Page 104 of Cold Case, Warm Hearts

“He wouldn’t… You do?”

“I don’t think your father had anything to do with the bombing. I’m just telling you where we looked. If it wasn’t Brent or Dean, your father was the next most likely suspect.”

“Who do you think it was?”

“Remember, we’re talking about what I believe, not what I can prove.” At her nod, he continued. “I believe Brent went with her that night. I believe he planned the whole thing. By all accounts, he’d have done anything for your mother. He was logical where your mother, according to what everybody told us, wasn’t thinking clearly. Brent would have been able to plan the whole thing and cover their tracks. Do I think Brent wanted to blow up that building? Not necessarily. Do I think he would have done it for your mother?” Cote shrugged.

But if Brent was with her at the bombing, then he would have been with her afterward as well. “Do you think he killed her? Or maybe helped her get away or something?”

“He loved her, Aspen. I have no reason to believe he would have hurt her. Hidden her? Maybe, but we kept a close eye on him. I can’t imagine how he could have pulled it off. Not as a twenty-year-old, not without help. And for how long could he have hidden her? How would he have done it with your mother in that mental state?” He shook his head. “No, I never bought that.”

She remembered something else she’d learned. “The witness said only one person drove away.”

“Multiple witnesses at that point. Everybody in about a five-mile radius heard that bomb explode. The people at that party went outside to see what had happened. They were watching the flames through the trees when they saw your mother’s car. And yes, only one person could be seen inside.”

“Maybe he was crouched down in the backseat.”

“Maybe.”

Or maybe… “Is it possible Brent had a wig or something? Maybe he killed my motherinthe bombing.”

Cote smiled. “You could be a detective, Miss Kincaid. Very thoughtful question.”

“And?”

His smile faded. “We only uncovered one body, and it belonged to the victim. The property and the forest surrounding it were thoroughly searched.”

“But he could have buried her or?—”

“They drove up at nine twenty and drove back out at nine thirty-two. The bomb went off at nine twenty-eight. There was no time for him to bury her. We think either your mother left Brent at the lumber company for some reason—maybe they fought. Though I can’t figure out how he would have gotten out of there and home without being seen. More likely, he was crouched down in the passenger seat or the back. He was smart enough to know people would be outside looking, so that’s my theory.”

“You think Brent was her accomplice.”

“One of them. Thing is, Brent didn’t know how to build bombs either. And he was smart enough not to try.”

“Somebody else was involved? Who among them could have built a bomb? I mean, they were twenty, like you said. They didn’t have the Internet. They weren’t exactly criminal master…”

But something Garrett had said, words tossed out as if they didn’t matter at all, floated to Aspen’s memory. “Dean was a chemistry major.”

Cote’s eyebrows lifted. “You ever decide to go into law enforcement, give me a call.”

She tried to smile at his remark, but the expression felt wrong. “That I’m suspecting the uncle of my…” She didn’t know what to call Garrett. He was more than her contractor, but did “boyfriend” fit the bill?

It wouldn’t for long, not if he learned what she was thinking. What she’d just said.

But Cote didn’t look surprised. Of course he’d already known Dean’s major.

Just to be sure, she said, “You think Dean built the bomb.”

“I’m sure of it. But being sure of it and being able to prove it are two very different things.”

“He was never charged?”

“Nope. If he did it, he bought all the supplies with cash and not anywhere local. I have no idea where he put it together or where they stored it. I could never get to the bottom of any of that.”

“Maybe that’s the connection to the house,” Aspen said.

“Huh.” He sat back. “What is your father’s link to the place?”

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