Chapter 9
NINE
Hours later, Jackson waited in the expansive lobby of the Kingston Law Firm. His heart rate had finally settled after this morning’s shooting, but the worries ping-ponging in his mind wouldn’t be silent. Was the incident today and Elena’s murder connected?
The thought iced Jackson’s blood. He couldn’t erase the image of Marcus standing outside the window on the sidewalk. The man had been looking for someone, and the moment he saw Piper, he pulled his gun.
He’d fired right at her.
“You okay over there, Barker?” Piper casually flipped through a legal magazine. She’d cleaned the glass from her hair and braided it, but a few stubborn strands had wriggled free to frame her gorgeous face. “You’re awfully broody. I can practically hear the wheels in your head turning.”
Jackson realized his muscles were stiff and his posture rigid. He forced his spine to relax, even as a flash of irritation bolted through him. “We’re on a last name basis now?”
She didn’t bother to glance away from the magazine. “Why not? I refer to most of my colleagues by their last name.”
Distance. Piper was putting distance between them. Reducing their relationship to a professional one. Wasn’t that what he wanted? Considering the brief moment they’d shared after the shooting stopped, Jackson should be relieved. Ten years hadn’t done anything to tamp down the attraction arching between them. If anything, being around each other constantly made it worse, which is exactly what he’d been afraid of.
So yes, he should be thankful she was reinforcing the wall between them, but for some inexplicable reason, Jackson’s irritation grew. They were a whole lot more than colleagues. They’d shared passionate kisses and long talks. He’d danced with her at senior prom. After her assault, he’d held her hand in the hospital all night, watching over her while she slept. There was an ocean of history between them, and what Jackson felt for Piper went far beyond the professional.
The shooting this morning had driven that point home. Those desperate seconds right after Marcus fired, Jackson hadn’t known if Piper was alive or dead, and he’d been unable to think of anything else. Not even his own safety.
He still cared about her. So much more than he wanted to admit. And she was calling him by his last name .
Jackson clamped his lips together to keep from saying anything that might reveal his true feelings.
Piper annoyingly kept flipping through the magazine. “You’re brooding again.”
“I’m fine, Jensen . Don’t worry about it.”
The words came out sharper than he’d intended, but it was too late for Jackson to take them back.
Piper’s gaze shot up to meet his. She frowned. “Are you angry with me?”
He breathed out. “No. Sorry. I’m just on edge.” He flexed his fingers and rolled his shoulders. “It’s not every day I get shot at.”
Her mouth quirked up. “Thank God for that.”
Heels tapping against the lobby floor interrupted their conversation. A beautiful young woman dressed in an elegant pantsuit approached. “Ranger Barker, Detective Jensen, please follow me. Mr. Kingston can see you now.”
Shawn had a corner office on the second floor of the building. It was decorated in dark woods and leather. Windows stretched along the back wall, giving a beautiful view of the nature preserve. Jackson’s boots sank into plush carpeting as he crossed the room to shake his old friend’s hand.
“It’s so good to see you.” Shawn’s smile was warm. He was dressed for court in a gray suit and black tie. Time had worn lines along his forehead and created creases along the edges of his eyes, but his hair was thick and he maintained the same athletic build from high school. “How’s your dad? ”
“Well, thanks.”
Shawn turned his attention to Piper. His smile dimmed and his handshake was less personable. Clearly there was still no love lost between Piper and Shawn. They’d never liked each other much. For good reason. Shawn was a touch arrogant and entitled. Since Piper grew up poor and with a troubled childhood, she didn’t register in his world. At least… that’s how Shawn wanted it to be. Jackson had always suspected his friend had a crush on Piper, but when it was unrequited, that attraction turned sour.
Shawn never handled being rejected well. It’d really caused an issue when Jackson started dating Piper. Competition between them had developed in high school, fueled by Shawn’s incessant need to be better than everyone else.
