Page 89 of Lethal Danger

Her pulse skipped a beat. Maybe they could be each other’s family.

The urge to say the thought out loud pushed at her lips. But she stopped herself. Too much, too soon. He’d think she was proposing. Perfect way to scare off a guy, especially one used to traveling and never settling down.

She’d have to be patient. Wait until he cared for her even more. Until he wanted to stay with her. Or maybe take her along on his travels.

Right now, she’d do everything she could to continue to impress him and prove her worth. Like with the info she’d learned from Randall. “I did find out some interesting things from Rebekah’s jealous ex.”

“You saw Randall?” Hawthorne’s eyes lit, electrifying the teal color so much that Jazz had to fight to keep a clear thought in her head while under the spell of those mesmerizing orbs.

“Yeah. He was in the gift shop like your sister said.”

“Perfect. Did he talk?”

She smiled. “A lot. He seemed to take a liking to me, so I was able to question him pretty naturally.”

A grin showed off Hawthorne’s teeth. “Of course he did. What’s not to like?”

Jazz’s pulse fluttered. But she tried to stay nonchalant. “I know, right?” She flicked her hair back over her shoulder, earning a chuckle from Hawthorne. “I tried to check for an alibi the night of Sam’s death. Randall said he was with others at the cult until nine thirty. Would that give him an alibi?”

“No. The autopsy put time of death between ten p.m. and midnight. But the investigation concluded he must have died during the last ride of the night at the Logboat Adventure, which would mean just before eleven.”

“So Randall could’ve snuck out after his weird stars class.”

“Yeah.”

“I have a hard time imagining he would’ve, though.”

Hawthorne lifted his eyebrows slightly. “Why is that?”

“I get that he was mad at Rebekah and Sam, and he obviously thinks Sam was a jerk, but he’s also totally in love with the cult. He spewed out these programmed answers anytime I pushed the right button.”

Amusement curved Hawthorne’s mouth as he watched her.

“So I can’t really see him having been able to think independently enough to buck the cult and his beloved leader. He’d have had to break so many rules and be somewhat clever.”

“Sounds like a good assessment. You’re probably right, he’s at the bottom of the suspect list.”

Jazz nodded. “He did tell me something helpful, though. He said Sam’s dad attacked Desmond Patch.”

Hawthorne angled toward her. “Attacked him?”

“That’s what he said. Sam’s dad apparently had to be dragged out of the commune and was banned from coming back.”

“Huh.” Hawthorne rotated forward and rested his hands in a loose hold on the steering wheel. He looked ahead through the windshield.

“Are you thinking what I’m thinking?”

He turned his head toward Jazz. “That Sam’s dad has a motive to sabotage the fair and put the blame on Patch?”

“Exactly.” She pressed her lips together. “We’ve got to find Sam’s dad.”

“Sam’s mother doesn’t seem to know where he is.”

“I’ll ask Cora to track him down for us.”

Hawthorne gave her a questioning look.

“She’s the communications and tech specialist at Phoenix K-9 Agency. She’s a whiz at research and finding people nobody else can.”

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