And the murder had been on Wednesday.
Al didn’t know what it meant yet, but they’d find out.
Once they were in the car, Paige turned to her. “That doesn’t eliminate either Jon or Troy.”
“No, it doesn’t.”
“We need to talk to Troy again.”
“If Jon gave Troy a ride—”
“And Troy dropped his daughter off at Wade’s—”
“Then the dogs would recognize Jon’s car,” Al finished. “And either man could be our killer.”
“But which one?”
“I hope Seb gets that warrant.”
Chapter 43
TJ was sitting on the porch when the big gray truck pulled up. His grandma Margie was somewhere in the back of the house working on laundry for him. Grandma Margie was really upset over his Uncle Nick being arrested.
Uncle Nick caused a lot of problems, but TJ had heard Grandma Margie and Aunt Candace talking about drugs.
Drugs were bad. His mom and dad had made that more than clear to him before he’d even started kindergarten.
Things just kept getting worse and worse. And TJ still hadn’t gotten to spend a lot of time with his mom. She was like a ghost walking around.
Whenever she saw him, she wanted to hold him and talk. TJ wasn’t ready to talk yet.
It made him feel bad, trying to hide from his mom. When she wasn’t trying to hold him, or talking to the police, she was sleeping.
Or crying.
His mom had really loved his dad.
His dad used to say TJ was his heart, but his mom was his dad’s world.
TJ thought it worked the same for his mom. She and his dad…they were each other’s best friends.
How was his mom supposed to deal with this?
“TJ!” Someone called his name. TJ jerked around.
His uncle Troy stood there.
He looked like TJ’s dad. TJ swiped an arm over his eyes. “Uncle Troy.”
“Come on. Let’s get some ice cream.”
TJ looked back at the house. Grandma Margie had told him to stay close to the house. But the ice cream place was just up the street. He could see it from where he stood. “I can’t.”
“Come on, Teej. I just want to talk about your dad. I know you miss him. I miss him, too.”
“I gotta tell Grandma Margie,” TJ said. Something about this just didn’t feel right. But his uncle had the same eyes as his dad. “I’ll be right back.”
“We got to go right now.” His uncle had gotten closer. Close enough to wrap a hand around TJ’s coat. “Come on, kid. I got a surprise for you. Your cousin Ashley’s in the truck.”
TJ didn’t know what to do.
He let his uncle guide him to the truck.
Chapter 44
TJ shivered, even under the blanket Grandma Tracey had given him and Ashley to cover up with. Uncle Troy’s old van didn’t have very good heat in it.
It also didn’t have seatbelts, and that made TJ very nervous. He looked at the little girl next to him. Ashley looked like him, with the same brown hair and blue eyes he’d gotten from his dad.
“I don’t like the dark,” Ashley whispered. Her little hand was wrapped around his. There were tears on her face.
TJ wanted to cry, too. He wanted his mother and Grandma Margie and Aunt Candace. “Shhh. It’ll be ok, Ash. I promise. The FBI is going to come for me.”
“What’s that?”
He tried to think of a way to describe so a little girl like her would understand. Ashley was so little to be afraid. “They are like super cops. They’ll take me back to my mom.”
But Uncle Troy and Grandma Tracey would get in lots of trouble for taking him when his mom didn’t say they could. What would happen to Ashley then?
TJ didn’t know. “I’m not ever going to let anything bad happen to you, Ash. I promise. We’ll be ok.”
It took a few minutes, but Ashley eventually fell back to sleep. TJ wished he could. But he was too worried about his mom.
Once she realized he was gone, she was going to be terrified.
Grandma Tracey turned around. TJ pretended to be asleep. He just didn’t know Grandma Tracey or what she would do. Everything he’d ever heard his mother and father say about her was rolling through his head. Not all of it had been good stuff.
“They’re finally asleep.”
“This is stupid, Mom. We shouldn’t have taken Ange’s kid.”
