A PERILOUS PACKAGE

LAKESIDE COTTAGE COZY MYSTERIES

BOOK TWO

CINDY BELL

Copyright © 2024 Cindy Bell

All rights reserved.

Cover Design by Lou Harper, Cover Affairs

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CHAPTER 1

Breathe, Bobbie, don’t look too eager. The mantra carried through Bobbie Walker’s mind as she pushed the door open to the nondescript storefront. The only thing that set it apart from the rest of the small plaza was the sign in the window that declared it the office of Newfield News. The small space was filled with a few desks and a large assortment of filing cabinets. Various Christmas decorations were scattered around, more like an afterthought than a planned décor.

“Bobbie,” a familiar voice called out to her as she stepped out of the blustery winter wind into the warm interior.

Bobbie didn’t quite know how to take her fellow journalist, Matt Smith.

“Hey, Matt.” Bobbie walked toward his desk and held up a flash drive. “I finished that article on the final results from Colton’s jury selection.”

Colton was the owner of a chemical company, ChemTree, which had been found to be polluting the local lake. With help from Matt, Bobbie had broken the story. He’d been investigating it before she’d arrived, but he’d turned his focus on to a murder, so she’d taken over.

“Thanks for bringing it in. It’s not like you could have emailed it or anything.” Matt grinned as he looked across the desk at her.

Matt’s playful mocking reminded her of what having a sibling might be like.

“You wouldn’t be trying to see our new fearless leader, would you? Just couldn’t stay away?” Matt laughed.

“I wouldn’t mind finding out who it is.” Bobbie grinned in return. “Are you complaining about my visit? Should I make sure I make all of my submissions remotely?”

“No, no, I’m not complaining.” Matt shook his head. “I’m glad you’re here. In fact, she was just asking to see you.”

“Really, why?” Bobbie’s eyes widened. “Did I do something wrong already? I haven’t even met her. I don’t even know her name. And she’s a woman?”

“Yeah, she’s a woman, and I don’t think you’ve done anything wrong. She did wonder why we have a freelance journalist on our staff now when we didn’t before, so I think she’s just curious about you.”

“Well, I’m curious about her, too. So, I guess it’s time we met.” Bobbie took a deep breath, straightened her shoulders, and strode right over to the editor-in-chief’s office, where the new owner of the newspaper was. She raised her hand to knock on the door. Just as she was about to rap her knuckles against it, the door swung open, causing her fist to almost graze the woman’s nose.

Bobbie gasped and took a step back, then lowered her hand. “Oh, I’m so sorry. I was just about to knock.”

“I guess you aren’t trying to knock me out, then.” The woman offered a tight smile. Her sleek business suit, carefully coiffed, dark-brown hair, and impeccable makeup indicated she had a strict sense of style and behavior.

Flustered and uncertain as to how to introduce herself, Bobbie cleared her throat, then thrust out her hand. “I’m Bobbie Walker, the freelance journalist. I just came in to drop off an article.” She held up the flash drive with her other hand.

“Ah, you’re Bobbie. I’m Abigail Dale.” She took Bobbie’s hand in a quick shake, then crossed her arms as she looked her over. “Not exactly what I was expecting, but I guess I’m not, either, am I?”

Bobbie felt her cheeks begin to heat up under the woman’s intense perusal. “No, to be honest, I expected you to be a man. I guess that just shows I’m a little bit caught up in the patriarchy.”

“Well, surprise, I’m not.” Abigail looked Bobbie square in the eyes. “But don’t for one second think that means I’m going to go any easier on you just because we’re the same gender. I expect all of my writers to use the same ferocious sense of honesty and research.”

“Of course.” Bobbie held out the flash drive. “This has the article on the jury selection.”

“Okay.” Abigail took the drive. “I want a rewrite on the article about the charges against Colton before the end of the day. I’ve just sent my recommendations to your email.” She took a step back and closed the door.

Bobbie stared at the door for a moment as she tried to process what exactly just happened.

A faint chuckle awakened her from her dazed state, and she shot a sharp look in Matt’s direction.

“I’m sorry.” Matt winced as he held up his hands in surrender. “I didn’t mean to laugh. It’s just that I’ve never seen anyone crash and burn quite like that before.”

“Stop it!” Bobbie walked over to his desk. “Don’t tell me you did any better with her.”

Matt leaned back in his chair, folded his hands behind his head, and with an arrogant smile, watched her squirm. “Absolutely, I did. Abigail adores me.” He ducked his head as the office door swung open.

“Right.” Bobbie grinned as she watched Abigail cast an annoyed look in their direction, until she noticed it zero in on her.

“Roberta, I need that rewrite ASAP.” Abigail’s piercing blue eyes focused on Bobbie.

Bobbie bristled at the use of her full name. She’d heard it only a few times throughout her life, and disliked it every time. “It’s Bobbie. I was just heading out to do that now.” She was actually going to a self-defense class first, but Abigail didn’t need to know that.

“It didn’t look that way to me.” Abigail’s gaze shifted to Matt. “And you should have plenty of work to do. If not, let me know. There’s a petting zoo I can send you to get pictures of, if that’s how you’d like to spend your time.”

“No, thanks.” Matt forced a smile. “I definitely have some work to do.”

Bobbie passed him a brief, wide-eyed expression before she headed toward the door.

“Let me know if you need any help with anything, Bobbie,” Matt called out to her just as she reached the door.

Bobbie didn’t look back, but she smiled, comforted by the offer. As much as she wanted to pave her own way in town, it was still nice to know she had people to help her.

Moving to Newfield, Vermont, had been a shock in many ways. When the man who’d raised her, the man who’d claimed to be her uncle, had passed away, everything had changed.

Going through his things, she’d discovered he wasn’t her uncle, and she had a link to a lakeside cottage in the small town close to where she’d believed her parents had been killed in a car accident. As she’d tried to process those developments, she’d rented the cottage and moved to Newfield to try to find some answers about her past and her links to the small town, and hopefully to complete a novel, but instead she’d discovered her past was even more of a mystery.

She knew that at least two people in Newfield knew more about her history than she did. Matt was one of them, and the local sergeant, Kate West, was the other.

The limited information she’d discovered so far was that her late parents hadn’t been killed in a car accident. They’d been criminals and had been killed by a rival, and up until Bobbie had turned up in Newfield, it was believed that she’d been killed along with them.

Bobbie had learned that Uncle Jimmy was Jameson Clive, a friend her parents often worked with. But Kate had claimed she had no idea how Bobbie had ended up with him, and Bobbie couldn’t find out much about him aside from the fact that he’d been involved in low-level crimes before her parents had been killed.

Kate had since shared that her friendship with Bobbie’s mother began before she’d learned that her parents were criminals and continued despite it. But Bobbie felt like there was much more to the story of her parents’ past and her mother’s connection to Kate that she was yet to reveal.

Bobbie loved the quaint cottage that she’d since found out used to be where she’d lived with her parents before they’d been killed, and she was fostering a beautiful goldendoodle whose owner was her neighbor and had been murdered on the first day she’d move to town. She smiled at the thought of the gorgeous dog, Bailey, then her focus shifted to her self-defense training, and she felt a faint buzz of excitement. Kyle West had been giving her private classes and seeing him always gave her a little thrill. He was tall, muscular, handsome, and had a calmness about him. She wasn’t looking for romance, but didn’t think there was any harm in having a little crush, as long as she didn’t act on it.

“That’s right, Bobbie.” She looked at herself in the rearview mirror just before she pulled out of the parking space. “Absolutely, do not act on it.”

Minutes later, Bobbie turned into the parking lot of the martial arts studio and parked near the large windows in the front of the building. Through the glass she saw Kyle leading a class of teens. As he walked around each pair of students, surveying the mild sparring they were engaged in, she could read the intensity in his expression. He clearly took his job very seriously.

Bobbie had practiced some karate and boxing with Uncle Jimmy, and she enjoyed training with Kyle and found that it relaxed her and gave her a sense of confidence. She reminded herself to try to reflect his serious nature while she was on the mats.

CHAPTER 2

Moments later, Bobbie kicked off her shoes and socks and stared across the mats at Kyle. He moved with such fluidity that sometimes she wondered if he was made of bones like her.

A tangle of teens clustered around him, imitating his every move, and vocalizing with every strike they threw. She couldn’t help but doubt her own skills while these much younger students hung on his every word.

Bobbie still felt awkward and out of shape when she trained with him, but she’d gotten more comfortable and confident with each lesson that had passed.

As Kyle dismissed the students from the mats, he turned and smiled at the sight of her. “Early today? I like it.”

“Let’s just say, I’m looking forward to releasing some tension.” Bobbie stood up from the folding chair, and walked toward him.

“Okay, I like that, too.” Kyle grinned as he gestured for her to join him in the center of the mats. “So, what happened?”

“I have a new boss.” Bobbie slid her hand wraps and boxing gloves on. “I had my first encounter with her this morning.”

“So, you didn’t like her?” Kyle held up a pad for her to punch.

“I didn’t say that.” Bobbie slung her fist forward until it landed in the center of the pad, then promptly dropped it down to her waist.

“Hands up.” Kyle tipped his head toward hers. “Keep them close to your face. Throw the punch, then bring your hand right back to your chin.”

“Okay, yes, right.” Bobbie attempted the punch again. “Better?”

“You’re doing great.” Kyle lowered the pad enough to look at her. “So, did you like her or not?”

“I don’t know her, yet.” Bobbie threw another punch toward the pad on his other hand. “But I don’t think we’re off to a great start.”

“Don’t sell yourself short. She’s lucky to have you.” Kyle frowned as she dropped her hand again. “All right, you’d better get your head in the game. Concentrate. Keep your guard up.”

“Okay.” Bobbie took a deep breath, then held her gloves close to her face and focused on the pads in front of her. Although she did her best to pay attention to her form, and protecting her face, her mind wandered back to her new boss. She’d just started imagining how to get on her good side when she felt a solid thump on her forehead.

“Hey, ow, watch it.” Bobbie glared at Kyle as he drew the pad back from her head.

“I wouldn’t hurt you.” Kyle locked his eyes to hers. “But if you’re going to be here training with me, I need you to be here with me. Got it?”

“You’re right. Maybe I just can’t do this today. I’m sorry.” Bobbie started to pull off her gloves, frustrated by her inability to focus.

“That’s not what I meant.” Kyle stepped closer to her. “There are always going to be distractions. You need to learn how to push them aside, so you can focus.” He gestured to her hands. “This is a good opportunity for you to try that. You can choose to be in the moment, to react to what’s in front of you, instead of what’s nagging at your nerves.”

“Okay, yes. Let’s go.” Bobbie took a deep breath and focused on him again. His handsome face and determined eyes didn’t make it easy not to be distracted.

After a few more attempts to land a punch, her mind shifted from a jumble of thoughts to one stream of instinct and self-preservation. Just as she was about to throw another punch, her cell phone began ringing. She jumped at the sound, suddenly aware of her surroundings again, and lost the brief grasp she’d had on focusing on sparring with Kyle.

“Leave it,” Kyle said.

“But it could be her. Sorry.” Bobbie hurried toward her phone. She avoided his gaze as she removed a glove and answered the call. She immediately regretted the decision. The sharp tone, the authoritative demands, left her reeling as she hung up.

“Is everything okay?” Kyle walked toward her as she took a sip of water from the bottle she’d brought with her.

“She wants me to get direct quotes from Colton to back up some statements in my article on the jury selection, or she’s not going to publish it. The sooner the better, as in now.”

“I would stay away from him. He’s a dangerous man. You’ve already put yourself at enough risk by breaking the story.”

“He’s a dangerous man who’s going to go to prison for what he did.” Bobbie started taking off her hand wraps. “I’m sure I can get him talking if I try hard enough.”

“And I’m sure he’ll be furious at the sight of you. I have a class coming up, but if you want, I can go with you after.”

“Thanks, but I don’t need an escort. That’s why I take these classes, right?” Bobbie looked straight into his eyes. “Are you doubting my skills?” She grinned as she threw a playful punch in his direction.

Kyle caught it easily with one hand and held her fist as he gazed back at her. “I think there’s always room for more training, no matter how skilled you are, and he’s a criminal.”

“I can take care of myself.”

“He’s a desperate criminal.” Kyle released her hand and shrugged as he took a step back. “But you’re right. You’re in charge of your own life. So, before you go, let’s practice a takedown.”

“Sorry, I really have to go. I can’t risk my job, and the sooner I do this, the better.” Bobbie took a step back from him. “Next time, okay?”

“Do you want to come back later today to finish up the lesson?”

“Uh, maybe.” Bobbie tugged on her socks and shoes and walked toward the door. “Actually, you know what, let’s just pick this up on Friday. I also have to fix up an article today.”

“Friday it is, then.” Kyle nodded to her just before she stepped out the door.

CHAPTER 3

As Bobbie walked back to her truck, her skin still tingled where Kyle’s fingertips had grazed her arm. It felt ridiculous. There was no denying how gorgeous Kyle was, but that was the end of it. He left her more irritated than confident most of the time, mainly because he never let her get away with not telling the whole truth.

Rachael West, the first friend she’d made in Newfield, had warned her about her cousin Kyle and his tendency to be a little intense. It did seem as if he made an effort to be more relaxed with Bobbie, but when those moments came up when he tried to tell her what to do in life outside the studio, that casual attitude vanished. Yes, he was attractive, with those eyes, that hair, that dreamy smile. But she reminded herself that he had plenty of options to choose from, and a shy woman who showed up in his gym in old workout clothes wasn’t going to be top on his list.

