Page 76 of Ambush

“Maybe it’s a woman?” They had ten female employees. “Check the next photos. There should be two more.”

He advanced to the next picture, which showed the same scene as the prior one. “The figure is still there.”

In the last photo the figure was illuminated by the overhead light. “That’s Lacey,” Paradise said.

“She often wanders around at night.”

Was that all it was? Paradise had her doubts.

Chapter 36

When was the last time Blake had been to the old vet building in Nova Cambridge? Before his mom and Hank bought the preserve three years ago, he had stopped in to bring them both lunch one day when he’d been on leave. Mom had been pregnant with Levi, so it was over seven years ago.

He opened the door for Paradise and they stepped into the waiting room. The after-hours cleaning had left it smelling fresh with only the faint odor of dog. “Owen said he’d be in the back and to come on in.”

They walked through the office to the door leading to the back kennel area where the vet held overnight patients. Owen was a short, stocky man in his midforties with thick red hair and freckles.

When the door closed, he slid a food bowl into a dog crate before turning an open, friendly expression their direction. “Blake.” He shook hands and Blake introduced Owen.

The two dogs in crates began to bark, and Owen gestured toward the door. “Let’s go into my office and let these two settle.”

They followed him into a crackerbox office barely large enough to hold a metal desk and two chairs. He perched on the corner ofhis desk and gestured for them to be seated in the chairs. “How can I help you?”

Blake launched into all that had happened in the past few weeks. “But it all started with Hank’s death. I wondered if you heard anyone complain about him after you got back from your trip.”

“Complaints?” Owen shook his head. “Everyone knew and loved Hank. There was nothing to clean up after I got back other than having to find a new vet tech. Lacey decided she couldn’t handle two jobs and had to quit one. She picked this one to torpedo instead of The Sanctuary. She said Hank really needed her help.”

Lacey. Was there any connection? It didn’t seem likely. Lacey was all of five-two and 110 pounds soaking wet. She wouldn’t be able to toss a big guy like Hank over the haymow. And someone had stabbed Danielle Mason to death and gotten her into the horse trailer. Lacey didn’t have the strength.

“Would you mind if we went through your files?” Paradise asked. “There might be something that would jump out at us.”

Owen gestured to the front office. “They’re all in there. Help yourself and lock up when you leave. I need to get home for supper and a play at school. My daughter has the lead role, and she’ll have my hide if I miss it.”

Blake stood when Owen did. “Thanks, Owen. It shouldn’t take long, and we’ll lock up.”

They filed out of the tiny office, and Owen exited through the back while they went to the front office. Paradise yanked on the top drawer and took a handful of files. “You start with these, and I’ll grab another batch.”

Blake sat in front of the stack of files and began to go through them. Dry reports of cuts, kidney problems, sterilization procedures. Nothing stood out.

Cross-legged, Paradise sat on the floor. “Here’s something.”She handed him a file. “It’s an employment file. I’m not sure Owen even knows this. It reads that Lacey was fired for cause. Hank caught her in a clinch in the back with Karson Asters.”

“Whoa. That’s not good.” He studied the statement. “Paradise, this was the day before Hank died. Could Karson have wanted to keep the liaison under wraps? Maybe he went to see Hank and they argued in the barn and he killed him.”

“You don’t really know if he fell from the hayloft, right? He was found dead at the bottom of it with a broken neck.”

“Right.” Blake’s thoughts spun. “Karson is a quiet, congenial guy. It’s hard to imagine he’d be that violent.”

“It’s the best lead we’ve gotten though. I think we should talk to him. It won’t do any good to ask Greene to do it. He’ll blow us off again.”

Blake glanced at his phone. “It’s five thirty. Karson’s outfitter store closes in half an hour. Let’s try to catch him. When we’re done, I’ll take you to dinner. How’s Jesse’s Restaurant sound? You’ll have to behave there though. No throwing pizza crusts. I told Mom not to wait on us because we’d be late, so we don’t have to be home early. Mom even said not to try to be home for bedtime. I won’t know how to act if I stay out past nine.”

Her laugh always lit up her eyes and warmed her cheeks with color. He loved to hear the joy in it too. “I take it you’re down with dinner alone?”

“Are you saying I have to behave? I mean, I’m not sure I can promise that.”

His grin widened, and he carried the stack of files back to the filing cabinet. “Would you settle for some spilled coffee instead of flying pizza crusts?”

“As long as you replace it. Coffee is a precious commodity.” Her smile flashed, and she put her files away too.

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