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“Do you have any wine?” asked Savannah as she scanned the interior of Noelle’s fridge. “Although maybe some hot chocolate with Kahlúa or peppermint schnapps would go better with the snowy weather.”

“I do, but I don’t want either,” said Noelle. “My head is messed up enough. Help yourself.”

“You know I will.” Savannah disappeared into the large walk-in pantry, where she knew Noelle kept the alcohol.

Noelle sighed contentedly in the recliner as she closed her eyes.

Daisy had left an hour ago after the three of them enjoyed the pizza Savannah had brought for lunch.

Savannah was right that it was a hot chocolate day.

“I changed my mind,” Noelle said. “I’ll take hot chocolate. Don’t add anything to it.”

“That’s no fun.”

Noelle opened her eyes to see Savannah step out of the pantry, a canister of hot chocolate in one hand and a bottle of schnapps in the other.

“I don’t need fun,” Noelle said. “I need a clear head.” She watched her friend make two cups, adding a large serving of schnapps to one and heavy toppings of whipped cream to both.

She sprinkled a touch of cinnamon on the nonalcoholic one, brought it to Noelle, and then sank into the sofa with her own in hand.

“Daisy hasn’t let up a bit as she’s aged,” said Savannah. “She can still talk and gossip me under the table.”

“That’s saying something.” Noelle had thought the same as they ate their pizza. “She was so excited to see you.”

“It’s been a long time. She still sends a Christmas card every year,” said Savannah. “I make sure I buy a card just for her. I don’t have anyone else who mails me one.”

“She takes her card sending very seriously,” said Noelle.

“She monitors and updates her mailing list every year.” She snorted.

“It was a very big deal when she crossed Derrick’s family off her list. She must have asked me ten times if it was okay—which it was, considering they’d been speculating in the press that I knew who’d killed him and refused to tell anyone. ”

“Bunch of assholes,” Savannah stated. “You’ve been better off without them. And him.”

Noelle sipped her drink. She agreed but didn’t want to say it out loud. Savannah was vocal enough about it for the two of them.

“I won’t be surprised one bit if a Bell was behind that explosion yesterday,” Savannah said darkly. “Especially after what Jason said to you at the station.”

“He’s all talk.”

“A wuss at heart,” agreed Savannah. “Always has been. Did I ever tell you he hit on me not long after you moved up here?”

Noelle straightened in her recliner. “No! Why didn’t you?”

“Must’ve forgotten.” Savannah shrugged. “I ran into him at a party. He was lit. Since Derrick died he’s always acted like I wasn’t worth speaking to, but that night he was practically drooling around me, clearly had sex on the brain.” She scoffed. “As if. The guy is a slimeball.”

“What did you do?”

“I sent him packing. Reminded him how he’d dissed you at Derrick’s funeral. That pissed him off.” Savannah grinned. “He turned red, the little fuck.”

“He’s always been jealous of Derrick,” said Noelle.

Savannah turned thoughtful eyes on her. “He always put you down too, and I know it was because he was jealous. He wanted you. I was around enough to see how he looked at you when you weren’t paying attention.

I don’t know if it was fueled by his feud with Derrick or that he couldn’t find his own quality woman. ”

“According to him, quality didn’t describe me at all.”

“Lies. When he opened his mouth, a lie would slip out.”

Noelle couldn’t disagree with her statement. Her phone buzzed with a text. “Agent Rhodes will be here in a minute,” she told Savannah.

“And his sidekick?”

“Keaton? Maybe. He didn’t say.”

“I like that salt-and-pepper-goatee thing Keaton’s got going on.”

Noelle raised a brow. “I’ve learned he’s married.”

“I can still admire.” She licked her whipped cream, giving Noelle a side-eye and making her giggle.

“You haven’t changed a bit, have you?”

“Why would I? I like men.”

An understatement.

Savannah had married for the first time six years ago. An impulsive decision during a weekend in Vegas. The wedding had surprised Noelle, but the divorce six months later hadn’t. Savannah enjoyed variety and got bored very easily. “If Keaton is with him, keep it under control.”

The doorbell rang and Noelle checked her camera. “It’s just Rhodes.” Unlike Daisy, he looked directly at the camera, a frown on his face.

“Bummer. I’ll get it,” Savannah said, quickly getting to her feet.

Noelle set her cup aside and lowered the footrest of the recliner. Savannah was immediately back with Agent Rhodes in her wake.

“Where’s the deputy that’s supposed to be out front?” His frown was now directed at Noelle.

“I refused one,” said Noelle, pushing to her feet. “I’ve barely been alone, and I’ve got an excellent security system. I’m not going to waste the department’s time.”

Rhodes raised a brow at Savannah.