It had recently occurred to Bobbie that being single forever might not be her plan after all. She’d never had a long-term relationship, and the few brief ones she’d had, had never ended well. Then she’d spent the year before Uncle Jimmy’s death completely focused on taking care of him before he’d passed away. But with her uncle gone, she wondered if maybe it was time to start thinking seriously about dating again.

“Even if it is, it’s not going to be Kyle.” Bobbie scrunched up her nose at the thought. She pushed the memory of his touch from her mind as she rubbed her arm, and made a note to herself to stop watching romantic movies. Real life demanded her focus, and Kyle wasn’t wrong about there being an element of danger when encountering Colton.

Bobbie parked outside the gate of a sprawling property. Right away, she noticed that the buzzer that would have allowed her to communicate with Colton and ask him to open the gate, had been smashed to bits. Had he done that because of the reporters who’d been hounding him? Essentially that would be her fault, as she’d played a big role in revealing that he and his multimillion-dollar company were responsible for polluting the local lake. She began to doubt he would be willing to talk to her at all. Her only option was to call him and hope that he answered.

As Bobbie dialed his number, she eyed the fence that surrounded his property. With every ring that played in her ear, she wondered if she might be better off trying to scale the fence. As crazy as that seemed, it actually appeared fairly accessible, and she was already in her workout clothes after leaving class.

After it was clear that the call wouldn’t be answered, Bobbie hung up and tucked her phone back into her pocket. Already, she regretted a decision that she hadn’t entirely made, yet. But what choice did she have? She needed quotes from him, and until she was able to get them, she wouldn’t be paid for her work. She needed that money.

Bobbie glanced over her shoulder in both directions, then looked back at the fence. Uncle Jimmy had taught her a few things over the years, things he thought would come in handy. Now, his lessons on how to climb fences would come in handy.

Bobbie gripped the railing of the fence with one hand and positioned the toe of her shoe against a slat.

As she slung herself upward, she felt the cold metal against her skin and shivered. Getting used to a Vermont winter was going to be quite a change for her. Already she missed the milder climate of Pennsylvania. Ignoring the biting temperature, she continued to climb until she reached the top.

Bobbie swung her leg over the top of the fence and slid down on the other side. When her shoes struck the ground, she felt the impact all the way up to her kneecaps. She looked across the wide, circular driveway, toward the front door of the sprawling house that might as well have been a mansion, and saw Colton standing there. He held a medium-sized package in his hands and seemed not to have noticed her scaling the fence.

As Bobbie planned her approach, he turned toward his front door and opened it. She opened her mouth to call out to him, to stop him before he could close the door behind him, but he slammed it shut just before she could speak. A moment later, a loud bang from the house made her jump, then freeze on the spot. She watched as the window at the front of the house shattered into thousands of tiny pieces.

Bobbie’s heart raced as she scanned the outside of the house, trying to make sense of what had just happened. The brief explosion left behind a ringing silence and the air thick with the smell of smoke.

Bobbie tried to clear her mind and work out what to do. She needed to get help.

She pulled out her phone, and with a trembling hand called emergency services. After she’d given the dispatcher the details and ended the call, she took a deep breath and started toward the house. She wanted to check on Colton. As she watched the smoke billow out the shattered window, her heart pounded heavily against her chest.

“Bobbie!” Kate’s voice reached Bobbie and made her stop in her tracks. “Bobbie, get back! We don’t know what happened. It might not be safe!”

Bobbie turned away from Colton’s house to stare at the older woman, whose badge and experience made her the highest authority in the town, aside from the bumbling police chief that she answered to.

“Are you okay?” Kate rushed toward her, and for a split second, Bobbie remembered her, not as Rachael’s mom, or a cop, but as someone who had comforted her as a child. Bobbie was shocked by how deeply connected she felt to her.

“I don’t know what happened, but Colton walked in there, and there was a loud bang and the window shattered, and he hasn’t come out,” Bobbie rambled. “We have to help him!” She turned back toward the house.

“You stay here, Bobbie.” Kate guided her back away from the house. She gave a look that left no room for argument, then she rushed straight into the house, followed by a police officer.

Bobbie reluctantly waited outside as she watched from a distance. She wanted to run inside to see if Colton was okay. She wanted to know if anyone had been hurt.

CHAPTER 4

“Bobbie!” Kate’s daughter, Rachael West, ran up to her, her blonde locks bundled into bouncy miniature buns on the top of her head, lending an oddly humorous feel to the situation. “Are you okay?”

“Yes, but I want to know if Colton’s okay. He was inside.” Bobbie watched as Kate walked back out of the house. She spoke to a firefighter who’d just arrived on the scene, then walked over to Bobbie and Rachael.

“I’m sorry. Colton didn’t make it.” Kate looked between them.

Bobbie’s heart sank. She’d expected that he would be hurt or worse, but she was still shocked to hear it. She drew in a few heavy breaths as she watched more firefighters run inside the house. Her mind played through the last few minutes before the explosion, yet again.

“I just stood there, and there was an explosion.” Bobbie pointed at where she’d been standing.

“Is there anyone else inside?” Rachael asked.

“No.” Kate shook her head.

“I know he lives alone,” Bobbie said.

“Can you tell me exactly what happened?” Kate looked over the house. “You might have seen or heard something that can give us a clue as to what happened here.”

Bobbie desperately searched her mind for anything that might seem like a clue. But the same scene just kept playing through her mind. Colton with a package in his hand, Colton stepping into the house, Colton closing the door, then the sound of the explosion and the window shattering. She recounted every detail she could to Kate.

“You stay here, okay?” Kate walked over to a firefighter who’d just walked out of the house.

Bobbie watched as more law enforcement officers arrived, including Police Chief Jasper Cullin. He wandered over to Kate’s side and muttered a few words of disbelief. “A man just tries to read his paper, and then his town explodes.”

“The bomb squad is on the way.” Kate lowered her voice. “There’s clear indication that an explosive device was used. And from what Bobbie witnessed, we believe it might have been in a package.”

Bobbie and Rachael were just within earshot of the conversation.

“I can tell you who had a strong reason to want Colton gone.” Jasper rocked back on his heels and hooked his thumbs into the front pockets of his jeans. “That would be Doug Millster, vice president of ChemTree. As I understand it, Colton had been trying to pin everything on Doug, hoping that he would get out of the dumping scandal completely scot-free, even though Colton had a majority share and ran the company.” He looked at Kate. “I say we pick Doug up.”

“Is that a hunch, or do you have any proof of what Colton was doing to Doug?” Kate crossed her arms.

“Sounds like that’s a job for you to figure out.” Jasper winked at her, then turned and strode back toward his SUV.

“Wow, okay.” Kate took a deep breath, then glanced over at Bobbie. “Bobbie, I can get someone to drive you home. That was quite a shock.”

“If you don’t need me, I’ll stay with her.” Rachael had trained as a police officer but had decided she didn’t want to carry a weapon, so she was a civilian officer. She stepped in to assist when needed, which was quite often, given the small, local police department of just three officers and the chief.

“No, that’s okay. We should be fine here. The firefighters have to secure the scene.” Kate glanced around her.

“We can hang out.” Rachael smiled at Bobbie.

“Great. Thank you.” Bobbie enjoyed spending time with Rachael, and if she was honest, the explosion had left her on edge. “Do you think the explosives will give any clue as to who did this?”

“I think you gave us the best clue so far, actually.” Kate studied her expression. “If you hadn’t been here the moment before this happened, we wouldn’t know that he’d been holding a package, at least not right away. My guess is the explosive may have been hidden inside it, and when he took it into the house and opened it, it went off. We have a head start because I can try to track it. The scene is a mess, but we’ll hopefully find remnants of the explosives and package in there.” She pulled her phone out of her pocket. “In fact, I’m going to get started on that right now. Rachael, make sure you get Bobbie something to eat and drink. Shock can make you forget to do both.”

“Okay, will do, Mom,” Rachael agreed.

“Bobbie, one more thing.” Kate turned back to face her. “How exactly did you come to be standing close to the house when the explosion happened? I had to break through the gate to get in here. Did Colton actually let you in, or did you climb the fence?”

“I’m not sure that I should answer that.” Bobbie offered a light shrug.

“I guess that’s my answer, which brings me to my next question. What exactly were you doing here? I’m betting that you aren’t someone who Colton was looking forward to seeing.” Kate raised her eyebrows. “And that you weren’t invited, since you had to break in.”

“I never said that.” Bobbie glanced over at Rachael. When she looked back at Kate, she found impatience in the older woman’s stern gaze. “I just came to get a few solid quotes from him. The new owner of Newfield News is a stickler for having direct quotes, and she refused to print my latest story without getting them. But I never had the chance to speak to him. I don’t think he even saw me. He was holding the package, looked at it, smiled, and then went into the house.”

“He smiled?” Kate narrowed her eyes. “I guess that means that he recognized the address the package came from, or maybe he was expecting it.”

“Maybe. But my question is, how did the person get through the gate, if it was broken?” Bobbie asked.

“Maybe they left the package outside the gate and Colton picked it up.” Kate stared at the gate. “Maybe whoever delivered the package damaged the gate after they’d delivered it. I had to fight with the wires, and then manually force the gate open before I could get inside.”

“I hadn’t thought about that.” Bobbie considered it. “I’d assumed that Colton broke it, to prevent being harassed by reporters and protesters. But it makes sense that the killer might have caused the damage.” She held up her hands. “It definitely wasn’t me.”

“No one’s accusing you of anything.” Kate waved a hand dismissively. “But if you think of anything else, let me know.”

“Okay,” Bobbie agreed.

“Let’s get out of here and let the police do their work.” Rachael draped her arm around Bobbie’s shoulders and guided her away from the house.

Bobbie offered a light nod of agreement. She was no fan of Colton’s, that’s for sure, but she needed to do what she could to help find out who’d killed him.

Bobbie’s mind already churned with possible suspects. She’d been spending hours a day deep-diving into Colton’s life and knew he had many enemies. But just who had killed him?

CHAPTER 5

“Do you mind if we take my truck?” Bobbie hung back as Rachael started toward her car.

“Sure, no problem. I can have one of the guys bring my car home. Give me a moment.” Rachael ran over to an officer, and after speaking with him for a few seconds and handing him her keys, she hurried back to Bobbie. “Keys.” She held out her hand, but Bobbie pulled open the driver’s side door.

“I’d love your company, but I’m driving.”

“After the shock you’ve had?” Rachael climbed into the passenger seat. “Are you sure you’re up for that?”

“Yes, it’ll make me feel calmer to be in control right now.” Bobbie started the engine. “It’ll also make me feel calmer to get to the truth.”

“Wait, we’re not going back to your house, are we?” Rachael buckled her seat belt.

“Just long enough to check on Bailey.” Bobbie turned onto the main road. “The first rule of detective work is to go after the most obvious suspect. Chief Cullin has his idea of who that is, but I have another idea.”

“Who?” Rachael leaned closer to her.

“Robyn Dunfield. I think she might be behind this.”

“Robyn? The girl who recently moved back to town and who’s been outspoken against the chemical factory?” Rachael raised her eyebrows.

“Yes. I thought she might back off after Colton was arrested, but she’s still at it, and she had plenty of issues with ChemTree and Colton. And a bunch of other environmental complaints.” Bobbie turned into her own driveway.

The sight of the cottage she was renting always brought a smile to her lips. It was so cozy, from the weathered wood siding and steepled roof, to the small, wooden front porch.

“And most of them are pretty frivolous. If you ask me, she wants to make a noise about everything since she’s returned.” Rachael unbuckled her seat belt.

“Maybe she wanted to make sure that Colton was actually punished for what he did. I bet when she heard he was trying to push the guilt on to someone else, she decided to take matters into her own hands.” Bobbie led the way to the front door. She unlocked it and grinned as Bailey bounded toward her. “Hey, sweetheart, I’m sorry we’re a little off schedule.” He jumped up on her and licked her cheek. “Get down, Bailey!” She’d been trying to get him out of the habit of jumping up on people with little success. He licked her cheek a few more times, then jumped down. “Let me check on your water, then you can run out back for a bit.”

“Let me have some of those kisses, too.” Rachael grinned as she crouched down and ruffled his curly fur. “I can definitely see why you want to keep him, Bobbie. I hope you get the final word from the dog rescue soon.”

“Me, too.” Bobbie couldn’t bear the thought of not being able to keep Bailey.

“You’re shaping this place up real nice.” Rachael straightened up as Bobbie let Bailey out into the backyard. “I see you got rid of most of the wildflowers.”

“I did. I know I should clear out the rest, but every time I catch the scent I remember little things from when I lived here. It sounds impossible when I was so young, but I really think it’s true.”

“That’s all that matters.” Rachael smiled.

Bobbie watched as Bailey sniffed around the backyard, then she called him back into the house and tossed him a few treats. “Sorry, bud, I have to go, but I promise I’ll be back soon.” She ruffled the fur on the top of his head and gave his ears a few good strokes, then headed for the front door.

Bobbie and Rachael climbed back into the truck.

As Bobbie backed out of the driveway, she considered what she knew about Robyn again. “I just think Robyn has enough justifiable anger toward ChemTree to make her do something about it.”

“It does make sense that Robyn could be involved. Some people with extreme beliefs know how to create bombs or find a way to get them, and they’re not afraid to use them because they think they’re saving the world. If you see yourself as a protector of the planet, killing someone might feel like a valiant act instead of murder.”

“It makes me shocked to think that she could use that kind of reasoning.” Bobbie turned onto the road leading to the forest. “But as I recall from interviewing her, she had that kind of passion. She lives out here with a few friends, staying in tents, and moving their campsite around from one spot to another. She’s an artist and she loves painting out here. It’s hard to reconcile that peaceful, artistic side of her with the anger she showed when she returned to town and found out the lake had been contaminated, and that Colton was responsible for it. I do think the motive is there. We just have to find a way to prove her involvement.”

