Page 76 of Mistletoe and Malice
She leaned in and crossed her arms on the table. “My frustration has been that nobody we’ve talked to, not even Shane, can think of one person who would want to harm Caitlyn.Much less kill her. But it struck me after we realized the creep is the one sending me the messages and calling …”
“The messages trying to warn you off this case.”
“Exactly.” She swallowed hard. “What if the creep is the guy? What if he killed Caitlyn?”
A bigwhat if, but not without merit.
He folded his arms on the table and leaned toward her. “Then maybe the question shouldn’t be who had it in for Caitlyn, but who had something against Shane. Someone willing to murder the woman he loved and frame him for it. That’s a lot of hate to want someone in prison for most of their remaining life. Almost as if they wanted to punish him for something.”
She sat up straight. “I never thought to ask him that. I’ve always wondered who would want to kill Cait, but I’ve never asked if anybody had anything againsthim.”
“Wouldn’t hurt to see what he says.” His eyes narrowed. “Slight of face but bulky in build. In a suit. The creep could have disguised himself, like he’s been doing the past three weeks. If he is the guy, he planned that whole thing down to aT,but then got messy in carrying out the actual murder. Makes me wonder what happened to change up his plan. What made him so mad?”
She nodded. “Cait’s fingerprints were on the knife. Not where they would be if she were using it for its intended purpose?—”
“But where they’d be if she was pointing it at someone.”
“Right. What if he had something else in mind? Something hands-off, like a gun. Or cleaner, like strangulation.”
“But Caitlyn grabbed the knife.”
“That’s my theory. The flowers were scattered in the living room. Maybe she threw them at him and made a run for it. Got as far as the kitchen and grabbed the only weapon she could find.”
“Then he took it from her.”
“And maybe she said something. Something that angered him. Cait was no shrinking violet. I could see her getting in his face, even if she was terrified.”
He rubbed his hand over the stubble on his chin. “That all fits.”
“Now, if we only had a name to go with all those faces.”
True that.
Suppressing a shudder, he said a quick prayer of gratitude that Drew Hudson had had the presence of mind to order protection on his daughter immediately following that failed grab. Otherwise, Riley may well have suffered the same fate as her friend.
A fate he wouldn’t—he couldn’t—let happen on his watch.
Chapter Thirty-Two
“Oh, Frannie.” Riley put her hand to her chest as her friend emerged from the bridal shop dressing room in the sixth gown she’d tried on over the past forty minutes. “That’s the one.”
She’d met her girls for a long lunch this Tuesday to dress-hunt for Fran’s upcoming wedding. Their bridesmaids’ dresses had already been chosen and placed on order. But the wedding gown was a much bigger deal. Every one Fran had tried on had been lovely, but Riley couldn’t imagine it getting any better than this one.
Frances smiled at her reflection, her eyes alight. “It’s gorgeous.”
“No,you’regorgeous. That gown simply accentuates what’s already you.”
Avery swept a tear from her cheek. “You’re stunning.”
Barbara took Fran’s arm and met her reflection in the mirror. “Kade is going to be a puddle by the time you get down the aisle.”
Tears welled in Fran’s eyes. “As long as he can choke out the ‘I do’s.’”
Riley laughed, trying to keep her own emotions in check. Fran. The first of their little quartet to get married. It was all so exciting. “That man is so ready to get to the ‘I do’s, I’m surprised you two haven’t eloped.”
Frances giggled and swiped at a tear. “I know. He keeps saying June feels like a year away.”
Avery released a heavy sigh. “You’re so blessed, Fran. You’ve found your perfect match, a guy we all adore, he’s head over heels for you, and now you’re getting married. I can hardly stand it, I’m so happy.”
