CROSS HER HEART

by Leigh, Melinda

  “He’s still a sex offender,” Matt said.

  “True, and he’s not going to get off easy. Burglary is a felony charge in New York State.” Todd leaned back and scraped a hand across his scalp. “Trey doesn’t have much money. With his prior convictions, he won’t get released without bail, which we’re hoping he won’t be able to post.” He shifted forward, landing on his elbows. “You should probably expect more weirdos to make appearances after that story on channel fifteen aired yesterday.”

  “What story?” Bree asked.

  “I’m sorry,” Todd said. “They rehashed your whole family history.”

  Bree used her phone to search for the channel’s website. She hit “Play” on the video and turned up the volume.

  “The Taggert family has a long history of violence and tragedy,” the reporter began. Bree recognized the show she’d turned off when Kayla had been watching TV at Adam’s house.

  The journalist continued. “Erin Taggert, the sister of renowned artist Adam Taggert, was killed in the home of her estranged husband Tuesday night. In 1993, Erin and her siblings, Adam and Bree, survived the gruesome murder of their mother by their father. After shooting his wife, their father turned his gun on himself. All three children were home at the time of the murder-suicide. In an echo of that decades-old crime, Erin’s estranged husband, Justin Moore, is currently wanted for his wife’s murder. Is history repeating itself? Are these murders linked or simply a case of déjà vu?”

  The reporter interviewed former neighbors and town residents. The video ended with a slideshow of family pictures. Bree’s breath hitched at a snapshot of her and Erin and Adam shortly before their parents’ deaths. She would have liked to have seen a normal family, but it wasn’t there. Her eight-year-old eyes were haunted even before the killing. The violence had begun long before it imploded that January night.

  She clicked “End.” She’d heard enough.

  Todd cleared his throat. “When we gave the media Justin’s name as a person of interest, we posted a hotline number. We’ve had the usual fake confessions and false sightings, but calls to the hotline have increased tenfold since the program aired. People are calling about every white pickup truck they pass, and we’ve had thirty-seven sightings of Justin in the last twenty-four hours.”

  The exhaustion that sank into Bree’s bones was more than physical. An hour ago, she’d thought she’d caught her sister’s killer. Now everything felt wrong about Trey being guilty. She was back at square one.

  “Do you have any new evidence in my sister’s case?” she asked.

  “Actually, I do.” Todd shifted his weight forward again. “Justin’s fingerprints were found in blood in several places inside his house.”

  CHAPTER SIXTEEN

  Matt absorbed Todd’s statement. “Justin was definitely in the house when Erin died.”

  “Yes.” Todd clasped his hands in front of him.

  Matt stood and paced the narrow space behind the conference table. “I still can’t believe he would have shot her.”

  “Maybe it was an accident,” Todd said. “Several of the men who worked at the auto shop stated that Justin was jumpy for the last few weeks. Maybe he took the gun because he thought he needed protection.”

  Matt shook his head. “If he and Erin just had sex, then she didn’t surprise him. He knew she was there.”

  “True.” Todd studied him for a few seconds, then did the same with Bree. “You’re both connected to this case. I cannot allow you to contaminate the chain of evidence in any way.”

  Matt kept his mouth shut. He sensed a but the size of a Greyhound bus coming.

  Todd nodded at him. “But I know Matt, and I’ve made a few inquiries about you.” He inclined his head toward Bree. “You have multiple commendations, and I heard nothing but respect for you within the PPD.” He breathed, long and deep. “You both have experience with homicide investigation. Your perspectives would be valuable. We can’t work together in a formal sense, but I’d like to share information, under two conditions.”

  Matt stopped pacing. “Which are?”

  “We keep our arrangement between us.” Todd flushed. “No one here can know, except Marge. She knows everything anyway.”

  Matt read between the lines. Todd didn’t trust all his own men.

  “No worries,” Matt said. “You don’t have to explain the department’s issues to me.”

  Bree nodded in agreement.

  “And neither of you talks to the media.” Todd glanced back and forth between them. “I’d like to control the information that goes public.”

