by Liz Bradford
Before she could stop herself, she said, “I’m so glad you’re okay.”
“Likewise. I think poor Ralph was the target—the only target. One single shot through the heart. Whoever shot him knew how to shoot.”
“Any idea where the shot was taken from?” Adam asked.
“Well, I found the bullet in the stone wall over here.” Gavin walked back toward the church building behind and to the right of where the victim was. “Based on rough trajectory, I’m guessing he was perched in one of those houses over there.” He pointed the opposite direction of the bullet. “I could be more precise if I knew the actual caliber but didn’t want to dig it out before Jocelyn and the rest of the CSU did their jobs.” He smiled at her.
Her heart palpitated. “I appreciate that.”
“Well,” Adam said, “I’ll go get your gear then. Any special instructions?”
“No, my bag is ready to go.” She dug her keys out of her tote bag. “Here.”
“Be back as fast as I can.”
“Thanks, Adam.”
Adam left Gavin and Jocelyn standing there, unsure of what to say.
“Where were you when it happened?” she asked.
“Maybe twenty feet that way, walking to my truck. I knew exactly what it was when I heard the crack over my head. I hit the ground as fast as I could. Think I scared Mrs. Griffin and her son, though, with how fast I pulled them down with me.”
She smiled at the idea of Gavin protecting others. “I’m sure that’s not what scared them.”
“True.” Gavin wrung his hands before looking her in the eye again. “How are you feeling? Is the pain any better today?”
“A little. It was bad yesterday. Once I got home, I sat on the couch and binge-watched NCIS the rest of the day. I couldn’t move enough to do anything else. Becca even brought me dinner.”
The fire in his eyes confused her. She couldn’t tell if it was desire for her or desire to give Patrick what he deserved.
Gavin wanted nothing more than hold Jocelyn close. Then he wanted to pummel Patrick. But, of course, he couldn’t. “I’m glad you were able to relax.” He wanted to offer to help her, but he didn’t know if he could, should, or if she’d even want him to. “Sorry, but it looks like today is another working day instead of more relaxing.”
“It’s not your fault. I’ll be fine.” She smiled at him again before she started walking around the crime scene.
She needed to stop looking at him like that. Why had she cut him out? He had assumed that she and Patrick had worked things out, but based on what she said on Friday, that wasn’t the case. Or maybe they had, considering she was now pregnant. She didn’t look very far along, so there was no way it was his baby.
He shook his head. Right now, he needed to focus on this case. It was clearly a homicide, so he and Becca would be lead. Other than getting back in gear, what he needed was a set of binoculars. He ran over to his truck, jumped up in the bed, and pulled out his keys. He opened the lockbox and dug through the random things he kept in there. Once he had what he was looking for, he went back to where the victim lay.
After glancing back behind him to be sure where the bullet had landed in the wall, he tried to estimate the trajectory.
“What d’ya think?” Becca appeared at his side.
He lowered the binoculars. “It came from that direction.” He pointed across the tops of the low trees that lined the parking lot. “The only thing I can figure is that it came from one of those houses over there.”
“Cooper, Jackson,” Becca called to a couple of uniforms. They turned, ready to take directions. Becca looked to Gavin.
“Go canvas that neighborhood.” He pointed across the parking lot, a ballfield, and a line of fences. “Locate those houses specifically. I doubt the shooter is still around, but keep an eye out for anything.”
“On it.” The officers ran to their squad car.
Becca turned back to him. “If this really is a sniper, Riley, tell me how one operates. Give me a profile.”
“I want to hear it too.” Jamison was back with Jocelyn’s camera and equipment along with the rest of the crime scene unit.
In the Army, Gavin had been a sniper. It took skill and focus to accomplish such a task. “Well, first off, this would have required planning and patience. If he chose Mr. Epps at random, then that would have taken less planning, but then why only shoot one person? But if he was specifically targeting Mr. Epps, then he would have to have known that Ralph was at this church, at this service, and that he would come out this entrance, and then he had to wait for him to come out.”
Adam nodded. “The shooter would have had to have scoped out the vantage point prior to be sure he’d have a clear view.”
Gavin said, “Exactly.”
Becca added, “He would need a place he knew would be unoccupied so he wouldn’t be disturbed.”
A tap on Gavin’s elbow sent electricity shooting up his arm. He turned. It was Jocelyn.
“Could you guys move? I need to get photos of the victim, and y’all are blocking the light.”
The three detectives stepped out of the way. She was trying to hide that she was hurting still, but it didn’t take long for him to notice how she was moving. Maybe the pregnancy didn’t help, but she was clearly in pain. She leaned over Mr. Epps and grimaced. Not being able to swoop in and help her was going to undo him.
“Riley?” Becca said.
“Yeah?”
“Do you know?”
“Know what?”
“You really didn’t hear me.”
Heat rushed up his neck. “Guess not.”
She shook her head and rolled her eyes. “I said, what kind of skill level are we talking about with taking a shot from one of those houses?”
“Oh. Umm… those two are probably only two-fifty to three-hundred yards. It takes practice, but anyone with a little experience could make that shot, especially with a scope. The wind is practically non-existent, making it even easier. Still, it went straight through the heart, which takes a bit of skill.”
