Page 112 of Fatal Witness

“Where’d you get the idea it’s a bachelor pad? It’s our home—mine and Gem’s.”

“From the articles I read in magazines, I thought single guys had bachelor pads.”

“You’ve been reading the wrong articles,” he said and called Hayes to relay what they were going to do.

A few minutes later, they pulled into Mark’s drive, and the deputy pulled in behind him but didn’t get out. Dani climbed out of Mark’s vehicle and looked around. “I was so scared yesterday I didn’t notice you live in a log cabin.”

He nodded. “My grandfather built the original four rooms, and I’ve added a couple more, a loft, and another bathroom.”

Dani took in the house and yard. “What are those?” She pointed to several bushes that were blooming along the front of the house. Beside them was a freshly dug plot of ground.

“The ones with blooms are azaleas, and the others are rhododendrons—they’ll bloom in June. And I just put out deer-resistant wildflower seed in that patch of ground that’s broken up.”

He seemed pleased that she noticed. “I wouldn’t have figured you for a gardener.”

“And why not?” His voice was teasing.

Dani felt her face getting hot. “I don’t know.”

“Maybe instead of reading articles about men, you should get to know somerealones.” He flexed his muscle.

“Be still my heart,” she said, patting her chest. “Don’t you think we need to finish checking your place out?”

He sobered. “You’re right.”

Mark surveyed the outside of the house, pointing out the splintered post near the back porch. “That looks like damage from a .270 or .30-06.”

Deer rifles, meant for long-distance shooting. “He meant business.”

Mark’s jaw muscle worked furiously. “We have to find him before he makes good on his threat.”

“Yeah, but he’s like a ghost, and what happened was twenty-five years ago.” If there ever was a cold case, this one was.

“He’ll make a mistake, and then we’ll have him.” Mark ran his hand through his dark hair and then nodded toward his car. “You ready?”

She nodded. “Lead the way.”

When they returned to her parents’ house, Alex was ready to leave. “The state forensic team doesn’t want our help, but I’m leaving Dylan and Taylor anyway,” she said. “I forwarded Dani’s statement to Max, and he’ll contact you if he has more questions. So, if you two are ready, we’ll go back to Pearl Springs and have the briefing like I’d planned before this happened.”

As Dani walked to Mark’s SUV, the sun ducked behind a cloud, sending a shiver down her back. There were so many placessomeone could hide with a rifle between here and Pearl Springs. What if the person who’d shot at them earlier was lying in wait?

The thought cut off her breath.

What was that verse Mark had told her?Whenever I am afraid, I will trust in you.

Her breathing became a little easier. She said it silently again.

Whenever I am afraid, I will trust in you.

The bands around her chest loosened a little more, and she kept repeating the verse until the Russell County Sheriff’s Office building came into sight.

54

Later that afternoon Alex rolled the whiteboard next to Mae’s crime board. She preferred to call it an evidence board, although she’d have to give Mae credit for the thorough job she’d done. The board carried more information than the files she’d been poring over. Mae would’ve made a good detective.

She scanned the seven faces staring intently at the whiteboard—two outsiders—Dani and Mae—and her deputies, Mark, Hayes, and Jenna Hart. CSI team members Dylan and Taylor had arrived just moments ago. Then Alex turned to the whiteboard and divided it into three columns. At the top of the first column, she wrote “jewelry store burglary ring and suspects,” then moved to the second column where she wrote “murder victims and suspects.” She hesitated at the top of the third column and walked over to Dani, who had tension radiating off her. “Are you certain you want to sit in on this meeting? You’re already stressed, and some of what we will discuss may be painful.”

“What do you mean?” Dani asked.

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