Chapter 7
SEVEN
Noah’s heart rate skyrocketed as he automatically reached for his weapon while simultaneously searching for the shooter. Nothing on the street stirred. The elderly man they’d waved to earlier had gone inside his house. Another gunshot spilled through the neighborhood. A flock of birds took flight from a copse of trees as a third came in rapid succession. “It’s coming from the backyard.”
Felicity nodded. She held her own weapon. Together, they circled the side of the house. The backyard was unfenced, providing a clear view of the woods and lake beyond. Using the building for cover, Noah slid to the corner and peeked around.
A man stood inside a small building facing a target. He wore ear protection and goggles. Daniel Peterson. Noah immediately recognized him from the photo on his driver’s license. He let go of the breath he was holding and lowered his weapon, glancing at Felicity. “Target practice.”
She heaved a relieved sigh and followed his lead by dropping her weapon. Neither of them holstered their guns though and wouldn’t until Daniel was unarmed. Noah palmed his badge before stepping away from the shelter of the house just as Daniel set his weapon down and removed his ear protection.
“Mr. Peterson.”
Daniel started and whirled around. He was balding, a few dark strands of hair clinging to the shiny scalp, but broad and muscular like a boxer. Sweat stains coated the underarms of his mud-spattered T-shirt. He squinted as if unable to see across the yard because of the sun.
Noah lifted his badge higher. “Knoxville Police Department, sir. Can you please step away from your weapon?”
Daniel’s shoulders sagged as he slunk away from the makeshift range. “Who called you guys? That old man at the end of the block? I ain’t doing anything illegal.” He waved a hand toward the woods. “The county requires ten acres of property before building a shooting range. I have eleven. I’m well within my rights. Mr. Broadshire is just a cranky old hoot with nothing to do.”
Noah placed his body between Daniel and the weapon for safety. He holstered his own gun. “No one called us, Mr. Peterson, but I will advise that while you are correct about the acreage requirement, the neighbors can report you for disturbing the peace. It might be wise to move your shooting range deeper onto the property. ”
“I considered it, but I work long hours and don’t wanna have to hike across my land just to do a bit of shooting.” Daniel removed his eye protection and hooked the glasses into the collar of his T-shirt. “If you ain’t here about the shooting range, then what’s the problem?” His gaze flickered to Felicity. She was studying the handgun resting on the table behind Noah. Irritation creased Daniel’s bullish features. “Excuse me, ma’am, but I didn’t give you the right to look over my things.”
Felicity flashed her badge. “Texas Ranger Felicity Capshaw. The weapon is in plain sight, Mr. Peterson. I mean no disrespect. I’m fond of Glocks.” She tapped her holster. “It’s my preferred gun of choice as well. Although this looks like a Glock 19. Takes 9mm, correct? What kind of ammunition do you use?”
He frowned. “PMC Bronze. It’s the best.”
Noah didn’t take his eyes off Daniel, but his mind raced. The bullets recovered from Brooke had been 9mm. PMC Bronze wasn’t what the killer had used, but that meant little. Gun enthusiasts often switched between favorite brands.
Weariness flickered across Daniel’s face. “Seriously, what’s going on here?” He studied Felicity for a moment. “Capshaw. Isn’t that what you said? You used to know my sister, Brooke. She babysat you, right?”
“Yes, sir.” Felicity tucked her hands in her pockets in a casual stance. “Brooke is the reason we’re there. The Rangers and Knoxville Police Department are teaming up to take another look at her case. We’d like to ask you a few questions, if you don’t mind. ”
Daniel blinked. “You’re… you’re reopening her case? After all this time? But… why?”
“The killer was never caught,” Noah said. “We want to change that.”
The older man seemed caught completely off-guard. Surprising. Half the town knew about the case by now, thanks to the flower shop owner, Maple Jennings. By tomorrow, the other half would know. But it made Noah wonder. How could Daniel have attacked Felicity if he didn’t know she was in town? Or that the Knoxville PD was looking into Brooke’s case?
“Let’s get out of the sun.” Daniel spun on his heel and marched toward the porch extending from the back of his house. He reached into a cooler and pulled out several bottles of cold water, handing one to Noah and Felicity, before uncapping a third for himself. He drank, draining half of it. “Sorry. I don’t mean to be rude.” He gestured toward a set of outdoor chairs. “You surprised me. I supposed Brooke’s murder was unsolvable. Do you really think you can get the guy who shot her?”
“We’re going to do our best.” Noah brushed a pine needle from the fabric and sat. A fan above them squealed as it rapidly turned in an attempt to offset the heat. “What can you tell us about the last few weeks of Brooke’s life? Don’t worry if it doesn’t seem important. Sometimes the small things matter.”
Daniel wiped sweat from the top of his head with the heel of his hand. “I’m afraid I can’t tell you much. Brooke and I were half-siblings. Same father, different mothers. We didn’t grow up together and our relationship wasn’t deep. At the time of her murder, I was also going through a rough patch. My wife had just filed for divorce and was moving out.” His jaw tightened as if he was struggling to hold back his emotions. “It’s a shame. Brooke needed me back then, but I didn’t have time for her. Now, I could use a sister, but she’s gone.”
“What do you remember about the night she was murdered?”
“I went to work, like normal. I was working the graveyard shift at the sanitation plant. Eleven at night till seven in the morning. Came home in the morning and fell asleep. My wife and kids left for the day—school and work—so I was by myself when the officers came pounding on my door to tell me Brooke had been killed.”
