Chapter 13
Having only heard Cam’s side of the conversation, Evie stared at him expectantly when he’d finished the call with Rueger. Bruno stretched out on the ground beside her, taking a well-deserved break. “What was that about the truck being taken? And why is that related to someone seeking revenge?”
“The black truck with tinted windows was stolen from one of the summer guests. It’s being processed for evidence, but I’m not holding my breath they’ll find much.” His frown deepened. “Especially with Rueger working the case.”
She was astounded by the news. “You’re telling me the killer stole a car just so he could try to kill us?”
“Pretty much. Criminals often steal cars to use for committing crimes. It happens more than you realize in big cities like Chicago and Detroit.” Cam scowled.
“As far as the revenge angle, Rueger is being his usual stubborn self, refusing to consider the possibility that the killer is someone who’s lived here for years.
He still thinks I’m responsible and that the stolen truck and the gunfire attacks against us are because someone is seeking revenge against me. ”
“That’s ridiculous.” Evie had to admit the first round of gunfire didn’t take place until after Cam arrived, but how would the killer have known he was on his way?
No way did she believe that was a coincidence.
She knew she was the target. This guy had seen her through the kitchen window that first night and had fired his weapon to kill her.
An attempt that might have worked if she hadn’t stumbled over Bruno.
She sighed and propped her hands on her hips.
“I’m starting to think Rueger wouldn’t be able to find the killer unless he waltzed into the police station and confessed to the crime. ”
“I have similar concerns about his narrow-minded approach to the investigation. And he ended the call so quickly I couldn’t ask if he’s reached out to the FBI.”
“I highly doubt it. Although I wish he would.” Evie thought about that for a moment. “What if we called them? As concerned citizens?”
“Can’t hurt to try.” He gestured to the house. “Let’s head inside.”
“I don’t know if staying here is a good idea.” Evie glanced around the backyard. It looked peaceful enough, but the isolation they’d thought would be a bonus might turn out to be a problem. If the killer did show up here, how long would it take for local law enforcement to arrive?
Too long for her peace of mind.
“I’m sure Doc will return my call very soon. We’ll be safe enough in the meantime.” Cam gestured for her to head back. “Bruno and I will make sure nobody gets close.”
Swallowing her frustration, she looked down at her dog. “Come, Bruno.” Without hesitation, the dog scrambled to his feet and followed her across the lawn to the back door. Yet even being inside the house didn’t provide a sense of relief.
Evie dropped into one of the kitchen chairs, wondering if she’d ever feel safe again.
As if on cue, Cam’s phone rang. She straightened in her seat as he flashed a grin. “Hey, Doc, did you get my message?”
She would have liked to hear the entire conversation, but as it turned out, Cam kept it brief.
“Great, appreciate the assist. I’ll text you the address. See you soon.” He lowered the phone, then thumbed the screen. After he’d sent the information, he smiled reassuringly. “Doc will be here in about five hours.”
“Five hours?” Evie couldn’t hide her dismay. “Where is he coming from, Mars?”
“He lives outside of Lexington, Kentucky, but happens to have been north of Cincinnati when he got my call. He’s already partway through Indiana.” He smiled reassuringly. “He’ll make good time.”
“Okay.” She told herself five hours was better than nothing. But what concerned her the most was that they’d be out of daylight by the time Doc arrived. If the killer was going to show up to make his move, he’d likely wait until after dark.
Hopefully middle-of-the-night dark so they had time for Doc to get here.
“We’ll be okay until Doc arrives.” Cam must have read the concern in her features. “And if the trap we set for the killer doesn’t work tonight, there’s always tomorrow night. Doc will stick around as long as we need him.”
She forced a smile. “Whatever you think works best.”
“Speaking of that, I like your idea of calling the FBI.” Cam poked at his phone, then nodded with satisfaction. “Looks like they have an office in Grand Rapids.”
“Do you think their phones are manned twenty-four seven?”
“I doubt it. I’m sure law enforcement has a way to get through right away, but not the general public.”
“Figures. That means it’s too late to get through to anyone tonight, but let’s at least leave a message.” Evie wished they’d made the call earlier but felt certain the case wouldn’t be solved by the morning.
Not with Detective Rueger so focused on Cam as the prime suspect.
