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Danger seemed to radiate from him. Somehow his body seemed harder now, almost more muscular, definitely ready for action.
Rogue watched as he flipped the phone closed, his gaze locking on hers as she felt her heart begin to race in her chest.
“What’s wrong?” she asked.
He moved to her, staring down at her with those hard, furious brown eyes.
“It’s Grandmother Walker, Rogue,” he said, his voice incredibly gentle as he reached out for her. “Lisa found her this morning. She’s dead. ”
Grandmother Walker, it appeared, had known hergranddaughter was gone from the house on an errand, freed herself from her oxygen tank, moved from the bed, and attempted to take a bath. It appeared she had slipped while getting into the tub, fallen, and hit her head before sinking into the water.
Zeke watched as the coroner loaded the body into the official vehicle and drove away.
Forensics had dusted the house, but Zeke doubted they would find anything. There was nothing there to point to foul play, but still, the back of his neck was itching.
Rogue was with Lisa and Janey in Lisa’s small living room, attempting to comfort her.
Lisa had taken her boys to their father again that morning. While she was gone, her grandmother had died.
He shook his head as he moved back into the house, silent, watchful as Gene talked to the forensics team as they packed up.
His deputy hadn’t agreed with the forensic team’s involvement, but this time, it had been Alex’s call. The Walker home was within the Somerset city limits and Grandmother Walker had been a friend of Janey Mackay as well as Chief Alex Jansen.
The detective Alex had sent was a good one. Robert Leeson was no one’s fool. With his dark hair and suspicious eyes, he was a damned fine detective. He’d already talked to Lisa, collected the information he needed, and promised to keep Zeke apprised of anything they found.
Rogue and Janey had taken Lisa to her home after the detective had questioned her. She had been in shock, grieving, and confused. Her grandmother didn’t even like baths, Lisa had stated. She showered. She couldn’t imagine how or why the old woman would have decided to try to take a bath. Grandmother Walker had been ill, weak, but she hadn’t been delusional or incapable of making a rational decision. The old woman had been stubborn as hell, but she wasn’t stupid. So why had she decided to disconnect her oxygen and attempt to take a bath before her granddaughter returned?
First the Walker twins and now their grandmother. The back of his neck was itching like hell.
Zeke moved back to the small bedroom, stared around it slowly with narrowed eyes, and tried to figure out the knife edge of warning prodding at his guts.
There was no evidence of foul play, nothing to suggest that murder had been committed, other than the fact that Zeke’s stomach was rioting and his neck was itching.
“Zeke, I’m heading out unless you need me to stay longer. ”
Zeke turned to see Gene watching him somberly.
“Go ahead. ” Zeke nodded. “I’ll catch up with you. ”
“I’ll leave my report on your desk before I go off duty. ” Gene nodded. “Too damned bad about old lady Walker. She was a good woman. ”
“Yeah, she was. ” Zeke sighed as he turned and stared around the room.
Hell. Just like Joe and Jaime, this didn’t look right; it didn’tfeel right.
Behind him, Gene sighed heavily and asked, “Did you know Lisa had life insurance on her brothers and grandmother?”
Zeke turned around slowly. “Where did you hear that?”
“She took out the insurance here in town,” Gene answered him. “Aubry Riley’s agency.
It’s not a huge amount, but there’ll still be cash left over from the burials. ”
“When did you find this out?”
“Yesterday evening Aubry came in after you left the office. He was telling me about the policies on the brothers then, and mentioned the one on the grandmother. Joe and Jaime took out their policies. They had survivorship on theirs. In the event of both their deaths though, Lisa was beneficiary. She’s also the beneficiary on the policy her grandmother took out ’bout twenty years ago, after her husband’s death. ”
Zeke rubbed at the back of his neck. “I’ll talk to Lisa and see if she’ll turn over the policies. ”
