Blane peered over my shoulder and frowned, taking the photo from me to look more closely. He handed it to Jared.
“Those two marks,” he said, pointing to what I’d seen on her neck. They were tiny, maybe only a quarter of an inch long, and close together.
“The ME thinks they’re from a stun gun,” Jared said. “It would have immobilized her, then he smothered her.”
More photos, some I couldn’t look at, of injuries and bruises on more intimate parts of her body.
“The killer was dumb, though,” Jared said. “Left semen, so we have DNA.”
Blane’s head jerked up at that, which confused me. He’d told the cops he hadn’t slept with Kandi that night, although he had, but he’d used a condom so the semen couldn’t be his. It had to be James’s.
“Who are they thinking did it?” Blane asked.
“Well,” Jared said with a sigh, “you. They’re working on a warrant for your DNA.”
“It’s not mine,” Blane told him.
“I believe you,” Jared replied, “but like I said, it looks bad.”
Blane went to his desk, retrieving the tie and scarves from last night and handing them to Jared. “We found these last night among Kandi’s things,” he said. “Can you test for DNA against the semen you found?”
Jared nodded. “I’ll get this cataloged as evidence, say I found them or something. You think the guy was someone she was seeing?”
“Yes, and she’d been secretly seeing James Gage.”
“The district attorney?” Jared asked with surprise.
Blane nodded. “We’re not sure exactly how long, but it had been going on for a while.” He hesitated, then added, “James has a track record of violence, especially against women.”
Yeah. I could vouch for that.
Jared’s eyes got even wider. “You’re kidding.”
“I wish I were.”
“Well, even if the DNA does match, we have no way of proving it’s his,” Jared said. “He’s not in the database.”
“If we got a sample from him, you could match it,” Blane said.
“Yeah, but how do you plan on doing that? You’re the prime suspect in a murder that he’ll no doubt prosecute. Everyone knows there’s no love lost between the two of you. He won’t let you within three feet.”
“I’ll think of something,” Blane said.
Jared left a few minutes later, leaving Blane, Kade, and me studying the file.
I took a deep breath before speaking, already knowing how this was going to go. “I could get the DNA.”
The “No” was resounding and simultaneous from both men, neither of whom even glanced up from the papers and photos they were studying.
I blew out a frustrated breath. “I’m not going to just sit around and do nothing while James does all he can to ruin you,” I said to Blane.
“He’s not going to ruin me,” Blane said, flipping a page of the report in his hand.
“I want to help,” I insisted.
“You’ve already helped. You lied to the police to give me an alibi.” Blane’s tone said he didn’t appreciate that overly much.
“You let her lie for you?” Kade interjected.
Blane looked up. “I didn’t ‘let’ her do anything. I locked her in my bedroom to keep her away, but she got out. I don’t suppose you know who taught her how to pick a lock, do you?”
Kade flipped him off and Blane gave a disgruntled snort before resuming his study of the case file.
I waited a moment before adding in an undertone to Blane, “By the way, I really didn’t appreciate being locked away like the crazy aunt. That really ticked me off.”
“Did it? I hadn’t noticed.” The eye roll was implied.
I kicked off my shoes and tucked my feet up under me as I thought. There had to be a way to get DNA from James without it being too dangerous. I just needed some bodily fluid or hair.
“Do you work tonight?” Kade asked.
I nodded. “My shift starts at six,” I said, and I had an idea.
It was a holiday, so the bar would close by 9:00 P.M. Romeo bitched about it every year, saying people wanted to have a drink after watching fireworks, so why should he close? But Kade and Blane wouldn’t realize the bar closed early.
“Whatever you’re thinking about doing, forget it,” Kade said.
I shot him a dirty look. “I’m not thinking of doing anything,” I lied. I jumped to my feet before either of them could read anything more from my face. It was unnerving to realize just how well Blane and Kade knew me. “I’m going to go help Mona in the kitchen.” Surely she needed help doing… something. So long as it wasn’t actual cooking, I’d be fine.
Blane glanced up, his lips curving into a soft smile. When I walked by, he reached out to brush his fingers against mine, pressing a quick, gentle squeeze to my hand.
Mona was in the kitchen when I got there, thank goodness, busy making something with peaches. Maybe a cobbler. I loved peach cobbler.
“Can I do anything to help?” I asked.
She glanced at me with a smile. “That’s sweet of you,” she said. “I have some green beans that need snapping, if you don’t mind.”
“I can do that.” No cooking required, right up my alley.
Mona handed me a large brown bag of fresh green beans and an empty bowl. I glanced outside. It was beautiful and sunny. “Do you mind if I snap these on the patio?”
“Not at all,” she said, wiping her hands on a towel. “I think I’ll join you for a short while.”
Mona and I went out to the patio and settled onto a wicker loveseat situated in the shade of a large oak tree. A slight breeze was blowing, so although it was hot out, sitting in the shade was relatively comfortable. I had on a pair of cutoff denim shorts and a red baby-doll T-shirt.
My mom and I had spent many summer evenings shucking corn and snapping green beans. Those memories came back to me as Mona and I sat in companionable silence, snapping beans and enjoying the weather. Neighborhood kids were setting off fireworks, illegal bottle rockets from the sound of it, but I doubted anyone would turn them in. Shooting bottle rockets was one of those rites of passage in Midwestern adolescence.
“It’s good to see you and Blane back together,” Mona said after a while. I caught her looking at the ring on my finger. “I was afraid he’d driven you away for good.”
I hesitated, unsure what to tell her about the reasons behind my wearing Blane’s ring again. “Mona, we’re not back together,” I said. “I’m Blane’s alibi for the night of Kandi’s murder. It’s more believable if the police think we’ve reconciled.”
She stopped snapping beans for a moment, glancing at me with some surprise. “Oh,” she said, “I didn’t realize…”
Now the silence wasn’t quite as comfortable. After a while, I couldn’t take it anymore.
“I’m sorry, Mona,” I said. “Blane and I have talked and we’re friends, but I don’t know if we’ll be… more… again.”
Her smile was a little sad. “No need to apologize, Kathleen. It’s just too bad, that’s all. He loves you, you know.”
I swallowed, reaching into the bag for another handful of beans and avoiding her gaze. “I do. I love him, too.”
“And Kade?” Mona asked quietly. “How do you feel about him?”
My eyes flew to hers, but her gaze was steady, sympathy written on her face.
“Kade and I are friends,” I said carefully.
“I’ve never seen Kade quite like this before,” Mona said.
I snapped another bean, dropping it into the rapidly filling bowl.
“What do you mean?”
Mona continued working on the beans as she spoke. “Kade has always been… difficult to reach. I remember when Blane first brought him home. He was just a little thing. Too thin for his age and wearing clothes that were too big. I could tell he was terrified, but he always could put on a brave face. Show no fear. He’s lived by that ever since his momma died, God rest her soul.”