Every Deadly Suspicion

Chapter 54

CHAPTER 54

P ARAMEDICS TRANSPORTED R ITA to the hospital just to be certain she was okay. She had a cousin in Twain Harte who would come and get her.

After drinking water and inhaling O 2 for several minutes, Hanna felt like she could breathe again. The fire was under control, and while the house would be a total loss, firefighters concentrated on saving as much of the garage as they could. Jared had taken it upon himself to talk to his colleagues while they battled the blaze. He explained where the purses were so when firefighters entered the garage to make it safe and hunt out any pockets of fire remaining, they would be mindful. And if there was any way the items could be salvaged, they would be.

Hanna waited. The 9mm handgun she’d taken from Marcus was in an evidence bag. It would be tested and hopefully matched to Edda and the other victims. The purses and the coffee mug were important evidence as well, but the fire had been so destructive, would anything survive? She wanted Marcus caught and tried in a court of law, using all the evidence possible.

While she waited, she listened to the radio. Tony, a reserve officer covering for Jenna because of her broken hand, stood nearby and Hanna heard the BOLO for Marcus broadcast a couple of times with the correct vehicle information. She prayed he didn’t get far.

While the fire and cleanup were happening, several people stopped by to gawk and wonder about Marcus. The sheriff of Tuolumne County drove up.

“I was just at the hospital with Nathan when I heard the BOLO you put out. Marcus Marshall is a killer?”

Hanna explained to him everything that had happened. That Marcus had used Chase’s picture was an odd mystery. Would they ever learn the reason? Of course, Chase was decidedly better looking than Marcus, especially thirty-five years ago. She repeated the story for Mayor Milton when she arrived.

The mayor looked as if she’d been hit by a truck.

“I can’t believe what the past few days have brought. Detective Holmes and one of the men from the FBI have briefed me on the incident at the Buckley house. First Chase, now Marcus. And Hanna, I’m sorry about Joe. Were we really wrong all this time?”

“Yes, we were. He never should have been convicted.”

“You don’t think Everett had anything to do with, well, the subterfuge?”

“I don’t know what to think. Big Al certainly had something to do with it.”

Milton looked somewhat relieved. “Maybe so. I, ah, I just can’t believe Everett was responsible. He is a good man.”

Hanna said nothing. She was so eager to get home. Poor Gizmo had been cooped up all day.

When the firefighters made entry into what was left of the garage, Tony went with them, gloved up with an evidence bag. The outside walls were gone, but when Tony got to the closet, Hanna saw him take a couple of photos and then retrieve some items.

“Looks like they made it,” Jared said with a smile. He threw his arm around her.

Tony looked pleased when he approached Hanna. “Everything is a little wet and sooty but intact.”

“Notify the team handling the investigation now,” Hanna said.

“10-4.”

Deep inside she had doubts that Marcus acted alone. The only way to quell the doubts was to catch him. She knew that would happen eventually. She prayed that he wasn’t planning a suicide by cop. But then that didn’t really fit his personality. Knowing Marcus, he’d want to crow to the heavens about what he’d done. Hanna was ready to go home and leave the catching of Marcus to the competent officers she worked with and around.

She looked up at Jared. “I’m ready for a shower and a hot meal.”

“You read my mind.”

“You want me to take you back to your truck? We can decide where we want to go after we’re both cleaned up.”

“Sounds like a plan.”

They walked hand in hand back to her car. Hanna relished the comfort and connection she felt with Jared. They drove in companionable silence to the coffee shop, where she dropped him off at his truck.

“I’ll go home and shower,” he said, “then come by and pick you up.”

“Awesome.”

They shared a tired kiss and Hanna continued home.

She felt fatigue hovering on the edges, waiting to descend on her like a dark fog. She fought it off. Her plans were to walk and feed her poor dog, shower, and change. Looking forward to dinner with Jared kept the fatigue at bay.

When she pulled into her driveway, she noted that the street was a little empty. No hospice workers anymore. A wave of emotion hit hard. Joe was gone. She wasn’t sure who she needed to call about planning for burial. Or cremation. She wasn’t even certain what Joe wanted.

She sat for a few minutes in her car, reflecting on everything that had happened in the past few days.

Oh, Lord, please bring the truth to light, and help me to process everything that’s happening.

She got out of the car and walked to her front door. Gizmo attacked her with gusto when she opened the door. Hanna bent down and picked him up, enjoying a cascade of doggie kisses. She took him into the kitchen and fed him, then let him out into her backyard.

“Sorry, there’s no walk right now, baby, but I’ve got a date.” Thinking of dinner with Jared as a date made her giddy.

Gizmo pranced around the yard for a bit and then did his business. Hanna ushered him inside and went to shower and change, suddenly feeling less tired and very chipper.