Chapter Nineteen
Paige’s eyes appeared too wide and deep gray against her ashen face. Ben wanted to hold her, but he settled for holding her hand. The simple touch was enough to stir his desire, but he tapped it down. His attraction wasn’t as important as demonstrating he was there for her.
Seeing the room through her eyes, he understood how overwhelmed she must feel.
When the Legends and Atlas worked a case, everyone talked over everyone else, and people volunteered at random to run down leads.
It was hard to keep up with who was whom when so much was happening all at once, especially for someone not used to their dynamic.
They congregated in Jackson’s house around his dining room table even though it wasn’t large enough to accommodate them all.
His brothers were there along with Reagan and English.
Their group included men from Atlas Security — Jackson’s Army buddy and the company’s owner Alex Crandell, Turner Drake, who preferred to be called by his last name, PJ Kline, who rarely told anyone what the initials stood for, and two others Ben had never worked with before, Remi Corteman, a woman as unique as her name, and Ridge Henley, who communicated through grunts and nods more than words.
“Paige, I know this is hard, but I think it would be best to start from the beginning. Would you share your story with everyone? ” Reagan urged her.
Paige squeezed his hand tightly. He leaned over to whisper in her ear.
“You don’t have to. I can tell them, and you can listen or excuse yourself. No one is going to make you do anything you’ve not comfortable with.”
“It’s okay,” she whispered back, and his chest swelled with pride.
His Paige was strong. As much as he wanted to protect her, she didn’t need him for that. She needed his support, and he’d give her that for as long as she wanted it.
She launched into the story, and no one interrupted her. Ben suspected if they did, she wouldn’t be able to get through it without losing her composure. When she finished, she leaned against him, and he squeezed her hand again.
Alex moved his hands to speak in American Sign Language.
His employees were well versed in ASL, a requirement of their employ, but the only one in his family who understood him was Jackson.
After having his larynx damaged, Alex was unable to speak above a whisper, and his voice weakened the more he used it.
ASL was his way to communicate, and his employees translated for clients who didn’t know how to sign.
“Thank you,” Paige said quietly, and Ben turned to her, surprised.
“You understand sign language?”
She shrugged. “A little. He thanked me for sharing my story, and he apologized for what I’d been through. You didn’t tell me he was deaf or hard of hearing.”
“I’m not,” Alex signed. “My voice box is damaged, so I don’t talk very much. I hear fine, and I can read lips.”
At her confused expression, Drake interpreted, and she thanked him with a smile.
“Like I said, I only know a little sign language. Not enough to carry on a conversation, but I’ll do my best to follow,” she said sheepishly.
Alex’s hands moved. “No need. Drake will interpret.”
Drake was already speaking each word his boss signed and picked up the narrative at Alex’s urging.
“And now he wants me to talk about the Warner murder. After Jackson called, I gathered all the facts available on the case. Most of it came from the police file, but there was some other intel that came from more thorough research. Marty Warner was shot as you said. He received rounds from a nine-millimeter semiautomatic pistol. Two in the chest and one at his temple. The second shot was the kill shot, tearing through his lung and ricocheting straight to his heart.”
Paige’s pallor paled even more, and Ben let go of her hand to place his arm around her. There wasn’t much he could do to comfort her, but she smiled at him as if she appreciated his gesture.
“So the shot to the temple was overkill?” English asked.
Drake shrugged. “Either that or the killer wanted to make sure he was dead. Warner’s family was also shot.
His wife, Delores, took one to the head, execution style.
His son, JJ, was shot in the back. His death wasn’t instantaneous, according to the medical examiner’s report, but he was dead by the time authorities arrived on the scene.
His daughter, Francesca, was shot in the chest and bled out before paramedics got there. ”
Drake paused to take a breath and then continued.
“The brass had been policed, and the only clear prints at the scene belonged to family, staff, and Paige. Her camera equipment and cell phone were found at the scene. There were no signs of a struggle and no evidence of theft. Warner was killed first followed by his wife and daughter and then his son. Investigators interviewed the staff and neighbors, but no one could shed any light on the murder. No one saw anything or heard anything. The security cameras were disabled.”
“Why shoot the family but not the staff?” Jackson asked.
Drake checked the notes he kept on his secure phone. “According to the report, no staff were working that day. The family was home alone.”
Paige sat up straighter. “That’s not true.
Well, not exactly. There was a maid working in the house, but when I was taking Ms. Warner’s portrait, the maid came in to say she needed to go to the grocery store and wanted to know if Ms. Warner needed anything.
She was probably still gone when it happened, but she was working.
And there were a couple of guys at the stables.
One of them took my horse from me when I got back from my ride. The other was cleaning out the stalls.”
Drake glanced over his shoulder at Ridge, who was leaning against the wall, quietly listening. “Think you can run down that lead? Find out why there’s a discrepancy with the report?”
Ridge nodded and stepped from the room. Ben wasn’t sure where he went, but he didn’t care.
Alex’s operatives were good at what they did.
Though private security was their bread and butter, running an investigation was second nature to them.
They had come through on several cases when the Legends needed their help, and they were considered part of the family.
“After reading the report and talking to one of the investigators, I thought they were thorough in their investigation. Now I’m wondering what more they missed,” Drake said.
“Do they have a theory?” Reagan asked.
“They have several, but nothing that fits. They ruled out burglary and robbery. They checked into known associates, but anyone who stood out as a possible suspect had an alibi. Now we know why, since Paige saw Darius Boyd shoot him. He wasn’t mentioned in the file as a suspect, but once we had a name to go on, we checked some more,” Drake said.
