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“Are you hurt?”
She looked up into his serious face and a shaky, adrenaline-induced laugh was her first response. “I’m good.”
He jerked his chin toward the radio. “Is everyone checked in?”
“All but one.” She’d known there had to be this all-business side of him, he was a sheriff’s deputy after all. But it was such a change from his typical easy-going nature, she struggled to adjust.
“Probably the guy who spotted this one.” Carson pointed at the bleeding, trussed up intruder. “Recognize him?”
“No.”
“Want to talk to him?”
She was tempted, but knowing the Morcos operation, she didn’t think she’d get anything relevant out of him. “I’ll leave that to the real interrogators. But we have one question answered.” Outside, the sound of emergency sirens grew louder, closing in on Ruth’s house. “The sniper didn’t come to Haleswood alone.”
“How can you be sure?”
“Well, fine. I’m not a hundred percent sure. Yet. But it doesn’t make sense to leave a hostage like Matheson unattended.”
“Definitely not,” he agreed. “If you’re right about Morcos using him to bait you.”
“Exactly.” She stood up, pleased he agreed with her logic.
“Is he free?”
“They’re working on it. Want me to answer that?” She pointed behind him to the silhouette darkening the glass oval of the front door.
Carson stalked down the hall and confirmed the person on the porch was a friendly before opening the door.
Eva watched the brief exchange as Carson sent the man back out, presumably to look for the guard who had yet to check in. She reached for her pendant and said a quick prayer they wouldn’t find another casualty.
So much for the defensible position argument, she thought. Not that she expected the sheriff or Ross to change the set up now, but this put a new spin on the threat closing in on her. She felt terrible about the damage to Ruth’s beautiful home—and right before Christmas too. Hopefully she’d think up some way to make it up to her.
But right now she knew her best bet was to solve this riddle—and fast.
From the den, Eva’s phone rang and she hurried back to answer. “Hello?”
“Matheson’s safe,” Ross reported. “No real injuries, but we transported him anyway.”
“Local hospital?”
“No.”
She breathed a sigh of relief. The sooner they got anyone associated with the Morcos kidnapping away from Haleswood, the better she’d feel. “You’ll send him home after he’s debriefed, right?”
“I’ll try.”
“Try hard.” If Ross failed, she’d find a way to convince Matheson to lay low until this was over. “What about the kidnapper?”
“No sign of him.”
“I beg your pardon? Someone should have been there.”
“Nichols put the FBI crime scene techs on the job, so if there’s a lead we’ll have it soon.”
“Knowing Matheson’s skills, leaving him alone was risky.” She went to the kitchen doorway and stared at the man on the floor, wishing for answers she knew he wouldn’t provide. Had Bakr made a mistake? Or was this all an elaborate diversion? Felt like a diversion in her gut, but—
“Did you get anywhere with the video feeds?”
