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Nolan entered Becca’s house, his shoe coverings brushing on the tile floor. Mina came to a stop next to him as he paused to look for Grady. She pointed to the room with the broken window. “He’s over there.”

Grady stood behind a tripod, holding an instrument that Nolan wasn’t familiar with. They picked their way around the blood pool and evidence markers toward the weapons expert. He looked up, a grim expression on his face.

“I hope you have information for us,” Mina said.

“I do. I’ve removed the bullet from the wall.” He bent down to pick up a plastic evidence bag resting in a large tote filled with a variety of supplies. Inside the bag lay a mangled bullet. “It’s a 9mm slug, copper-jacketed ball and supersonic. Most likely a 9mm+Pwith 115 to 124 grain, which I will confirm in the lab.”

Interesting info, but Nolan wasn’t a gun enthusiast, so he didn’t know the implications of it all. He did know the copper jacketed ball and supersonic meant the lead bullet was encased with copper, which enabled the slug to maintain its shape at high velocities, making it suitable for supersonic speeds. But the other bit? Nah, he had no clue. The team used whatever ammo Reece recommended and left it up to her to know what they needed.

“And the shot that killed the mayor was taken through that window from the outside?” Mina asked.

“I can definitively say a shot was taken from there. At this point though, I can’t tell you this bullet killed your mayor. The slug does appear to have blood and tissue residue on it, but again, that’s something I’ll have to confirm in the lab, and if so, have DNA run.”

“The caliber you mentioned,” Mina said, “is it something that’s sufficient to have gone through the mayor’s body?”

“Yes, that combined with the angle of the shot tells me it is.”

“Is that what your thing on the tripod is for?” Nolan asked.

Grady nodded. “My trajectory calculations tell me the gun was fired reasonably close to perpendicular—ninety degrees—to the glass. At least within plus or minus fifteen degrees. That coupled with the caliber and special characteristics of the bullet is why we have a through-and-through. Anything less might not have exited the body.”

“You said, at this point you can’t tell us that it’s the bullet that killed the mayor,” Nolan said. “But will you at some point be able to tell us that it’s the one that passed through his body?”

“Certainly, if there’s blood and tissue residue that’s positive for the mayor’s DNA. But it also contains ground glass, which I can match to the window.”

That seemed to strike Mina’s interest. “How?”

He used a long tweezer to take the bullet out of the bag and display it for them. “Can you see the white glass embedded between the lead slug and the copper metal jacket?”

Mina leaned close to his hand. “Oh, yeah. I see it.”

“We can take a sample of the window glass and compare the chemical makeup to the glass in the bullet.”

“Thus proving the slug in the wall was fired through that window,” Nolan said. “That, along with having the mayor’s DNA, would prove it’s the bullet that killed him and this is the murder scene.”

Grady nodded, then frowned. “Until we have the DNA results or proof Becca is alive and unharmed, this bullet could’ve passed through her as well.”

He secured the slug, then held up another bag. “We also recovered a spent cartridge casing outside the window by the footprint. We can process the casing for prints and DNA, too, leading to our shooter’s ID. Any questions?”

Mina gave a slight shake of her head.

“We’re good,” Nolan said.

“Then that’s all I have for now.” Grady dropped the casing bag back into his kit. “I’ll be returning to the lab tonight with all the logged evidence, and we’ll get going with the DNA as soon as possible.”

“I can’t begin to thank you for your help,” Mina said.

Grady waved a gloved hand. “No worries. It’s what we do.”

Blake approached them. “Dylan has collected both laptops and is retrieving the mayor’s office machine now.”

“Good timing.” Mina smiled. “We need to talk to the mayor’s assistant again, and while we’re there, we can make sure he has everything he needs.”

“I’m sure he does, but it’s always nice to have follow-up.” Blake took the firm stance Nolan was beginning to associate with him when he wanted to make a point. “As long as it doesn’t impede in our investigation.”

“Don’t worry,” Nolan said. “We won’t get in the way.”

“Thanks again for everything.” Mina spun and headed for the door.