  “OK.” Matt dropped back into the chair next to Bree. “I hated being dragged into press conferences.”

  “It’s fine with me too,” Bree said to Todd. “What do you have besides the fingerprints?”

  “This is what we know.” Todd brought his file out from under his notepad and opened it. “Erin’s fingerprints were found on the makeup and toiletry products in Justin’s house, and the brands matched the products in her own bathroom. She definitely spent time at Justin’s place. Most of the calls on her phone were to Justin and her kids, with a few to you and her friend from Halo, Stephanie Wallace.” Todd looked at Bree. “But over the past three weeks, she received and placed seven calls to and from an unknown number. No texts. Calls only. Each call lasted eight to twenty-one minutes. This number appears to be associated with a prepaid phone. The carrier has no personal information on the user.”

  “Justin’s dad said he had a burner phone,” Matt said. “So far, we haven’t been able to locate it.”

  Todd opened his notepad and wrote a note. “We don’t know the number?”

  “No.” Matt tapped his fingers on the table. Justin had probably only used the burner for calling his drug dealer.

  Todd lifted his pen. “Erin’s bank statements show two cash withdrawals of three thousand dollars each over the past three weeks. Back in October, she withdrew an additional four thousand dollars. These withdrawals depleted her savings. Her income covered living expenses, and she was diligent about transferring some money into savings each month. But it took her a long time to accumulate that ten thousand dollars.” Todd tapped the pen on the file. “The calls to the prepaid phone are clustered just prior to the withdrawals. It’s possible she was giving someone money, either voluntarily or under duress.”

  “Can you get more information on this prepaid phone number?” Bree asked.

  “I’m working on the warrant,” Todd said. “That particular provider is not cooperative.”

  Every wireless company had different policies about releasing information to law enforcement.

  “According to my nephew,” Bree said, “October is around the time Erin bought a shotgun as well. Prior to that, she was very clear that she never wanted to own a firearm.”

  “Clearly, she felt threatened,” Matt said.

  “I understand the farm is owned by Adam Taggert?” Todd asked.

  “Yes,” Bree said. “Adam pays the insurance and taxes.”

  Todd squinted, his head tilting. “Would she have called you for money?”

  “No.” Bree shook her head. “Adam would write her a check with no questions asked. She would go to him if she needed cash.”

  Todd tapped his pen on his pad. “Why does your brother own the farm?”

  Bree exhaled. “It seemed safer. Erin had a hard time saying no to the men in her life.”

  Todd scribbled on his notepad. “So, why did she call you on Tuesday evening if it wasn’t for money?”

  “I don’t know, but she sounded scared.” Bree’s brows furrowed. “You heard the message.”

  “Maybe someone was blackmailing her,” Todd said.

  “Maybe.” Bree lifted a shoulder. “Did you find anything interesting on Erin’s laptop?”

  “Nothing,” Todd said. “Justin’s was clean too, except he’s been selling personal possessions online.”

  Matt leaned on the table. “What kind of personal possessio
ns?”

  Todd flipped several pages in his notepad. “Camping equipment. A game console. Some power tools.”

  Justin hadn’t fled with his camping equipment.

  Todd flattened his hand on the paper. “You realize this is the behavior of a drug addict looking for quick cash.”

  Matt said nothing, but the new information weighed on him. Every sign pointed to Justin using drugs again.

  Todd rubbed his temple. “We tried to question his Narcotics Anonymous sponsor, but the man refused to talk to us.”

  “NA doesn’t provide legal confidentiality,” Bree pointed out. “He’s not Justin’s lawyer or doctor.”

  Todd rubbed the back of his neck. “We still can’t force him to answer questions.”

  “You could subpoena him,” she suggested.

  Todd set down his pen. “And his lawyer would fight it, and in the end, we can’t prove he knows anything key about Justin. The legal runaround isn’t worth the time or effort unless we charge Justin with a crime, and we’re sure the sponsor has important information.”

  “Do you have any theories about Tuesday night?” Matt asked.

  “Maybe.” Todd’s forehead wrinkled. “We think Erin had a . . .” He hesitated, blushing. “Date with Justin.”

