Page 30 of Eden

BETHENNY

“Thank you for coming in early,” Mitch said, crossing his arms as he stood in front of a whiteboard. “As you all know, we have two bodies and potentially different killers on the loose—although we think Detective Taylor all but chased one off a cliff, a body is yet to be recovered,” he said, looking to the whiteboard. “Both victims have been identified. Lead Detective Taylor and Detective Monroe will take charge of the investigation. Please give them your full support.”

Bethenny’s eyes fell on Lachlan as he walked toward the front of the room, stoic with his shoulders squared back.

He cleared his throat, the only indication of any emotion riling his body. Otherwise, it seemed like an ordinary morning for Detective Taylor.

“We have identified the victims, so the first step now is to track their last movements. I want the names of the places they worked, phone records, bank transactions, and whatever we can track of their last movements on my desk within forty-eight hours.” Lachlan looked at them, waiting for the officers to nod before he continued.

She noted he said nothing about Eden’s case, and she wondered if he should even be working this case, given they were possibly linked.

Lachlan continued, “Use your fellow officers for support to collect the data as soon as possible. Autopsies are underway, but results are a few hours away. So let’s do what we can until then.”

“Got it,” they replied in unison.

“Let’s get to work,” Lachlan said, dismissing the team. He walked toward Bethenny.

“You look concerned,” he said, seeming to study her.

She looked over the officers making their way out and lowered her voice. “Are you okay to work this case? Mitch told me the handwriting on the note was a match, as you’d thought it was. This is very close to home. I can handle this—”

He shook his head. “I’m going to do what I should’ve done years ago—face this and find whoever killed her. I’m the best person for this case. No one is as motivated as I am.”

Bethenny inhaled deeply, wondering if that motivation would be a blessing or a curse. “Can you keep an open mind and look at the case objectively? It’s easy to want to pin a case on someone so badly you overlook evidence,” she said.

His eyes narrowed and she saw the pain creep into them.

“I’m speaking from experience,” she reminded him softly.

“I won’t make that mistake,” he said, determined.

“Okay, but I need the details of her case,” Bethenny said. “If they’re linked, we both need to know what we’re dealing with.”

“Of course,” he said, before a knock at the door stole their attention.

“Sorry to interrupt,” a young officer said. “Someone is here to see you, Bethenny.”

Bethenny frowned. She didn’t have visitors at work—she barely had visitors at her home.

She moved toward the door and Lachlan was right beside her. “Judging by the look on your face, you weren’t expecting anyone, right?”

“No,” she said, and as Bethenny looked out into the station waiting room, her frown deepened.

A woman sat in one of the chairs. Her hair was pulled back in a tight ponytail; even so, Bethenny could see the gray streaks woven through her mouse-brown hair. That in combination with the deep lines around her eyes caused Bethenny to assume she must be at least sixty years old. She looked up as Bethenny approached.

“Hello, can I help you?” Bethenny asked.

The lady looked up at her. “I live next door to the young lady who was murdered. I saw you at the house yesterday,” she said, looking past Bethenny. “I saw both of you.”

“Yes, we were there to investigate,” Bethenny replied, careful not to reveal any details. She wondered how the woman knew her name, but perhaps she’d just come into the station, described Bethenny, and asked to speak to her.

The woman seemed to study her for a moment, then leaned over and reached into her handbag. “I found this,” she said, pulling out a large ziplock bag with a bloody knife in it.

Bethenny took a small step back.

“It was in my backyard. I have no idea how it got there, but I picked it up with a tea towel. You won’t find my prints on it,” she said, with strange eyes Bethenny couldn’t look away from. Something about the woman was odd, but Bethenny couldn’t put her finger on it.

“May I take that?” Bethenny asked.

---