Cam made the call. He was brief and succinct, explaining there have been two dead bodies found in the Grand Haven nature preserve roughly two hundred yards from each other while expressing his concern about local law enforcement’s ability to handle the case.
Then he left his full name and number with a request for a return call as soon as possible.
“Maybe they have someone monitoring their messages on off hours,” Evie mused when Cam dropped into the chair beside her. “A message about two murders should garner attention.”
He shrugged. “I guess we’ll find out.” He abruptly stood. “I think we need to go back to digging into social media for information.”
She nodded. “Okay, that’s a good idea. We couldn’t find Dan Johnson earlier, but we didn’t know about Rick Thomas working as a security guard at the medical center until today. We might be able to find something on him or his friends.”
“Exactly.” He dug in the backpack and found and removed the device, setting it on the kitchen table. “Unfortunately, most police officers don’t have social media accounts, although it can’t hurt to look for Kyle Abernathy and Jackson Dupree.”
“Jackson?” She shook her head, glancing down at Bruno. “Bruno didn’t alert on Jackson’s scent. I’m sure he’s not involved.”
“I believe in Bruno’s ability, but I still plan to check. At this point, we should consider everyone as a potential suspect.” He glanced at her. “Would you mind making coffee? I picked some up when I got the snorkel gear. This could take a while.”
“Sure.” She stood and crossed over to the counter. Making a fresh pot of coffee didn’t take long, and when it finished brewing, she filled a mug and handed it to Cam. He thanked her with an absent smile. She decided against having coffee this late, tugging her chair closer to Cam’s.
Bruno rose to his feet, made a circle, then lay back down under the table beside them. She absently reached down to pet him. The dog was a comfort to her, especially during stressful times like these. “Searching social media is better than doing nothing.”
“Yeah.” He glanced at her briefly, then turned his attention back to the screen. “We’ll use the time we’re waiting for Doc to arrive. Don’t go outside with Bruno alone, though, okay? Let me know if he needs to go out and I’ll tag along.”
“Sure.” Curling her fingers into Bruno’s fur, she took several deep breaths to remain calm. No matter what Cam said about considering everyone a suspect, she knew Jackson and Rueger were not the killer. Bruno would have told her if they were.
Although she would agree that everyone else who’d lived here in town for the past fourteen years was fair game.
She watched as Cam worked. A wide yawn caught her off guard, and she quickly covered her mouth self-consciously. Maybe she should have some coffee.
Cam had started with the few police officers they knew. A search of the Department of Public Safety website did not reveal a list of names, which made sense.
“Hey, check this out.” Cam tapped the screen. “Looks like Officer Greg Trinsky was deployed to Afghanistan in the same time frame as my first tour.” He frowned, then added, “I didn’t have any interaction with him, though.”
“Why is that information listed on the Department of Public Safety website?” She frowned, trying to read the small print.
“Because he was shot and killed while on the job shortly after he returned to Grand Haven. This is a memorial, honoring his life and years of service to the community.” Cam’s mouth thinned. “Poor guy survived a six-year tour in Afghanistan only to be killed by some lowlife in his own backyard.”
“That’s awful.” It suddenly struck her how thankful she was that Cam had survived his two tours overseas.
Obviously, God had protected Cam so that he could rush to Grand Haven to protect her when she needed him the most. And rather than thank him for his years of service, Rueger placed him at the top of the homicide suspect list.
She placed her hand on his arm. “I’m glad you’re here with me. I would never have survived the past two days without you.” She frowned, then added, “I highly doubt Rueger would have offered much support.”
“Hey, I’m happy to be here. Especially since this guy seems to have it out for you.” He covered her hand with his briefly, before turning his attention back to the screen. “As far as Greg Trinsky goes, I sure hope they found the person who killed him.”
“With Rueger on the case?” She wrinkled her nose. “That’s a stretch.”
“Hate to agree, but you’re probably right about that. Although I’m not going to waste time now searching newspaper articles.” With a sigh, he went back to scanning social media.
Evie sat back in her seat, watching Cam’s profile as he worked. Outside, the sun slowly made its way down the western horizon.
Another night was almost upon them, and they still were no closer to uncovering the truth about Skye’s murder.