Page 26 of Among the Innocent

Leah searched his face before his thoughts became clear. “He did. A Ruger LCR. It wasn’t his service weapon. You think Ellis was shot with his own gun?”

“It’s possible.” The Ruger had been one of the weapons their gun expert believed would match the shells.

“Ellis used the Ruger as his backup weapon. He took it out with him on every call. It wasn’t found on his person. I’ve searched the house. It’s not there either. I believe the person who shot Ellis took it with him.”

His gaze skimmed over her face. “It’s late and we’re both exhausted. We should go.” Still he didn’t move. His attention drifted to the scar.

Leah immediately covered the place on her neck. “I hate this. It’s a reminder that I lived and those important to me died. There has to be a reason. I just wish I knew why.” Tears glistened in her eyes.

He understood guilt completely. It had been a simple act of fate that Harrison ended up in St. Ignatius instead of him. “You’re alive because God wants you to be. He has a reason. You’ll find it.”

“Do you really believe that?” she said almost wistfully. Dalton could see Leah did not. The killer had taken away her ability to trust God. Strange for someone who had once been part of a strong faith-based community. It made Dalton sad that she had to ask.

“I do. We can figure it out together.” And maybe he’d finally be able to lay his own demons to rest. The tiny glint of hope he saw in her eyes rocked him to his core. No matter what, he would find a way to fulfill that promise.

“I’m going to have another patrol take over for us. We needto have Eva’s place under surveillance at all times.” Dalton called the tribal chief for assistance. Once the patrol arrived, he started the SUV and pulled onto the road. The pressure to find the killer ratcheted up another notch. So far CSI hadn’t found anything useful. The tire tracks were identified as a particular brand common around the area because of its low price. It would take weeks if not longer to track down sales, and his team was stretched to the limit as it was. “I’ll drop you off at Marge’s,” he told her as they entered the city limits.

She rolled her shoulders to stretch out the kinks. “Thanks, but Ethan is with her now while Sam gets some sleep. If it’s all the same to you, I’d like to return to the station and go over the evidence again. I’m too keyed up to sleep.”

He felt the same way. He kept replaying everything that had happened since he’d responded to the call of a missing person and was thrown headfirst into the case he’d come here to solve.

Dalton turned onto the street leading to the station. There was something that had always troubled him. “Did Ellis and Harrison ever have a run-in before the murders? I’m wondering if he may have had it in for Harrison in some way. From what I gathered, the young man was only visiting the area and certainly not prone to causing problems.”

Her green eyes filled with surprise. “How do you know so much about Harrison?” she asked point-blank.

Dalton kept his attention on the road ahead. “I’ve read some of the details of the case. Your family’s murder and what occurred afterward were the biggest thing to happen here in a long time.”

He could feel her unwavering gaze. Though he hated keeping secrets, Dalton wasn’t ready to tell her everything yet.

“There was no run-in,” she said at last. “I don’t think Ellisknew Harrison until I mentioned him. He asked me to tell him everyone I’d had any contact with before the murders. I mentioned Harrison because we’d talked some after church services.” Leah had inadvertently been the one to bring Harrison’s name into the investigation. But why had Ellis zeroed in on him alone? Dalton had read Leah’s interview. She didn’t believe Harrison was the killer. Dalton was convinced Ellis tried to make her believe otherwise.

Leah twisted her raven hair into a knot at the nape of her neck. “Nothing like being baptized by fire your first day.”

Her dry sense of humor struck a chord, and he smiled. “Not exactly what I expected.”

While her attention was fixed on the passing shops in town, Dalton sent a couple of curious glances her way. He couldn’t deny he was attracted to her courage. He thought about his wife, Allison. She’d been the love of his life. Allison had put up with his need for the truth behind Harrison’s death even though it had bordered on obsessive at times. And that obsession had put a strain on their marriage. Ultimately it had taken him away from her when she’d needed him the most.

I’m sorry, babe. I let you down.

The blazing lights of the police station captured his attention as he parked.

He and Leah stopped next to the second-shift dispatcher, who was the complete opposite of Sugar. This young woman appeared to be in her twenties, and had her dark hair pulled back into a ponytail. She wore a sweater despite the heat and a dark-colored dress.

Her blue eyes lit up as she introduced herself to Dalton. “It’s nice to meet you, Chief Cooper. I’m Justine Raber.” The name sounded Amish. Had Justine been Amish at one time?She didn’t wear makeup and her dress was plain. “The medical examiner called for you. He said you can reach him any time.”

“Thanks, Justine.” He turned to Leah. “I know it’s late, or more to the point, early, but I’ll see if I can reach the ME. Hopefully, he’ll have something for us.” He glanced over to where Justine had gone back to work. “Is she—?”

“Not anymore. Justine’s family left the faith. Believe it or not, she’s actually Sugar’s niece.”

“You’re kidding.” The dispatcher glanced their way and smiled before returning to her task. “How often does that happen here?”

She held his gaze. “It happens. Want some coffee?”

“Yes, please.”

She smiled at the hint of desperation in his tone. “I’ll get us some.”

He went into his office, leaving the door open, and returned the medical examiner’s call. The ME told him Beth’s time of death was somewhere between midnight and four in the morning. Her carotid arteries on both sides of the neck were severed as well as the trachea. She’d died in a matter of minutes, but she’d fought back before he cut her throat.

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