Chapter 18 #2
“How do you know about that?”
He shrugged. “I’ve got a police scanner. Keeps me entertained when I’m stuck inside taking care of the baby. Makes me feel like I’m still up on what’s going on around me.”
I grunted. That just sounded like extra anxiety no one needed, but to each their own. “Well…” I sighed. “We, that is, I found a body on my hike out this morning. I called Tate, and now the place is crawling with law enforcement. I’m pretty sure the FBI’s involved.”
“Holy fuck,” he said. “Oh, my God. Do you know who it is?”
“I mean, I’m not positive, but from what I could tell, I think it’s Janine.”
“Fuck,” he repeated, shaking his head. “I’m sorry. Can’t believe they finally found one of the bodies.”
“Mmhmm.” I studied his face some more. “How are you? Really?” I asked.
He dragged his fingers through his hair. “Stressed. Really stressed. Jade’s job has been crazy the last few weeks, so I’ve been up with the baby most nights, and it’s killing me. I need sleep, but I’m so delirious I’m not even sure I could sleep, ya know?”
“Not really, but I can imagine how hellish that is.”
He grunted. “And I didn’t tell you before now, but Mom and Dad are getting a divorce, and it’s not going well.”
“What?” I asked, baffled. “I just talked to your dad the other day; he seemed fine.”
“They’re both being difficult about assets and who gets what in the split. Dad won’t budge on a few pieces of land that really should just be sold off,” he finished with a wave. “It’s tough feeling like I’m in the middle.”
I nodded. “I’m sorry.”
“Meh, you went through this as a kid, that’s gotta be worse.”
“They weren’t consulting me on who I thought should get the house and shit like that, though. You’ve already got enough going on.”
“Yeah…” he sighed. “So, what did Tate say about the body when you talked to him? Do they know anything? What’s the FBI’s involvement?”
I shrugged. “He didn’t say much, really, other than they don’t know if it’s a copycat or the same guy as before.”
Bobby’s eyes sharpened. “You mean they think the same guy’s still around? And he started killing people again after all these years? Why? I thought they’d pinned the last ones on that lookout who went missing.”
“It wasn’t him,” I said, the words falling out of my mouth on instinct.
“Did Tate tell you that? How do they know? Do they have DNA or something?”
Fuck, it wasn’t the right time to tell him about Charlie. I wanted to, but my head was beginning to throb, and we were both exhausted.
Besides, I wanted to get through tonight first. If Tate’s grandma had answers for us, it would make a conversation with Bobby and Dad easier. Maybe.
“No, he didn’t, just that they hadn’t ruled out that it could be the same killer,” I answered.
And in the most obvious, fumbling segue imaginable, I continued, “Oh, that reminds me. I saw you yesterday driving on the park service road, near the trailhead. I told Tate you’d been in the area recently, so he may give you a call to ask if you saw anything suspicious.
The body’s only a few hundred yards away from the parking lot. ”
He stared at me for a second, face blank. “What are you talking about?”
“Yesterday?” I asked. Had that been yesterday? Everything was happening so fast. “I saw you driving into the park.”
He shook his head. “I was home with Molly all day yesterday.”
I cocked my head. “I’m certain it was your truck.”
He peered out the window at where it was parked, no ATV in sight. “I didn’t leave the house yesterday, Reece.”
What the fuck?
“I’m not trying to argue with you. Maybe it was someone else. I just thought I saw you.”
He frowned, looking shaken. “I’ll tell Tate it wasn’t me if he calls.”
Something in his gaze made my skin itch, like it was suddenly two sizes too small. “Yeah, sure. Hey, I should get going. I’ve got plans tonight and need to catch some sleep.”
Really, I needed to be alone. Charlie might want to come back soon, and I needed to see him. Needed to hold him. Needed to get myself together and stop reading into whatever I’d just seen in Bobby’s face.
“Of course,” he said, standing and pulling me into a hug.
“I miss you. I’m sorry this was so short.
Hopefully, the next time you’re back, we can go to dinner.
And maybe then you’ll be comfortable enough to introduce me to whoever it is you’ve been shacking up with in that lookout without telling me. ”
My entire body tensed, and I quickly pulled out of the hug. “What?”
“Shit, I told myself I’d wait for you to talk to me about it first,” he said, looking at me oddly.
“It’s just, I’m your best friend. I thought you’d tell me something like that.
You’ve sounded good the last few weeks—really good.
I want you to know that if you’ve met a guy, I want to know him, too.
I know I wasn’t the greatest around Josh.
Not that he was particularly easy to be around, either, but—”
My blood ran cold. “How do you know that?”
He looked surprised at the interruption. “What do you mean?”
“How do you know I’ve had someone staying with me?”
Bobby blinked and opened his mouth to answer, but a loud banging on the front door interrupted him.
“Fucking hell…” he mumbled, striding over to yank it open. “I just got the goddamn baby to sleep, you asshole. Who the fuck are you to—”
Sunglasses stood on the porch, stoic. “Bobby Mandich?”
“Yes? Who are you?”
“I’m Special Agent Waters with the FBI,” he said, pushing his way inside and handing Bobby a piece of paper.
“We have a warrant to search your home for items connected to the murder of Janine Wallace, including both the vehicles in your name and the outdoor structures on your property. Please step outside.”