Page 6 of Every Deadly Suspicion

She parked the car, got out, and walked toward Everett. Timmons saw her first and tapped Everett on the shoulder.

Everett turned as she approached, his smile fading, eyebrows arched in surprise. “Chief. What on earth brings you up here today?”

Grover also turned to watch her approach. The only thing that continued was the riding lesson.

“I’m afraid it’s not good news.”

Everett stiffened and let go of the railing.

Hanna didn’t believe he’d appreciate if she beat around the bush. “I’m sorry, Everett, there is no easy way to say this. It’s Scott. His plane crashed just now into the field on Baseline. He didn’t make it.”

“What?” Everett blanched and seemed to totter.

Grover frowned and grabbed his boss’s arm to support him.

“You’re sure?” Timmons asked.

“I saw it happen. It looked as if he just flew into the ground.”

“Where is he?” Everett asked, his voice a whisper.

Hanna sucked in a breath. “They took him to Sonora. They tried to resuscitate him, but he’s gone. I’m not certain how long itwill take for the NTSB to respond. As you know, they will investigate the likely cause of the crash.” She stopped, feeling as though she were rambling.

Everett nodded almost imperceptibly. He turned to Grover. “Take me there. I want to see the plane. Then I want to see Scott.”

It would not have been Hanna’s choice to send Everett to the crash scene, but she’d been a cop long enough to know that everyone handled death and grief in their own way. She stepped aside as Grover and Everett hurried to the ranch SUV.

“You sure it was an accident?” Timmons asked.

“I’m not sure. The plane dropped fast. The NTSB will have the final say. You don’t suspect foul play, do you?”

Timmons shrugged. “Scotty loved that plane, babied it. He was a great pilot. How could he crash?”

“Does he have enemies? Had he received threats?”

“He did have his share of enemies in business. But the past few months, he’s been over the moon about his engagement. Everything has been going smooth.”

“Ah, his fiancée, is she here? Do you want me to tell her?”

“Valerie’s in Corte Madera. I expect Grover will tell her.” Timmons hooked his thumbs in his belt and spit. “This just sounds strange to me. And if it was because of some error on Scotty’s part, the old man will have a hard time swallowing that.”

Hanna could understand. Everett had retired from running the business a few years ago. Scott had taken the lead with gusto. This was a tragic event on so many levels. If the NTSB found evidence of foul play, she’d go after it like any other crime.

Just when she thought the day couldn’t get any darker, it did, with the shadow of murder hanging over it.

CHAPTER 3

IT TURNED OUT THATEVERETTwas one of the few people in town who had not seen the crash. Several videos of the incident went viral overnight on social media. Marcus Marshall uploaded the one that got the most clicks. As a result, national media picked up the story, and by Tuesday morning, Dry Oaks Police Department was inundated with media and media requests.

“Can we have a statement?”

“Was the crash pilot error?”

“Chief Keyes! Are you any relation to Joseph Keyes?”

The reference to Joe Keyes surprised her, though she wasn’t sure why. Her entire life she’d lived under the shadow of Joe Keyes and what he’d done. Thirty-five years ago, he killed two people and seriously injured a third. He was also implicated in the disappearance of a DEA officer.

Local news often brought up the incident on anniversary dates. Marcus Marshall wrote a book about it. Joe was in prison for life, and Hanna had never met him. But today was about Scott Buckley, not Joe Keyes, so she ignored the reference and hoped the press would drop the old news.

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