Bobbie turned into the parking lot of the park, and selected a spot close to the entrance of the trails. As she stepped out of the car, she reminded herself that her focus needed to be on the truth, not on assumptions. It was easy to believe that Robyn had killed Colton as some kind of revenge for the pollution he’d caused. But believing it, didn’t prove it.

“We just have to find her.” Bobbie surveyed the expanse of woods that spread out before her. “In all of this.”

“Don’t worry, I happen to have access to all the local trail cameras.” Rachael grinned as she pulled out her phone.

“Seriously?” Bobbie’s eyes widened. “How do you always have the answers and connections?”

“Growing up around here, with my mother as the top cop, let’s just say, I’ve gotten to know every corner and tree limb in this forest.” Rachael winked at her as she opened an app. “Besides that, I pushed for creating a website that provides access to a network of trail cams, both for the sake of hunters and for hikers, so that anyone who wants to wander the woods can check to see if it’s safe first.”

“That’s amazing.”

Rachael cringed as she looked up from the phone. “And I might have gotten lost when I was about fifteen. I was out there for two days, and it was terrifying. I thought it would be easier to find missing people if the cams were connected. So, we pushed for it with the mayor, and she finally agreed. Now, it’s a great resource for everyone to use. It’s fun to watch the wildlife sometimes, too.” She glanced back down at her phone. “There are a few cameras showing movement at the moment. If Robyn is out here, she’s likely near one of them. The hunters like to mount them everywhere.” She scrolled through a few of the feeds. “Yup, there she is.” She held up the phone to show Bobbie.

“You’re amazing.” Bobbie followed her as she started down the trail. “What was it like to be alone in the woods for two days? How did you survive?”

“I didn’t, really. I mean, I didn’t do anything special to keep myself alive. I was just lucky that the weather was good, and there weren’t any hungry bears. I had some water and granola bars with me. When I saw my mother, though, it was the most beautiful sight I’d ever seen.” Rachael smiled slightly. “It actually didn’t surprise me. I’d been waiting for her to find me the whole time. I never thought that she wouldn’t come to get me. But the nights, with all of the sounds in the woods, they were pretty scary.” She looked over at Bobbie. “I never took my safety for granted again. I thought I knew every inch of this forest, but I wandered off the path and everything looked unfamiliar. It’s very easy to get lost.”

“Yes, I imagine it is.” Bobbie swept her gaze over the towering trees that surrounded them.

“There she is.” Rachael pointed at a woman in a small clearing with an assortment of painting supplies set up.

CHAPTER 6

“Robyn?” Bobbie picked her way through the underbrush to reach her.

Robyn turned to face her with a paintbrush in her hand. “What are you doing out here?”

“We wanted to see you. Colton’s been murdered.” Bobbie watched her expression for any sign of deceit.

“He has?” Robyn gasped, then the hint of a smile crossed her lips. “How?”

“We understand a package he received had a bomb in it and it exploded,” Bobbie said.

“Well, I can’t say I’m surprised.” Robyn turned back to the canvas resting on an easel and continued painting big, bright red poinsettias. “Why did you come out here? Do you think I did it?”

“As I recall, you were pretty determined to punish him for what he did to the lake.” Bobbie walked closer to Robyn. “I doubt that you’ll be losing any sleep over his death.”

“You’re right. I doubt I will. I’ll take comfort in knowing he’s gone. But I’m not going to be the one going down for his murder. He probably annoyed everyone he met. I doubt I’m the only person that will be a suspect.”

“Probably not, but I’m sure the police are going to look closely at you.” Bobbie noted the way the woman’s tone hardened with every word she spoke, as if she wanted to prove how tough she was. “And I’m sure you’re scared the police are going to arrest you for his murder?”

“Of course I am!” Robyn rolled her eyes, then put down her paintbrush. “No matter what I do, the cops are always eager to see me locked up. I’ve barely been back here, and already they’re looking for any excuse to slap those cuffs on me. Speaking out about the environment and refusing to stay quiet about the lake hasn’t exactly made me popular with them.”

“With Colton gone, you’d think you could relax a little now, couldn’t you?” Bobbie met her eyes.

“Are you kidding?” Robyn crossed her arms and sighed. “It never ends! These corporations know exactly how to keep their toxic behavior going, even when one of their own is being investigated. I know that soon enough Doug will be taking over Colton’s role. I also know that he’ll be doing all the same things that Colton did, only better. They only ever learn how to be more conniving. If they’d put some of that determination to good use, they could probably eliminate global warming altogether. But, of course, they just make new ways to create more waste.”

“Well, it sure sounds like you have a lot of animosity toward Colton.” Bobbie raised her eyebrows.

“I do.” Robyn snatched up the paintbrush. “But I’m telling the truth. I had nothing to do with his murder. Besides, there’s one person that hated him even more than me. His name’s Anton, and he used to work for Colton, until the recklessness of ChemTree permanently injured him. If you want to hound anyone for being involved in Colton’s murder, it should be him. Now, if you don’t mind, I have to get back to work.” She turned back to the painting.

Rachael and Bobbie exchanged a quick look, then began walking back to the parking lot. Once out of earshot, Rachael leaned toward Bobbie. “Do you believe her?”

“I’m not sure. I believe she wanted him dead, but I’m not sure she’s the one who did it. I did some research on Anton when I was writing about ChemTree. He worked at the company since it opened, and yet once he was injured, he’d been tossed aside without much thought.”

“No wonder he’s angry.”

“I was going to interview him for an article, but he was in the hospital for an operation and only got released a few days ago, so I haven’t had the chance.” Bobbie glanced over at her. “I want to try to speak to him.”

“Okay, let me see if I can find his address.” Rachael pulled out her phone.

“Do you know Anton?” Bobbie asked.

“Not really. I’ve seen him around town, but I’ve never really met him properly.”

By the time they’d reached the parking lot, Rachael had directions to Anton’s apartment loaded.

“Is it far?” Bobbie peered at the phone.

“No, just about ten minutes.”

As Bobbie went to turn on the truck, her cell phone started ringing. She cringed when she saw it was Abigail.

“It’s my boss. I have to take this.” Bobbie glanced over at Rachael as she answered the phone.

Without a proper greeting, Abigail immediately demanded she come into work. Bobbie wanted to argue with her, but she left no room for discussion before she ended the call.

“She wants to see me at the newspaper office.” Bobbie started the engine.

“Okay, let’s go there first, then we’ll head to Anton’s.” Rachael buckled her seat belt.

Bobbie backed out of the parking space and headed toward the plaza.

Rachael shifted in her seat and looked straight at Bobbie. “So, what’s going on with you and Matt?”

“Me and Matt?” Bobbie frowned. “What do you mean?”

“You know what I mean. You’re working together. Things are probably heating up.”

“Absolutely not.” Despite her resistance to it, Bobbie’s cheeks flushed. “We’re just friends. Actually, I’m not sure I would even call us that.”

“See, that’s how I know things are heating up.” Rachael grinned. “You’re a friendly person, Bobbie. You have no reason not to be friends with him, unless you want to be something more than that.”

“Stop!” Bobbie groaned. “I just moved here. I just started a new life. The last thing I need is a relationship causing me complications.”

“I get that. I guess.” Rachael sank back in her seat. “Maybe I’m just projecting on you. I have to say, I miss being with someone. I was with my ex for so long, and I thought we would be together forever. Now, I just don’t know what to think.”

“Maybe you’re the one who should be spending more time with Matt.” Bobbie grinned.

“Ick, no way.” Rachael shook her head. “Not after the way he treated my mother. I can never forget that.”

Shortly after they’d first met, Rachael had explained to Bobbie how Matt had written a series of scathing articles about the police department, including Kate, when an innocent man had been arrested for robbery and murder, even though it was really the chief who had arrested him.

“That makes sense, and I’m sorry if it was insensitive of me to suggest him. I forgot about his history with your mother.”

“No worries.” Rachael shrugged.

“I won’t be long.” Bobbie parked out the front of the office.

When Bobbie walked inside, she found Matt’s desk empty. She looked over at Abigail as she walked out of her office.

“Bobbie.” Abigail waved her over. “Have a seat.” She gestured to the chair in front of her desk. “It must have been shocking to see the explosion.”

“It was.” Bobbie walked in and sat down.

“Do you have an article about it for me?”

“No, not yet. It just happened, and I want to do some proper research.”

“There’s no time to waste. I want to know every detail about the explosion.” Abigail grabbed a pad of paper and flipped it open in front of her.

“What?” Bobbie blinked as she watched Abigail pick up a pen and begin scribbling across the paper.

“You were there, right when it happened. That means our newspaper has the exclusive on news that will go statewide, maybe even nationwide, considering how wealthy Colton was and his involvement in environmental crimes.” Abigail tapped her pen against the paper. “So, out with it, every single thing you can remember.”

“Oh. I’ve already told the police everything I know.”

“Right, and that’s good. You should cooperate with them. But I’m not the police. I’m your boss, and I need the details. There’s no time to delay. I want to get something out there.” Abigail slid the pad across the table to her. “You can write it all down yourself if that would be easier. We need something great, quickly, so I’ll use your notes and write the article myself.”

“Abigail, I think you’re missing the point here.” Bobbie tried not to be offended by the fact that Abigail seemed to suggest that Bobbie wouldn’t write a great article. “I don’t think our focus should be on getting the exclusive story right now. We should be more focused on the whole story and finding the murderer.”

“We can do both. I know you haven’t been a journalist for long, Bobbie, but this is part of it, a big part of it. You have to strike while the iron’s hot. You have to be able to ask the uncomfortable questions.” Abigail squinted at her as Bobbie began jotting down details of the explosion. When she’d finished, she set her pen down and slid the pad of paper back to Abigail.

“I need to go to speak to Kate.”

“Yes, tell the police anything you need to. But remember, releasing unbiased facts to the general public is just as important as going through the justice system. Our job isn’t about sensationalism. It’s about the truth.” Abigail tapped her finger against the desk.

“I hope that’s the case.” Bobbie stood up and walked toward the door.

“With me at the helm, it is.” Abigail pointed at herself. “You’ll see, Bobbie.”

Bobbie left the office. She wanted to believe Abigail, but the gleam in her eyes made her wonder if profit mattered to her more than truth.

CHAPTER 7

Bobbie followed Rachael’s directions to Anton’s place.

“So, tell me about your new boss.” Rachael glanced over at her.

“I’m not sure how to take her, yet. She’s abrupt, and harsh, and I think she’s just in it for the story.”

“She may surprise you in a good way.” Rachael pointed to a small apartment complex ahead of them. “That’s the place. Turn in here and head to the first block.”

Bobbie followed Rachael’s instructions until she parked in front of the entrance of a two-story building. She stepped out of the truck and eyed the apartment door. “You can wait here if you want. I’m not sure what to expect from this guy.”

“Absolutely not. I’m going in with you.” Rachael jumped out of the truck to join her. “It seems pretty convenient that Robyn pointed us toward him. She was quick to give us a name, which makes me think she might just be trying to direct suspicion away from herself.”

“That’s true. She’s not wrong, though, Anton’s made his feelings about the company very clear. He’s taken legal action against them.” Bobbie led the way to the apartment door and knocked on it. “Let’s see what he has to say.” She braced herself as the door swung open.

“What is it?” A man in this thirties leaned heavily on a cane as he peered out at them from behind thick, square glasses.

“Anton. This is Rachael and I’m Bobbie.” She offered a small smile.

“Okay.” Anton gave her a wary look. “And?”

“I’m a local reporter with Newfield News, and I was hoping to hear a little about your experience with ChemTree.” Bobbie kept her tone gentle. “Colton, the owner, was killed today.”

“Yes, I know. I already told the police that I didn’t do it.” Anton’s jaw tensed.

“We just want to know the truth about what happened to you when you worked at ChemTree.” Bobbie leaned against the doorframe. “We know you filed some lawsuits?”

“Yes, I filed lawsuits.” Anton tapped the floor with his cane to emphasize his words. “I had every right to. Colton ruined my life with his lies, and he should have had to pay for that.”

“I’m sure you must have been furious with him. He did deserve to pay for what he did.” Bobbie tried to come across as Anton’s ally.

“He did.” Anton tightened the grip on his cane. “But like I already said, I didn’t do it.”

“Okay, but we do want to find out who did. And in order to do that, we want to find out more about what was going on in Colton’s life. So, can you tell us the whole story about what happened to you? Can you start at the beginning, please?” Rachael swept her gaze over the leg brace that covered most of his right leg. “What happened? How did you get hurt?”

Anton shifted from the wall to a nearby chair, then stretched out his injured leg in front of him. “I was a truck driver for Colton. I did whatever he told me to do, but most of the time I was getting rid of whatever he needed to get rid of. I was good at it. I didn’t mind the work, and I never asked too many questions.”

“I’m guessing he paid you well for being so discreet about things?” Bobbie raised her eyebrows.

“You could say that, yes. One night he told me he had a special job for me to do. It had to be completely off the books, and I couldn’t tell anybody what I was doing. He didn’t tell me what I was dumping. If he had, I would have worn the proper safety gear.”

“You mean, if you’d known what you were dumping you would have refused to do it, right? You never would have knowingly dumped anything in that water, right?” Rachael asked.

“I’m not going to say anything about that. I’m in enough trouble as it is. My point is that it’s because of him that I ended up like this. The fumes from the barrels knocked me out, and I ended up underneath one of them. I was there for a while, passed out, and by the time I came to, I couldn’t feel my leg. The damage had been done. So, I crawled back to the truck and tried to call on my radio for help.”

