Page 14 of Lone Star Witness

“I had to alert Caroline Maverick, too,” he went on. “Ruby’s daughter and Nash’s significant other. Caroline’s the one who killed Bodie when he attacked Nash, Ruby and her.”

Marise did some muttering and cursing of her own. She’d already known that since she’d read all the reports, but she’d forgotten that Ruby’s daughter might play into this.

“So, Sonny might want to try to settle a score with Caroline.” Marise came out and asked.

“Might,” he admitted. “And that’s why Ruby has arranged for some extra security for her until Nash gets home.”

Good. It was a security measure that would make everyone breathe easier. “Has Sonny had any kind of recent contact with Nash, Jericho or you?”

“None. Not since he left Stronghold years ago.”

Stronghold, she knew, was the name of the compound where Slade and his brothers had been raised. An off the grid community for survivalists and extreme doomsday preppers. Apparently, a place for killers, too, since Sonny had made it his home.

“That’s where he killed your mother?” she risked asking.

“It was near there. He pushed her off a bank and into a creek that’s behind the compound. It’s one of those areas with high chalk bluffs and lots of boulders. Jericho said she hit one of the boulders when she fell and plunged into the water.”

She considered that for a moment. “Any chance it was an accident?”

“None. People have survived a fall from there over the years, but Jericho said Sonny shoved her.” A muscle tightened and flickered in his cheek as he took the turn off the Interstate toward the lake. “Sonny’s a dangerous, misogynistic asshole who believes he has the right to do whatever he wants to a woman. Bodie had that attitude, too.”

“And now he’s dead.” She hesitated before pressing this a little harder. “Will you be able to confront Sonny without outright killing him?”

Slade stayed quiet for a while. “I don’t know,” he admitted just as his dash flashed with an incoming call.

From Ruby.

He accepted it right away. “Marise and I are on the way to my lake house,” he let his boss know.

“Good. I wanted to give you an update on what I’ve found. One update,” Ruby emphasized. “And then I want you to get some rest. That’s an order in case you didn’t pick up on that.”

“Understood,” Slade said in a grumble. “What’s the update?”

“Stephanie Rosa. You were right to be suspicious of her. She’s been having an affair with her best friend’s husband, Carlyle Hutton. They’ve mainly managed to keep it secret, so I’m not sure the colonel or Hutton’s wife knows.”

“Mainly?” Slade questioned.

“I did a compilation of feed from traffic and store cameras and then used facial recognition to identify Hutton and Stephanie going into a Riverwalk hotel. Not once but on four separate occasions. According to the records I accessed, this is a weekly deal for them that’s been going on for about six months.”

Marise hadn’t known so much information could be gathered from traffic and store cameras. But she was glad Ruby had found it because it gave them a launching point.

“Two weeks ago, Hutton’s wife reported him missing,” Ruby went on. “She said he went to work but didn’t come home. I found him on a traffic camera feed heading in the direction of the Rosa’s house.”

“Hell,” Slade blurted. “Two weeks?”

“Yes, about the time that Rosa said he witnessed a murder, and that’s also when Stephanie had him admitted to Patriot’s Retreat.”

“Stephanie could have murdered Hutton,” Marise concluded.

“She could indeed,” Ruby agreed. “And that’s why I need to do more digging on the woman. On her assistant, too, Julian Randall, who would apparently do any and everything for his boss. FYI, I’ve alerted the hospital and SAPD to keep an eye on her and her assistant if they visit the colonel.”

Marise was glad she had done that because if Stephanie was a killer, then she might go after her husband, too.

“Now, Slade,” Ruby went on, “I want you to get home and in bed. I’ll give you updates after you’ve had at least eight hours rest.”

Slade opened his mouth as if ready to argue about that, but Ruby ended the call. “I knew there was something off about Rosa’s wife,” he grumbled as he made the turn toward the lake.

Ahead, Marise saw the massive limestone sign for the Pearl Bluff Estates. There was a dark-colored pickup truck parked next to it.

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