Jackson had always found those aspects of Shawn’s personality infuriating. Truth be told, it’d created a wedge between them as they grew older. But he also understood that Shawn was a product of his own family. Paul Kingston was charming and charismatic, but there was undercurrent of self-importance to his personality that was as natural as breathing. The Kingstons got what they wanted, and if it wasn’t handed to them, then they fought for it.
Shawn gestured to a small sitting area with leather couches and a bookshelf filled with law books. “Please have a seat. My secretary said you’re here to discuss Elena Harris’s murder. How can I help?”
Jackson claimed the chair catercorner to Shawn. He didn’t want this to feel like an interrogation. More like a conversation. He pulled out his cell phone. “Before we get started, I’m going to record this conversation, if that’s all right. It helps when I write up the report later.”
“Actually, I do mind.” Shawn’s tone was pleasant, but there was a warning look in his eye. “This meeting is voluntary. I want to do everything possible to aid in the investigation, but there’s no need to record it. I don’t have much to say anyway.”
A warning bell sounded in Jackson’s head, but he pushed it aside. Shawn was a defense attorney. It’d been a long shot that he’d acquiesce to the recording. “How well did you know Elena?”
“Not well. She worked as a receptionist downstairs, so I would see her occasionally. We’d say hi, but that was the extent of our interaction. She seemed very nice.” His expression was appropriately somber, but something about it felt manufactured, as if there was a well of emotions hiding underneath. “I was saddened to learn of her death.”
Jackson nodded as if he was getting the answers he expected. “So you’ve never met up with Elena outside of work?”
A flicker of something flashed across Shawn’s face. “Of course not.” He paused, as if calculating whether Jackson might know something. “Of course, we have the occasional office party. There’s an annual Christmas bash and a summer BBQ with all of our employees and their families. Last year, we took everyone to a water park in Houston. All of those take place outside of the office.”
“Of course. I’m glad you mentioned those events. Did Elena ever bring a boyfriend with her?”
Shawn blinked. “Not to my knowledge.”
“Do you know if she was dating anyone?”
His gaze dropped from Jackson’s and he busied himself by adjusting his tie. “I wouldn’t know anything about her dating life. As I said, we only knew each other professionally. It sounds cold, but I barely spoke to Elena. There was no reason for us to interact much. The receptionists are managed by our office manager. She handles the evaluations, the hiring and firing. It’s my understanding you already spoke with Nancy.”
“We did.”
Jackson and Piper had interviewed her while waiting for Shawn to get back from court. The older woman was distraught. She cried through most of the conversation, praising Elena’s work ethic and her kind disposition. Unfortunately, she hadn’t known much about her personal life. Nor did she know the password to Elena’s storage cloud.
“Do you know if Elena had issues with anyone? Another employee? Or maybe a client?”
Shawn fidgeted with his cuff links as he shifted on the couch. “I can’t think of anyone who’d want to hurt her.”
Jackson didn’t miss the careful way his friend worded the answer. Neither did Piper, judging from the way her gaze narrowed slightly.
She learned forward. “But she did have an issue with someone. ”
“I didn’t say that.”
“Do you know Marcus Reed?” Jackson asked.
The quick shift in questioning gave Shawn pause. His gaze skipped between Jackson and Piper, and he fidgeted with his tie again. Buying time? Maybe. If the Kingstons had represented Marcus, it was a matter of public record. Shawn must’ve come to the same conclusions because he frowned. “We’ve represented him in the past. Pro bono. Why? Is Marcus connected to Elena’s murder?”
“We’re following up on all leads. Do you know if Elena ever had an issue with Marcus?”
He shrugged. “I can tell you there was never an incident between them in our offices. Outside of it… I can’t say. As I’ve pointed out several times, I didn’t know Elena well.” Shawn checked his watch and then rose. “I’m sorry, but I have a client meeting that I must prepare for.”
Jackson wouldn’t accept the brush-off that easily. He remained seated. “I have a few more questions. I promise it won’t take up much of your time.”
For a moment, he thought Shawn would argue, but then he sat back down on the couch. He gave Jackson a tight smile. “Anything for an old friend.”
