Page 116 of The Killing Plains

“Misplaced my phone. Anything to report?”

Avery leaned back in the chair and rubbed her eyes. “Not yet. Yesterday, I drove up to Colorado City, like you said. Stopped in every dinky little shop and gas station along the route. But nobody remembered anything. Most places didn’t have security footage that far back, but I got what I could.” She nodded at the laptop. “Slow going, though. I’m glad you’re here to help.”

“Sorry, can’t stay. I’ve got to run out to Shaw’s.” Colly explained the situation.

“Get anything useful from him last night?”

“I found out Denny was a psychopath.”

Avery’s eyebrows rose. “For real?”

“According to the brain scan. Jace was telling the truth about that.”

“Think it’s relevant?”

“No idea. It’s interesting, though.”

“Maybe the killer’s a psycho who hunts psychos.”

“As good a theory as any, right now.” Colly turned towards the door. “Keep checking that footage—I’ll help when I get back.”

Colly bought a half-dozen donuts on the way out of town and by nine-thirty was driving up the long, narrow road towards Niall Shaw’s place. Relieved to see that his Jeep was still parked where ithad been the night before, she made her way down the path to his house and knocked on the door. He answered, barefoot and wearing shorts and a white t-shirt.

Colly quickly explained her errand. “I think my phone must be in your shed. Here’s a peace offering for crashing your morning.” She held out the bag of donuts.

“What a nice surprise.” Niall grinned, waving her inside. “I’m on a video call with my co-author, but we’re nearly done.”

Colly followed him through the living room and into the kitchen. The table was once again strewn with brain scans, papers, and books, as well as an open laptop.

Niall pulled a mug from a cupboard and handed it to her. “Make yourself at home.” He sat down at the table and addressed the laptop screen. “Okay, Gary, I’m back.”

Colly poured herself some coffee and, not liking to eavesdrop, wandered back into the living room. She was perusing the bookshelves ten minutes later when she became suddenly aware that the drone of voices from the other room had stopped. She turned quickly. Niall was leaning against the doorframe, watching her.

“Sorry to startle you,” he said. “Finished my call. Come help me eat those donuts.”

But Colly politely declined. She needed to get her phone and head back to town.

“No rest for the weary, eh? Let me grab some shoes. I’ll walk you out to the shed.”

He disappeared down a hallway and returned a minute later carrying socks and sneakers. He sat on the Chesterfield and began to pull on his socks. “How’d everything go at your mother-in-law’s last night?”

Colly briefly recounted the events at the ranch the evening before. “The kids seemed fine by the time we got there, but it rattled Iris. Me too, honestly.”

“Sounds like a run-of-the-mill kids’ squabble, if you ask me.” Niall laid a shoe on his knees and worked to unknot the laces.

Colly eyed him nervously. “Brenda says fire-starting, bed-wetting, and hurting animals are all signs a kid might be a psychopath.”

Niall set aside the shoe and waved Colly to a seat. “The hamster was an accident, right?”

“According to Satchel.”

“You said you believed him.”

“Even if it’s true, he still lashed out and tried to kick Logan.”

“If every little boy who got into a fight was a psychopath, there’d be more prisons in this country than Starbucks.” Niall chuckled.

“Brenda wasn’t laughing. She thinks something’s seriously wrong with him. I can tell.”

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