doing what she did?”

He stared at his wife for a moment before focusing back on her older sister. “I would’ve done the exact same thing if someone had threatened Gracie. But because it was your gun that killed Bernardi, I have to put you on leave for now.” When he noticed the look of dismay that crossed her face, he added “Paid leave, Maddy. Just until we get to the bottom of this.”

She nodded, grateful she wouldn’t have to dig any deeper into her savings to make it through the next few weeks. She hoped it wouldn’t take any longer, but that meant they’d have to find clues quickly before the case went cold.

“There’s really nothing more for you to do here. Why don’t you go with Lainey back to our house and try to get some sleep. I’ll wait here until the CSI guys are through and the body’s on the way to the morgue.”

“No!” she said a little louder than she meant to. “I need to be with Jessie.”

“That’s a good idea. I’ve already instructed Rogers to stay over at your mother-in-law’s house until morning just in case whoever did this decides to return.”

“This time I’ll be ready,” Maddy said defiantly before she remembered her gun was now state’s evidence.

I’m going with you, Tessa said. Nobody screws with my family and gets away with it.

If the situation hadn’t been so serious, Maddy would have laughed as her younger sister slammed her hand on the desk and no one else noticed.

Before she could explain why she was grinning, the phone rang, and Colt stretched across Landers’s desk to reach for it. “Vineyard Police Department.” After a few seconds of listening, he blew out a breath. “We’ll be right there.”

Both Maddy and Lainey inched closer to him, waiting for him to explain.

Before he did, he glanced down at his watch. “That was the hospital. Alan Foxworthy has regained consciousness. They’re getting him ready for surgery, and I have a short window to talk to him before they sedate him. Hopefully, we can get to the bottom of this quickly.”

“What about the station? Should I stay until morning?” Maddy asked.

“No, you go and stay close to Jessie. Landers is on his way in.” He bent to kiss her forehead. “Try not to worry too much. I’ll call you as soon as I know something.”

Even as she agreed, she knew there was no way she would stay calm. Her mind raced with the possible scenarios Colt could get from questioning the guy in the other cell. What if he hadn’t seen anything and wasn’t able to help her? He’d been snoring loud enough to nearly shake the building the last time she’d checked on him.

Hope that little bastard has a good memory, Tessa said, falling in step with Maddy as she retrieved her purse and walked to the door.

Exiting the station with Tessa on her heels, Maddy felt a ray of hope for the first time since this all began. Unless the killer shot the other guy before Bernardi, there was no way anyone could have slept through the loud gunshots. Colt would take his statement, and Maddy would be back on the job in a few days.

Climbing into her car, she glanced back at the station. She could only hope that would happen and she could resume her life in short order. She’d left college to marry Robbie before he was deployed to Afghanistan, and when he was killed several months later, she’d found herself pregnant with only the small government compensation to support her and her newborn daughter. She’d worked at the station in some capacity or another ever since Colt had taken over as sheriff of Vineyard.

But her gut screamed back that walking into the station in her uniform wasn’t going to happen anytime soon.