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“Oh, I love that one too,” Zoe said, smiling from ear to ear. “He’s very funny.”
“I’m not sure if you’ve met Detective Bethenny Monroe—she’s a Redwater native and recently returned from Los Angeles. She also has a very high closure rate. She’s currently on vacation, otherwise she’d be working this case. She’s not as funny though,” Mitch said with a grin, earning him another laugh from Zoe.
“I haven’t met her, though I suppose that’s a good thing,” Zoe said, nodding.
He swallowed the last of his wine as Zoe yawned. He was debating whether he should leave and let her get some sleep, but it was still relatively early—at least by his standards.
Ultimately, a phone call made the decision for him. He didn’t have a chance to mutter a word before Jackson spoke.
“A black truck has been spotted, heading toward Graham’s property. Plate matches. I’m on my way.”
The line went dead and Mitch stood.
Zoe’s eyes widened. “What happened?” she asked, standing too, before holding up a hand. “Sorry, you don’t have to answer that.”
He gave her a small smile and fought not to flee the house—he didn’t want to scare her. “Just a lead I need to go check out. Thank you for dinner. I’ll see you tomorrow morning,” he said, and she nodded.
By God’s strength, he walked calmly to the door. He didn’t look behind him, but when he climbed into his car and turned the key in the ignition, he looked in the rearview mirror and saw her standing at the door.
He drove away at a normal pace, but he was on the radio straight away.
“Where is the truck?” he asked.
“We’re following it. We’re almost at the Laube property,” an officer responded.
“Put your sirens on and pull him over. I’m a few minutes behind you. I want to question him myself.”
CHAPTER21
MITCH
Mitch lowered his foot on the accelerator, concentrating on the dirt road—the last thing he needed was to have an accident right now.
But a million questions kept tumbling around in his mind, making it difficult to concentrate.
Why had he come back?
Why was his phone disconnected?
Why had he said he was Johnny’s nephew?
He’d lied to Mitch, so he’d been hiding something. Mitch needed to find out what it was and if it was tied to the case.
“Mitch, we’ve pulled him over. He tried to outrun us, but another patrol car came in front and we pushed him over to the side of the road. We’re just past the intersection of the roads that divide the three properties,” an officer’s voice came through the radio.
“I’m one minute away,” Mitch said, spotting blue and red lights ahead. He lowered his foot on the accelerator, knowing it was a straight road and no cars should be pulling out ahead of him.
He kept his eyes on the road and his ears on the radio, but the situation remained calm.
He pulled the car to a stop and all but jumped out. He strode toward the front of the truck where young man was standing with his hands on the hood, his fingers splayed wide. When he looked up, his eyes were hard.
“Are you arresting me?” he asked.
“Not yet, but I do have a few questions for you,” Mitch said. “The last time this vehicle was seen in Redwater, you were driving it on this road. I stopped you to ask your name and what you were doing here, and you lied to me. Now I want the truth. If you don’t cooperate, you’ll end up in a prison cell next to your uncle—Graham, that is,” Mitch said as the man’s eyebrows lifted and his eyes doubled in size.
Mitch nodded slowly. “Someone murdered a young woman the night you were seen. Unfortunately for you, you were driving away from the crime scene. I suggest you tell me your full name and why you lied,” Mitch said with hard eyes.
The man sighed, squeezing his eyes shut, swearing under his breath. He looked Mitch straight in his eyes. “I had nothing to do with that girl. My name is Thomas Laube. I lied because I told my uncle I was leaving a few days earlier. I didn’t leave, I went camping. I was waiting for a... delivery...” he said, his eyes darting around.
