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Brody took a step toward her just as her back door opened, then closed. She jumped away as the deputy walked into the living room. He stopped in the doorway and stared at Brody. “Jones?” he finally said. “What are you doing here?”
“I’m the one who helped Ms. Dearborn escape from the burning building out at the compound,” he said, his expression unreadable. As if he had every right to be here. “I was driving by, saw a car on the shoulder and the flames coming out of the mess hall. I needed to make sure no one was trapped. I was with Ms. Dearborn when Sheriff Jacobs told her Ron had been murdered in the mess hall. I told Ms. Dearborn to call me if anything disturbed her tonight. She called the sheriff’s office, then she called me.”
Jacobs held Brody’s gaze for a long moment. “You and Ms. Dearborn, huh?” he said.
Brody’s face hardened to stone. “Her husband was just killed,” he said. His unspoken ‘who asks a question like that in front of a new widow’ hung in the air. “I know her because she’s my accountant.”
The two men stared at each other as time stretched like a taut rubber band. Finally Stevens nodded and looked away. “Had to ask,” he said. “Goes to motive.”
“For a prowler?” Lainey said, frowning. “Why would Brody be prowling around my house?”
Stevens studied her. Shook his head. “Not the prowler, Lainey. The murder.”
Lainey sucked in a breath. “You think I murdered Ron?”
“Most likely suspect,” Stevens said. “Everyone knows he knocked you around. Maybe you got sick of it.”
“I did get sick of it, so I filed for divorce,” Lainey said, her voice cool. But inside she was boiling with rage. “Ron knew that. So what would I gain by killing him?”
Stevens shrugged. “All the marital assets. Freedom right away, instead of waiting for a divorce to go through.”
Brody took a step toward Stevens, and the deputy took a step backward, bumping into her bookcases. “Is that what Sheriff Jacobs thinks, Stevens?”
Stevens shrugged. “Haven’t talked to him. I’m on nights. He was leaving as I was arriving.”
Lainey stepped up to stand beside Brody. “So this is your speculation?” she asked.
He shrugged again. “Situations like this, where there’s abuse, spouse is always the most likely suspect.”
“Did you find any trace of a prowler, Stevens?” Lainey asked, both furious and humiliated.
He glanced away from her. “There were some scratches on the lock. Could have been a prowler. Or it could have been you or Ron, opening the back door with your key.”
“Neither Ron nor I went in or out of the house through that door,” Lainey said immediately. “We only used it when we were grilling, or mowing the lawn. Never unlocked that door to get in the house. We always went in through the garage.”
Stevens scowled. “Maybe you just heard a cat in your yard,” he said.
“Last time I checked, cats don’t carry house keys or lock picks,” Lainey retorted. “And they’d have a hard time reaching the door. Unless you found a ladder out there?”
Stevens’ expression hardened. “You always were a smartass, Lainey. I see why Ron got tired of your mouth.”
“That’s it, Stevens. Get out,” Lainey said.
“I need to take your report,” he said, pulling a notebook out of his pocket.
“You’ve got all the information you need.” Brody stepped closer to Stevens, who bumped into the bookcase again. “You can fill out your report at the station. And I’m taking Ms. Dearborn out to my ranch, since she’s clearly not safe in this house. Her husband was murdered today, and tonight she had a prowler. But it sounds like the sheriff’s department is more interested in accusing her of murder than protecting her.”
His gaze swept from Stevens’ head to his feet, and his expression said he wasn’t much impressed. “You can tell Sheriff Jacobs that Ms. Dearborn will be calling tomorrow to file a complaint about how her call was handled.”
Stevens’ gaze flicked from Lainey to Brody. Back to Lainey. “No need to do that, Lainey. I apologize,” he said stiffly. “I’m upset about Ron being murdered. Shouldn’t have taken it out on you.”
“No,” Lainey said. “You shouldn’t have. Now please leave.”
“You still going to call Pete?” he asked.
Lainey opened the door so hard it banged against the bookshelf. “Get. Out.”
Swallowing, Deputy Stevens shoved the door wide and ran down the steps. Got into his patrol car, started it and drove away, tires squealing.