Outside, she looked at her watch. “Almost five. We have to hurry if we want to catch Daisy and Dylan in the office before she locks up for the day.”

She jogged to her car and clicked open the locks. Nolan got in with her, and she traversed the roads like someone with years of familiarity in navigating them. She made the drive through Lost Lake in what Nolan could only believe was record time, not speaking but keeping her eyes on the road.

He watched the clock on the dashboard tick down until it hit three minutes after five, and she screeched to a halt in front of the courthouse in a reserved law enforcement space.

She was out of the vehicle before it even stopped rocking, and he had to run to catch up with her and climb the steps to the main entrance. They jogged over marble tile floors to the last door on the right. He jerked on it, half expecting it not to open and Daisy to be gone, but there she was at her desk, typing away on her keyboard.

She looked up and shot to her feet. “Did you find Ernie’s killer?”

“No. Sorry, Daisy.” Mina crossed the room. “We have a few more questions for you.”

She sighed. “Then I guess your guy in the other room will continue to do whatever he’s doing with Ernie’s work machine.”

“Let me just check in with him, and I’ll be right back.”

Her phone dinged as she disappeared into the room, making Nolan curious. But if it was important she would tell him. Instead, he gestured for Daisy to have a seat. He sat across from her. “How are you holding up, Daisy?”

A soft smile spread across her thinning lips. “You’re just the sweetest for asking. Mina’s lucky to have you in her life.”

“I don’t know if being sweet is a positive trait for a deputy.” He chuckled.

“Oh, that. No.” She waved a hand with a sparkling amethyst ring. “I’m not talking about being a deputy. I’m talking about what’s going on between the two of you.”

His mouth started to fall open, and he clamped it closed until he recovered from the surprise of her comment. “There’s nothing going on between us that isn’t professional.”

“You may not be acting on your feelings, but there’s a definite chemistry between you two.” She leaned forward. “I’m not one to gossip, but it always finds its way to my office. I heard that you had a summer romance a few years back.”

Nolan shifted uncomfortably, considering his response. He liked Daisy. She wasn’t a gossip but was well-meaning. “I figured when Mina deputized me that people would bring up our past again.”

“Like I said, I don’t pass information like this along, but word on the street is that you left her without saying goodbye.”

“Not that I feel like I need to defend myself”—though he actually felt like he did need to with Daisy—“but I was suddenly called back to duty at the White House and was unable to say goodbye to her in person. I left a note with the hotel desk clerk to give to her. Problem is, he didn’t pass it on.”

She firmed her jaw. “I figured there was more to the story than what I was hearing. I pride myself in being able to judge someone’s character. I might only have met you a few times, but I know you’re a wonderful man.”

A rush of blood heated his neck and face under her compliment. He said the first thing that came to mind that didn’t have to do with his botched summer with Mina. “I didn’t know if we would still catch you in the office.”

“Normally I’m gone by now,” she tipped her head toward the door to the mayor’s office, “but I’m not going to leave that man alone in there with all of our confidential documents.”

Nolan loved her fierce determination to protect the information even when it wasn’t necessary. “I’m sure it’s okay to leave him alone here. He wouldn’t be here if he wasn’t trustworthy. He works for a reputable agency and has likely undergone a variety of background checks and criminal searches.”

“I don’t know.” Daisy sniffed. “He seems a little bit too laid-back to be trusted.”

He almost laughed at her logic, but he controlled himself. “Since when is being laid-back something that means you aren’t trustworthy?”

She let out a long sigh. “I guess I’m just being protective of the mayor’s things since he’s not here to protect them himself.”

Nolan gave her an understanding nod. “I know you were a fine assistant to him, and he was lucky to have you.”

Tears formed in her eyes. Nolan grabbed a tissue to hand to her, but he didn’t know what to say to make things better for her. Thankfully, Mina returned.

She took a seat in the other chair facing Daisy’s desk. “Did Mayor Sutton tell you that he had cancer?”

“Cancer? Ernie?” Daisy’s eyelashes fluttered. “He didn’t say anything about that.” She lowered her arms to her chair as if it was too difficult to hold them up. “Was it bad?”

“Terminal, according to the medical examiner.”