“Boil it down for me.”
“It would be an easy shot for someone who knows what he’s doing. Any hunter worth their weight could make it.”
“So the suspect list is long.”
Gavin nodded. “Too long based on that alone. We need to know who would want Ralph dead.”
“I can’t imagine anyone wanting him dead. He was such a nice guy.” Becca let out a dry laugh. “It’s not like he was having an affair with Marie Bender.”
Jared walked up and handed Becca a tablet computer. “I agree. Ralph was a great guy, always helping out where he could around here. Doesn’t make sense.”
“What does he do for a living? Unhappy employee or customer?”
Jared answered. “He’s a mechanic down at the railroad.”
“Can’t imagine that being a reason to kill him.”
Becca stepped closer and showed him the tablet. “Here’s the neighborhood over there. Which house do you think it is?”
“Maybe that one.” He reached over and manipulated the screen. “Yeah, one of those two. Has to be. I don’t see any other windows that would make a good sniper hide.”
“Let’s go check it out,” Becca said.
Jared said, “Let me know what you find and if you need warrants. And please put vests on.” Jared pointed to the trunk of a squad car.
Gavin and Becca strapped on bulletproof vests and went to his truck. He turned and stole another glance at Jocelyn before he climbed into his truck. He caught a glimpse of her face. The bruise from Thursday was completely visible as she had pulled her hair up into a messy ponytail so she could work.
He turned the key in the ignition, then glanced at Becca. She was staring at him with her head titled to the side and eyes narrowed.
“What?” he asked.
“Do you have something you need to tell me?” Becca sounded like she was ready to begin an inquisition.
“What are you ta
lking about?”
The wheels were spinning behind her eyes.
He shook his head and pulled out of the parking spot.
“It’s all starting to make sense.”
“What?” His blood pressure was rising.
“Never mind. Focus on the case.”
“I’m trying to.” He exited the church parking lot.
“Are you?” Her voice was gentle but challenging.
“Palmer, if you have something to say, say it.”
“No. Not my place.”
He gripped the wheel tighter, and his jaw became rigid. Her cryptic words were going to drive him crazy. “Are you kidding me? What are you talking about?”
“Jocelyn.”
“What about her?”
“You really care about her, don’t you?”
She did know something. “We’ve been friends since we were teenagers. So, of course.”
“Are you going to be able to keep your hands to yourself if we run into Patrick?”
“Honestly, I’m not sure. So let’s avoid him.”
“Sounds like a plan.”
He pulled onto the street where both houses with the good vantage points sat next to each other at the end of a cul-de-sac. He parked on the street between the two, and Becca radioed in their position should they need backup. They checked their weapons. His badge and gun were part of who he was. He put them on his hip every day, on or off duty. Being a detective meant he could be called on at any time.
They got out of the truck and walked to the first house. Becca’s hand was on her gun, and Gavin knocked on the door. A man who was old enough to be his dad answered. He barely opened the door and peeked around the edge, his eyes wide in fear. Gavin and Becca held up their badges, and Gavin spoke. “I’m Detective Gavin Riley with the HHPD, and this is my partner Becca Palmer. Could we come in for a moment?”
“Sure,” the older man said, but he didn’t move. “Was that really a gunshot I heard?”
“Yes, sir. We have reason to believe the shot came from this area. Would you allow us to look around your house?”
“Absolutely.” Again, he didn’t move.
“Sir, may we come in?” Gavin kept his voice soft.
“Oh, of course.” He finally opened the door. The man was wearing nothing but boxers and an undershirt.
“May we go upstairs and look out the windows at the back of your house?”
“Sure.” He led them upstairs.
Gavin walked into the master bedroom and to the large window that faced the church. He lifted the binoculars he still had with him. This wasn’t it. It was a good vantage point, but it wasn’t the one used. He turned to Becca and shook his head.
Becca asked, “Sir, do you know if your neighbors are home today?”
“Oh, Ralph always goes to church on Sunday mornings, although he typically gets home about this time a day.”
Gavin’s heart dropped. “Ralph Epps is your neighbor on that side?” He pointed in the direction of the only other possible place for the sniper to have hidden.
“That’s right. Great neighbor. Great guy.”
Becca and Gavin locked eyes before they turned and all but ran down the stairs.
“Thank you, sir,” Becca called back as they left. Once out of the house, she lifted the radio from her belt and radioed Jared. “Looks like Epps’ house was used as the blind.”
Gavin wanted to correct her that a sniper would call it a hide not a blind. But since this could be a hunter not a trained sniper, it wasn’t worth it.
Jared’s voice cracked over the radio. “Wait for backup.”
“We don’t have time,” Becca argued.
Gavin grabbed Becca’s arm. He knew his partner was not about to listen to him. She always thought Jared was being overprotective of her and thinking like her husband instead of her sergeant. Gavin had promised Jared he would watch out for her, and he wasn’t about to let her go in there half-cocked.
The radio crackled again. “This is Cooper. We’ll be there in less than a minute.” Sure enough, their squad car came around the corner thirty seconds later.
