Page 10 of Deadly Revenge

“In a case like this, it’s standard procedure.”

“Oh.”

When she didn’t move, Jenna said gently, “I know this is hard for you, but would you mind letting me into the garage so I can look around?”

“Oh, of course.” She fished a key from her purse. “This has just been such a shock.”

A steady stream of information about the Slaters poured from the sister as they walked to the garage. Nerves, Jenna surmised, but she learned that Katherine Slater had been an avid member of the Garden Club and Joe had been on the city council until a few years ago.

Emma took her to a side door, and Jenna waited while she entered the code for the alarm and unlocked the door.

“The garage is attached to the house by a breezeway,” Emma said, pointing to what looked like a long hallway to Jenna.

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Please, call me Emma.” She pushed open the door. “You make me feel old saying ma’am.”

“Yes, ma—Emma. Thank you.” Jenna pulled on a new pair of nitrile gloves. “I’ll take it from here.”

“There’s a light switch just inside. While you look around, I’ll unlock the house.”

“Thank you,” Jenna said. “Do you want me to lock the garage when I leave?”

“I’ll take care of that.”

Jenna nodded and entered the garage. Light flooded the building when she flipped the light switch. She did a double take. She’d never seen a garage so organized.

What few items the building contained were grouped according to their use—gardening tools on a pegboard on the back wall, carpenter tools mounted over a wooden bench with power tools beside them, and the other wall contained a cabinet.

Not that Jenna’s garage looked like it was owned by a hoarder, but like most people she knew, if she didn’t know what to do withsomething, she tended to stick it in her garage. Which was the reason she rarely parked in it. Jenna noted the empty spot next to a black Escalade.

“That’s where he parked that monstrosity he owned, right next to Katherine’s Escalade.”

Jenna jumped. She thought Emma had gone to the house.

“Sorry. I didn’t mean to startle you, but I just had to ask you something.”

“Oh?” Jenna had been scanning the floor for the cotter pin and she looked up. She couldn’t read the look on Emma’s face, only that something wasn’t sitting well with her.

“Driving over here, I kept wondering how something like this could happen. Joe is a very careful driver, and he knew that curve was there. There’s no way he would have missed it.” Her voice broke, and she covered her mouth with her hand.

The poor woman was hurting. She wished ... Granna would know what to say ... but Jenna didn’t figure anything she said would help. So she waited.

After a minute Emma drew in a breath and released it. “He was so proud of that SUV—kept it in tiptop shape.”

“I know this has to be hard ...” Jenna always felt like she said the wrong thing—of course it was hard. But she really did mean it.

Emma wiped her eyes. “It is, and I guess I should let you get to whatever you need to do.”

The sister didn’t want to be alone. Not that Jenna blamed her, and there was really no need at this point to ask her to leave. Of course that would change if she found the cotter pin, but she would deal with that if and when.

“You can stay.”

“Thank you. I won’t bother you, I promise.”

Jenna used the light on her phone to sweep back and forth over the area.

“What are you looking for?”

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