Page 154 of Dead Man's List

Emma’s smile was brilliant. “You’re welcome.”

Sam started for the door. “I’m going to go now. I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

“Tell Kit I said hi,” Emma singsonged with a giggle.

“I will.”

After cleaning his desk and locking his office, Sam headed to his car and placed a call to Harlan McKittrick.

“Sam. Is everything okay?”

“Yes, sir, everything’s fine. How are you? What did your doctor say about your little heart blip yesterday?”

“My EKG was one hundred percent fine and you can ask Akiko if you don’t believe me. I even brought a copy of the results to Betsy because I knew she was scared. I’m fine. What’s really on your mind, Sam?”

Just ask. The worst he can say is no.“Look, I know you’ve got three fosters right now, but I was wondering if you had room for a few more.”

There was a creak in the background, like Harlan had sat in a chair. “Talk to me.”

Chapter Eighteen

La Jolla, San Diego, California

Thursday, January 12, 6:30 p.m.

“Stunning view, isn’t it?” Connor murmured as he approached Duncan Tindall’s house.

The mansions were large and bright white against the blue sky, all with twenty-million-dollar views of the Pacific Ocean. Kit would never understand how much money the rich spent on real estate.

“It really is.” Kit’s phone buzzed in her pocket, distracting her from the view. “It’s the boss.” She glanced behind them at the young woman who was quietly crying. Kennedy Shoemaker had given them a detailed statement with approximate dates of her father’s abuse in the early years, but specific dates starting about three years before. They couldn’t have asked for much more. They had an arrest warrant for Peter Shoemaker in their hands. It was for rape, but Kit hoped they’d found Neckbeard, too.

Why else kill Aylene Tindall, if not to shut her up?

Kit answered Navarro’s call but didn’t put the phone on speaker. “Yes, boss?”

“We have another body.”

Kit’s heart sank. “Who?”

“Bert Ramsey’s wife.”

Well, shit.That blew Shoemaker being Neckbeard out of the water.

Kit opened her mouth and closed it again, trying to come up with something to say that wouldn’t alarm their passenger. “When?” she finally asked.

“We found her a half hour ago. She’s been dead eight hours, give or take an hour or two.”

It hadn’t been just Peter Shoemaker’s wife. And Shoemaker couldn’t have killed Ramsey’s wife. He’d been in court up until six hours ago. They’d seen him arriving at his home. And he had truly appeared to be in shock when they’d told him that Aylene was dead. “And the protection detail?”

Dammit.Kennedy had just lifted her head and was watching Kit, her expression intense.Girl’s too damn smart.

“They checked the house when she didn’t answer the door, but didn’t find her. Her body was found by Bert Ramsey when he got home from his arraignment. She’d been hidden in the pool, under a tarp.”

“Spray paint?” Kit asked.

“Why are you talking in half sentences?” Navarro asked, then caught on. “Oh. You have Kennedy Shoemaker in the car. Got it. Yes, the security cameras were all spray-painted over. One camera caught a guy in a hoodie wearing a Halloween hockey mask, just like with Munro and Shelley Porter at the body shop. I’ll let you know when I have more information.”

“Can you tell Connor what you told me?”

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