Page 25 of The Smart Killer (High Peaks Murder, Mystery and Crime Thrillers #4)

T he Diaz home buzzed with activity as State Police and Adirondack Sheriff’s Office deputies moved in and out, meticulously searching for evidence to shed further light on Alejandro’s actions.

Melissa Diaz sat on the porch rocker, her eyes swollen from crying, nursing a hot drink in her trembling hands.

Her voice trembled as she spoke, her anguish palpable.

“I don’t understand. He was with me at all times. He never went into High Peaks. Why are they saying he did this?”

“That’s what we are trying to establish.”

“He had issues, of that I was sure, but he wouldn’t have harmed a fly, detective. You have to believe that. That wasn’t my Alejandro. It was against our religion.”

Noah listened, his brow furrowed in thought.

He mulled over Melissa’s words, pondering the contradiction between Alejandro’s desperate action and his mother’s testimony.

The way Alejandro had hesitated, pointing the gun away when it seemed like he might take his own life, gave credence to his mother’s statement.

Raised in the Catholic church, Noah knew the weight that religious beliefs could carry.

“Will his name end up in the papers?” Melissa asked, her voice fragile.

“I don’t know. This is still an active investigation. Look, is there anyone I can call to come and be with you?” he asked gently.

“My sister, but she lives one state over,” she replied, her eyes pleading for help.

“Do you mind?” Noah gestured to make the call from her phone. She agreed, and he stepped off the porch, dialing the number while glancing over his shoulder at Melissa, still sitting there, lost in her thoughts.

While he was on the phone, Savannah arrived on the scene.

He finished the call, returned the phone to Melissa, and excused himself.

As he approached, he noticed Porter was leaning against McKenzie’s cruiser.

The two of them had struck up quite a conversation after McKenzie had learned that Porter was connected by blood to one of his guys from his old department.

There was a good chance Porter would receive a temporary suspension while an investigation was held into the shooting.

Noah didn’t expect it to be longer than twenty-four hours based on the fact that he witnessed it.

As Noah approached Savannah, he braced for the conversation he knew was coming. “I know what you’re going to say,” he said, thinking she would rake him over the coals for letting Alejandro go when they had him the first time. Instead, she caught him off guard.

“I’m sorry about Ethan. You should have told me,” Savannah said, her voice carrying concern.

“He’s stable,” Noah replied, running a hand around his neck.

“You should be with him.”

“There isn’t much I can do right now. Kerri was kind enough to drive out. She will be there just in case he wakes up.”

She nodded. “How are things going?”

Noah glanced away from Melissa and then met Savannah’s gaze. “They found the same paper used for the letters in his room. A couple of wadded-up ones were found in the trash. I guess he didn’t know how to word it.”

He shifted his weight from one foot to the next.

“What is it, Noah?”

He rubbed his face. “I don’t know. Something doesn’t add up about it all. Porter and McKenzie think it’s a slam dunk. Case closed kind of deal.”

She studied him. “But you don’t?”

He shrugged, feeling the burden of doubt settling on his shoulders. “He doesn’t seem like our guy. It’s too obvious. Additionally, we have no CCTV of him anywhere near those homes.”

“But Porter said Alejandro told you how anyone could control the smart home devices. He didn’t need to get close, Noah,” she explained, her voice patient.

“I’m not saying he needed to be in the vicinity for that, but think about it. You get sent away for 53 months. If you were eager to exact revenge when you get out, wouldn’t you at least observe them?”

“Maybe he did. People are posting all manner of crap on social media.”

He blew out his cheeks. “But why send warning letters if you plan on killing them? It goes against everything we’ve ever seen. It makes no sense,” Noah countered, frustration creeping into his tone.

“Murder doesn’t make sense, Noah,” she replied, her voice gentle yet firm. “If anyone should know that, it’s you.” A light breeze blew against her cheeks, hair drifting before her eyes. Savannah brushed it away.

“And all that talk back at the church. Alejandro said he wanted to warn them before he got them. He never gave a name, Savannah.”

“That’s because there wasn’t one. I looked at his file from when he was arrested for spying on those homes.

A report was included by a local psychotherapist after he was given a mental health evaluation.

Alejandro complained that he was hearing voices.

He has a long history of mental illness, Noah.

The report stated that he was borderline bipolar and needed to be assessed for a potential split personality disorder.

” She paused. “Whoever he was talking about, Noah, it’s safe to assume it was just him. ”

“It didn’t come across that way.”

“It never does.” She took a deep breath and placed a hand on his arm. This wasn’t his supervisor now; it was his friend. “You look tired. Why don’t you go home and get some rest? After, go see your boy. Take a few days off.”

“Are you suspending me?”

“No, Noah. We’ve already been down that road. You’re dealing with a lot right now.”

“And you aren’t?” he asked, referring to Cora’s cancer.

She sighed. “We’ll take it from here.”

As she turned to walk away, Savannah said over her shoulder, “By the way, great job with Porter. I appreciate it.”

He nodded, feeling a mix of gratitude and defeat.

As he walked back to his Bronco, Porter and McKenzie observed him. McKenzie broke away and approached Noah’s vehicle, his expression empathetic.

“Hey, so I updated Callie. Figured she ought to know.”

Noah glanced at him, his exhaustion evident. “Don’t you think you’re jumping the gun?”

McKenzie groaned. “Shit. What more do you need, Noah? I’d be the first to admit that the rookie could be wrong, but he called this.

He’s right. Those letters were sent by Alejandro.

Now, I wouldn’t be surprised if they sifted through our guy’s belongings and found some laptop, tablet, or phone that allowed him to access the internet and enter those homes.

The guy was an A-class weirdo. You’ll see. ”

Noah scoffed weakly, a shadow of a smile forming on his lips. “I hope so,” he said, his voice carrying a thread of uncertainty.

McKenzie patted the side of Noah’s vehicle, offering a reassuring gesture. “Keep us in the loop about Ethan. Let me know if there is anything I can do,” he said before stepping back.

“Thanks.”

As Noah reversed out of the driveway, the world around him seemed to blur.

Tiredness, worry, and the complexities of the case had entangled him, making him question his judgment.

Maybe Porter was right. Perhaps he had let his ego cloud his perspective.

It wouldn’t have been the first time a Sutherland had been guilty of that.

The weight of the unresolved case lay heavy on his shoulders as he drove away, leaving behind a shattered family and a town steeped in questions.