“Let me guess,” Bobbie spoke up. “The company refused to send an ambulance because they didn’t want anyone to know you’d been out there by the lake.”

“Exactly. Colton told me he would give me a bonus, if I would go home, and then go into the hospital, to remove liability from him and his company. The doctor says it’ll never be the same.” Anton glanced down at the brace on his leg, then looked up at them. “I can work, but no one will hire me because they think I can’t. So, I can’t get help from the state, and I can’t get a job. I’m just drowning. Meanwhile, Mr. Fat Cat was living it up in that mansion of his, and using his lawyers to keep my injury claim from being paid out by his company. If he’d been honest about it, they would pay the money out to me right away. But he kept claiming that I didn’t work with any chemicals at the plant.”

“It sounds like he was definitely trying to get out of compensating you for your injuries.” Bobbie searched his eyes. “I can understand why you were so frustrated with him. And angry, too.”

“No, don’t even try that.” Anton waved his hand dismissively as he offered a wry smile. “You can tell me I was angry and I was frustrated, that’s true. But what I’m not, is stupid. I knew he owed me money, and I knew it would only be a matter of time before he was forced to pay it. Him being dead is only going to make things more complicated for me. I knew if I hounded him long enough, he was going to pay. So, every day since I got out of the hospital, I went into his office, just to sit and wait, and make sure he knew I wasn’t going anywhere. Now, yesterday, when I went to his office and sat there, I wasn’t the only one. There was a woman there. Maybe twenty, twenty-two. She was sitting and waiting for a chance to speak to him, too. But when the security guard told her that he wouldn’t see her, she threw an all-out tantrum. She claimed that Colton was her father and she had every right to see him. She insisted she wouldn’t leave until he spoke to her.”

“And did she talk to him?” Rachael toyed with the necklace that hung around her neck. The key-shaped charm caught a bit of sunlight and reflected it in his direction.

“Yes, but I don’t know exactly what they said. When he came out of his office, she launched herself at him. I was so shocked, I stepped back and watched the whole thing happen. Before she could reach him, the security guard caught her and held her back. Colton and the girl exchanged a few words, and then good old Colton walked right over to the elevator, ignoring her pleas for him to wait. I was too stunned to even say my piece as the elevator doors closed. I mean, if his own long-lost daughter isn’t enough to get his attention, I have no idea what could.”

“An explosion.” Bobbie looked into his eyes. “I bet you were pretty sure that would get his attention. Maybe you didn’t expect it to actually kill him. Maybe you didn’t know how strong it would be. Whatever the reason, you certainly would have gotten his attention.”

“No, no, no.” Anton shook his head. “I never did anything like that. I didn’t want that kind of attention from him. I wanted his money. With him dead, what are the chances I’m ever going to see any of that? I thought if I just had a chance to talk to him, he would be reasonable, especially once he saw my injury. But I never had that chance. The truth is I had nothing to gain from murdering him.”

“Nothing but revenge.” Rachael eyed him. “That’s a pretty common motive actually.”

“It might be common, but it wouldn’t have done any good in my case. The only thing I wanted from him was what he owed me, my chance at stability after he ruined my life with this injury.” Anton pointed at his injured leg. “I need his company to pay my medical bills. Now, that he’s dead, I’m not sure that it ever will. I’m not sure if it will even still exist. So, no, it didn’t benefit me. Even if I was so angry that I decided to take his life, why would I kill him using a bomb? Trust me, I don’t know anything about bombs. I would never kill him that way. I would kill him another way.”

“I’m not sure that’s the best defense.” Bobbie stepped back from the door. “But if it’s all you have, I’ll make note of it.”

“Make note of it all you want. It’s not going to change the truth. If you want to find his killer, I’d check into that girl, Heidi. That’s her name.” Anton closed the door behind them.

CHAPTER 8

“Heidi?” Bobbie looked over at Rachael as they turned away from Anton’s apartment. “Do you know about any of this?”

“I did hear from my friend who works at the local motel that he has a guest there claiming to be Colton’s daughter. I didn’t really take it seriously. Men as wealthy as that are always facing paternity suits, but they’re rarely genuine.” Rachael led the way back to the truck. “But if she was hounding him, then she might have really believed it, and maybe it’s true. Let’s head to the motel. If she’s still there, we might be able to catch her.”

“Great, let’s do that.” Bobbie slid behind the wheel and started the engine. “If she really was his daughter and he rejected her the way that Anton claims, that might have made her angry enough to kill.”

“You’re right. But I’m not ready to let Anton off the hook. He says he won’t get any money out of the company now that Colton’s dead. But it actually might turn out to be easier for him now. Of course, he won’t tell us that because it makes him look guilty.” Rachael pointed out a turn to take. “It’s not far, just a few minutes.” She shivered as a cloud rolled across the sun, chilling the winter air even further.

“Sorry, the heat in this junker is iffy.” Bobbie smacked the controls hard, and a bit of hot air spurted out through the vents. “You’re right. He’s staying on the list.”

“You should definitely get that fixed. Winters in Vermont are no joke.”

“I know, but I need to get paid first.” Bobbie recalled her bank account balance.

“Kyle can look at it for you. He’s good with cars.”

“Really?” Bobbie took another turn that Rachael indicated.

“Yes, he’s always fixing my car for me. There it is, right up there.” Rachael pointed to the entrance of a small motel.

Bobbie parked and looked over the building. “Are you sure this is where she’s staying?”

“Yes.” Rachael stepped out of the pickup truck and surveyed it. “Nothing too fancy, I guess.”

“The daughter of a man as rich as Colton should be able to stay anywhere she wants.” Bobbie settled her hands on her hips. “So, what is she doing shacked up in this dingy place?”

“She might have been his daughter, but as far as we know, he never acknowledged that. She came here to change that. I guess she doesn’t have access to his funds, yet.”

“She may never, even with him dead.” Bobbie walked toward the door. “She’d have to prove she’s his child to inherit anything, and even then, if he had a will, she still might not get anything.”

“I hope that she’ll talk to us.” Rachael opened the door to the motel reception and stepped inside.

Bobbie followed after her.

“Chip, can you tell me what room Heidi’s in, please?” Rachael leaned against a small desk just inside the door and smiled at the young man who sat behind it.

“Sure, twelve.” Chip looked between them.

“Thank you.” Rachael gestured for Bobbie to follow her outside and down a walkway, then tipped her head toward a door. “That’s twelve.”

Bobbie nodded, then knocked on the door.

Almost immediately, the door swung open, and a woman barely out of her teens stared out at them.

“What?” She dabbed at her eyes with a tissue she clutched in one hand. “Can’t you see this isn’t a good time? Whatever you’re selling, I don’t want to buy it.”

“That’s not why we’re here. I’m Bobbie, and this is Rachael.” Bobbie shifted closer to Heidi. “I’m so sorry for your loss, Heidi. I know you probably hoped for a reunion, and now you won’t be able to have that.”

“You know?” Heidi crossed her arms. “You don’t know anything at all. You have no idea what it’s like to never know your father, and then find out he’s dead.”

“Not exactly that, no. But my parents died when I was very young, so I never really knew my father.” Bobbie looked into her eyes. “I know it’s not the same, but I do understand a little.”

“Yes, I guess you do.” Heidi opened her door wider and gestured for them to come inside. “Don’t mind the mess. I wasn’t planning on staying, and I never really unpacked. Living out of a suitcase can get chaotic.”

“No problem.” Bobbie dodged a pile of clothes on the floor. “How long have you been in town?”

“About a week. I didn’t have the nerve to go speak to him right away.” Heidi sighed as she sank down on the edge of the bed. “I wasn’t even sure he’s my father, to be honest. My mom’s told me so many different stories about who my father might be. She’s never been a very reliable person, and she’s been in and out of my life. But when she told me it was Colton, I had to find out for sure.”

“Because he’s so wealthy?” Rachael nodded knowingly.

“I know I should say no, and claim I wanted a relationship with him. But the truth is, I just wanted a payoff. I’ve had a hard life, okay? My dad, whoever he is, wasn’t part of my life, and my mom practically deserted me. I was tossed from aunt to uncle to grandparent, raised by whoever would take me in at the time. I just thought maybe for once, I’d get something that worked out in my favor. I presumed that Colton wouldn’t want to actually be a father to me, and I definitely don’t want a father anyway. So, I came here to make him an offer. If he paid me a certain amount, I would disappear and I wouldn’t want more from him.” Heidi shrugged. “I thought it would be an easy payday. But he refused to see me. And when I finally tried to force him to see me, he had me taken away by security and banned from the building.”

“Did you get the chance to tell him you thought you were his daughter?” Bobbie asked.

“Yes, I did tell him. But he just laughed in my face. He said that even if I was his child, he would never claim me, and then he left and had me thrown out of there.” Heidi’s upper lip twitched up into a curl. “I guess he had a cruel streak.”

“It sounds like it. That must have made you very angry.” Bobbie tried to sound sympathetic. “Angry enough to make sure he couldn’t hurt you again?”

“What sense would that make?” Heidi laughed. “No, it wasn’t me, but there was something else going on. I’d been following him, and I noticed I wasn’t the only one following him. I thought maybe if I figured out who the guy was and told Colton about him, he’d be more likely to listen to my story. So, I followed the man who was following him.”

“You did? Do you know who he is?” Bobbie asked.

“His name’s Matt. He’s a local reporter.” Heidi focused on Bobbie. “I’m sure you know him. You’re a reporter, too, aren’t you? According to all the research I’ve done, you’re the one who destroyed Colton’s life.”

“I helped expose the fact that he was polluting the lake.” Bobbie shrugged. “So, yes.”

“Well, then, you should know the man who was following him. If you want to know more, you should ask him.” Heidi crossed her arms.

Bobbie considered the possibility that she was telling the truth. Why would she lie? But why would Matt not tell Bobbie about following Colton around?

Although Matt had initially been investigating the pollution, Bobbie had taken it over because he’d been focused on a cover-up and the murders that had resulted in the small town.

“Okay, I’ll do that.” Bobbie nodded. “I’m sorry for your loss.”

“Don’t be. He may be dead, but that doesn’t stop a DNA test. I still might be able to get what could rightfully be mine.” Heidi closed the door behind them.

Rachael and Bobbie turned away from the door and walked toward the truck.

“Sorry, that didn’t get us very far.” Rachael glanced over at Bobbie as she climbed into the passenger seat. “Do you really think she saw Matt following Colton around?”

“I don’t know why she would say it if she didn’t.” Bobbie felt a rush of confusion as she started the engine. “What I don’t understand is why wouldn’t he tell me that he was following Colton? It doesn’t make any sense. Why would he hide it from me? I thought we were getting to be friends.”

“Matt can be friendly to get what he wants. I’ve seen him do everything from flirt to finger paint to get a good story.” Rachael sighed. “He probably just wanted to make sure you didn’t find out what he’s up to.”

Had Matt really been faking their developing friendship, and the chemistry that seemed to be building between them? This wasn’t the first time he’d kept something from her. He’d claimed he didn’t know anything about her parents and her past, but it turned out he did.

“I guess there’s only one way to find out. I’ll ask him.” Bobbie reached for her phone.

“Okay, and I was also thinking we should talk to an obvious suspect we haven’t even mentioned before.”

“Who? I thought we’ve covered everyone.”

“See, this is where police experience comes in handy.” Rachael grinned. “Think about it. Who would have the easiest access to Colton and his home? Who at the very least would be able to tell us about who’s been coming and going from Colton’s house?”

“His neighbor.” Bobbie’s eyes widened. “Isn’t it the mayor?”

“Yes. Philomena. I think we should go talk to her.”

“Let’s do it. But just give me a second. I want to quickly text Matt to ask why he was following Colton.” Bobbie typed out a brief message and pressed send.

Her phone buzzed almost immediately with his reply.

This is something we should discuss in person. I have to go out to interview someone now, but come by in the morning.

At least he hadn’t just brushed her off.

Bobbie read the message to Rachael.

“You know, Bobbie, it’s getting late and I’m starving.” Rachael looked over at her. “Why don’t we grab something to eat from Scotty’s and talk to Philomena first thing in the morning.”

Bobbie wanted to object, she wanted this solved as quickly as possible, but Rachael was right, it was getting late, and the idea of some food from the local bar where Rachael worked as a bartender sounded great.

“Perfect.” Bobbie smiled as her stomach rumbled at the thought.

CHAPTER 9

After enjoying a delicious cheeseburger and fries with Rachael, Bobbie had gone to bed, but her mind had been racing with everything that had happened over the last couple of days. She’d finally managed to drift off to sleep in the early hours of the morning, and when she woke up, she was running late.

She got her phone to call Rachael and saw a slew of missed calls and texts. She’d put her phone on silent during dinner to relax, and had forgotten to check afterward. She’d have to deal with them later. She called Rachael to apologize and say she wouldn’t be long. Then she took Bailey for a quick walk and fed him.

Bobbie picked up Rachael, and they headed toward Colton’s house. Bobbie planned to go see Matt after, and she hoped that he’d have a good explanation for following Colton.

Bobbie stopped in front of the house beside Colton’s. Unlike Colton’s, it didn’t have a gate or any other visible signs of security. However, there was a wide assortment of Christmas décor, from a glowing sleigh to an entire nativity scene that appeared to have the potential to glow in the dark. In the middle of it all, a small Christmas tree spun slowly while spouting out Christmas carols.

“How are we going to do this?” Bobbie looked over at Rachael. “It’s not like we can just walk up to the mayor and question her.”

