Page 25 of Protecting the Newborn

“This was taken from the security camera just up the street from Marty’s house,” Tony explained, keeping his steely stare on Gracelyn. “Notice the time stamp.”

She did. It would have been around the time that Marty had been murdered. There was the vague image of someone dressed in dark clothes.

Tony enlarged the image and showed it to her. Gracelyn leaned in again. And saw the face. She managed to choke back a gasp. Barely. But inside, a firestorm of emotions came at her.

Because she was looking at her sister’s face.

Chapter Seven

Ruston wanted to curse. Something that Gracelyn likely wanted to do as well, and like him, she was no doubt trying to absorb the shock of what they were seeing.

Allie.

Near a murder scene.

No way could Ruston convince anyone, including himself, that Allie had simply been in the wrong place at the wrong time. That would be way too much of a coincidence.

“That’s your sister, right?” Tony asked.

Gracelyn nodded. “Yes, that’s Allie.”

Both Tony and Charla had smug looks on their faces. “And what was she doing there?” Charla demanded.

Gracelyn shook her head. “I don’t know. I haven’t heard from her in a while, so I didn’t know where she was.”

“Well, clearly she was at the house, or at least near the house, of a man who was murdered,” Charla said. “So, it’s highly likely that she’s the one who compromised Ruston’s identity.”

“No,” Ruston was quick to argue. “There’s nothing highly likely about that scenario. I had absolutely no indication from Marty that Allie was involved with this.”

Of course, Marty wouldn’t have mentioned that if she had been, but the premise was still way off.

He hoped.

Because if Allie was truly involved, this was going to crush Gracelyn. However, it might not be that much of a shock once it all sank in, and Gracelyn would likely come to some conclusions.

There was one way this could have all fit.

One way to explain why Allie had been there.

Ruston, though, had no intentions of voicing it in front of Charla and Tony. Thankfully, he didn’t have to, because Tony’s phone rang, and he saw Captain Katelyn O’Malley’s name on the screen. Tony’s boss. That wiped any trace of a smirk off Tony’s face, and he stood, stepping to the side and muttering something about having to take the call.

“Why was your sister there?” Charla demanded, obviously trying to continue this interview.

But Tony’s call only lasted a couple of seconds, and when he turned back around, Ruston thought the lieutenant looked even more riled than when they’d been peppering him with questions.

“I have to go,” Tony said, motioning for Charla to stand. He aimed those anger-filled eyes at Duncan and then Ruston. “Captain O’Malley got a call from the Texas Rangers, and they want to talk to me about my association with Zimmer. And it apparently can’t wait.”

Ruston could have managed his own smirk, but he didn’t. He just considered this progress, because if there was something dirty going on with Tony’s connection with Zimmer, maybe the Rangers could find it.

Charla clearly wasn’t pleased with any of this, and she huffed. “The sniper could still be out there,” she reminded Tony.

“Then we’ll be careful.” Tony looked at Ruston again. “But it might not be necessary. The shots could have just been a way to try to ward us off.”

Tony was obviously suggesting that Ruston and his family were behind the shooting. Of course, they weren’t, but the gunfire could have indeed been a warning. The killer might want to discourage police interference if he wasn’t linked to Tony or Charla.

And that brought him back to Allie.

Tony got Charla moving, and despite the intense exchange that had gone on during the interviews, Luca, Duncan and Ruston all provided cover as Tony and Charla hurried down the porch steps and to the waiting cruiser. Gracelyn drew her weapon as well, but thankfully stayed in the door.

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