“Don’t expect me to take your side,” she told him. “Noelle does what she wants. Besides, she’s got me as her guard dog.” She bared her teeth at the agent.

Noelle smothered a laugh. Savannah was flirting, but Rhodes hadn’t picked up on it. He still looked steamed. “I assume you’re here with news,” said Noelle, trying to shift his attention. She gestured at the big sectional. “Take a seat. What’s going on?”

“I’ll get you some hot chocolate, Agent Rhodes,” said Savannah, heading toward the kitchen.

“No booze,” Noelle ordered, knowing her best friend too well.

Rhodes blinked in surprise. “Thank you,” he said to Savannah. “And she’s right, no alcohol.” His gaze went to the mug beside Noelle as he took a seat.

“None in mine either,” Noelle said. “Savannah’s cup is a different matter.”

“It’s been a busy but frustrating day so far,” said Rhodes. He told her about his morning and his interviews at the homeless encampment.

Noelle thought for a moment. “I’ve seen a guy several times near the yoga studio with a bunch of face piercings and smoking. Just hanging out.”

“Yeah, he likes to watch the class and everyone walking in and out.” Rhodes’s tone was sour.

Savannah laughed as she handed Rhodes a cup with three inches of whipped cream on top and then sat beside him. “He sounds like a normal man.”

Rhodes thanked her for the drink, and he eyed the whipped cream for a long moment. Savannah belatedly handed him a spoon, and relief flashed on his face. “Anyway, it’s still looking as if someone placed the exploding device when your SUV was somewhere else. Where could that have happened?”

“At my grandmother’s, the Indian restaurant,” said Noelle, hoping she wouldn’t forget any locations. “I doubt it could have happened at the sheriff’s department. Our parking is fenced and has lots of cameras.” She thought for a moment. “I met Mercy downtown. Parked on the street.”

Rhodes had set aside his cup and was making a list of locations to check for cameras.

“How far back do you need to know?” she asked.

“I’d say since Thursday. That’s when we got to town.”

Noelle added a few more locations. “Any more word on Jason?”

Rhodes grinned, and from the corner of her eye, Noelle saw Savannah perk up.

Yeah, when he smiles it’s a nice sight.

“He called me last night,” said Rhodes. “He figured out that we were at his hotel to ask about the explosion and was severely insulted that we thought he could have a hand in it.”

“Jason wouldn’t know how to put together that sort of thing,” said Noelle. “And he doesn’t get his hands dirty.”

Rhodes shrugged. “He could have hired someone or spent some time on YouTube to figure it out.”

“It would have been stupid for him to threaten me in person if he was planning that,” said Noelle.

“Maybe that’s what he wants you to think,” said Savannah. “Covering his ass. How intensely did he threaten you in person?”

“Not that bad,” said Noelle. “You’re thinking his visit to the department was a lame ruse to make us consider that he’d never threaten me in person if he’d planted the bomb?” She winced. “Your logic is making my head hurt.”

Rhodes’s phone rang. He glanced at the screen. “I need to take this.” He rose and opened the door to Noelle’s deck, starting his conversation outside.

“You’re staring,” said Savannah.

Noelle whipped her gaze back to her friend. “I want to know what kind of call made him go outside.” She gave a half smile. “But he’s easy to watch,” she admitted.

Savannah downed half her hot chocolate. “Nice to see the blow to your head didn’t affect your eyesight.”

“It was blurry yesterday,” said Noelle, purposefully pretending to misunderstand her meaning. “Seems okay today.”

Rhodes came back in, his face carefully blank. Too blank.

“What happened?” Alarm started up Noelle’s spine as the agent retook his seat and carefully met her gaze.

“For part of our investigation into Derrick’s death, we’ve been redoing a lot of the forensic work where we can.” He pressed his lips together. “Since technology has come a long way in the last thirteen years, one of the things I wanted examined again was the 911 recording.”

Noelle nodded. His serious tone was making her stomach spin. Even Savannah was paying close attention.

“To do that, I sent in new voice recordings for comparison.” He glanced at Savannah.

“I gave them yours, Noelle’s, Lucia’s, Daisy’s, and also Derrick’s mother and sister.

I sent long samples from my interviews, so they’d have as much as possible to make a comparison.

” He looked back at Noelle. “I’m sorry, Noelle, but they’re positive it was Lucia who made the call. No doubts at all.”

Noelle couldn’t breathe.

I listened to that call. It can’t be Lucia.

“That can’t be right,” she finally said. “I would have recognized her voice. And she would have told us if she’d made the call. She wouldn’t hide that fact.” Abruptly the dream image of Lucia’s minivan in the driveway popped into her head.

Didn’t happen.