Page 18 of Exhale
The cops looked like plainclothes policemen from their wrinkled slacks, dress shirts, and badges hanging from lanyards around their necks.
One cop who looked to be in his thirties stepped toward them, took a look at Owen’s badge, and held out his hand.
“I heard you guys were coming,” the cop said. “I’m Detective Preston, and this is Detective Knoll.
“We spoke on the phone,” Knoll said.
“Yes,” Owen said to Knoll with a nod. “What did the fire marshal say?” Owen continued getting down to business while tucking away his Pegasus badge.
“It was arson; both women were killed before the fire.”
“How so?” Jordan said.
“Their bodies weren’t completely burned. The ME identified that Miss Barnes was strangled shortly before Mrs. Long-Gray had her throat slit,” Preston said.
“No signs of struggle here,” Knoll added.
“It’s like the attacker was in the middle of robbing Miss Barnes, and maybe Mrs. Long-Gray interrupted him.”
“Maybe…” Owen murmured.
“Well…we’ll leave you guys to do your thing. We’re going to canvas the area and grab a smoke,” Preston said, heading for the door with Knoll on his ass.
“You’re the only one who smokes,” Knoll bitched as the pair walked out the door.
Jordan snorted and turned back to Owen, who was already on his way to the kitchen. Owen tripped over something on the floor, and it rattled and rolled.
Jordan frowned down at the red and blue toy train.
Owen reached the kitchen and stood in the doorway for so long that Jordan grew curious.
Approaching and standing at Owen’s side, he ran his eyes over the dirty countertops, dishes, and…colorful plastic cups. Something a child would drink out of.
Jordan’s attention snapped back to the living room, taking in the toy train and then the brightly colored plastic blocks plus numerous different colored small cars, a dump truck, and children’s cardboard books in a play corner.
Jordan jolted. Did Owen have kids and hadn’t told him? No, that didn’t make sense. There was no way Owen would have been this calm if he had kids involved.
“She had kids,” Jordan murmured.
“No, she didn’t,” Owen said.
“Maybe she babysat for money?” Jordan said, walking back into the living room.
Turning down the hallway, he opened the closest bedroom door. Two unmade bunk beds with a dresser and a lamp were inside, along with children’s clothes and more toys strewn about.
Owen walked past him to the last room and opened the door. Jordan backed out of the kids’ room and followed.
“Preston was right,” Jordan murmured. “No signs of a struggle. So, whatever happened must have started at Miss Barnes’ house.”
“Yeah, let’s start looking through Ginny’s mail. Can you check her computer?” Owen asked.
“I’m on it.” Jordan nodded on his way back down the hallway. “If there is a computer…” his voice trailed off.
Pictures on the wall caught his attention, and he found the hallway light and flipped it on.
Photos of Ginny with various people lined the wall. Jordan found a photo of Ginny with Owen, and a lump grew in his throat. They looked good together, happy…and he wondered what had happened.
Owen sucked in a quick breath, so startling that Jordan pulled his gun.
