Page 48 of Obsession

Once inside the cabin, he viewed the furniture with satisfaction. He’d picked up on the colors and designs she liked on her Pinterest page. He ran his hand lightly over the butter-soft leather sofa. It and its twin had set him back almost five grand. It had strained his budget, but they were so perfect for the glass-walled addition to the cabin.

The builder had inquired as to why he wanted all the windows to be bulletproof. Deer hunters, he’d told him, but the truth was,using bulletproof glass ensured one could not get into or out of the cabin through the windows. He realized it would take a few days for Emma to adjust to living here, but eventually, she would be happy to call the cabin home.

He made a trip back to his pickup and tugged an oversized bag from the back. He couldn’t believe how their tastes matched so perfectly. Emma would be pleased when she saw the goose-down comforter for their bed. He’d seen this exact one on her Pinterest board.

He arranged the comforter and pillow shams on the bed. His last purchases before he brought Emma here. Warmth spread through his chest. If everything went like he planned, by this time next week, Emma would be in her new home.

Ryker will try to stop you.

Ryker. It was becoming clear he had to do something about the ranger.

22

When the crime scene techs arrived, Emma walked to the tent where Nate stood.

“Find anything?” the sheriff asked.

“Sam found a shoe print on the step.”

“Really?”

“But that’s all I found,” Sam said as he joined them, holding a shoebox under his arm.

The sheriff looked inside the box where Sam had placed the gel sheet. “It doesn’t look like the same shoe that was in the pit.”

“That’s what I thought.” Sam pulled off the latex gloves.

“I meant to ask earlier,” Emma said, turning to the sheriff. “How’s Trey?”

“I’m fine.” The voice came from behind her.

Emma whirled around. She hadn’t heard the chief deputy drive into the parking lot, much less walk up on her. “You scared me.”

“Sorry,” he said, not sounding at all sorry. “Doc says I had a slight concussion, and to just take it a little bit easier today.”

“Where have you been?” Nate asked. “I tried to reach you earlier when I needed you to take charge of the homicide investigation.”

“Sorry, had my phone turned off, and then I overslept. Do you want me to check on them now?”

While Nate gave Trey directions to the location of the other crime scene, Emma ducked under the tent and walked to the edge of the pit. A light breeze from the south brought an earthy scent from the pit. When Nate called Sam over, she couldn’t help but notice he didn’t seem too happy to see Trey either. Surely he wasn’t jealous of her ex-boyfriend. At least not like he was of Corey. Emma brushed that thought away as soon as it popped into her head. She had no idea if that were true.

She turned and almost bumped into Trey. Emma shivered, and it wasn’t from the fifty-degree weather. “I’m sorry. Did you need something?” she asked.

“I’m leaving to go on patrol, and I just wanted to tell you again that I’m sorry about all this trouble you’re having.”

“Oh.” Sincerity rang in his voice this time, surprising her. “Thank you.”

“I want you to know, I’ve never believed Ryan killed Mary Jo Selby.”

Trey sounded so sure. “Why did your dad make it sound like he had?”

“That was my dad, not me, and he could be wrong sometimes. Not that he would admit it.” He ducked his head. “And while I’m at it, I’m sorry about some of the arguments we had and how I tried to make you into someone you’re not. Especially since it was me who needed changing.”

She looked askance at him. “Whoareyou and what did you do with the real Trey Carter?”

His face turned red. “I’m trying to turn over a new leaf.”

“What brought this on?”

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