“Actually, with Philomena, we can. She’s very approachable. That’s why she’s so well-liked around here. She even has a sign on her door that says she’ll spend five minutes talking with anyone who knocks. We can take advantage of that, today.” Rachael smiled as she led the way up to the front door of Philomena’s house.

Bobbie hung back a few steps and observed the size of the house. Yes, Philomena might be in the most important position in the town, but it was a small town, and the house seemed a bit outlandish for the salary she imagined Philomena making.

Before they could reach the door, it opened. A short woman stepped out carrying an ax that looked to be at least as tall as she was.

“Well, hello there.” Philomena pointed the ax down at the ground, then leaned against the handle. “Rachael, it’s good to see you.” She looked from Rachel to Bobbie. “I haven’t met you properly, but I’ve seen you around town a couple of times.”

“I’m pretty new in town.” Bobbie glanced at the ax. “I’m Bobbie.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you. My name’s Philomena, and I’m the mayor around here.” Philomena’s smile widened. “It’s still so much fun to say that, even after almost ten long years.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you as well.” Bobbie did her best to read the woman’s demeanor beyond the bubbly personality she presented. “I’m sure it’s been a troubling couple of days.”

“Ah, yes, of course it has.” Philomena cringed. “It was very strange when I heard the explosion.”

“Oh, you were home?” Bobbie asked.

“Yes. I’ve taken a couple of personal days. I just needed to sort through some things. So, I was actually just relaxing on my couch when it happened. I called the police. It was shocking.” Philomena stared at Bobbie. “But you were there, weren’t you? I was given some details about what happened, and your name came up.”

“Yes, I was there.” Bobbie hoped to avoid admitting that she’d climbed the fence to be there. “Had you noticed anything strange happening on, or around, Colton’s property over the last few days?”

“No, I do my best to keep my distance from him, though. After what he’s done to this town, it’s hard to even look at him.” Philomena pursed her lips, then sighed. “I suppose we don’t have to worry about that anymore.” She leaned the ax against the side of the house. “I know it’s not pleasant to look at it that way, but really, whoever did this, did the whole town a favor. We don’t have to endure a trial, or watch him trying to get away with what he’s done. Now, we can just focus on getting the lake cleaned up and getting life back to normal around here. I’m already developing a cleanup plan.”

“While I think it’s great that we’re going to clean up the lake, I think it’s just as important to find Colton’s killer.” Bobbie leveled her gaze on Philomena. “Even if you weren’t a fan of his, he didn’t deserve to die, and there’s a murderer on the loose.”

“Bobbie makes a valid point.” Rachael crossed her arms. “I wouldn’t be so quick to celebrate.”

“I didn’t say I was celebrating.” Philomena threw her hands up into the air. “I’m just pointing out that it’s not a great loss for our town.”

“Maybe not, but his murderer needs to be caught.” Bobbie looked into her eyes. “So, if you know something, if you even suspect something, you should tell us about it.”

“Why would I tell you instead of Kate?” Philomena gave a short laugh. “I’ve already spoken with the police.”

“With us, you won’t have to go on record.” Bobbie gestured to Rachael. “Maybe we can help get to the bottom of it. So, please tell us anything you might know or suspect about what happened to your neighbor.”

“I did mention it to Kate but it’s probably nothing.” Philomena lowered her voice. “I wouldn’t have wanted to cause him any unnecessary trouble, but now that he’s dead, I figured it doesn’t matter.”

“What is it?” Bobbie held her gaze.

“I’d seen some unsavory fellows going in and out of that house. I’m pretty sure at least one of them belongs to a gang. I have no doubt that Colton was involved in something he shouldn’t have been.” Philomena glanced around, then looked back at them both. “It’s probably nothing, but there was a car outside the gate really early yesterday morning. It was black with a sleek style, and it had a lime-green license plate frame.”

“And the plate?” Bobbie asked hopefully. “What was the plate number?”

“I don’t know. I didn’t take any notice of it. That’s all I can tell you.” Philomena picked up her ax. “Now, I’d better get to chopping up that firewood. It’s not going to chop itself, and there’s a storm brewing.” She looked up at the darkened clouds. “The weather report says it will just be a few inches, but my joints tell me otherwise.”

“Don’t you have anyone to help you with that?” Bobbie pointed at the ax.

“Oh, darling, I might not be young anymore, but I’m still plenty capable of wielding an ax,” Philomena huffed as she leaned the ax against her shoulder. “My stepson said he’d be by to do it, but he’s always too busy with his life to actually fulfill a promise. He was supposed to help me put the lights on the roof, and that never happened. I managed to get my reindeer up, but I’m still working on getting the lights connected. Everything’s so complicated these days. But I need to get the wood chopped before the storm comes.” She glanced up at the sky again. “You two be careful. These roads get slick real fast.”

“We will be.” Rachael waved to her, then turned back toward the truck.

CHAPTER 10

“She’s quite an intimidating woman.” Bobbie hopped inside her truck and looked through the windshield at Philomena’s house. “I wouldn’t put it past her to solve whatever problem she had with her neighbor.”

“It’s a definite possibility. I really should stop by and let my mother know what we’ve come across so far, just in case we know something she doesn’t. I didn’t get a chance to speak to her last night. She’ll probably update me on anything she’s found, too.” Rachael settled into the passenger seat. “At least what she can update me on.”

“Okay, I’ll drop you off there, then I’m going to speak to Matt.” Bobbie pulled out onto the road and drove in the direction of the police station. “I want to know exactly why he was following Colton.”

“Hopefully, he’ll tell you the truth.” Rachael glanced over at her.

“I hope so.” Bobbie continued to the station. When she parked out front Rachael looked over at her.

“What if Matt won’t even talk to you about it?” Rachael stepped down out of the truck.

“He’ll talk to me. You update your mother. I’ll see what Matt has to say.” Bobbie watched as she closed the door and peered at her through the open window. “If he’s been keeping something from me, I need to know why.”

“Just don’t push too hard, Bobbie. You might not know him as well as you think.” Rachael eyed her cautiously.

“I’ll be careful, I promise.” Bobbie gave her a reassuring nod before pulling away from the curb and heading toward the newspaper office.

After parking, Bobbie opened the office door and found Matt seated at his desk. As she walked up to him, he flipped a folder closed and pinned it down with his fingertips.

“Bobbie.” Matt smiled.

“I want to know why you were following Colton,” Bobbie blurted out.

“I see.” Matt slid the folder across his desk and down into an open drawer beside him.

“You see? Well, that’s good that one of us does, because I certainly don’t. So, why were you following him?”

“Look. I can’t tell you. I have to protect my sources. You should keep in mind that being a journalist is different from just being a writer. Being a journalist means that you’re dealing with people’s lives, not just creating stories.”

“So, instead of explaining to me why you were following him, you’re going to lecture me about what a more experienced journalist you are?” Bobbie settled her hands on her hips. “Why were you following him around? I’m not the only one who’s going to ask. The police will find out soon enough, and then Kate will want the answers.”

“Kate,” Matt muttered the name, then sighed as he sank back in his chair. “Look, as I understand it, Colton got himself and ChemTree involved in something even deeper than we previously thought. He got involved in some criminal business dealings with someone. And what he was involved in is dangerous not just to him, but to anyone who knows about it. Which is exactly why I’m not going to tell you the details. I don’t want to put you in danger by telling you more about it. I want you to stay out of it.”

“That’s up to me.”

“No, in this case it’s not.” Matt’s voice lowered but grew stern. “You’re not going to get another word from me about this. But you’re going to get a warning. If you do decide to go sniffing around to try to find out yourself, you’re going to face the possibility of ending up the same way Colton did. I would like to prevent that from happening. So, can you just trust me and back off?”

“You think that this person Colton was doing illegal dealings with is responsible for his death?” Bobbie took a step closer to his desk. “And this person is capable of murder? And you’re clearly afraid of them?”

“Bobbie, I’m serious. You need to be careful.” Matt gazed up at her. “Didn’t what you witnessed yesterday leave you at least a bit concerned for your well-being if you dig too deeply?”

“No. What I witnessed left me wanting to find out who did this to Colton. And I’d hoped that by coming to you, someone I consider to be a friend, and someone who, like me, wants to get to the truth, we would figure all of this out together.” Bobbie took a step back from the desk. “But maybe I was wrong about that.” She turned away from him. “Either way, I’m going to uncover what really happened.” As she walked toward the door, she could feel his eyes on her back.

Bobbie thought she’d had an agreement with Matt. ChemTree and the pollution had been her story, and now that he’d finished his project she wondered if he’d wanted to take over, not just the rest of the pollution coverage, but the story of Colton’s murder. The thought unsettled her. She realized she needed to stay cautious around Matt, focus on finding the truth, and protect her own well-being in the process.

CHAPTER 11

Distracted by her conversation with Matt, Bobbie swung the truck into the parking lot of the police station. She skidded to a stop a few feet from where Rachael stood on the sidewalk in front of the building.

“I take it things didn’t go well with Matt?” Rachael walked up to the driver’s side window as Bobbie rolled it down.

“He wasn’t as talkative as I’d hoped. He was fixated on the idea that I’d be putting myself in danger if I knew who he was investigating. He wanted me to leave the whole story about Colton’s murder alone.”

“He’s right, you know. What happened to Colton was shocking.”

“It was, and that’s why I’m determined to find out who did it. Don’t you think I should do what I can to try and find out the truth?” Bobbie asked.

“Not if it means hurling yourself into the middle of danger.” Rachael continued to study her closely. “What exactly did Matt tell you about the person he suspects?”

“Just that Colton was involved in criminal dealings with this person, and Matt thinks he’s very dangerous, that he’s responsible for the explosion, and he’ll come after me next, if I get myself involved. But what he doesn’t understand is that I’m already involved. I think whoever delivered that package to Colton must have done so shortly before I arrived. Which means they might have seen me there. Even if the package was delivered by a mailman or another delivery person, not the killer, it’s possible the killer still hung around somewhere nearby to see their handiwork in action. If they did, they might suspect that I know something, which puts me right in the crossfire, don’t you think?”

“Actually, yes.” Rachael chewed on her bottom lip, then nodded. “It’s decided. You’ll come stay with me tonight. You can have my bed. I’ll sleep on the couch.”

“Thank you, but I’ll be fine. I have Bailey. At least for now. I’m still working to get the adoption approved. Who knew being a single writer with barely two pennies to rub together might disqualify me as a dog parent.” Bobbie gave a short laugh.

“I think we’ve already established that Bailey isn’t a watchdog.” Rachael reached up and tugged at one of her buns until it came loose, then she did the same with the others. “We need to be serious about this, Bobbie. Maybe Matt’s right, and there could be a very real threat to your life.”

“Please, don’t take his side.” Bobbie gripped the steering wheel. “I know you mean well, Rachael, I promise I do, but right now, what I need more than anything is for you to be angry at him with me.”

“Sure, no problem.” Rachael smacked her hand against the door. “Let that man try to tell you what to do in front of me, and I’ll make sure he never sets foot in the same town as you again.”

“Okay, a bit extreme, but I’ll take it.” Bobbie grinned at her. “You know, Rachael, you’re the best thing about me moving here.”

“I think that’s a compliment.” Rachael leaned against the door and gazed at her. “I’m here for you, Bobbie, while we get this all figured out, and after that, too. Just try to remember, the locals aren’t against you. You have people who care about you. You’re not alone.”

Those words sank in deep. Bobbie wanted to believe them.

“I appreciate that. I do.” Bobbie took a deep breath. “So, let’s make sure we get the murderer behind bars.”

“Okay. My mother was busy before, so I didn’t get a chance to speak to her. I’m going to try again. I’ll catch up with you later.” Rachael headed for the police station.

Once Bobbie saw Rachael step inside, she started the engine.

Bobbie wanted to clear her mind, and she decided the best way to do that was to try to let off some steam. Maybe Kyle would be available to give her a class. He’d told her that she could pop in to see if he was free to train her, whenever she wanted.

As she drove to the martial arts studio, she thought about the events of the previous day. She’d insisted on leaving Kyle’s class, eager to get the quotes from Colton and prove to her new boss that she could do a great job. She replayed when Colton had picked up the package. She remembered that little smile on his lips before he stepped in the door. Kate had said it was likely because he was expecting the delivery or recognized where the package had come from. But something about that smile stuck out in Bobbie’s mind. She just couldn’t quite place why. She glanced at her phone as it buzzed with a text from Kate. She decided it could wait and switched the volume off. She was eager to do some training before she dealt with anything else. Hopefully, Kyle would have some free time.

CHAPTER 12

As Bobbie entered the studio, Kyle glanced up from his class and locked eyes with her.

She took a seat to show him that she was in no hurry, and he focused back on his students.

As she waited for the class to come to an end, she surveyed the pictures hung on the walls. Many of them reflected teachers from the past, and others depicted current students, as well as a few of Kyle earning different achievements. She imagined he had to have been studying since he was a child to have become as skilled as he was before he even hit thirty.

Bobbie’s gaze shifted to the Christmas decorations he’d hung around the front desk. Stockings with each of his students’ names were lined up along the front of the desk. Her smile grew as she saw one with her own name on. Somehow, it made her feel like she belonged. She turned back toward the mats as he released the group.

Immediately, Kyle’s eyes sought hers. He exchanged a few words with some of his students who had questions, then headed straight for her.

“What happened?” Kyle looked her over.

“What do you mean?” Bobbie did her best to ignore the fluttering in her stomach. “Nothing happened. I just wanted to see if we could make up for our class that I missed yesterday.”

“That you walked out on.” Kyle nodded. “Go ahead and get on the mats. I just need some water.”

As Bobbie slipped off her shoes and socks, the familiar sense of safety she felt inside the dojo washed over her. It seemed to soften the unease she’d felt ever since the explosion.

