Page 70 of Crosshairs

“Tell me why you thought there might be.”

She explained smelling the musky scent in the bedroom and library. “And you know how a house feels when it’s empty? When I was in the library, it’s like there was a presence...”

“Like someone was nearby?”

“Yes! I hadn’t thought of it that way, but that’s exactly how I felt.” Warmth filled her heart. Linc got it.

“We’ll check the house again when we return—if you don’t mind me staying another night.”

“Actually, I’d be glad if you did.”

He handed her the keys and the remote for the garage as they walked out the back door, and she stuffed the items into her backpack. Linc had turned and was surveying the house. “This house was built before the war, right?”

“Yes. Around 1850.”

“A lot of these homes had secret passages in them. I wonder if this one does.”

“Never heard any talk of one, but Cora could tell you.”

“Maybe your dad knows.”

“You could ask him tonight.”

He nodded and opened the passenger door. It seemed so odd for someone to do that. None of the men she worked with hadever opened a door for her ... probably thought she’d take their head off if they did.

Within minutes they were weaving in and out of traffic as they drove to the Trace. Summer in Natchez had always meant a lot of vehicles because of all the tourists visiting the old homes and historical sites.

“Are you going to church tomorrow with Rose?” he asked.

“I imagine.” Short of dying, there would be no other option. “I’ll miss you tomorrow.”

“Really?”

Ainsley was surprised that she would and even more surprised that she’d told him. “You’re getting to be like an old shoe—comfortable.”

“Gee, thanks,” he said with a laugh.

“Be glad—that’s much better than some of the other thoughts I’ve had about you.”

His smile disappeared. “About that ... I was an idiot fifteen years ago.”

“That was one of the thoughts.”

He turned onto the Trace. “Thanks for making me feel better.”

Before he could bring up their past, she steered him away from the subject by asking how he liked his job at Melrose. They talked about their respective jobs, and the hour passed quickly. Soon he made a left turn into Rocky Springs.

“Looks like we’re the first to arrive,” Linc said.

“Good. We can see if the tent campers are still here.”

Just as he parked in front of the maintenance shed, her cell phone rang. Her supervisor. “Beaumont,” she answered and glanced at Linc. “I’m putting you on speaker.”

“Sure,” Brent said, his voice echoing in the SUV. “The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation just notified me the three escapees are holed up in a cabin near Chattanooga. They’ve had them under observation since midnight.”

“Midnight? Are you certain Maddox is one of the men at the cabin?”

“He was ID’d along with the other two escapees,” Brent said. “TBI thinks the three have been together the whole time, so I don’t think he could have been your shooter.”

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