“Why wouldn’t he have told me?” She closed her eyes and shook her head. “I could’ve helped him through any treatments he was having.” She twisted the tissue in her fingers. “Seems like he wanted to handle it on his own.”

“I think you’re right,” Nolan said, hoping to ease her discomfort. “We don’t know that he’s told anyone, but then again, we still haven’t located Becca to ask her.”

“Well, hopefully he did tell her, and she was at his side.” Daisy leaned back in her chair. “That could explain his weight loss. The secretive calls too. The cryptic calendar entries could’ve been doctor’s appointments. He could’ve been talking to doctors when I stepped into his office. And even the hotel bill could be for a stay in Portland for medical tests or a procedure.”

“You could be right on all of that.” Mina gave an encouraging smile. “But also, if he was romantically involved with a woman, then he could’ve told her about the cancer, and she was at his side.”

Daisy clutched the strand of pearls at her neck. “I’d hate to think he wouldn’t trust me with such a big thing, but I know Ernie had his reasons for everything he did.”

Mina got out her phone and held it out to Daisy. “This is a sketch of the woman who had lunch with Ernie.”

Nolan sat forward to see it too. This must be the text she received when she’d gone to talk to Dylan.

“Do you recognize her?” she asked.

“Yes.” Daisy’s head flashed up. “That’s Janice James. Ernie’s personal attorney.”

“Attorney?” Mina asked. “I thought everyone in town used Wally Carpenter for their legal needs.”

“I think pretty much everybody does, but Ernie went to college with Janice, and she’s always been his attorney, as far as I know.”

Mina locked her phone, and the light died on the screen. “I’ve never seen her around.”

“She practices in Medford, and he usually goes to see her there. I’ve only met her once, and that was several years ago.” Daisy narrowed her eyes. “I wonder, since he had a terminal diagnosis, if he was updating his will. He might not have taken care of that since his wife died.”

“I don’t suppose you have a copy of his will,” Nolan said.

Daisy shook her head. “Again, that was personal and not something I had any part of.”

“Would that also be true of his insurance policy?” Mina asked.

“Yes.”

Mina tapped her phone screen and held it out again. “Do you recognize this man, Daisy?”

She gave the phone a long look. “No. Should I?”

“He had lunch with the mayor yesterday. The waitress said they had a heated argument.”

“I don’t know him. I don’t know any man who would argue with Ernie.” She scrubbed her hands together, shredding the tissue she’d been holding. “I wish I could be of more help.”

“You’re doing the best you can, Daisy.” Nolan smiled at her. “That’s all you can do, and we appreciate your help.”

“We do indeed.” Mina shoved her phone into her pocket. “One final question, and we’ll be out of your hair. You wouldn’t happen to know his blood type would you?”

“Yes! Yes!” Daisy gave a vigorous nod. “Finally! Something I can help with. Remember when the Red Cross started doing regular blood drives here last year? We gave blood together every time they came. He’s type O.”

“What about Becca?” Nolan knew they were pushing their luck, but if she had the same type as the mayor, even knowing the mayor’s blood type wouldn’t rule out Becca having been shot at her house. “Did she give blood too? Do you know her type?”

A wide smile spread across her face. “In fact she did. She’s AB.”

“You’re sure of this?” Mina asked.

“Positive. One time, we joked about genetics and whether the AB meant Ernie was her father. To kill time at the bloodmobile, Ernie looked it up online. He showed her that, though it didn’t prove she was his child, it also didn’t say she couldn’t be. She must’ve gotten her blood type from her mother.”

“Is there any question about Ernie being her father?” Mina asked. “I mean, I’ve never heard any talk about that around town.”

“No!” Daisy slammed her chair forward and sat upright. “Absolutely no question. We were just joking around.”

Or maybe there was some truth to it. What started out as a fun challenge might have raised Becca’s suspicion, and she’d checked into it, then learned that Ernie really wasn’t her father.

Nolan didn’t think this was a solid lead, but it was surely something to look into. Especially with Becca’s disappearance. Maybe they were looking at this all wrong. Maybe she really did have motive and took off after killing him.