“Warner contributed to Cassius Boyd’s election campaign. Delores Warner hosted a fundraiser for Cassius at the country club,” PJ explained. “There’s your connection, but it’s not exactly a motive for murder.”
“Is Cassius involved? Maybe he had a beef with Warner and talked his dad into taking him out,” Easton said.
“Anything’s possible,” Alex signed.
“I checked into Warner,” Luke said. “His company was profitable, and his financials didn’t show anything suspicious.
He came by his wealth honestly, but his wife had her own fortune too.
They signed a prenuptial agreement when they married that protected both their assets.
They had college funds set up for their children, and upon graduation with a degree, the kids each receive trust funds in addition to their college funds. ”
“Who gets the money now that the family has been killed?” Jackson asked.
“It goes in probate, and what’s not used to cover funeral expenses and outstanding debt will go to charity,” Luke explained.
“Something’s not adding up,” English muttered, and Ben agreed.
“I think it comes back to motive. Why would Boyd want to kill Warner?”
“I go back to Cassius. It wouldn’t surprise me if he’s connected to this somehow,” Luke said.
“We can check him out, but honestly, I don’t think Cassius is involved.”
All eyes turned toward Remi. She stood tall under the scrutiny, but Ben wondered if her assessment was more personal than professional .
“What makes you say so?” Ben asked her.
“I know Cassius. He used to be involved with a friend of mine. Cass is not a killer, nor would he have anyone killed. I’m not even sure he has the stones to survive a career in politics.
His father, on the other hand, is a mean son of a bitch.
If we can take him down for this, I’d owe you all. Big time.”
“It’s okay. Tell them,” Alex signed.
“Right,” she said on a sigh. “The boss wants me to explain my connection to this case. Cass was engaged to my best friend, but his father didn’t approve of her. He offered to pay her one million dollars to walk away from Cass and never tell him why. She told him to shove his money up his ass.”
Remi smiled as if amused by the memory. “You just had to know Tessa. She spoke her mind and never pulled any punches. She was exactly the type of person Darius deemed unworthy of his son.”
“Was?” Paige asked softly.
Remi frowned. “She was killed in a car crash. It was ruled an accident, but I don’t think it was.
The problem is that her car burned up with her body inside.
There was nothing to conclusively rule it foul play.
Boyd barely gave Cass time to mourn before he started grooming his son for his political career.
Everything about Cass’ life has been orchestrated by his father. ”
“I’m sorry about your friend,” Paige responded, and Ben hugged her tightly.
“So I have a question,” Reagan changed the subject. “Is it possible that Mrs. Warner and Boyd were involved? They had an affair. Maybe she ended it to save her family. He got mad and decided if he couldn’t have her, no one would.”
“No,” Paige spoke up. “I spent time with them. I took their photos. Mr. and Mrs. Warner both shared with me how they met and how happy they were. Their children joked that it was gross how much their parents doted on each other. I can’t see her having an affair and jeopardizing her marriage that way. ”
“It wouldn’t be the first time,” English said.
“We might as well check into it even if it doesn’t get us anywhere,” PJ said. “We have nothing solid to go on, so it doesn’t hurt to cover all the bases.”
“What charity did you say gets Warner’s estate?” Drake suddenly asked.
“I didn’t,” Luke said. “But there’s three. American Cancer Society.”
“His mother died of cancer, so that tracks,” Drake interrupted.
“The Academic Achievement Society for Excellence,” Luke continued.
“They award scholarships to economically disadvantaged students to use for college. Warner was a scholarship recipient at one time, and once he became successful, he started donating to them on a regular basis,” Drake explained.
Luke scowled. “Sounds made up to me. Anyway, the third one is the Cartwright Foundation.”
“Bingo!” Drake settled back against his chair with a shit-eating grin. “That’s the charity run by none other than Nyla Cartwright Boyd. Cassius’s wife.”
“Another connection to Warner and Boyd,” Jackson murmured.
“So we have leads to figure out motive, but we need evidence to tie Boyd to the murder. Otherwise, he’ll keep coming for Paige,” Ben said.
“He may not have to,” Drake said. “The police have Paige listed as their top suspect. The evidence is circumstantial, but we’ve seen criminals convicted on less. At this point, her testimony will be suspect at best.”
“What reason would I have to kill him?” Paige protested.
Drake turned sympathetic eyes to her. “At this point, Paige, the reason wouldn’t matter when the only evidence they’ve found at the scene points back to you. Not to mention you disappeared suddenly. That alone makes you look guilty.”
“So what now?” she asked, feeling desperation sink like a boulder to the bottom of her stomach.
“Now, we go after Boyd and find the proof we need to take him down,” Ben vowed.
“Damn straight,” Remi said. “I know you don’t know us, Paige, but we’re very good at what we do. The last thing any of us want is for someone like Boyd to walk around free. We’ll figure this out. All we need is for you to stay hidden until we do.”
Paige sucked in her lips and cast a glance at Ben. He noted the fear that was ever present in her eyes, but there was also something else — determination.
“I think I can manage that,” she told Remi. “I’ve had plenty of experience so far.”
Her joke earned grins from the people around them, and Ben squeezed her, hoping she knew how proud he was of her for staying calm and brave when her life was on the line.
“Let’s get a plan together.” Jackson leaned forward to brace his arms on top of the table. “The sooner we take down this guy, the sooner Paige can have her life back.”
And the sooner Ben could convince her to spend that life with him.