“He’s Wade’s kid. Looks just like him. All we have left of your brother. She should know that. He’s better off with us.”
“Running? I don’t think so. Where are we going to go? Do? This is stupid.”
“Don’t be a coward, Troy. Sometimes you got to run to stay alive, remember? That cop friend of yours has already practically killed Jon. You want to be next?”
“Jon killed Wade. I don’t give a damn what happens to him.”
TJ flinched. He covered it up by shifting under the blanket. He didn’t want Grandma Tracey to know he was listening. Once he got back to his mom, he was going to tell her.
Everything he heard.
“No? If he lives, he’s going to tell the FBI everything to cover his own ass. Those women are going to feel sorry for him since he’s been hurt. Unless that damned cop finishes what he started. Angela’s brother’s going to be next. Mark my words. I’m not leaving Wade’s kid here where that cop can get to him.”
“Why would he? TJ doesn’t know nothing.”
“He saw you and Jon with meth and that cop, didn’t he? You told me he did. Kid’s smart enough to put things together. Too much of a liability to leave him here.”
TJ bit back a gasp. He had to be quiet, or they’d stop talking.
He knew what that meant. Liability. It was on the forensics shows all the time.
“He was walking down the street with the Jorvenski twins. He didn’t have a damned clue what was going on.” Uncle Troy had never been that mad in front of TJ before. And it scared him.
“I’m still not risking my only damned grandson because of your drugs!” TJ was just a kid, but even he recognized panic. His grandmother was definitely scared.
TJ just stayed beneath the blankets and shook, tears drenching his coat, and Ashley’s hand still curled up in his.
Chapter 45
Paige was staring at the board and everything they had once again. She knew who it was they were looking for. Now they just had to find enough evidence to tie everything together.
“We got it!” Seb yelled from across the bullpen. “Paige, Al—warrant. Tracey and Troy Linsey’s places. Go! Cody—you’re headed to the quarry. We need to search their personal lockers. See if we can find evidence any had access to the bomb components. And check all vending machines for the tilt switch.”
“I know what to do,” Cody said, grabbing her coat. “See you all later.”
“I’ll drive her,” Carroll suddenly volunteered.
Cody froze. Her expression made it clear that was not something she wanted at all. Paige understood. She still had a bruise where he’d grabbed her near the vending machines. “That’s not necessary. Allenski—you’re going my way, right?”
“Right,” Seb said, firmly. “Carroll—you’re following Al and Paige to the Linsey home. Al’s senior agent in charge. Stay online so everyone knows what’s going on at all times.”
Paige was already moving toward the door. If they found meth or paraphernalia at Troy Linsey’s home, that was evidence they could use to get him to talk.
She slipped into her coat and her holster, as Al did the same. They were just serving a search warrant, but if Troy Linsey turned violent, she wanted to be ready.
Anything could happen in this job. Everything could turn unexpectedly. She wasn’t risking herself or anyone else on a case—not unless she absolutely had to.
She had just about made it to the edge of the bullpen when Nugent called her name. She turned. “Yeah?”
“Both Jon Mundy and Tracey Linsey are registered owners of .38s. Smith and Wesson M&Ps.” He stretched his long, lanky body up and waved some papers toward her. “I have the serial numbers here—but Jon Mundy’s was not recovered at his home.”
“We find those guns and chances are good we find the murder weapon,” Seb said.
“Exactly.”
Once they were in the car with Jacobs at the wheel again, Paige turned toward Al. “Your opinion?”
“My money’s on Jon.”
“Why?” Jacobs asked.
“Because someone wanted him out of the way. Or was the explosion an act of revenge? For Jon killing someone’s brother, maybe?” Paige had followed Al’s reasoning easily. They were finally on the right track. “It’s possible we’re talking about two connected crimes here, with different UNSUBs.”
Al nodded. “We need to find those guns. Hopefully, Cody will find something in the lockers.”
