Page 100 of Raging Inferno

“What?” Dominic asked.

“The ME’s van was parked next to me. I walked in with her. Why would she leave before the event started?”

Dominic slammed his hands against the roof. “Oh, hell. She said the deaths were all smoke inhalation.”

Kayne picked up on his line of reasoning. “As the medical examiner, she has the last say. She could’ve drugged and tied them up. No one would question her.”

“Exactly.”

“You drive. I need to contact my office.”

They changed positions, and Dominic shoved the car in gear. Kayne’s hand shot out to clutch the dashboard when Dominic floored the accelerator. Once he regained his equilibrium, he called the number for the tech crew. It was late, so Tyler wouldn’t be there, but everyone on his staff was qualified. When someone answered, he asked for an expedited background on Dr. Val Anders, the medical examiner of St. Louis County, Minnesota.

Kayne’s seatbelt jerked him against the seat when Dominic squealed to a stop at the guard station.

“Phil, we need to know who’s left recently,” Dominic said.

Phil looked surprised by the demand. “The only vehicle belonged to the medical examiner.”

Kayne leaned forward. “Did you talk to her?”

“No, just a wave.”

“Was she alone?”

“As far as I could tell, but I couldn’t see into the back.”

“Do you have access to security camera footage from around the house?” asked Kayne.

“I do.”

“This is a life or death situation,” Dominic informed him. “Mrs. King is involved. We need to see video from the driveway behind the house leading to the kitchen.”

“Sure thing.”

They jumped out and crowded into his booth. Phil manipulated the computer until he found the correct camera. The footage was blank. “What the heck?”

“Go back to when it was working,” Kayne suggested.

He did so, and they watched as a gloved hand came into view and spray-painted the display black to hide their crime.

“That’s why a ladder was outside the door,” Dominic realized.

“Is Mrs. King in danger?” Phil wanted to know.

“She might be,” Dominic answered. “I need you to do me a favor. My daughter is inside with the other children. Your wife is one of the chaperones, right?”

“She is.”

“Can you call her and tell her I had to leave but will return to pick Gia up as soon as possible? Don’t leave her alone.”

“No problem. Pam and I will personally make sure she is safe.”

“Thank you.”

They returned to the SUV. Dominic thunked his head against the steering wheel. “Where do we even start?”

Kayne wished he had an answer, but he didn’t.

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