Page 36 of Deadly Revenge

At this point Jenna wasn’t certain of anything. “I don’t think so.”

Alex was quiet for a minute, then she said, “Wayne reported no one on your road saw anything unusual this morning.”

Jenna wasn’t surprised her neighbors hadn’t seen anything—whoever broke into her house was too smart to let someone see them. And that meant there was no way to prove anyone had even been in her house and attacked her.

“If it’s the burglary ring, maybe the photos Dylan pulled from the last victim’s security cameras will help identify the burglars.”

She hoped so. Even though the intruders wore ski masks, someone might recognize a mannerism or their posture.

“And you might think about getting security cameras.”

“Believe me, I will.” Jenna hadn’t figured on burglars hitting a Russell County deputy’s house. She looked over to Max, who had exited the car and was heading toward the house. “We’re at the Slaters’, and once we finish, Max and I are going to process my house.”

“Sounds good.”

She disconnected, blew a strand of hair away from her face, and automatically reached to pull her hair up in a ponytail as she climbed out of the SUV.

Max had made it just inside the living room when she caught up with him and relayed what Alex had shared.

“I know you were hoping for a different outcome,” he said.

“Yeah.” She pulled on a pair of nitrile gloves. “Let’s see what we can find here.”

Max pulled on a pair of gloves as well. Taylor was working in the kitchen, and Dylan sat at a desk in the main living room examining papers. He looked up. “Big house. One bedroom downstairs and four upstairs.”

Jenna surveyed the area. The main floor was an open concept plan with the kitchen, dining room, and great room in one shared space. It was like a fancy magazine spread, the kind where nothing was out of place, unlike her lived-in house. “Don’t suppose you’ve found anything.”

“I wish,” Dylan replied.

“Bedroom down that hall?” She pointed to her left.

“Yes, and Katherine’s office, which I’ve already processed.”

“I’ll do the bedroom.”

“Where do you want me to start?” Max asked.

Taylor closed the pantry door and turned toward them. “Anywhere you want.”

“Then I’ll take an upstairs bedroom,” Max said.

Jenna walked down the hall to the bedroom. Like the great room, it was magazine perfect, and probably a guest room with the main one upstairs. She went through the dresser and chest, checked under the mattress, and searched the few clothes hanging in the closet. Nada.

Thinking of her situation, she checked for any false plates on the receptacles and light switches. Nothing there, either. Jenna was wasting her time here.

A few minutes later, she climbed the stairs to the second floor. Max was in what looked like the main bedroom. “Find anything?”

He shook his head. “It looks like this might be the wife’s bedroom—I don’t see anything that would belong to a man.”

“I’ll check the next one.” Jenna entered the room down the hall, and the first thing she noticed was the scent of a woodsy cologne. It was bound to be Joe Slater’s bedroom. She scanned the room that held normal bedroom furniture except for the old-fashioned rolltop desk that looked out of place.

Maybe it was an heirloom ... or maybe Slater liked to use his bedroom as a combination office. If the latter was the case, why? With a house the size of this one, he could’ve had a whole office in one of the rooms. The desk looked like a good starting place.

Jenna raised the rolltop and blinked. She’d figured Katherine was the meticulous organizer, but she didn’t have anything on her husband. The top of the desk was completely clean—no papers scattered, and there wasn’t even a stray pencil on it.

Voices on the landing drew her attention. She walked to the door and looked out just as Joe Slater’s sister, Emma, topped the stairs and paused to catch her breath.

“Those stairs get me every time.” She took another deep breath. “They said you were up here.”

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