Gavin pointed to the house, and the squad car pulled into the driveway. The two officers jumped out and drew their guns.
Becca motioned around the side of the house. “You two go around the back. Riley and I will take the front. He could still be in there, so let’s be careful.”
Gavin and Becca flanked the front door. “You know he’s not going to still be here,” he whispered. He checked the doorknob. Locked.
“You never know.” She motioned to the door. “Epps lives alone. So, let’s go.”
He kicked in the door. They cleared the front room and headed up the stairs. Cooper and Jackson came in the back. Working as a tight team, Gavin and Becca quickly and skillfully cleared the upstairs. No one was there.
“Which room would he have used?” Becca asked.
“At first glance, either of these back ones. You check that one, and I’ll get this one.”
She headed back into the room he’d pointed to. In the spare room, Gavin found nothing by the window to indicate someone had been there that morning. He pulled out his binoculars.
“Gavin!” Becca’s yell sent him spinning on his heels and rushing to the other room.
“What is it?”
Her eyes fierce despite the lack of color in her cheeks, she stood in the middle of the room, next to the queen size bed, staring at the window. He followed her gaze, and there on the low windowsill was a single bullet. He strode over to the window and knelt. It was a .308 caliber bullet. A common choice for snipers, and what he had used in the Army.
From his kneeling position he pulled his binoculars up to his eyes again. He had perfect line of sight for the church. His binoculars didn’t give him the best view, though. A scope would be better.
Minutes later, a flurry of activity took over the house. This was not only the victim’s home, but it was another crime scene. Jocelyn came in, and he instinctively went to her side.
She set her bag down and took the lens cap off the camera around her neck.
He directed her to the bullet. It had taken everything in him not to pick it up, but he knew better. She took the pictures, and he continued looking around the room, including under and around the bed.
“Are you looking for something specific?” Jocelyn’s voice broke into the quiet of his head.
“Yes. The brass from the bullet he shot.”
“Makes sense.”
“But I can’t find it.”
“Think he cleaned up after himself?”
Gavin nodded. Then he hollered to Becca across the room. “He policed his brass.”
“Hmm…” was all she said as she turned around and pulled open a drawer in the dresser. “Well, now, I did not expect to find this.” She held up a pair of lacy underwear on the tip of a pen. “Mrs. Bender’s?”
He walked over to her. “Maybe. Apparently, Mr. Epps had a private life we weren’t aware of.”
Under her breath she muttered, “He’s not the only one.”
He glared at her.
She chuckled. “Well, these are way too small for him, so I’m guessing he was hiding a lady friend. I talked to at least a dozen people at church who knew him and not one mentioned a girlfriend.”
“I’m surprised she’d leave panties at his house. He seemed like the pious type.”
“I thought so too. But I guess you never really know about a person’s life behind closed doors.” She leaned her head ever so slightly toward him with her eyebrows raised.
Subtlety isn’t working for you. Just come out and say it. Gavin had never known Becca to skirt around an issue like this. He could only guess that she was trying to get him to say it on his own, but that wasn’t going to happen, especially not right now.
He turned away from her and moved back toward the bed. He needed to get into the shooter’s head. How long had he waited here for Ralph to come out of church? If he knew when the service
ended, he would have known that was right around twelve-ten, like always. The shot was fired probably around twelve-twenty but definitely by twelve-thirty. So he would have had to have been in position for at least ten minutes. Probably longer. Gavin wished he had his rifle so he could figure out what this guy did.
Adam came into the room and held up a long black case. God answered his prayer, even though Gavin hadn’t really intended it as a prayer.
Gavin approached Adam. “Reading my thoughts?”
“Nope. Jocelyn did. She gave me your spare key and suggested I should get this for you.”
She knew him too well. “Thanks, Jamison.” Gavin took the case from him.
“No problem.” Adam left the room.
He walked over to Jocelyn. “Thanks.”
She smiled and gave him a little, silent nod.
“Did your team finish with the bed? I don’t want to contaminate evidence, but I’ve got to figure out what he did. And I’m pretty sure he stretched out on the bed to take the shot.”
“I don’t think so. Let me get someone to bag it all.”
After a bustle of activity around the bed, it was stripped down to the mattress and two bare pillows. Gavin opened the case for his rifle and pulled the firearm out. He set up the stand to rest the rifle on then lay prone on the bed.
“Becca, can you open the window?”
She slid the window open. The screen had been removed.
Looking through the scope, he observed the scene. It was a perfect line of sight. He could see where the other detectives and officers were still working the church scene. Ralph’s body had been removed, but the ME’s van was still in the parking lot. A U.S. flag flapped slightly near the front of the church, a perfect wind gauge. Without a doubt in his mind, Gavin said to everyone in the room, “This is exactly where he took the shot from.”
Becca, who was still by the window, said, “So he—we’re assuming the sniper was a man—knew Ralph would be at church and used his bed as a perch from which to kill him.”
“Yep.”
“That’s not nice.”
“I’m not sure anyone has ever used the word ‘nice’ to describe getting shot with a bullet.”
