Amanda’s call to Graves had met with success. She was going to get search warrants rolling for the Archer residence and Roy’s vehicle, while Amanda and Trent made their way back to Central. After ending the call with Graves, Amanda’s phone rang with a call from Logan. He confirmed he’d cover pizza night with Zoe. “No problem at all,” he’d added.
She and Trent stopped for a bite to eat, which would allow more time for the warrants to come through. It was creeping up on seven thirty by the time Trent parked in the lot at Central, and they headed to Graves’s office.
“Nothing yet,” Graves told them the second they graced her doorway.
“Why is this taking so long?” Trent fired back, his frustration obvious.
“This needs to be done right,” Graves said firmly. “You could go over there and ask permission, but if Roy turns you down, you’ll be right back here anyway.”
“I’m willing to take the chance.”
Graves shook her head. “Roy Archer is currently a Dumfries police officer.”
“So what? Does that give him the right to abuse his wife, possibly kill her and their daughter?” Trent spat.
“Absolutely not. But it’s the possibly bit that is the sticky point. We don’t have solid backing to our suspicions yet.”
“There’s no question he beat on his wife.” Trent huffed and flailed his arms. “Her body is a testament to that. All the bruising and broken bones.”
“I hear what you’re saying, Detective, and trust me when I say I’m on your side. There is a leap from abuse to murder, though I’m not sure it’s a big one.”
Amanda would disagree, but Graves’s statement felt personal. Or maybe she was far off the mark for thinking that. But regardless, the niggling settled in her gut with how Graves discussed the case. The more the investigation pointed toward domestic violence, Graves had a different aura about her—determined, harsh, and laser-focused.
“I’ve spoken with Chief Buchanan, and he’s calling the judge to get this moving. I expect it won’t be long before we’re hearing from them.”
“Giving Roy a chance to hide evidence,” Trent countered.
“Jill and Charlotte Archer have been dead for approximately four days,” Amanda started. “Any evidence could already be gone.”
Graves gestured toward Amanda with a flat palm as if to say Bingo. Her desk phone rang, and she answered. “Sergeant Graves… Yes… Uh-huh. All right. Thank you, Chief.” She replaced her receiver, and the line rang again.
Judging from this side of the conversation, the calls had to do with the warrants. Not good news based on the growing grimace on Graves’s face. She ended the call with, “I understand.” Which usually meant the opposite…
“First call was the chief, second was Judge Anderson. The warrants are being held up because formal identification hasn’t been made yet.”
“You’ve got to be kidding me,” Trent lamented. “It’s just a formality, Sarge. The victims are unquestionably Jill and Charlotte Archer.”
“We do this by the book,” Graves said coolly.
“Roy should have gone over this afternoon.” Trent’s voice was almost shrill.
“But he didn’t,” Graves pushed out. “Apparently he’s having a rough time.”
“Sure. The man probably has a shitload of regrets.” Trent rolled his eyes and shook his head. “This is unbelievable.”
“Detective,” Amanda said. One word, but it contained a warning. If he didn’t get his emotions under control, they would get him benched from the case. She held brief eye contact with Trent, then turned to Graves. “When will Roy Archer be identifying the bodies?”
“An appointment has been set for nine tomorrow morning.”
Amanda purposefully didn’t look at Trent; she didn’t have to. His seething was felt from across the room.
“The second he has confirmed the victims are Jill and Charlotte Archer, the warrants are as good as signed.”
“He gets another night free.” Trent was speaking softly, not due to acceptance. Rather, Amanda sensed his temper brooding just beneath the surface.
“Nine AM, he makes the identification, we move ahead. If he did this, we’ll get him.” Graves made piercing eye contact with Trent, and after a few seconds, they both nodded. A silent communication passed between the two. Graves added, “You’re both dismissed. Get your rest. You’re going to need it.”
Amanda was the first into the hallway.
Trent joined her and said, “I won’t sleep tonight.”
“Try, okay? She’s right. We’ve got a lot on our plate tomorrow.”
“I realize that.”
“Are you going to be all right?” The question was out, and she regretted it instantly. His eyes narrowed slightly, and he got this wall around him that told her he wasn’t her problem to worry about.
“I’ll be fine. See you tomorrow. Eight thirty.”
“Yep.” She believed that technically he would be fine, but that didn’t rule out his living in mental torment.
Amanda arrived home to find Logan and Zoe on the couch, some mindless sitcom on the television. Zoe was lying with her head against his arm, fast asleep.
It pleased her the two of them hit it off. Not everyone had a knack with kids, but Logan was good with her. Not bad for a one-night stand—going back almost two years now. It was hard to believe it was that long ago. Time went too fast. And, wow, had a lot changed in her life since.
She smiled at Logan but brushed some of Zoe’s blond hair back with a hand. “Zoe,” she whispered. No response. She repeated herself, a little louder this time.