Noah noted the time Daniel arrived at work and placed a question mark next to it. Brooke was shot around eleven, but that was an educated guess based on reports from neighbors who heard several gunshots that night. Felicity could never pinpoint the time any further because of her traumatic amnesia. It was possible Daniel went to Brooke’s house, shot her, and then drove to work.
But why would he? Daniel seemed genuinely distressed by his half-sister’s death. So far, Noah didn’t get the sense the man was hiding something. “Was anything bothering Brooke in the weeks before her death? Was she stressed about something?”
“She’d recently broken up with her boyfriend, Kurtis.” Daniel’s nose wrinkled. “Their relationship was back-and-forth. I was glad they called it quits.” He took another swig of his water. “Not that I’m one to talk. My marriage ended in a flaming disaster, but that was… never mind. It’s not important. Anyway, Brooke mentioned to me she was seeing someone new.”
Noah leaned forward. “Who?”
He shrugged. “No idea. She didn’t give me a name or any details, just that she was finally ready to move on.” Daniel twisted his water bottle and then attempted to straighten it back out again. “Other than that, I think everything with Brooke was fine. She liked her job at the bank.” He met Felicity’s gaze. “She enjoyed babysitting you and was sad that you were getting too old to be over all the time. Brooke always wanted a little sister. I think you were that for her.”
“She was special.”
“Yeah, she was.” Daniel breathed out. “Listen, I’d better get inside and take a shower. I need to catch some shut-eye before picking up my kids after school. Sorry I couldn’t be of more help.”
“It’s fine.” Noah removed a card from his front pocket. “If you think of anything else, call me.”
“Will do.”
Noah lowered his sunglasses back over his eyes as he stepped into the blazing sunlight. Felicity kept pace beside him. When they reached the driveway, he held open the passenger-side door for before circling around the vehicle and getting inside. “What do you think?”
“I’m not sure. Daniel seemed forthright. He owns a weapon that uses the same caliber of ammo that killed Brooke, but that doesn’t mean much. Glock 19s are popular handguns.” Felicity settled her own sunglasses on her nose. “I got the impression he wasn’t fond of Kurtis.”
“Same.” Noah backed out of the driveway, heading west toward the lake and the road that would take him to the judge’s neighborhood. “You said Kurtis showed up one night, angry and yelling. Would Brooke have let him in the house after that incident?”
“She must have, since he told investigators he was there earlier in the day to pick up his stuff. Daniel confirmed their relationship was on-again-off-again. Maybe Brooke told him she was dating someone else? I’ve witnessed firsthand how he handles jealousy.”
“So let’s play that out. Kurtis comes over to pick up his things in the afternoon. He and Brooke discuss their relationship. She informs him there is someone new.”
Felicity nodded. “Brooke was shot around eleven. Maybe Kurtis comes back later that night after I’d fallen asleep. He could’ve convinced her to let him in, maybe by saying that he forgot something else, maybe simply by asking to talk. Then he shoots her.”
“It’s possible.” He tapped his thumb against the steering wheel. “We also have to consider that Brooke’s new mysterious boyfriend killed her. Maybe he didn’t like the fact that Kurtis was over earlier in the day. Was she in the habit of having boyfriends over after you’d gone to bed?”
“Not that I knew of, but I also wasn’t spending as much time with her in the months before her death. Plus, I’d arrived at the house unexpectedly.” She shrugged. “Maybe she already had plans to meet with him that night and figured he’d slip in and out while I was asleep. We won’t know until we identify this mystery guy. Assuming he actually exists.”
“You think Daniel was lying about him?”
“No, but Brooke was smart. Assuming her relationship with Kurtis was as volatile as Daniel claimed, maybe she fabricated the new boyfriend to make it look like she’d moved on.”
Noah turned onto a beautiful tree-lined street in a wealthier part of town. The community was gated, and according to the discreet signs posted next to the guard station, sported several swimming pools, a golf course, and children’s activities. Kurtis lived at the end of the cul-de-sac in a large ultra-modern house made of textured concrete and oversized windows.
Felicity wrinkled her nose as Noah parked in the circular drive. “Guess money doesn’t buy taste.”
Noah laughed. “Not your style, huh?”
“There is something cold about it.”
Cold was the correct descriptor. Nothing about the home was inviting, and the feeling continued once Felicity stepped inside the marble foyer at the behest of a maid who’d greeted them with a nod. A double glass staircase extended to the second floor. White flowers encased in silver vases were scattered about. Their heady scent threatened to give Noah a headache.
The maid escorted them into a formal living room with silk couches, an electric fireplace, and a view overlooking the golf course. There were no family photos or mementos anywhere. The room could’ve belonged to anyone. It had no personality. Everything, from the furnishing to the flowers, were shades of white, cream, and silver.
Footsteps against the marble preceded Kurtis Ferguson into the room. He was dressed for the golf course in a blue polo shirt and white pants. His brunette hair was expertly styled and his complexion was tan from a vacation spent in the sun.
Kurtis greeted Felicity first with a handshake. If he recognized her, it wasn’t evident from his expression. Was he simply a good actor? Or did he really not know who she was?
The maid bustled in with drinks and then removed herself from the room without a word. Kurtis ignored her presence, shook Noah’s hand, and invited them to sit. “Thank you for accommodating my packed schedule, Detective. I’m happy to answer any questions you have about Brooke.” A shadow crossed over Kurtis’s handsome face. “She was a good person and what happened to her was horrible.”
“We appreciate your help, sir.” Noah removed a small pad from the inside of his suit pocket. “For starters, can you think of anyone who might’ve wanted to hurt Brooke?”
Kurtis blew out a breath. “I’ve been thinking about it since your call… and yes, there is someone.”