with
another glare. “What about Griffin Owens?”
“I think he’s worth another look. He eyed
Dara like a steak dinner.”
“Agreed.”
“What about Georgette Swanson?”
“We don’t need to bother. I’m sure Dara and
Marnie have all the information we need.” Mace pulled into a free
parking space in front of the townhouse and pointed to a black
truck parked at the curb. “There’s Ryker.”
They exited their vehicle and met Ryker
halfway between the curb and the front door of the unit.
“You’re parked in a fire zone, Adams.” Mace
extended a hand and grinned. “How the hell are you?”
Ryker returned the gesture and then extended
the same to Jackson. “Great. Glad to meet up with you guys again.
Fill me in.”
“Murder. The victim was a freelance book
reviewer,” Mace explained as they approached the condo. “She was
killed here, the home of one of the authors she reviewed on the day
of the murder.”
Ryker whistled. “Is your suspect under
surveillance?”
Jackson grinned. “Only Mace’s
surveillance.”
“Oh man,” Ryker ran a hand through his wavy
blond hair. “You’re doing a suspect?”
Mace tossed Jackson a menacing stare. “No!
And besides, we’ve cleared her as a suspect.”
“I’ll fill you in later,” Jackson told
Ryker.
Mace stuck the key in the lock and turned.
“Take a deep breath of fresh air now, gentlemen, you’ll need
it.”
As soon as he opened the door, the stench
almost knocked him over. His stomach churned and he swallowed hard
to keep his gag reflex in check.
Ryker slapped him on the back and pulled a
cell phone from his pocket. “I won’t take long.”
Mace frowned and worked to pull air across
his lungs. “Who are you calling?”
“No one. The camera on this baby is ten times
better than any digital I own.”
“We have pictures taken by CSI,” Jackson told
him.
“Rather take my own.” Ryker aimed the phone
and clicked several times. “The CSI boys always miss
something.”
Mace silently agreed. Ryker had an uncanny
knack of finding the proverbial needle in the haystack. He just
hoped the other man would take the pictures quickly so they could
get the hell out.
Ryker made his way around the living area and
then the kitchen, aiming and clicking picture after picture. Mace’s
head swam and his stomach tilted until he thought he might pass out
and by the time Ryker finished, he was seriously giving his career
a second thought.
“That’s a wrap.” Ryker returned the phone to
his pocket and Mace seriously considered giving him a huge bear hug
as they headed back out of the unit and locked the door. “I scoped
out the Homeowner’s Association office before you guys got here.
It’s directly behind her unit.”
Mace scanned the area again as they walked to
the office, hoping evidence would present itself. And, if luck was
on his side, maybe the suspect would return to the scene of the
crime.
“Any suspects?” Ryker asked as they opened
the door to the office.
Mace nodded. “Hundreds, literally.”
“My kind of case.”
Jackson approached a desk and smiled at a
tiny, gray-haired woman who sat there. “Excuse me, ma’am. I’m
Detective Stewart.” He gestured with a hand at Mace and Ryker.
“This is Detective Turner and Ryker Adams. We’re investigating the
murder of Evelyn Wallace.”
“Oh my. Wasn’t that just awful? That poor
woman. And Dara, the poor little thing. Finding a body in her home
was such a traumatic experience.”
“Yes, ma’am,” Mace agreed. “Did you know the
victim, Ms …..?”
“Where are my manners?” She stood and
extended a hand. “Millicent Bridgewater. I take care of the
office.”
Mace took her hand and then released it. “Did
you know Ms. Wallace?”
“No, not at all. I’ve only read her work in
the paper.”
“But you’re well-acquainted with Ms.
Hamilton?”
“Yes, I’ve known Dara for several years.
Lovely, lovely girl.”
“Where are the master keys kept,
another glare. “What about Griffin Owens?”
“I think he’s worth another look. He eyed
Dara like a steak dinner.”
“Agreed.”
“What about Georgette Swanson?”
“We don’t need to bother. I’m sure Dara and
Marnie have all the information we need.” Mace pulled into a free
parking space in front of the townhouse and pointed to a black
truck parked at the curb. “There’s Ryker.”
They exited their vehicle and met Ryker
halfway between the curb and the front door of the unit.
“You’re parked in a fire zone, Adams.” Mace
extended a hand and grinned. “How the hell are you?”
Ryker returned the gesture and then extended
the same to Jackson. “Great. Glad to meet up with you guys again.
Fill me in.”
“Murder. The victim was a freelance book
reviewer,” Mace explained as they approached the condo. “She was
killed here, the home of one of the authors she reviewed on the day
of the murder.”
Ryker whistled. “Is your suspect under
surveillance?”
Jackson grinned. “Only Mace’s
surveillance.”
“Oh man,” Ryker ran a hand through his wavy
blond hair. “You’re doing a suspect?”
Mace tossed Jackson a menacing stare. “No!
And besides, we’ve cleared her as a suspect.”
“I’ll fill you in later,” Jackson told
Ryker.
Mace stuck the key in the lock and turned.
“Take a deep breath of fresh air now, gentlemen, you’ll need
it.”
As soon as he opened the door, the stench
almost knocked him over. His stomach churned and he swallowed hard
to keep his gag reflex in check.
Ryker slapped him on the back and pulled a
cell phone from his pocket. “I won’t take long.”
Mace frowned and worked to pull air across
his lungs. “Who are you calling?”
“No one. The camera on this baby is ten times
better than any digital I own.”
“We have pictures taken by CSI,” Jackson told
him.
“Rather take my own.” Ryker aimed the phone
and clicked several times. “The CSI boys always miss
something.”
Mace silently agreed. Ryker had an uncanny
knack of finding the proverbial needle in the haystack. He just
hoped the other man would take the pictures quickly so they could
get the hell out.
Ryker made his way around the living area and
then the kitchen, aiming and clicking picture after picture. Mace’s
head swam and his stomach tilted until he thought he might pass out
and by the time Ryker finished, he was seriously giving his career
a second thought.
“That’s a wrap.” Ryker returned the phone to
his pocket and Mace seriously considered giving him a huge bear hug
as they headed back out of the unit and locked the door. “I scoped
out the Homeowner’s Association office before you guys got here.
It’s directly behind her unit.”
Mace scanned the area again as they walked to
the office, hoping evidence would present itself. And, if luck was
on his side, maybe the suspect would return to the scene of the
crime.
“Any suspects?” Ryker asked as they opened
the door to the office.
Mace nodded. “Hundreds, literally.”
“My kind of case.”
Jackson approached a desk and smiled at a
tiny, gray-haired woman who sat there. “Excuse me, ma’am. I’m
Detective Stewart.” He gestured with a hand at Mace and Ryker.
“This is Detective Turner and Ryker Adams. We’re investigating the
murder of Evelyn Wallace.”
“Oh my. Wasn’t that just awful? That poor
woman. And Dara, the poor little thing. Finding a body in her home
was such a traumatic experience.”
“Yes, ma’am,” Mace agreed. “Did you know the
victim, Ms …..?”
“Where are my manners?” She stood and
extended a hand. “Millicent Bridgewater. I take care of the
office.”
Mace took her hand and then released it. “Did
you know Ms. Wallace?”
“No, not at all. I’ve only read her work in
the paper.”
“But you’re well-acquainted with Ms.
Hamilton?”
“Yes, I’ve known Dara for several years.
Lovely, lovely girl.”
“Where are the master keys kept,
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