After Kyle had some water, he joined her on the mats.

“So?” Kyle stood across from her as she gazed back at him.

“So?”

“You came in here for a spontaneous session. I thought you might want to fill me in a little as to why.” Kyle slid focus mitts on to his hands as he spoke.

“I’d rather just train than talk, please.” Bobbie tugged on her gloves. “I need to clear my head.”

“Sure, let’s get this started.” Kyle pressed the mitts together and gave a quick bow, then held them out for her to touch with her gloved hands.

Instead of touching them, Bobbie began volleying punches at them.

“Touch gloves, touch gloves, Bobbie.” Kyle backed up a step and held back a laugh.

“Oh, sorry.” Bobbie took a deep breath, then touched his mitts with her gloves.

“I know it’s tempting when you’re distracted, even upset about something, to just throw punches. I know it feels good.” Kyle held up one pad. “But it’s a bad habit. When we throw wild punches we’re training our minds and our bodies to react to emotion, not to knowledge. Show me a jab.”

Bobbie threw a jab toward the pad, then a few more, before he lowered the mitts and looked straight into her eyes. “Why didn’t you answer my calls? When I heard about the explosion at Colton’s house, I was worried about you.”

“I’m sorry.” Bobbie realized some of those calls she missed must have come from him. “I must have overlooked them in all the chaos.”

“I’m just glad that you’re okay. When I couldn’t reach you, I spoke to Rachael and she said you were fine. It must have been shocking.”

“It wasn’t what I was expecting, that’s for sure.”

“I don’t doubt that.” Kyle tipped his head toward the array of fitness equipment on one side of the mats. “Why don’t we do some agility and speed work. Let’s work on some footwork drills and some cardio.”

“Cardio,” Bobbie groaned as she followed him.

“I know, it isn’t easy, but it’s worth it. It’s a great way to release some tension.” Kyle turned back to face her, and his eyes met hers.

“Okay, let’s go for it.” After several minutes of footwork practice, Bobbie regretted her words. Her shins and ankles protested the repetitive motions. “Kyle, I can’t anymore.” She leaned her hands on her knees.

“You can.” Kyle smiled as she looked up at him. “It might feel like torture now, but it’s going to pay off later.”

“Okay, maybe.” Bobbie drew a heavy breath. “But it’s been a wild couple of days, and I think maybe I need to lie down for a minute.” She collapsed onto the mats and let out a sigh of relief.

“I don’t have any more classes today. If you want to work some more, we can. If you want to relax there for a bit, go ahead.”

“Thank you.” As much as Bobbie just wanted to lie there and pretend everything was fine, she knew she couldn’t. She wanted to find out who’d killed Colton. She stood up as Kyle walked back over to her.

“Hey, I brought you some water.” Kyle offered it to her.

“Thank you.” Bobbie took it. “I have to go.”

“Go where?”

“I have something I need to look into.”

“Do you want some company?” Kyle followed her toward the door.

“No, thank you.” Bobbie glanced back at him, startled by the offer, as she pushed the door open. “Thank you again. This helped a lot.” She smiled as she walked outside.

Before Bobbie could step off the sidewalk, a police car squealed to a stop in the parking lot.

Bobbie gasped as she jumped back.

CHAPTER 13

“Ineed to speak to you, Bobbie.” Kate stepped out of the car, onto the sidewalk. She glanced into the studio through the glass at Kyle, before turning her attention back to Bobbie. “I have reason to believe that you may be in danger. I want you to stick with one of my officers until we have the person in custody.”

“An officer? What?” Bobbie asked incredulously. “Wait, why do you think I’m in danger? Did you find out something new?”

“Yes. Apparently, Colton was involved in some criminal dealings. We believe money laundering, with Garrison Crispin, and things went bad. He hasn’t been spotted in the area for years, but apparently he’s in town at the moment. Have you heard of him?” Kate looked into her eyes and held her breath.

“No? Should I have?” Bobbie stared back at her.

“Garrison’s the head of a violent crime family, and if he’s involved in Colton’s murder, and he knows you’ve been asking questions, and you were there when Colton was killed, he won’t hesitate to come after you. I’ve heard reports that he’s been asking around town about you. I don’t know if it’s because you wrote the article about Colton and he’s curious, or it’s because you’re digging into the murder and he’s involved in it and wants to make sure you can’t get to the truth. If he had business dealings with Colton, he’d be top on my suspect list as the murderer.” Kate shivered as an icy breeze fluttered past them. “Let’s go inside. It’s freezing out here. I’ll make arrangements for an officer to accompany you.” She pulled the door open and waited for Bobbie to step inside before following her.

“Accompany me? That’s not happening.” Bobbie crossed her arms as she turned to face Kate.

Kyle watched from his desk as Kate’s voice rose with authority. “There’s no room for argument here. You either have an officer accompany you, or I’ll have to detain you until we solve the murder.”

“What?” Bobbie took a large step back as she gasped. “You can’t do that. I haven’t done anything wrong.”

“I’ll do what I have to do to protect you.” Kate’s voice was filled with determination.

Bobbie opened her mouth to protest, but her words vanished as she felt the warmth of Kyle’s hand on her arm.

“What’s going on?” Kyle’s hand remained where he’d placed it.

“Garrison Crispin has been in town and has been asking around about Bobbie. We think because she’s been investigating the murder, so she needs to have an officer with her,” Kate explained.

“What?” Kyle’s voice sharpened. “When did you find out about this?”

“Just before I came here, of course.” Kate tensed her jaw. “Bobbie doesn’t want an officer with her, but she has no choice.”

“I do have a choice,” Bobbie snapped in defiance.

“Let’s take a moment here.” Kyle looked between them. “Kate, this has just taken Bobbie by surprise. Give her a minute to digest what you’re saying.”

“Okay.” Kate looked from Kyle to Bobbie. “I need you to believe that I’m on your side, and I’m only doing what’s best to protect you. I promise, the officer I assign you will be respectful and tolerable. It’s just until we can pick Garrison up and speak to him directly about this.”

“All right, then. That shouldn’t take long. I’ll just keep Bailey with me until then. Or Rachael.” Bobbie shrugged. “I’m just not comfortable with an armed stranger following me around. Can you understand that, Kate?”

“I can.” Kate sighed. “I love my daughter, and she’s very capable, but she’s a civilian officer, not well-trained in combat. And a goldendoodle isn’t going to protect you from Garrison.”

“I’ll do it,” Kyle spoke up. “I’ll stay with her until it’s safe.”

“You?” Bobbie’s heart skipped a beat at the idea of him being by her side for a few hours let alone a few days. Not only would he see all her weird quirks, but he might detect the truth about her growing crush. The thought left her stomach in knots. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

“I agree.” Kate stared at Kyle. “An officer would be a better option.”

“She’s not going to accept a stranger following her around. She just said that. And it’s not like you have that many officers to help you out. It would be better if they’re focused on getting to the truth about Colton’s murder and trying to catch Garrison.” Kyle looked over at Bobbie with a smile. “I think you know me well enough now to let me keep an eye out for you until he’s caught.”

“Oh, this is ridiculous.” Bobbie’s cheeks burned as she averted her gaze. “Maybe the jail cell isn’t such a bad idea.”

“Really?” Kyle raised his eyebrows. “You’d rather sit in a jail cell, than let me look out for you?”

“No, of course not.” Bobbie took a step back away from him. “It’s really kind of you to offer. All of this has just taken me by surprise, and you have classes, and your life. You can’t just stop it to follow me around.”

“Yes, I can.” Kyle looked into her eyes. “And I will. It’s good timing actually. I have the rest of today and tomorrow off, anyway.”

“Okay, fine.” Kate nodded. “It’s decided. Kyle will accompany you. It would be better if it was one of my officers, but I know Kyle will keep you safe.”

“Wait, what do you mean it’s decided? I never said—” Bobbie stumbled over her words.

“It’s decided.” Kate’s stern glare silenced her. “Unless you really do want to be locked up instead. I don’t have any more time to waste on arguing with you when I have a murder to solve.”

Bobbie tried to process everything that was happening. Kyle had just volunteered to stick to her side like glue, and she felt like there was more to Kate’s determination to protect her from Garrison.

“No,” Bobbie mumbled the word, then repeated it with more sternness. “No. I’m not going to have anyone stay with me, not one of your officers, and no one else.” She took a step back from both of them. “Not until you tell me the whole story of what’s happening here.”

“The story is that Garrison is ruthless, and someone needs to help protect you.” Kate shrugged. “If it’s not going to be one of my officers, then it can be Kyle. He’s well-trained and trustworthy. It’s up to you, Bobbie. You can pick.”

Bobbie felt the weight of Kyle’s gaze on her as she pondered her options. She could continue to refuse. But she doubted it would get her anywhere, and she would just be wasting time. If Kate was right, and she was in danger, having someone with her wouldn’t be so bad. She could concentrate on trying to find out who’d killed Colton, instead of worrying about her safety. She glanced over at Kyle and found his eyes warm and eager.

“Okay, then I choose Kyle. But this can’t be for long. Got it?” Bobbie locked her eyes to Kate’s. “You tell me the minute you get Garrison into custody.”

“Yes, I will.” Kate smiled with relief. “I will, I promise. Until then, just stay with Kyle, or have Kyle stay with you.” She looked past her, at Kyle, and hardened her tone. “Don’t you let her out of your sight, understand?”

“Completely.” Kyle nodded.

“I’ll update you as soon as I know anything.” Kate left the studio, ducked back into her police car, and drove off.

CHAPTER 14

Bobbie held her breath as the silence Kate left behind washed over the studio. She glanced toward Kyle who gazed back at her with a puzzled expression. “Why was that choice so hard for you?”

“It wasn’t really. I just don’t want to be attached to anybody.” Bobbie started toward the door. “I have to go.”

“We have to go. Just give me a second to lock up.” Kyle glanced over at her as he walked back toward the desk. “No running. Got it?”

“Got it.” Bobbie considered whether she wanted to bolt. The truth was, even as awkward as it was, she did like the idea of Kyle being her shadow.

“All right, all set.” Kyle followed Bobbie through the door. “Now, where are we going?”

“I need to walk my dog.” Bobbie headed for the truck.

“Do you want to take my car?” Kyle gestured to a small sedan parked near the edge of the building.

“No, thanks, I’m used to my truck, if that’s okay with you?” Bobbie’s cheeks burned. She hoped the awkwardness of the situation would wear off, but she doubted that it would.

“No problem. I’m just your shadow. What you say goes.” Kyle offered her a cheerful smile. “Just think, we’ll have plenty of time to get to know each other out of the studio, now.”

Bobbie’s heart sank at the thought. The last thing she wanted was for him to discover just how boring and strange she was.

As Kyle sat down in the passenger seat and buckled his seat belt, Bobbie felt a rush of anxiety. They’d gone from teacher and student to semi-friends, and now they would be spending hours together, if not days.

“I know this is weird.” Kyle looked away as she struggled until she finally succeeded in getting the truck into the right gear and pulled out of the parking lot. “I’m sorry all of this is happening. It’s not fair to you.”

“Thank you for helping me.” Bobbie turned out of the parking lot and drove in the direction of her cottage. Her mind ran through how she’d left it that morning. Were there dishes in the sink? Were there clothes lying around?

“It’s no problem. It’s not your fault you’re in this situation, and I’m happy to help.”

Bobbie whipped around a corner too fast, making Kyle lurch against his seat belt. He gulped and grabbed on to the door handle to steady himself.

“I’m sorry.” Bobbie blushed as she regained control of the truck. “You’re right. This is weird, and I’m nervous. I promise I don’t normally drive like this.”

“I’m not here to judge your driving, or anything about you.” Kyle sighed as she turned into the driveway of her cottage. “You don’t have to worry about what I think. Just be honest with me, so I can help protect you.”

“I think I might have to start with protecting you, first. Just to warn you, Bailey likes jumping up to say hello.” Bobbie laughed as she slid down out of the truck.

“Sounds lovely.” Kyle stepped out of the truck on the other side.

As Bobbie unlocked the front door, Bailey burst through it and ran straight toward Kyle.

“Wow, okay, you weren’t kidding.” Kyle backed away as the goldendoodle barreled in his direction with a wide, doggy smile and long, eager gallops.

“Bailey, don’t!” Bobbie called out as the dog jumped up on Kyle.

Kyle patted his head and laughed at the same time.

“It’s all right. He’s fine, aren’t you, Bailey?” Kyle ruffled his hands through the dog’s curly fur and guided him down to the ground.

“I’m still trying to train him.” Bobbie locked the door, then clipped the leash she’d grabbed from the table by the front door on to his collar. “I really want to keep him, but you can see what a good job I’m doing.”

“Do you ever give yourself a break?” Kyle continued to pet Bailey. “You’re doing great.”

Bobbie tried to follow his logic as she stood in front of the small cottage she was renting and stared at the misbehaving dog she was desperate to keep. In her twenties she’d expected a lot of things. A career, maybe even a serious partner, a future that she could see coming. None of what she saw around her had been part of the plan. Although, she considered writing her career, it hadn’t exactly taken off.

“I’m not sure what you mean.” Bobbie gave a short laugh. “I don’t think I’ve done very well at all.”

Kyle stood up from Bailey with a faint smile on his lips. “Well, I guess that’s the first thing we need to change. The way you think about yourself.”

Bobbie’s heart raced at his words. She didn’t want to reveal too much about herself to him. It made her feel vulnerable. “I want to take Bailey for a walk.”

“Sounds good.” Kyle grinned as he fell into step beside her.

“You’ve never told me how you got to be so skilled at martial arts. You’re only my age, maybe a little older. How did you become so well-trained?”