The subtle reminder didn’t escape Jackson. A warning? Perhaps. Shawn was growing increasingly agitated. He couldn’t sit still, and although he seemed appropriately saddened about Elena’s death, there was an underlying tension to his answers. Jackson had the distinct impression his friend was lying. About his relationship with Elena? Or about something else ?
It was time to find out.
Jackson opened the file folder on his lap and removed a blown-up copy of the photograph taken from Elena’s locket. Shawn blanched as he placed it on the coffee table. Then his jaw tightened. “Where did you get that?”
“In a locket. Elena was wearing it when she was murdered. If you barely knew her, how do you explain this photograph?”
A muscle in Shawn’s jaw twitched. “It’s not what you think.”
“What do I think?”
“That I was having an affair with her. I wasn’t.” Shawn blew out a breath. “At our last Christmas party, there was a photo booth. The old-fashioned kind that prints the pictures in a strip. Anyway, we all took turns having our photos taken. I was there with my paralegal, making silly faces. At some point, she got out and Elena got in. She kissed my cheek. It was inappropriate, which I told her immediately after the picture was taken. How it ended up in her locket, I can’t explain.” He shrugged. “Maybe she had a crush on me. She wouldn’t be the first woman.”
Piper hummed in disbelief. “You expect us to believe that Elena had a secret crush on you? What is this, middle school?”
Shawn glowered at her. “You can believe what you want. It’s the truth.” He rose and strolled to his office door, opening it. “My secretary will escort you back to the lobby. If you have additional questions for our employees, please call and make an appointment ahead of time.”
Piper left without a backward glance. Jackson moved more slowly. As he crossed the room, Shawn refused to meet his gaze, but the hand holding the door trembled slightly.
Jackson stopped in front of him. “Secrets have a way of getting out, Shawn. Elena is dead. There’s no way to stop this investigation. I will catch her killer. If you had an affair with her and need to keep it quiet, the best way to do that is to be straightforward with me. Either way, I’m going to get to the truth.”
Shawn met his gaze. The heat of his fury nearly stole Jackson’s breath. “Tread lightly.” He stepped forward, closing the distance between them until they were chest to chest. “My family is well respected, and townsfolk don’t take kindly to rumor and innuendo. I have no intention of trying to stop your investigation, but I won’t sit idly by and let you sully my good name.”
The battle lines had been drawn. There was nothing more for Jackson to say. He turned and followed Piper down the hall, but the weight of Shawn’s stare and the heat of his anger pursued them. It triggered every one of Jackson’s alarm bells. He’d hoped this meeting would clear his friend. Instead, it put him at the top of the suspect list.
And Shawn knew it.
Outside, Jackson adjusted his cowboy hat to shield his eyes from the sun. A glance around the parking lot ensured he and Piper were alone. “What do you think? ”
“He’s a liar. Shawn and Elena were having an affair.” She slanted a glance. “You poked a bear. You do know that, right?”
“Yeah.” Jackson approached his SUV and opened the passenger side door for her. “Shawn doesn’t want news about his affair spreading, which I can understand, but his reaction makes me think he has a lot more to hide. Problem is, one photograph isn’t enough to prove a relationship.”
“No, but women talk, especially to their friends.”
He grinned. “They do?”
Piper laughed. She wasn’t telling him something he didn’t already know. “Shawn and Elena may have kept their relationship a secret, but I guarantee you someone in her inner circle knows. We just have to figure out who.”
“Yeah. It would be good if we could find out her passcode to her cloud storage too. I don’t think it was an accident the killer took her cell phone.” Jackson went to close the door, but Piper stopped him.
Concern creased her features. “Shawn didn’t want to admit he knew Marcus.”
“No, he didn’t. Honestly, it only makes me more suspicious that what happened this morning wasn’t random.”
She blew out a breath. “I’m not a fan of Shawn’s, but he’s not a fool. Hiring Marcus to shoot me is fraught with risk and complications.”
“So is killing his mistress.”