Page 32 of Whispers Left Behind

“Depends. If you’ll be my partner, I’ll get you all the information you want from R.J.”

Sam’s odd request had Kinsley’s full attention. She prudently remained silent instead of wading into a conversation filled with land mines.

“You didn’t hear?” Sam curled his lip in frustration. “Hess is retiring, and Mitchell got the promotion.”

Kinsley weighed her words carefully. Sam had been passed over for a sergeant’s position twice in as many years. Rumor hadthe reason being was a beef between him and one of the upper brass. Either way, Sam’s life just got a little harder.

No wonder Alex had been in a mood.

“Be happy for her, Sam.”

Kinsley witnessed the difficulty Sam was having with the situation. He and Laura had been partners for years. The struggle he was enduring was twofold.

“What do you want with R.J.?”

Kinsley recalled a name on the list of employees at the dealership. Sam must be referring to Richard James Ivy.

“Our vic was in the finance department at the dealership. Alex is out there this morning conducting interviews. It’s come to our attention that Rachel Hanson believed one of the salespeople there was taking kickbacks under the table. She reported it to HR, and…” Kinsley lifted her phone once more to read off the name that Alex had supplied her. “…Joe Cider has just become a person of interest.”

“Never heard of him, but I can reach out to R.J. He tends to be protective of his staff, but I’ll make sure he gives up any necessary deets to Lanen.” Sam turned, but Kinsley could still hear his latest complaint about the previous topic of discussion. “I’m liable to end up with a rookie who tosses his cookies over a paper cut. Maybe I should be the one retiring.”

As Sam made his way back to his desk, Kinsley turned her focus to her computer. She would put in for a more in-depth background check on Joe Cider. It would be nice to catch a break in the case. While family members were usually ruled out first, an investigation covered the victim’s entire life. Everyone needed to be investigated, including friends, neighbors, and even acquaintances who might have only interacted with the victim once or twice.

Once Kinsley had exited the software and opened her inbox, the list of unread emails stretched down her screen. She quicklyperused the subject lines until one snagged her attention—Rachel Hanson: Life Insurance Policy Details.

Kinsley clicked on the email.

In bold font, a seven-figure amount was displayed on the monitor, along with the name of the beneficiary. Without hesitation, she reached for her desk phone. She was willing to make the trip to Bismarck herself if necessary. She would have the hotel’s security footage in her possession by the end of the day.

While there were still many avenues to search within the investigation, Sebastian Hanson had just moved himself back to the top of the suspect list. According to the terms of the life insurance policy, three million dollars would be electronically transferred into an account under Sebastian Hanson’s name upon receipt of his wife’s death certificate.

Chapter Fifteen

Kinsley Aspen

October

Monday — 6:03 pm

The atmosphere at TheBucket was surprisingly lively for a Monday. That wasn’t unusual during football season, but there were still a couple of hours before kickoff. It seemed that everyone wanted to fill their stomachs and quench their thirst before settling in for the game.

Kinsley wouldn’t mind a bite to eat herself. She had spent most of the morning and early afternoon driving to and from Bismarck to pick up the hotel’s security footage. She had driventhrough a fast-food joint, but that was all the sustenance she had consumed throughout the day. Her stomach let it be known that the scents of sizzling grease and strong liquor were an acceptable combination.

The dim lighting cast a warm glow over the worn oak booths and matching bar. Casual conversations were taking place at several tables that hadn’t been replaced in decades, though the clinking of glasses and occasional bursts of laughter made it rather difficult to hear one another.

Kinsley stood still for a moment, allowing the warmth from the overhead heater to chase away the cold. The temperature was supposed to drop below freezing tonight. She had exchanged her blazer for her thick sweater coat once she had returned to town.

“The usual, Kin?” a voice called out over the crowd.

She nodded toward Tap’s question. Russell ‘Tap’ Hughes had owned the bar ever since his father had passed away six years ago. She had to give the man credit, because he had changed very little after taking over the place. The two men had been very close, and Tap had wanted to honor his father’s memory. She got the sense that the décor would remain the same for decades to come.

Kinsley zeroed in on Alex sitting at their usual table in the back. He was scrolling through his phone, but she didn’t doubt that he had noticed her entrance. He observed everything about his surroundings at any given minute. Now that she was somewhat warm, she took a step forward to join him, only the sight of her youngest brother brought her up short.

“Owen? What are you doing here?”

“Hey, Kin.” Owen set his bottle of beer down on the table before pushing back his chair. He had been sitting with a few friends, and they all greeted her in unison, not that she had formally met any of them. The Bucket wasn’t Owen’s usualhangout. “I had a business meeting with the bank regarding their online website and mobile app. I spoke to Alex briefly. Is he doing okay? Seems a bit off.”

“Alex is fine,” Kinsley replied, gesturing toward the corner opposite the jukebox. “Can I borrow you for a second?”

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