Page 22 of Among the Innocent

Dalton’s frown confirmed that he considered Ellis’s behavior strange. “He never documented the earlier one.” He paused for a moment. “The report said you were the one to find him,” he added softly.

Leah would never forget that either. It felt as if her life would forever be grounded in death. “His SUV was parked along the side of the road. Ellis was slumped over the steering wheel.He’d been shot in the head at point-blank range. He’d been dead for a couple of hours when I found him.” And once more her world had been turned upside down.

“Any suspects?”

She shook her head. “None. There were tire tracks left behind by a pickup, according to the crime scene unit, but in this state, pickups are everywhere. It’s been a year, and we’re no closer to finding out what happened than we were that night.”

Dalton’s brown eyes bored through to her soul. “That’s different from Katie’s identification that the killer drove a car.”

“I think Ellis may have known the person who shot him.” She admitted what she hadn’t told another living soul before. She looked at Dalton and wondered about his past. He’d treated her with respect and concern, yet she sensed there was something more to his story than what she knew. “It must be hard taking over a new police force and having to deal with a murder case right off the bat. What made you want to come to St. Ignatius? We’re mostly a quiet town. What happened today and to my family are unusual.”

Dalton gave her a measured look before he responded. “I’ve seen plenty of action in my time. On the force in Denver and as a marine. I wanted a change of pace.” A hint of a smile touched his full lips. It didn’t reach his eyes. “I’m guessing I’ll have to wait on that.”

Chief Dalton Cooper had secrets of his own, and she planned to find out what they were. Leah rose. “I should check on Marge. I’m worried about her with everything that’s happened.”

“Mind if I ride over with you? I’d like to meet her.” The question stopped her midstride.

She guessed his real reason. “She doesn’t know anything, Dalton. Marge has been struggling since Ellis’s death.” AndLeah felt as if she were losing Marge bit by bit as the memories of their time together slipped from Marge’s grasp.

“I’d still like to meet her. I can imagine losing Ellis has been hard for her and you.”

It had been an emotional day, and she wasn’t sure how much more she could handle. Leah cleared her throat. “Where are you staying?”

He grimaced. “At the Mission Valley Cabins. Until I can find someplace permanent.”

She’d been to the cabins on multiple calls. It wasn’t a place for the chief of police to be staying. “You can stay at my house. I’d be happy to move in with Marge until you find your own place. I’m there all the time anyway. It’ll be better than the cabins, I promise.”

His eyes widened. “Really? That’s very generous. To be honest, I wasn’t looking forward to being at the cabins, however short a period of time.”

Leah laughed. “For good reason. They’re a dump.” She dug into her pocket and handed him the house key. “I’ll need to collect my cat and bring her with me, otherwise she’ll want to sleep with you.”

He chuckled. The sound of it washed over her like a gentle shower. “Well, as much as I love animals, I’ve been told I snore, and your cat might not take too kindly to the noise.”

“Probably not. Kitty was homeless for a while. She’s still pretty skittish and picky about who she bonds with.” It had taken Leah six months just to be able to get Kitty to tolerate the occasional petting. “I’m not even sure she likes me.”

He laughed again. They walked toward the station entrance.

“If you think my being there will be too much for Marge, I can wait in the vehicle. When you’re finished, I’d like to stopby the ME’s office and speak with him. Hopefully, by then the crime scene unit will have something useful.”

Leah shook her head. She could almost hear Marge telling her they didn’t turn anyone away. All were welcome in the Petri home. “No, you should come in. She’ll want to meet you.” Leah waited while Dalton checked in with Sugar. The brassy dispatcher blurted out something snappy to which Dalton appeared to struggle to keep from reacting. Leah grinned to herself. Sugar took some getting used to.

The midafternoon streets were quiet. Only a few vehicles passed in front of the station. Mainly pickups, the most common form of transportation in the area. Not unusual.

While they drove to Marge’s, Leah leaned back against the seat and watched the shops pass by without seeing them. The eyes of the man who had attacked her all those years ago filled her mind. After ten years, many things about him had faded, except for his rage-filled eyes. They would haunt her forever.

Dalton pulled onto the peaceful street where Ellis and Marge had lived for all their time in St. Ignatius, and Leah straightened in her seat. “How did you know the address?” His face gave nothing away and yet...

“It must have been on some paperwork.”

She couldn’t explain it, but something about Dalton troubled her. Why would a big-time detective from Denver choose to come to a small rural town like this to be the chief of police?

He stopped beside Sam’s parked cruiser. Leah rolled her window down.

“Leah. Chief,” Sam said. “Everything’s quiet here. I told Marge I’d be sitting outside the house for a while.” He focused on Leah. “She thought my being here had something to do with Ellis, and I didn’t correct her.”

Her mother’s dementia was getting worse, and it broke Leah’s heart to witness the struggle Marge went through sometimes to recall words. Remember things they’d done in the past.

“Thanks, Sam. I’m just going to have a word with her, and then we’ll be on our way.”

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