Kyle ran a hand through his hair. “Well, we all have our pasts, and we all have our motivations, right?”

“That’s the most evasive answer I’ve ever heard.” Bobbie laughed. “Is there a reason why I’m supposed to tell you things if you don’t tell me?”

Kyle released a heavy burst of air from between his lips and gave a low chuckle. “All right, you’ve got me there. It’s just there are things I’d rather not talk about. I want to focus on what comes next in my life, not what I’ve left behind. Can you understand that?”

Bobbie held tightly to the leash as Bailey tugged on it in an effort to chase down a squirrel. “I suppose I can, but that doesn’t mean I still don’t want an answer.”

“I can tell you that I know what it’s like to come through some very tough circumstances and start your life over again. I think we have a little more in common than you may realize.” Kyle groaned as he saw a car approaching. “Prepare yourself. Rachael’s headed straight for us.”

“Oh, I texted her. She’s going to help me with the next part of my investigation.”

“Your investigation?” Kyle looked over at her with a sharp gaze. “What do you mean by that?”

“What do you mean, what do I mean? I’m a journalist, remember?” Bobbie looked at Rachael who parked on the side of the road and hopped out of her car to join them.

“Bobbie, I hope you’re not going to tempt fate by putting yourself even deeper into danger.” Kyle looked into her eyes.

“Look, I can’t change who I am or what I do. If you try to stop me from investigating, I’ll just find a way to lose you.”

“Is that so?” Kyle rocked back on his heels as he continued to study her.

“Yes, it is so.” Bobbie let Bailey drag her over to Rachael.

CHAPTER 15

“Don’t look now but my cousin is giving you some serious side-eye.” Rachael pet Bailey, who jumped up to give her ample kisses on her cheeks.

“Uh, he’s my shadow.” Bobbie glanced over her shoulder as Kyle remained about ten feet behind them.

“Why?” Rachael gently set Bailey’s front legs on the ground as they started walking.

“Someone called Garrison Crispin is apparently asking around about me. Your mom said he’s dangerous and might be involved in Colton’s murder. So, Kyle’s staying by my side to protect me.” Bobbie gave a short laugh at how absurd it all sounded. “It’s awkward, to say the least.”

“Eh, it could be worse than Kyle.” Rachael glanced back at him as well. “He can be a bit intense, but he has a good heart.”

“Hopefully, that good heart outweighs his need to tell me what to do.” Bobbie pursed her lips at the thought. “I told him, he’s not to stop me from investigating, or I’ll lose him.”

“Oh, you think you could lose him?” Rachael burst out laughing.

“What? It’s not like he’s a superspy. He’s just a martial arts teacher.”

“He didn’t tell you?” Rachael raised her eyebrows. “If he didn’t, then I shouldn’t.”

“What does that mean?” Bobbie caught her arm and pulled her close. “What didn’t he tell me?”

“Let’s just say, I wouldn’t try to lose him, because it’s not going to happen.” Rachael took Bailey’s leash from her. “We’ll just do our best to pretend he’s not here.” She walked faster with Bailey at her side. “So, what’s your plan?”

“The way I see it, the best way to get out of this situation is to either find Garrison so he can be caught, or prove that he wasn’t involved and is no threat to me. I want to try and find him.” Bobbie matched her pace as she pulled out her phone.

“You want to go to him?” Rachael gasped.

“Absolutely not.” Kyle stepped up behind them.

“You’re a shadow, remember?” Bobbie turned to look at him.

“Bobbie, I know you’re smarter than this. You can’t just walk up to Garrison.” Kyle held out his hands. “I like your other idea. Let’s just find out who the murderer is, so we can rule Garrison out, then we won’t have to worry about him being involved at all. Who had the most to gain from Colton’s death? Let’s start there.”

Caught between wanting to tell Kyle to stay out of it, and being grateful for his presence, Bobbie remained silent as they started back toward the house. Once she felt as if she’d put her thoughts together enough to speak, she turned toward them.

“I can’t shake the feeling that Kate is hiding something about why Garrison would be after me. It seems like an overreaction to have someone be my shadow just because he asked about me.” Bobbie looked between Kyle and Rachael. “Do you know anything about that?”

“No.” Rachael shook her head.

“I would tell you if I did.” Kyle looked into Bobbie’s eyes. “Can you just be a little patient and trust that Kate will deal with Garrison.”

“I can’t just sit back and do nothing.” Bobbie patted Bailey’s head and took the leash back from Rachael.

“Of course you can’t. But please be careful.” Rachael hugged her.

“Look, if you want to look into the murder, then at least be clever about it.” Kyle smiled slightly. “Can we agree to maybe do some research on where Garrison might have been in the last day or so, instead of storming right up to him and demanding answers? I think trying to find and confront him is just asking for trouble, but finding out every detail we can about his movements over the past twenty-four to forty-eight hours might give us some insight into whether he was involved. Then, if we need to look at a broader timeframe, we can.”

“All right,” Bobbie agreed. “We can start there. But if I get a lead, I’m going to follow it.”

“And I’ll follow right behind you.” Kyle winked at her.

As the three reached the cottage, Bobbie’s heart lurched. She stared at the deflated tires on her truck. “We have a problem.” She gasped as Kyle rushed ahead of her to look over the vehicle. “I think Garrison has a far different plan.”

“Don’t.” Rachael held Bobbie back before she could walk toward it. “Let Kyle check it out first. It might be more than just the tires.”

Bobbie gripped Bailey’s leash tight in her hand as she watched Kyle inspect the truck.

“It’s okay, it’s clear. They’ve all been slashed, though.” Kyle jogged back over to them. “I don’t think this was Garrison. He wouldn’t do something this juvenile. But I do think someone’s trying to send you a message. Don’t worry, I can get the tires fixed up for you in no time. You and Rachael go inside, relax. I’ll get this all settled.”

“That’s okay. I can get them sorted out.” Bobbie led the way toward the porch.

“It’s no problem,” Kyle assured her. “Really.”

As they all reached the top of the porch steps, a man came into view. He was standing in the corner of the porch.

CHAPTER 16

Bobbie locked eyes with the man before she had a chance to get a full look at him. His sharp blue eyes met her gaze, and held it, until she glanced away.

Bobbie took in the sight of his expensive business suit, curly silver hair, and shiny black shoes. What was he doing there?

“Who are you?” Stunned, Bobbie watched him as he walked toward them.

“I noticed you had some trouble with your truck, and I thought I should check to see if you were okay.” His eyes settled on Bobbie’s again as he extended his hand toward her.

“Don’t.” Kyle stepped in front of Bobbie and brushed the man’s hand away. “Leave her alone.”

“Well, well, well, we have a young hero in our midst.” The man chuckled, though his eyes flashed with warning.

“Kyle!” Bobbie stepped out from behind him, though kept her distance from the other man as well. “What’s going on?”

“It’s remarkable.” The older man continued to stare at her. “You do look just like her.”

A wave of unease washed over Bobbie as she tried to make sense of what he was saying.

“Garrison, you need to leave.” Kyle’s stern tone cut through the tension that had built all around them.

“Let’s go, Bobbie. We can take my car.” Rachael reached for her hand.

“You knew my mother?” Bobbie looked at Garrison as she ignored Rachael. Out of the corner of her eye she could see her pull out her phone and start typing. She presumed she was sending a text to Kate.

“You need to leave this property right this second or I’m calling the police!” Kyle demanded.

“Go on and call her. Call Kate.” Garrison cut a quick glance in his direction, then his gaze returned to Bobbie. “I just wanted a chance to meet you, Roberta.”

Bobbie started to correct him, but decided against it as she wondered if he’d sent the bomb that had killed Colton. She hoped her voice sounded stronger than she felt. “You have no right to be here.” She gestured to her tires. “And I’m sure that’s your doing.”

“Wrong,” Garrison snapped as his demeanor shifted from warm to antagonistic. “I didn’t touch your truck, and I have every right to be anywhere I choose to be.”

Bobbie held her breath as Kyle again moved in front of her. This time, she didn’t protest.

“Don’t speak to her. She has nothing to say to you.” Kyle squared his shoulders.

“Oh?” Garrison raised his thick silver eyebrows, then peered past him at Bobbie. “Do you let people do your talking for you? Your mother certainly never did.”

Bobbie’s mind spun. She wanted to shout at him and tell him to leave her alone, but she also wanted to know every detail he knew about her mother.

“I don’t need anyone to speak for me.” Bobbie stepped out from behind Kyle. “How do you know my mother? Why would you want to see me?”

Before Garrison could answer, Kate’s patrol car skidded to a stop in front of the house. She’d barely thrown it into park when she jumped out of the car and began running toward Garrison. “Stop right there! Put your hands up!”

“Relax, Kate. I’m not going to fight you?” Garrison held his hands out in her direction, wrists up, as his lips curled into a smug smile. “Let’s clear up all of the misinformation that’s being spread about me.”

Kate slowed, then stopped, with her hand on her still holstered gun. “Fantastic. Let’s do that.”

“Wait!” Bobbie took a step toward Garrison.

“Bobbie, what are you doing?” Rachael gasped.

“Everyone calm down.” Garrison remained still as Kate handcuffed him. “You’re overreacting a bit, Kate, don’t you think? As I said before, I didn’t come here to cause any trouble. I just wanted to introduce myself to you, Roberta. Well, I suppose, for a second time.” He smiled as he gazed at Bobbie. “I met you once before, but you were far too young to remember.”

“Why did you want to see me?” Bobbie tried to keep her tone even.

“Don’t talk to him, Bobbie,” Kate demanded.

“Don’t worry. Bobbie, is it?” Garrison smiled. “Roberta suits you much better. We’ll have a chance to talk again, soon.”

“You won’t go anywhere near her.” Kate directed him toward her car. Once he was settled inside, she looked back at Bobbie. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine.” Bobbie tried to steady her heartbeat as her mind spun with what had just happened.

After a quick nod, Kate disappeared into the driver’s seat and took off as quickly as she’d arrived.

“That was wild.” Rachael looked between Kyle and Bobbie.

“It was something.” Bobbie tried to clear her thoughts.

“I’m just glad he’s gone.” Kyle reached down and patted the top of Bailey’s head. “And not even a bark out of you?”

“He’s not much of a watchdog. But he’s a very good companion. Hey, thank you so much for being my shadow.” Bobbie smiled at Kyle as he turned back to face her.

“No problem.” Kyle glanced over at the patrol car as it drove away.

“Luckily, my mom saw my text so she could detain him,” Rachael said.

“It was.” Bobbie nodded, her mind still trying to make sense of what had happened.

“I hope I’m wrong, but I doubt that Garrison will be in handcuffs long. I don’t think Kate has anything to charge him with.” Kyle looked at Bobbie. “He must have really wanted to speak to you to risk being picked up by the police. But he is cocky.”

“He sure seems that way.” Bobbie wandered over to her truck and sighed as she looked the tires over. “Well, he said he didn’t do this, and he wasn’t here to harm me.”

“He said. That doesn’t make it true.” Rachael stepped up beside her.

“Maybe not, but for now, he’s not a problem.” Bobbie looked over at Kyle. “And thank you, but I can take care of these tires myself.”

“How? Do you have a whole new set lying around?” Kyle tilted his head to the side.

“Kyle, you’re my trainer. You don’t have to be my hero, too.” Bobbie laughed. “That sounded more awkward than I intended. I just mean, I can get this figured out myself.”

“You just mean, you’re not used to a friend offering you help?” Rachael stepped up to them and put a hand on each of their shoulders. “Let Kyle do this or he’ll stare at you broodingly for days. It’s really annoying, believe me.”

“That does sound annoying.” Bobbie did her best to hide her blush, as deep down, she didn’t think that would be annoying at all. In fact, she doubted much he did with those gorgeous eyes could be annoying. She pushed the thought out of her mind. “Okay, if you really want to help, I’d appreciate it. Just let me know how much it will cost?”

“Don’t worry about that. I didn’t ask you for a job. I offered to help. And I know someone who owes me a favor, so I’ll get the tires for free.” Kyle ruffled Rachael’s hair and grinned as she swatted at him without actually landing a strike. “And my cousin’s right. I can be very annoying. Give me an hour, and I’ll be back with a fresh set of tires.” He held out his hand to Rachael. “Cough up the keys.”

“I’ll give you a ride.” Rachael grinned.

“Not a chance. I’ve seen your driving.” Kyle wiggled his fingers. “Keys.”

“Fine.” Rachael sighed and dropped the keys into his palm. “But you’d better put gas in it.”

“Does that mean you’re on empty again?” Kyle rolled his eyes.

“I was going to head to the gas station after,” Rachael called out to him.

“I won’t be long.” Kyle waved a hand over his shoulder in their direction.

CHAPTER 17

“Do you two ever get along?” Bobbie looked over at Rachael who surveyed the slashed tires.

“Only if we have to. Can you believe that Garrison tried denying slashing them? We practically caught him red-handed.”

“I don’t know. I think I believe him. Why would a man who’s as apparently powerful as he is, do something so childish?”

“To send you a message, clearly.” Rachael turned to face her. “You may not know much about Garrison, but I do. He’s well known around here. He’s ruthless and will do anything to protect himself and his empire.”

“But Kyle also said that he didn’t think Garrison would do something like that.” Bobbie took a step back as a car pulled into the driveway.

Bailey strained on the end of his leash to get to the man who stepped out of the car.

“Can I help you?” Bobbie reached down and stroked Bailey’s fur in an attempt to soothe him.

“I’m Josh. Josh Cross.” He lingered by his car.

“The mayor’s son?” Rachael looked him over. “I didn’t recognize you.”