  “Sex and pizza,” Bree filled in.

  Todd nodded. “She showered and hung her towel in the bathroom. While she dressed, Justin took his turn in the shower.”

  Matt closed his eyes and pictured Justin’s house. Erin had been fully dressed, including a knit hat. “That fits the timeline. Justin was supposed to go to the NA meeting with me.”

  “Maybe someone shot Erin while Justin was in the shower,” Bree said.

  “Yes.” Matt opened his eyes. “Justin heard the shot, ran out of the bathroom, dropped the towel . . .” Matt’s mental movie ended in a cliff-hanger. “Did he chase the killer? Did the killer force him to go with him? Did he run away?”

  “If this theory is correct, then that’s what we still need to find out.” Todd stood. “We still have a neighbor we haven’t been able to reach for an interview. Please let me know if you make any discoveries. I know you’ll be investigating. If I were in either of your positions, I would.”

  Bree and Matt both shook his hand, and they left.

  The moon shone from a star-dotted sky. In the SUV, Matt started the engine and turned on the steering wheel heater. The vehicle was freezing and his injured hand appreciated the warmth. “You didn’t tell him about the kids’ father.”

  “He didn’t ask.”

  Matt lifted his brows. Really? “I told him about the burner phone.”

  She looked away, her mouth flattening into a stubborn, grim line. “Todd would go looking for Craig. When he found him, he’d make contact and tell Craig about Erin’s death. I’d rather let Dana find him quietly and see what he’s doing before putting him on notice.”

  “What if Craig killed your sister?”

  “I can’t think of why he would.” Bree’s eyes went dark. “But you’ll have to trust me when I say the kids wouldn’t be safe with him. He’s a grifter. He would use them. That’s what Craig does. He uses people.”

  Frustration welled up in Matt. He didn’t want to damage his working relationship with Bree. He also didn’t want to jeopardize the children’s safety, but holding back information on potential suspects from Todd didn’t sit right with him either.

  “Promise me you won’t tell Todd.” Bree’s voice tightened to a rasp.

  “I can’t do that.” Matt couldn’t let Justin take the blame for a crime he didn’t commit.

  “There is nothing to indicate Craig is in New York.”

  “Todd should know about him,” Matt insisted.

  Actually, Todd should have asked about the kids’ father. Lack of experience or not, Todd should have thought about all the victim’s exes.

  “So, now you trust him?” Bree’s eyes brightened with anger. If she could shoot daggers out of her eyes, he’d be in pieces.

  Matt shrugged. “He didn’t have to share today. He did anyway. It feels like he’s being straight with us.”

  Bree clamped her mouth shut, and Matt knew she would lie to the pope to protect those kids. He admired the fierce nature of her loyalty, but not at Justin’s expense.

  “Think about it.” He glanced at her. She looked spent, but she was also stubborn. “Where are we going now?”

  “Home.” Bree glanced at her phone. “I missed dinner, and I want to spend some time with the kids.”

  “The balance is going to be hard.”

  “No question.”

  Matt drove her back to the farm in silence.

  He parked in the driveway and pulled the Halo Salon bag from behind the seat. “Here, you forgot this.”

  “Thanks.” She reached for the door handle.

  “Why don’t you open it here?”

  “Don’t trust me?”

  He gave her a look.

  With a resigned sigh, she opened the bag on her lap and began removing items and placing them next to her on the seat: a black zip-up jacket, a black T-shirt, and a small makeup bag. “Erin was required to look perfect and made-up while working.”

  Matt picked up the jacket and checked the pockets. “Empty.”

  Bree opened the makeup bag and rummaged through it. “Mascara, concealer, lipstick.” She froze.

  “What is it?” Matt asked.

  Bree opened the bag wider and tilted it so he could see inside. Nestled under the makeup products was a flip phone. It looked like a cheap model without internet connectivity.

  “That’s not her regular phone?” he asked.

  “No. Erin has a normal smartphone.”

  “These cheap ones are usually burner phones.”

