Page 89 of Raging Inferno

“Mon Dieu,he did not like you,cher. You were enemy number one. It was all about making you pay for what youraccusations did to his family. His father is a saint in his eyes and can do no wrong.” Kayne’s phone buzzed. “Hang on, it’s Tyler.” He put the call on speaker.

“Hey, Tyler, Presley is with me.”

“Good. I’ve got voicemails for you to listen to from Ed Smith Junior’s phone. Sending them to both of you.”

They thanked him, and Kayne accessed the file.

“How did he get them?” Presley wondered.

“I pulled Smith’s phone after I shot him and had Tyler upload the information. I figured the police would be tight-lipped.”

“Genius.”

“Aw, shucks,” Kayne drawled as he opened the first file and played it.

“Smith, it’s Fitz. I found an old hag at the library who remembered the Parrish chick. She rattled on forever and made me read stupid stories about her. She kept going on about a group Parrish used to be associated with. Said they were tight. She gave me names and said they still lived in the area. I need you to get contact information on, wait, I’m trying to read her chicken scribble, Jessie Hooper King, Nancy Baker Babcock, Charmaine Dunn Wells, and Margy Binder. Also, Tamera Watts Pace is in Duluth. The old biddy didn’t have any numbers for any of them. Fitz out.”

“Fitz out?” Kayne scoffed. “Who says that?”

“Fitz, apparently,” Presley remarked. “He spoke with Ms. Wyden. I used to spend hours at the library when I was young.”

“There’s one more message.” Kayne hit play.

“Smith, it’s Fitz. I had to abort the plan to run Parrish off the road and kidnap her tonight. Listen, I’ve been thinking, the deal we made wasn’t enough dough. Now I have to fix a dent in my truck bumper. I want another two hundred thousand, orI’ll blab to the Parrish chick about you. You wouldn’t want that, would you, Smith? Fitz out.”

Kayne shook his head. “The guy signed his own death warrant.”

“I bet it was inked the moment Fitz agreed to work for Smith,” Presley remarked. “Never trust a career criminal.”

“You’re probably right. Smith would’ve gotten rid of any loose ends.”

Kayne’s and Presley’s phones buzzed simultaneously with texts.

Kayne groaned. “Great. They want me back at the Serenity Shores Police Department for more questions.”

“Me, too. I hope they don’t have to bother Gia again. I’ll let Dominic know.”

Before she could climb the stairs, Dominic jogged down. He gifted her with a smile, and her legs turned to jelly.

“Good morning.” He kissed her, and she wanted to linger. With a Herculean effort, she pulled back. “Good morning to you.”

“How did you sleep?”

“Off and on.” She rubbed a thumb against his lips. “Kayne and I have to return to the police station to give more statements.”

“Ugh, that sucks.”

“It does. Did you get a notice to bring Gia in?”

Dominic glanced at his phone, which was safe to use now that the threat had been eliminated. “No.”

“Good. Dominic, what are we going to do about the gala tonight?”

“What do you mean?”

“We can’t leave Gia. She’s already traumatized.”

“I thought about that. Jessie always sets up a babysitting room for parents at her events. I thought I’d call her and ask if she planned one for tonight.”

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