Page 107 of Paranoid

“You all think this murder might be linked to the Sperry homicide?” Voss asked.

“Yep.” Cade was certain of it.

Voss snorted. “Makes you wonder what the hell’s going on in this small town. No homicides i

n twenty damned years and now two within a week.”

“Two victims who witnessed the shooting twenty years ago,” Cade said.

“Oh, good Lord,” Voss said, “you’re not trying to link what happened tonight to the Luke Hollander homicide twenty years ago?”

“Not yet.”

“I saw you pulled the case file.”

“Just brushing up on what happened.”

“My ass. I know you, Ryder. You think you’re on to something.”

“Maybe nothing.”

Voss caught his gaze. “All good on the home front?”

“As good as can be expected.”

Voss snorted. “What a mess.”

Kayleigh didn’t remark, but one eyebrow arched beneath the bill of her cap.

“The ME?” Cade asked, turning the conversation from his personal life.

“Been here and gone. Body, too. On its way to the morgue.” Voss shook her head. “I’m heading that way. Meeting the husband. He’ll ID her, but it’s just a formality. She matches the photo on her license, which still lists her residence as Seattle. The husband explained that she hadn’t gotten around to getting a new one in Oregon. They weren’t sure they were moving here permanently.”

“How did he sound?”

“Okay. Considering. But who can really tell on a phone? The wireless connection wasn’t all that great. He was already driving south. Has a friend or business partner with him.” She checked her watch. “Not much traffic, clear night. He should be arriving soon.”

“Have the crime scene guys come up with anything?”

“Not that we didn’t already know. Maybe we’ll find some clues in the victim’s car. It’s already been towed to the garage. We’re pulling phone records,” Nowak said.

“And I’ll check the victim’s home once we’re through at the hospital.” Voss was patting the pockets of her jacket, then came up with her keys. “I’d better get moving if I want to beat Clint Cooper to the morgue. God, I hate this part of the job.”

“Don’t we all,” Nowak agreed as she headed toward her vehicle. He slipped his phone from his pocket to check a text. “Aw shit, Elvin Atkins is at it again. Visibly drunk and banging on his wife’s door, despite the restraining order.” Sighing, he said, “I guess we’re done here anyway. Time to wrap it up.”

“I want another look,” Cade said.

Nowak nodded. “Go for it. Right now, it’s the crime team in control, and once they leave, O’Neal will lock things up.”

As Nowak departed, Cade and Kayleigh walked through the gate to the yard, where lights cast an eerie pall over the landscape. Two technicians combed the area, searching for trace evidence.

“Your kid discovered the body?” she said as they signed into the scene and put on protective shoe covers before picking a path to the chapel.

“She and a friend, Xander Vale, but the victim was still alive. They called nine-one-one. Couldn’t save her.” He glanced her way as they slipped inside the church, now illuminated by harsh temporary lights as another investigator went over the pews.

“Is Harper okay?”

“Hope so,” he said, not sounding nearly as confident as he had when he’d been trying to bolster his daughter. They made their way to the bell tower, where a technician was finishing, just leaving the area where the victim had been discovered.