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“Possibly. Neighbors three down, other side of the street, said they were outside having drinks on their patio last night, listening to the radio.”
“What time was this?” That bubble of hope was rising again.
Cooper consulted his notes. “They were up until three AM. Anyway, as I said, outside drinking and they smelled smoke. They figured someone was having a bonfire. It was a clear, still night and entirely possible, but I heard rumor the victim had a fire in her home. I was thinking the bonfire they smelled might have been coming from the vic’s chimney.”
Amanda hated that she was right. The killer had hung around to burn all of Felicity’s hard work. Even as her dead body was lying there. “Great work bringing this to us, Officer Cooper.”
He dipped his head. “Thanks, ma’am.”
“I’m going to need you to do something else,” she said.
“Name it.”
“Can you revisit the neighbors and ask if anyone noticed a person around Felicity’s house after midnight until her friend arrived at eleven thirty AM today?” She might be pushing it with this request. The department wasn’t exactly flush with manpower to facilitate doubling up.
Cooper’s face pinched in frustration. “I’ll run it past our supervisor, see what he says. We still need to revisit those who weren’t home or didn’t come to their doors.”
“All I can ask.”
He dipped his head and left.
“We’re heading out too.” This from Blair as she and Donnelly set about getting their things together.
“And we’re just ahead of you. Good night.” Amanda led the way out of the house, Trent following closely.
“You need me to drop you at the station now? You said you were calling it a night once we got Felicity’s phone. And I completely understand. You weren’t even supposed to be working today.”
She was torn now that she had Felicity’s phone in hand. It was potentially brimming with leads, and the emails alone were far too much for Trent to handle on his own. That wasn’t even touching on how they needed to talk with Felicity’s agent and publisher. Though it would be after hours for them, and those conversations would be best in person. Amanda opened her mouth to reply when Diana Wesson called out.
“Detectives? Excuse me.”
Amanda looked over her shoulder, and the reporter was rushing toward them. “Move it,” she hissed to Trent.
“Do you have any information to share with the people of Prince William County? Are the rumors true? Is the bestselling novelist Felicity Kelley dead?” Apparently nothing stopped Diana from spilling out a rash of questions—not even jogging in stilettos.
“No comment.” Amanda waved a dismissive arm in the air and slipped into the security of the car.
Trent turned the vehicle on and put it into gear but couldn’t release the brakes as the reporter and her cameraman had pitched their tent in front of the hood.
“Just do it. For me, for the people.” Amanda was only half-joking.
Trent laid on the horn, but neither of them showed any sign of moving.
“This is ridiculous.” Amanda huffed and got out of the car. It worked to lure Diana and her minion to the sidewalk. Once they were in the clear, Amanda ducked back inside the vehicle and told Trent to floor it.
He did, a huge grin on his face. “You’re a touch evil.”
“Some people bring it out in me.” She was smiling too. As the mouse in this little game with Diana, Amanda always intended to get away.
Trent took them in the direction of Woodbridge. “Going back to my earlier question…?”
“About dropping me off at the station?”
“That would be the one.”
It shouldn’t be that hard to answer. Zoe and Logan were waiting on her, but even though she’d been doing her best to focus on the case, guilt gnawed on her like a parasite. It scolded her for not being available to take Felicity’s call or getting back to her right away. If she had, would things have been different? Amanda’s flight had landed at 6:30 PM—three and a half hours before the early end of the TOD window. Amanda could have saved Felicity. If only I had known she needed saving…
“No one will think negatively of you, if you call it a day,” Trent said, filling the expanding silence.