“And why did Carroll want to ride with her?” Paige asked, quietly. “You’d think he’d want to be right in the middle of the action.”
“Maybe he thought he was?” Al answered.
Jacobs snorted. “Most likely, he thought he’d make a little time with the pretty lady who does cars.”
“Oh?” Paige asked. “Why?”
“Carroll’s a big car fanatic. Knows them inside and out. The man can pop a locked door open faster than I can open a can of Spaghetti-O’s for my nine-year-old. He’s got a mechanical bent, too. Good at it. Much better at fixing the vending machines than he is investigative work, that’s for sure.”
“So why is he in charge now?” Paige asked.
“Easy. The sheriff is his stepfather. He’s grooming Lyle to take over for him when he retires in March.”
Chapter 46
They finished with the search warrant hours later. It was always a painstaking process. Paige wasn’t exactly trusting of the locals, so she stayed inside during the search. The Linsey house was exactly what she had expected it to be. It smelled heavily of cigarette smoke and alcohol, overlaid with perfume. And burned meat.
Ham, from the looks of it. It and a pan of green beans had been left on the stove far too long.
But no one had been home.
The little girl’s belongings were contained to one bedroom at the back of the house, but photos of the pretty child were everywhere, along with a few of TJ. Not many, mostly what appeared to be yearly school photos, with the name of TJ’s online school emblazoned across the background.
Considering how Tracey Linsey had felt about her grandson’s school, the irony wasn’t lost on Paige. Almost like a daily visible taunt.
She looked at the neighbor standing just outside the door, speaking with Al. The man had had a spare key that he’d been kind enough to let them use. Easy enough, as he was the landlord of record on the property. “When was the last time Tracey was home?”
“Three or four hours ago. She and that son of hers took Ashley out of here crying. I figured the kid had hurt herself or something.”
“What made you think of that?” Paige asked. Ashley Linsey was certainly of the age when temper tantrums would be normal.
“How upset they were. I mean, it was constant crazy there. A woman like Tracey. No surprise there. Troy’s not quite as bad. Just a little stupid. But the kid’s a good kid. Sweet. Plays with my granddaughter when she’s visiting. And the wife’s watched Ashley a time or two when Tracey was drunk. You won’t be tearing out any walls or anything, will you? That stuff costs money.”
“The scope of the warrant doesn’t include behind construction. Unless there’s clear access.” Paige liked the guy. He seemed normal. Like the kind of guy who was just trying to live his life without the drama. She understood that. “We won’t do any permanent damage.”
“Thanks. I appreciate it. Shame what happened to her older son. He never came around, but he did my taxes every year. Nice guy.”
“Yes, it was. Wade was a good man. A real family man,” Al said. “How is Troy with his daughter? His mother?”
The neighbor shrugged. “All right, I guess. Tracey does most of the childcare, from what I seen. When she’s sober, anyway. Troy just seems to ignore the kid most of the time. When he’s home.”
“Is he frequently from home?” Al asked, as Paige watched the techs searching the living room now. She listened to Al and the neighbor while she supervised.
“All the time. Runs around with that Delasi boy, and George Mundy’s youngest. Come and go all hours of the night. And they’re loud. I’ve had more complaints of loud parties at one a.m. on Monday mornings than I want to think about.”
“There’s not been any police reports or complaints.” Paige had had Nugent check every player in the game for any type of report. It was what Nugent was good at. He would have found something.
“No surprise. That cop buddy of theirs probably took care of it.”
“Cop buddy?”
“Not sure the guy’s name. Can’t help you there.”
“Don’t worry. We’ll find him,” Paige said. “Thanks again for your help.”
Fifteen minutes later, one of the local techs found exactly what Paige had expected to find.
Right in the middle of Tracey’s dresser drawer.
Five grams of what appeared to be methamphetamine.
Twenty minutes after that—more than triple that amount was found in her son’s room, under his mattress.