Zoe’s eyes sprung open, and she sat up. “Mandy. You’re home.” She got off the couch and wrapped both arms around Amanda’s neck. Amanda hugged the girl back, but kept her hold loose, as thoughts of the case soiled the moment.
Jill and Charlotte’s killer had hugged them tightly just before breaking their necks.
Amanda pinched out the ugly and guided Zoe’s head to the alcove of her shoulder, running her hands over her hair. Then pulled back. “So I’d like to know something… How was the pizza?”
Zoe’s eyes widened almost comically; her facial mannerisms had always been expressive. Much like Amanda’s mother—not that there was a blood tie between her and Zoe. “It was delicious. But look.” Zoe opened her mouth wide and pushed the tip of her tongue through a gap on top. “It fell out during dinner.”
“Oh?” Amanda stood, glanced at Logan.
“She handled it like a champ,” he said, as if reading her mind.
“Of course I did. I’m not a baby.”
“As that proves.” Amanda pointed at Zoe’s mouth and smiled.
“That’s right.” Zoe bunched up her face and stuck her tongue out at Logan.
“Now, now.” Amanda put her hand on Zoe’s shoulder.
“I’m just kidding around. Can’t he take a joke?” She pushed her tongue out again.
Logan laughed. “You better be careful.”
“Or what? What’s ya gonna do?”
Amanda was giggling now. The two had a sibling type of relationship—and she should know. She had four herself, one of them an older brother. As much as they teased and chided each other, they were great friends. Though their relationship was challenged over the last number of years, things between them were getting better again. “Let’s get you to bed.”
“It’s not even eight o’clock,” she whined.
“You fell asleep on the couch.” Amanda wouldn’t mind some alone time with Logan.
“I always do.” Zoe looked at Logan to support her claim.
He bobbed his head. “It is true. She does.”
“That’s right.” Zoe nudged out her chin and crossed her arms. “I’m a big girl now.”
“I see. Well, big girl, you have one more hour. Tops. You have school tomorrow.”
“What?”
“You heard me.”
“Fine,” Zoe pushed out, her lips turning into a scowl.
Logan touched Amanda’s hand. “There are leftovers in the fridge if you haven’t eaten.”
“Nah, I’m fine. Picked up something earlier.” She took the spot on the couch vacated by Zoe and sat next to Logan. “Hey.”
“Hey.”
They pecked a kiss to each other’s lips.
“Yuck.” A large groan of protest from Zoe only had Amanda and Logan laughing.
For the next hour, the three of them watched TV. Amanda didn’t glean much from the programs as her mind was on the case. So much had happened since Spencer had called her to Prince Park that morning.
The moment the clock flipped to nine, Amanda roused Zoe, who had once again fallen asleep—her head on Amanda’s lap, her feet on Logan’s. “Time for bed. School tomorrow.”
There was a grumble, barely a protest on the scale of Zoe’s capabilities. “Okay.”
She sauntered down the hall, the scuffle of her socked feet on the wood floor disclosing her progress. Then the bathroom door shut.
Lucky wasn’t the only thing to go when Zoe had turned seven in August. She was no longer interested in playing dress up or watching Frozen for the millionth and one time—and she didn’t need Amanda to read to her before bed. She did continue to kiss Zoe on the forehead once she’d slipped under the covers, but that ritual was probably nearing an end too.
Once Amanda heard Zoe flush the toilet, she got up and told Logan she’d be right back.
“Not going anywhere.” He smiled at her, and she felt warmth rush through her.
“Good.” She found Zoe already under the covers, but Amanda adjusted the lay of the comforter and flicked on a light that projected stars onto the ceiling.
“No.”
“What?”
“I don’t need that anymore. Turn it off.”
“You don’t enjoy looking at stars?”
“I’m a big girl, and I don’t need a nightlight.” Zoe pushed out her bottom lip, meeting Amanda’s gaze with stark seriousness.
“Okay. Big girl, it is.” Amanda turned the light off but left the unit on the nightstand, not buying Zoe was finished with the apparatus for good. She tapped a kiss on Zoe’s forehead and got up. She stopped in the doorway and turned to check on her. In the faint light seeping in from the hallway, Zoe already had her eyes shut.
They grow up too quickly… As the thought passed through, an ache formed in her chest. Her daughter, Lindsey, never had the chance to become a big girl. She’d stopped aging at six-and-a-half years old. Amanda was already going places with Zoe she hadn’t with her own flesh and blood.
She walked back toward the living room but stood at the end of the hallway. “Wine?” she asked Logan.
He looked over a shoulder at her from the couch. “Sure.”
She grabbed a bottle of red, popped the cork, and poured some into a couple of glasses. She returned with them to the living room and handed him one. She didn’t click her glass to his, no need for a toast tonight. And she wasn’t drinking to celebrate. Her heart felt broken. Not just for the fact Zoe was growing up too fast, but that another little girl wouldn’t get that chance.