Page 63 of Crosshairs

“How are you this morning?”

“I’m fine.”

“You didn’t mention last night you were attacked at Rocky Springs. You want to tell me about it?”

“Nothing to tell. It was probably someone high on drugs, and I stumbled on him. How did you know about that?”

“Clete Randolph and I go way back. You think the murdered girl’s mother was the target last night, not you?”

“It’s early in the investigation.” She smoothed her hand over the diary.

“You do have help on this case, right?”

Nothing ever changed. “Why? Do you think I can’t handle it?” Without giving him a chance to answer, she said, “If that’s all you called about...”

There was a sigh on the other end. “No. I wanted to remind you about the fund-raiser tonight and ask if you’d come maybe a little early so we can talk.”

“I’ll try.”

“Good. Oh, and wear something dressy instead of your uniform. The park service might not be happy to see one of their employees support a political candidate.”

She clenched her jaw. Did he think she was a complete idiot? Although the uniform would have made it easier to hide the Kevlar vest. “Do you think it’s wise for me to be there? I mean, in case I was the target last night? It might endanger your donors.”

“I’ll have plenty of security in place,” he said. “But at least you’re admitting you were the target.”

She couldn’t win. “I told you it was too early to tell. Have you talked to Cora?”

“I talked to her ICU nurse. Cora’s somewhat confused this morning. But, according to the nurse, that’s to be expected.”

That’s what the nurse had told her. “I’ll check on her later today. How about Gran? Have you spoken to her?”

“Not yet, but since you asked that, it sounds like you’re not staying with her, and that begs the question of why.”

She was slipping. How could she forget that he never missed anything? Ainsley started to say she’d already left the house. But she wasn’t a fourteen-year-old who’d broken some rule he’d made up. “With the hours I’m keeping, it’s easier to stay atCora’s. And I’m not certain someone didn’t break into her house Thursday night.”

“I’d think you had enough on your plate without creating a new crime.”

Ainsley caught the retort on her tongue.

“Playing devil’s advocate,” he said, “why would someone suddenly decide to break in? Everyone in town knows she has an excellent alarm system.”

Ainsley frowned. The alarm hadn’t gone off Thursday night when they came to check on Cora. “Evidently she doesn’t always set it,” she said. “Or maybe the person who broke in knew the code.” Like him. Why was he trying so hard to make her think no one had broken in?

“Who would know that, and besides, no one’s ever broken in on her before. Why would they now?”

“Maybe someone with a vested interest in those journals she found.”

He was quiet a minute. “So, she really did find more journals?”

Ainsley was very good at detecting evasion in voices. So good that she taught classes on it at the police academy every summer. She’d bet her career on it that her father already knew Cora had found the journals.

Before she could form an answer, he said, “I want to see them.”

“There was only one in the safe.” He was quiet and she could almost hear his brain whirling. “Why do you want to see it?”

“It’s nothing I want to discuss over the phone,” he said. “How soon can we meet?”

This was something she could control. “Not this morning. I’ll try to get to the house early tonight.”

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