Page 25 of Little Dark Deeds

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I envisioned a scenario where Tyler was a faithful husband, a man who never planned to step out on his wife.Then he met Tiffany.They hit it off, and in time, he succumbed to temptation, taking a bite from the forbidden apple.

It made me question what his marriage had been like prior to the affair and if he was planning on getting a divorce before he met Tiffany.

As the various scenarios ran through my mind, Ron wagged a finger at me.“Care to share what’s on your mind?”

“Tyler and Jana make great suspects.”

“Given I’ve never met the woman, I wouldn’t know about Jana.It’s true, Tyler makes a good suspect, though he’s a half-pint, no taller than five-eight, weighs a buck fifty, if that.I’m not trying to say he didn’t do it.I’m just giving you the facts.”

Even half-pints could wield a knife.

And right now, Tyler was at the top of my suspect list.

CHAPTER 11

It took some time totalk Ron into going home and getting some rest, but after I promised to keep him updated, he made his exit, giving me the chance to look over the rest of the house.My last stop was the one place I didn’t want to go, even though I had to—the room where Tiffany had taken her last breath.

I reached for the doorknob, pausing before I turned it.

“I’m still not so sure about you going in there,” Whitlock said from behind me.“I’m not trying to stand in your way, just want you to take a second.I’m just looking out for ya, is all.”

“You know this is something I have to do, right?I’m sure I’ve seen other crime scenes that were a lot worse.And besides, she’s not in there anymore.”

He mumbled something under his breath, then said, “I suppose you’re right.”

As determined as I was to go inside, my stomach had other plans—churning sour, like I’d swallowed something that didn’t sit right.

I took a moment to gather myself and then opened the door.

What hit me next was the blood—everywhere—and a scattering of numbered evidence markers.

“You okay, kiddo?”Whitlock asked.

He was standing beside me now, eyeing me with concern.