And there wasn’t a damn thing she could do about it.
Chapter Eight
‡
Brinley looked like she was ready to collapse. Jason had a feeling she’d been running on pure adrenaline all day and the supply was empty. The feistiness she’d displayed when they’d arrived was gone, replaced by an eerie acquiescence that concerned him. She was sitting quietly on his couch, Huck draped over her lap while she petted him absently, her fingers stroking the silky fur. She’d barely glanced at the cup of coffee he’d sat in front of her, instead staring vacantly out of his front window where a crowd still stood.
“Why didn’t you call me?” Jason whispered to his brother, who was directing a deputy to bring in Fran and Richard. “Jesus, I could have prepared her for this.”
“I was just about to do that when you pulled up. I hadn’t been on the scene all that long and I didn’t want to call before I knew something.” West grimaced. “Dammit, I was here earlier walking Huck and giving him dinner. I didn’t see a thing. When I heard the call on the radio I almost couldn’t believe my ears. I got over here as soon as I could.”
Jason rubbed his aching temples. “This is a clusterfuck all the way around. Something is going on and we’re ten steps behind. I don’t like this at all. Somebody is after Brinley and I don’t intend to let them near her.”
He was shocked to hear the ferocity in his voice, but something about this woman brought out his caveman protective instincts. She was caught in something very dangerous and had no one but himself to protect her.
“I’m glad to hear you say that.” West nodded in agreement, keeping his voice low. “I know you said you were going to keep an eye on her but now I think we need to watch her twenty-four-seven. I don’t have the manpower to do something like that, though. Nor the budget. The mayor and I had another of our knock down drag-outs regarding expenses. That man is a total asshole.”
Money and resources weren’t an issue. Jason knew exactly who to call in.
“Not a problem. I’ve got this covered.”
“That’s good because this case has me worried. Gaines is dead and it looks like the killer isn’t done. Did you find out anything from his brother?”
“Yes, I’m going back tomorrow to talk to one of Roger’s friends. But I want to hear from Fran and Richard first. What they saw and heard.”
The couple, dressed in their pajamas and robes, had entered the house and were comforting Brinley.
“You can talk to them but it isn’t much to go on,” West warned him but Jason still wanted to hear their story. He just needed that one detail that would blow the case wide open.
Jason sat down in a chair across from the couch trying to appear calm and in control, at least for Brinley’s sake.
“Fran, Richard, it sounds like you had an exciting evening.” He tried to laugh to keep the tension to a minimum. “What can you tell us about what happened?”
The couple looked at each other and Fran nodded at her husband who began to speak. “I was taking the dogs out to let them do their thing. I was in the side yard that connects the two properties. Anyway, I looked over at Brinley’s house and there was a light that swept through the living room. I didn’t think she was home yet because her car was gone.”
Shit. Brinley’s car was at the motor inn. They’d need to retrieve it tomorrow.
“Go on,” Jason urged. “What else?”
Fran patted Brinley’s hand. “Richard yelled at me to bring out his shotgun and call the police. I grabbed his gun from the wall while I dialed 911.”
“Then the dogs must have known something was happening because they started barking and howling, which of course started Huck doing the same over here.” Richard hopped to his feet and began to pace. “The light went out in the house and I heard a crash. He must have gone out the back door because I heard a rustle of bushes and then nothing but the barking dogs.”
“So you didn’t see him?” Brinley’s softly spoken question echoed Jason’s own thoughts exactly.
“I didn’t,” Richard agreed. “I keep saying him but I guess it could have been a woman too. Hell, it could have been more than one person. I just didn’t see a whole hell of a lot, to tell the truth. I wish I had. I would have shot his ass so full of buckshot he’d be walking funny for a week.”
“I know you would have. Thank you, Richard. And you, Fran. You scared him away and I don’t know how to thank you for that. I’m so grateful.”
“Now, honey, everything’s going to be fine.” Fran hugged Brinley and gave her a reassuring smile. “Now this person knows we’ve got some loud and angry dogs plus a shotgun. They won’t be coming around here again any time soon.”
Unfortunately Jason couldn’t agree with the sentiments. Someone was determined to get to Brinley.
One way or another. But they’d have to go through him first.
They chatted with Fran and Richard for a few more minutes before the couple took their leave. A deputy came into the living room holding a crowbar in a plastic bag.
“Is this yours, Brinley?” West asked, holding the tool up for her inspection. “My deputy found this on your dining room floor.”
“No, I’ve never seen it before.”
“We’ll send it to the lab and see if we can get any prints off of it.” West sat down next to Brinley and scratched Huck on the neck, getting a lick in return. “The lab is done with your home. They’ve pulled a few fingerprints and of course we’ll need you to check if anything is actually missing, but tomorrow morning is soon enough for that. In addition, your front door is broken and will need to be fixed. I can recommend a good handyman if you like.”
“Thank you—that would be helpful.”
Jason hated hearing that broken tone in Brinley’s voice. He’d rather have her feisty or even angry than this… She just seemed sad and beaten.
West glanced up at Jason and then back at Brinley. “You can’t stay there with a door that won’t close or lock. Do you have some place you can stay for the night?”
She blinked a few times and then nodded. “I can stay at a motel.” Her eyes widened when she apparently realized that would mean sleeping at the motor inn where Roger was murdered. “Or maybe a hotel on the edge of town. Out by the interstate.”
“You can stay here,” Jason cut in. The poor woman was dead on her feet and traumatized. He wasn’t that big of an asshole to send her to some motel where she’d be terrified and sit up all night staring at the locked door. “I have a spare room. You can even have Huck in there if you like.”
He thought she might argue but her eyes filled with tears instead. “I think I’d like that. I can’t–”
She choked up and buried her face against Huck’s fur. She didn’t want to be alone and Jason didn’t blame her in the least. What she didn’t realize was that he’d been in a few dangerous situations before. He wasn’t a rookie cop on his first big case.
“Let me walk West to his truck and then I’ll show you to your room, okay?” Jason knelt down in front of her so he could look into her eyes. Her lips were trembling and she looked like a woman on the edge. When everyone got the hell out of here he’d let her cry or scream. Whatever she needed.
“I’ll have my deputy board up your door, Brinley.”
She managed a watery smile. “Thank you, West. I’m glad you were here. I’m sorry if I was mean to you last night. I really am.”
“You don’t have to apologize. Just let Jason take care of you and I’ll see you tomorrow.”
Outside the crowd was dispersing since there was nothing new or exciting to see and the deputy was pounding nails into a sheet of plywood over Brinley’s doorway.
“I’ll call you tomorrow if we find anything.” West pulled open the driver side door of his truck. “Take care of her. She looks shattered. I’ve seen that before in burglary victims. They feel violated. She’s not going to feel safe for a long time.”