Page 31 of Breaking Rules

Sam stood, holding the bag up. “Maybe this is a long shot, but it’s worth a try.”

“If they did drag Alex out here, they would have needed a vehicle to transport him. It’s too remote to carry a body on foot.” Jo’s gaze drifted back toward the construction site.

Lucy’s sharp bark startled Jo. She noticed the dog was no longer beside them. The bark had come from up near the road.

“Looks like Lucy was thinking the same exact thing you were.” Sam headed back up the path.

Lucy was standing on the side of the road, her ears alert and her body rigid, staring intently at something in the dirt.

“Tire tracks.” Jo crouched, examining the tracks, then took out her phone and started snapping photos. “These are recent. And they’re not from any construction vehicles.”

“We need to get Wyatt or Kevin out here to make some casts.”

Sam was about to call the station on his own phone when Lucy’s whine distracted him. He noticed the dog’s gaze fixed on a spot near the tire tracks. Curious, Sam approached and crouched, his eyes widening as he saw a pile of ashes amid an area of tamped-down snow.

“Someone was standing here,” Sam said, his voice low. “Smoking.”

Jo joined him, her brow furrowed. “Maybe assessing the construction.”

Sam shook his head. “Don’t think so. The construction is on the other side of the car. The person was standing facing the swamp.”

Jo’s eyes widened as the realization hit her. “You think the killer stood here and watched Alex’s body sink beneath the ice?”

Sam nodded, his jaw clenched. “That’s cold. Really cold.”

Jo shook her head in disbelief. “Who even smokes cigarettes these days besides Hazel Webster? And she’s in prison.”

Sam leaned closer, examining the ashes. “These aren’t from cigarettes. The ash is too coarse. Too big. This is from a cigar.”

Jo pulled out her phone and began snapping photos of the ashes and the surrounding area. “A cigar smoker? That narrows down our suspect list.”

Sam stood up, brushing the snow from his pants. “And who do we know that’s associated with Thorne Industries and smokes cigars?”

Jo’s eyes met Sam’s, a knowing look passing between them. “Victor Sorrentino.”

Sam pulled out his phone and dialed on speaker. “I’ll call Reese and get someone out here to take a cast of those tire marks. Maybe we’ll get lucky, and they’ll match Victor’s car.”

“Or Beryl’s.” Jo couldn’t help the sarcastic remark.

“Hey, Sam,” Reese answered the phone. “I’m glad you called because I have good news!”

Sam glanced at Jo. “Really? We could use some. What is it?”

“Judge Warner just signed off on your warrant for the surveillance tapes from the Drunken Moose.”

Sam smiled. “That is good news. We’ll be back at the station in ten. Have the paperwork ready.”

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

Sam picked up the warrant at the station and drove directly to Judy Glover, who studied it as if she was looking for a loophole. Her sharp eyes scanned the document, her lips pursed in concentration. Sam waited patiently, his hands clasped behind his back.

“This all seems to be in order,” Judy finally said, her tone clipped. She handed the warrant back to Sam with a guarded expression.

Sam had no idea why she didn’t like the cops, but he tried to remain friendly as he accepted the video file. “Thank you for your cooperation, Ms. Glover. This tape could be crucial to our investigation.”

Judy merely nodded, her eyes already drifting back to her computer screen. Sam took that as his cue to leave.

By the time he got back to the station, Kevin had sent the ashes to the lab for analysis along with the feathers to see if they matched those in Alex’s jacket.

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