Page 56 of Colton's Last Resort

“No,” he said. He tossed a look toward a man in an open-collared shirt who was lifting a glass of whiskey in a toast to Valerie. “Roger Ferraday doesn’t seem to know where he was or what he was doing during the night in question. As it sits, he’s Fulton’s chief suspect.”

“Ferraday,” Laura said numbly. “He’s staying here with his teenage son, Dayton.”

“Who has a list of hushed-up misdemeanors back home in Hartford,” Noah revealed, tipping his beer to his mouth to drain the glass.

“He’s fifteen,” she said.

“Doesn’t make him or Daddy innocent,” Noah told her. “I’m also taking a look at CJ Knight.”

Her gaze pinged to his, alarmed.

He narrowed his eyes. “Does that name ring a bell?”

“Yes,” she said. “He left the morning Allison’s body was discovered. We haven’t been able to reach his manager to find out why.”

“DeGraw won’t return my calls either.”

“CJ Knight was one of Allison’s repeat students,” she whispered. “And I understand he has Bungalow One booked again after Valentine’s Day.”

“Think he’ll show up?”

“I can’t say at this point.”

“If he keeps his booking, I want to know the second he checks in.”

She rubbed her hand over her arm, discomfited. “I don’t know how you do this—look at everyone...every person without an alibi and peel back the layers to see which one of them has murder written on their heart.”

“With some people, it doesn’t leave a mark,” he said. “For some people, killing is in their nature.”

“God,” she said with a shiver.

“There are those, too, who don’t seek to harm others,” he said. “They start small and escalate. Or they claim it was an accident. Throw in the occasional plea of insanity.”

“It must do something to you,” she said, “to do this every day. To look at the dead.”

“You get used to it.”

“Do you ever have trouble sleeping?”

All the time, he thought. He didn’t grimace, but it was a near thing. “Somebody’s got to speak for them. The victims. Somebody’s got to fight for them.”

Her expression softened at long last. “My brothers took you running this morning.”

He rolled his eyes. “If that’s how they treat all your suitors, I’m starting to understand how so many dickheads slipped through the cracks.”

“Meaning?”

“Meaning if they wanted to warn someone off, they wouldn’t do it at first light. They’d do it at night. They’d rustle them out of bed, blindfold them and drop them off in the middle of the desert. See if they can make it back on their own before daybreak.”

“Why does it sound like you’ve done this before?”

“I plead the Fifth.”

“Is this why none of Allison’s boyfriends ever lasted all that long?” she asked.

Before he could answer, he spotted Alexis cutting through the crowd. “I think your friend’s looking for you.”

Laura turned and waved. “I wasn’t sure if you’d join us,” she said. “I’ll fetch a glass of white for you.”

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