  “Yes.” Bree handed him the bag. “Todd will be able to secure a warrant to get the records from the carrier.”

  “I’ll drop it off at the sheriff’s station.”

  “Maybe the phone will implicate someone else and clear Justin.”

  Matt could hope.

  “Talk to you tomorrow.” Bree slid out of the truck.

  After she’d disappeared inside the house, Matt backed out of the driveway. Chances were high that the information on the phone would make Justin look guiltier. Todd was busy when Matt stopped at the sheriff’s station. He left the burner phone with Marge and drove home.

  Brody greeted him as if he’d been gone for a month. The dog sat and lifted a paw, and Matt scratched his chest. “Don’t give me those big, sad eyes. I know Cady fed and walked you hours ago.”

  The house felt empty. Matt was used to living alone. Usually, he didn’t feel lonely. But tonight, he was restless. Was it the case that had gotten under his skin?

  Or Bree?

  Whatever the reason, he wasn’t ready to settle down for the evening. Brody barked at the door, and Matt looked out the window. His sister’s van parked next to his SUV.

  “Cady’s back. Let’s go see her.” Matt opened the door, and Brody trotted outside. He sat next to her van until she stepped out and closed the door.

  Cady leaned over to pet him. “You are such a gentleman.” Brody’s tail thumped on the driveway. “Let me get Ladybug.” Cady let the black-and-white dog out of the cargo area.

  The pointer mix jumped up and put her paws on Matt’s thighs. He turned his body, forcing all four of her feet to the ground. “Sit.”

  Still wriggling, she planted her butt on the driveway.

  “Good girl.” He rubbed behind her ears. “How did she do?”

  “Better. I gated her in the kitchen overnight. No accidents.”

  “That’s progress.” Matt straightened. Ladybug and Brody sniffed noses and wagged their tails.

  “She doesn’t bark. When she needs to go outside, she just stares at the door. If I’m not looking, I don’t see her. I think if she was on a routine, she’d be fine.” Cady smiled. “She is so sweet and calm.”

  “She would be a great kids’ dog.”
>
  “I’ll put her in the kennel and take a different dog home for the night.” Cady tried to rotate the rescues through her home to spend supervised nights with her three dogs.

  Matt watched Ladybug play bow in front of Brody. “I don’t want to see her back in the kennel. I’ll keep her in the house until you place her. Brody could use the company.”

  Cady walked over and kissed him on the cheek. “Thank you.”

  He grinned. “I want to see her placed in a home too. She’s a terrific dog.”

  “I walked her before I put her in the car. She should be OK until bedtime.” Cady handed him the leash and headed for the kennels.

  Matt followed her. His phone went off just before they went inside. Todd. Matt stepped away from the barking to answer the call.

  “Tell me how you found the burner,” Todd said.

  Matt explained that Bree had received Erin’s personal possessions from the owner of Halo.

  “You don’t know where Erin got it?” Todd asked.

  “No.”

  “OK. Thanks,” Todd said.

  Erin already had a cell phone. Why would she need a burner?

  CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

  The house smelled like garlic. Bree took a big whiff, and her stomach rumbled with hunger for the first time in days. In the kitchen, Dana was emptying the dishwasher. Luke and Kayla sat at the kitchen table. Kayla wrote in a spiral notebook. Luke typed on a laptop. Leave it to Dana to breathe some normal into the house.

  The ordinariness of the scene tore at Bree’s heart. Standing in the doorway, she let a wave of grief pass over her.

  “Philadelphia was really the capital of the United States?” Luke asked.

  “Yes.” Dana removed a spoon from a drawer. “From 1790 until 1800, while the capital in DC was being built.”

  Bree stepped into the room. “What was for dinner?”

  “Capellini.” Dana opened the fridge and took out a huge container. “Don’t worry. I made plenty.”

  “Did you make the sauce from scratch?” Bree filled the kettle and set it on the stove. In the pantry, she found a box of tea bags. It was too late for coffee.

  “First of all, it’s called gravy, and of course I made it from scratch.” Dana sounded offended. “The kids and I went to the grocery store. Luke drove. Did you know he has his permit?”