Well, the family that used together would go to jail together.
But they still hadn’t found their killer.
Chapter 47
Cody found nothing. No wires, no ignition switches, no explosives. Nothing at all to indicate that Jon Mundy, Nick Delasi, or Troy Linsey had any access to the materials that had been used to nearly kill Jon Mundy. She found residue that could have been drugs—but could have been stone. She’d confirmed it was methamphetamines using a color spot test. It was Delasi’s locker, so no real surprise.
Troy Linsey’s locker was free of drug residue. As was Jon Mundy’s.
But at the bottom of that locker was an even better present.
A Smith & Wesson M&P. Surprise, surprise; it was a .38.
Just like the murder weapon.
She checked her notes quickly. Serial number matched the one Nugent had said was registered to Jon Mundy.
She looked at Hank, the shift supervisor. “Let me guess: a no-weapons-on-premises policy?”
“With explosives on the premises, we aren’t stupid. That thing shouldn’t be here.”
Cody processed it herself.
This could be the link they were waiting for.
And it had a direct tie to Jon Mundy.
But they still didn’t have what they needed to determine who had tried to kill Jon.
She and Allenski gave orders to the two KSP techs on how to proceed. Cody wanted to get that gun back to St. Louis where Sam, their ballistics goddess, could process it.
Sam was the best with weapons Cody had ever seen.
They were halfway back to the precinct when she finally got ahold of Seb.
“What are you doing?” She heard a strange thumping coming through the line. “Are you up? If you are, I’m calling your wife.”
“So I can have the two of you nagging? I don’t think so.”
“I seriously doubt Carrie nags. It’s not in her DNA.”
“She wouldn’t need to. And I’m at the damned vending machine. It stole my last dollar, and I have to take the damned antibiotics with food.”
She’d known the man long enough to know when it was more than simple frustration building. “Tilt it. Better yet, get Mick to. You don’t need to hurt yourself again.”
“It’s got a tilt-alarm warning on it.”
“The most it will do is beep, Seb. I promise. You won’t get arrested for it. That’s if it even works…” Cody looked at the man driving next to her, as a thought occurred to
her. “Seb, get Mick now.”
“What?”
“I need the two of you to check something for me. I’m texting you details.”
She wasn’t about to say it aloud. Not now.
Tilt the machine. If it doesn’t beep, get a maintenance man to open it up for you. There should be a mercury switch inside somewhere. If not…possible part of the materials came from inside the precinct?
“Everything ok?” Deputy Allenski asked.
“Just nagging at my ex-husband. He’s not supposed to be on his feet now. But Seb is stubborn.”
“I didn’t realize he is your ex. Isn’t that a bit awkward?”
“Not at all. Seb and I have been divorced for years.”
She kept him distracted from talk of the case with idle chitchat as long as she could.
Cody didn’t trust the man she was with at all. Not now that the possibility that someone in the Dover Springs Precinct could be dirty had occurred to her.
A few minutes later, a text came back. This time from Mick. Watch yourself. Al just reported the possibility that someone inside is dirty.
Cody texted back quickly. Will be there shortly. I may have found the murder weapon. Keep me posted.
“Problems?” Allenski asked.
“No. Just threatening to tell his wife. It takes both of us to keep him in line.”
“I’m not sure if that makes him exceedingly lucky, or one poor S-O-B.”
“I’ll let you ask him that.”
“I’m not that brave.”
Chapter 48
They’d just passed the turn off to the main part of town when both Al and Paige’s cell phones rang. Paige grabbed hers quickly, while Al drove. “Daviess.”
“Get to Angela Heathers’s mother’s. Now.”
Mick. Calling her.
Something had definitely happened. “Is everyone on our team ok?”
“Fine. Cody’s driving back in. She found one of the guns. And confirmed that there is a possible fourth man involved. That’s all I’m saying. But that’s not it.”
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