“Stepson. It’s been a while since I visited.” Josh met Rachael’s eyes. “But with everything going on, I felt I had no choice.”

“You’re here because of Colton’s murder?” Bobbie tightened her grip on Bailey’s leash.

The dog sat down by her feet and seemed more interested in a good smell on the ground than the stranger in the driveway.

“I just heard from my stepmother about what happened.” Josh’s tone shifted from friendly to stern. “She also told me that you’ve been at the house talking to her. I want that to stop. Understand?”

“We haven’t done anything wrong.” Bobbie watched as he leaned against the side of the car.

“Look, you’re not to speak to her unless her lawyer’s present.” Josh narrowed his eyes. “If you set foot on her property, I’ll make sure you face trespassing charges.”

“Can you tell us a little bit more about the feud between your stepmother and her neighbor?” Bobbie thought she’d try to use the opportunity to get more information from him, although she doubted she would. “What did Colton do that upset her so much?”

“You mean, other than polluting the lake?” Josh tilted his head to the side as he narrowed his eyes. “That’s bad enough, don’t you think?”

“Yes, other than that.” Bobbie continued to study him. “Did she have a personal reason to be angry at him?”

“As I said before, you can refer any questions you might have to her lawyer.” Josh opened the door to his car and sat down in the driver’s seat. He poked his head out through the window and looked straight at both of them. “If I were you, though, I would stay out of this and leave it to the police. It’s really none of your business.” He rolled up his window, and drove off down the road.

“Well, that was strange.” Rachael watched his car turn down the side street. “I’ve only met him a few times. From what I’ve heard he likes to keep his distance from his stepmother, especially since his father died. I’ve never seen him behave like that before.”

“It makes me suspicious of just why he wants to keep us away from Philomena.” Bobbie glanced over at Rachael. “I want to take another look at the crime scene, and see if maybe there’s something that was missed.”

“I’m sure it’s just him being protective of her. She’s his meal ticket after all. When she dies, he’ll inherit everything his father left her. Now, if she gets arrested for murder, I imagine a lot of that inheritance is going to go to lawyers and court fees.” Rachael shrugged. “It’s probably just about the money for him.”

“I guess that does make sense. But maybe it’s because he knows she did this, and he really wants to protect her. And I still want to check out the crime scene again.” Bobbie glanced at her flattened tires, then looked back at Rachael. “I guess we’ll have to walk, though.”

“It’s not too far.” Rachael smiled. “I’m up for it, if you are.”

“Sure, maybe you can tell me a little bit more about Garrison. But let me just get Bailey settled first.” After taking Bailey inside and freshening up his water, Bobbie joined Rachael in the driveway again. “So, why do you think Garrison is so interested in me?”

“I have no idea.” Rachael matched her pace as they walked down the road together. “I guess just because you were a witness to the explosion. And you’re trying to find out who did it.”

“So, you think Garrison did it? He killed Colton?”

“He’s definitely the first person I would suspect. Of course, there are a lot of people that probably wanted Colton dead. But Garrison has a history which shows he could make it happen, and I’d guess he has the connections to get a bomb built. I just think it makes sense.” Rachael let out a heavy breath as she looked down the road ahead of them. “Except...”

“Except?” Bobbie shivered as a cool breeze began to pick up.

“Except, he’s really good at not getting caught. And sending a bomb in a package is pretty messy.”

“That’s what I was thinking. If he wanted to kill Colton, he could have in many different ways, I’m assuming, so why an exploding package?” Bobbie squinted up at the gathering clouds before looking back at Rachael. “Do you know what his connection to my mother was?”

“No,” Rachael groaned as Bobbie stared at her. “I promise, I really don’t. If I did, I’d tell you. I can only imagine how much you want answers. But I just don’t have them.”

“I think your mother does.” Bobbie slowed as they neared the exclusive neighborhood where Colton had lived and surveyed the large houses that surrounded them. “I can’t even imagine living like this.”

“Same here.” Rachael quickened her pace and neared the gate of Colton’s house. “I don’t know if we’ll be able to get in. It’s still roped off, and knowing my mother, there’s probably a guard.”

“We can be quiet.” Bobbie walked toward the fence.

“Are you really going to climb it?”

“It worked the first time.” Bobbie winked.

“What’s this doing here?” Rachael pointed to a small ceramic frog, tucked into the grass right beside the gate. “It looks so out of place.” She bent down to pick it up.

“Weird.” Bobbie took it from her. She turned it over and peered into the hole on the bottom of it. “No, this isn’t just a frog.” She gave it a firm tap against her palm and a small device fell out.

“What’s that?” Rachael peered down at it.

“I think it’s a hidden camera.”

CHAPTER 18

“But what would a camera like this be doing here?” Bobbie studied it.

“Do you think it was part of his security system?” Rachael glanced up at the mansion. “I know the police are waiting for a warrant to look at the footage at Colton’s alarm company.”

“No, I don’t think it’s part of his security system.” Bobbie shook her head. “I think this is part of someone else’s security system. I think that someone was watching Colton. If we can figure out who, then we might find the murderer, or at least someone who might know more about what happened to him. The problem is, I don’t know how to find out.”

“Who would know about this kind of stuff?” Rachael poked the camera with her finger. “We could take it to my mom.”

“We could, and we will, but then it will be entered into evidence, and we might not be able to figure out who it belongs to. I have an idea.” Bobbie hesitated a moment before continuing. “But you’re not going to like it.”

“Why? What is it?” Rachael asked.

“I want to take this to Matt. He’s into these kinds of gadgets, and he’s great with devices and computers. I’m sure he’ll at least be able to tell us more about it.”

Bobbie now believed that Matt had known about Garrison and was trying to protect her from him. She would be on her guard around him, but maybe she could trust him to help her get to the truth about what had happened to Colton.

“You’re right, I don’t like it. But if that’s what you think’s best, I’m not going to stop you. I’m also not going to join you.” Rachael held her hands up as she backed away. “Matt and I in the same room never works out well.”

“Good point.” Bobbie slipped the device into her pocket. “I promise, I’ll let you know whatever I find out.”

“Please do. And don’t lose that. I know my mom is going to want to see it.”

“I won’t.”

As Bobbie walked back toward town, she felt a sense of relief that Garrison had been locked up and she didn’t need to have Kyle with her. Then she recalled Kyle’s warning that he didn’t think Garrison would be in custody long, and her stomach churned with apprehension and a hint of anticipation. The way Garrison had looked at her, the way he’d spoken about her mother, she believed he had a lot of the answers she’d been seeking. But would she ever get them. She took a deep breath of the crisp air. A warm, smoky scent interrupted its crisp quality. For an instant she remembered everything, her mother’s laughter, and her father’s heavy footsteps.

Smoke billowed up from the chimneys of the houses around her. Most had fireplaces to help keep the houses warm in winter. But that smell in the air had summoned a flood of memories that vanished as quickly as they arose.

“I can’t possibly remember. I must be imagining it.” Bobbie had only been five years old when her parents died. But now that she knew they hadn’t died in a car accident as Uncle Jimmy had claimed, she wondered if perhaps she really had been there when they’d been killed. If so, how had she survived?

Bobbie pushed the thoughts aside as she approached the building for Newfield News. She stepped inside and looked straight at Abigail’s office, where a large wreath had been hung. The mixture of pine cones, gold and silver Christmas bulbs, and bright red bows gave the illusion of Christmas cheer that she guessed didn’t actually inhabit Abigail.

“Don’t worry, she’s not in,” Matt called out from his desk.

“Good, I wanted to ask you something. Well, a couple of things, actually.”

“What?”

“Do you know how Garrison Crispin knows my mother?”

“No idea.” Matt shook his head.

Bobbie didn’t know whether to believe him, but she doubted she would get more out of him now, and she wanted to find out if he could help her with the camera. She pulled it out of her pocket and placed it down in front of him. “Can you tell me anything about this?”

“Where’d you get it?” Matt picked it up.

“I found it outside Colton’s house.”

“It’s essentially a spy camera. Someone didn’t want it to be spotted. Unfortunately, it’s a remote camera.” Matt turned the camera over in his hand.

“What does that mean?” Bobbie sat in the chair across from him.

“It means that the best I can do is use the serial number to attempt to find out who bought it. Anything recorded on it is going to be on the device this video camera is connected to.” Matt looked at the bottom of the camera, squinted, then turned to his computer and typed in the number.

“But if the person who bought it was using it as a spy camera, then I doubt they bought it on their credit card,” Bobbie said.

“You’re right. Nothing’s coming up about the owner. However, I may have some information that will still point us in the right direction.” Matt glanced over at her. “This camera will only transmit within a short distance. So, whoever placed it would have to be nearby to receive footage of Colton’s house.”

“The mayor!” Bobbie gasped.

“That’s one possibility.” Matt narrowed his eyes. “But it’s a big risk for someone like her to take. Not just because of her political career, but her own physical safety. You said this was placed near Colton’s house, right?”

“Yes, right beside the gate.”

“Then, if she placed it there, she would have risked being caught by him. In my observation of the two of them, I concluded that she was quite scared of him.”

“All the more reason to kill him.” Bobbie stood up from the chair. “I need to speak to her again.”

“Slow down a minute.” Matt stood up as well. “Like I said, she was scared of him. I don’t think she would have ever set foot so close to his property and left something like this there.”

“How can you be so sure?”

“I’m a journalist, and I’m pretty good at reading people. Philomena didn’t put that camera there. You’ll be wasting your time if you accuse her of it.” Matt rounded the desk until he reached her side. “Whoever put that camera there probably has a recording of the explosion. It could potentially include details that break open the case.”

“What would it include? A package was delivered, the police think the bomb was hidden in that. The killer wasn’t even there.”

“True, but maybe it recorded something before or after the murder that might hold a clue. Maybe someone was staking out the place, waiting to make sure the package exploded,” Matt suggested.

“Okay. Philomena did say she saw a car with a lime-green license plate. Maybe the clue is in that. I’m taking this camera to Kate. She might be able to find out something more about it.” As Bobbie started to walk away, she felt his gaze on her. She reached the door and glanced back at him. “Thank you for your help.”

“I’ve got your back, Bobbie. I know you might not believe that, but one day you will.” Matt sat back down at his desk and picked up a file.

CHAPTER 19

As Bobbie walked from the plaza toward the police station, she thought about Matt’s words. Most of the time she felt as if he didn’t like her and was judging her, although occasionally he showed a glimmer that maybe he did like her, and now she wondered if he meant what he said. Did he really have her back?

Even more confused, Bobbie opened the door to the police station and stepped inside. As she did, she wondered where Garrison might be being held. Or had he already been released?

“Bobbie,” Kate called to her from a hallway beside the reception desk and waved her over. “I wanted to see you. Take a seat.” She gestured to the chair in front of her desk.

“Have you found something?” Bobbie asked with anticipation.

“I think it might not have been Garrison who flattened your tires.” Kate sat down. “Robyn was spotted by a neighbor hurrying out of your driveway around the time they were slashed. They thought she was acting sketchy, then heard about your tires, so they told one of my officers. We have reason to believe she did this. We’re looking for her now, but we haven’t been able to track her down just yet. I just wanted you to know, so you’re very cautious of her, if you see her.”

“It still doesn’t prove it was Robyn who slashed my tires, though. Garrison still could have done it.”

“It’s possible, but why would she have been spotted coming out of your driveway, although I guess the neighbor could be mistaken. But I just don’t think Garrison would do something like that. It’s too petty for him.”

“That’s what Kyle said.” Bobbie pulled the camera from her pocket and placed it on Kate’s desk. “I found this outside Colton’s house. It’s a spy camera.”

“Wait, you removed evidence from the crime scene?” Kate picked it up and looked it over.

“It was outside the crime scene, technically. And yes, I wanted to have Matt take a look at it before I brought it to you.” Bobbie flinched as she noticed the anger in Kate’s eyes.

“Matt has nothing to do with this investigation. Why wouldn’t you bring it to me first?”

“I thought maybe Matt would be able to get the footage off it. I knew you might have to cut through red tape, get a search warrant, and all that. I thought Matt could skip all of that and I could get the information quicker.” Bobbie crossed her arms and shrugged. “It was worth a try.”

“This isn’t the first time you’ve withheld potential evidence from me, and like I told you before, we have all of those rules to follow for a reason. If evidence is tainted, it can’t be used to convict the murderer. Your little stunt may be the reason they go free.” Kate picked up the camera and looked it over again. “And I’m guessing that you got nothing off it?”

“It’s a remote camera, so no. But Matt said it has to be within a close distance of whatever device it’s connected to. It could point to Philomena as our murderer.”

“Our murderer?” Kate looked up at her with a sharp glare. “Let’s be clear. This isn’t ‘our’ case. You’re not a police officer. You’re not in any way involved in solving this investigation.”

“Clear as day.” Bobbie tried to keep her voice even. “Not that long ago you were very concerned about my safety, and now you say I’m not involved in what’s happening.”

“Garrison is still in custody for the moment. I’m able to hold him on suspicion until tomorrow. That gives me less than twenty-four hours to solve Colton’s murder.” Kate’s sharp eyes softened just a little. “So, that’s where my focus is. You’re a distraction. Go home and stay safe until I get all of this figured out.”

Just as Bobbie was about to ask about Garrison’s connection to her mother, the chief came through the front door, scanned the room, then walked straight over to them.

“Hi, Bobbie.” Jasper smiled at her, then looked at Kate. “I need to speak to you, now.” He gestured toward an interrogation room, then walked toward it.

“I have to go.” Kate started after him, then called over her shoulder in a stern tone, “Keep my daughter out of all of this, Bobbie!”

Bobbie laughed. “I can’t keep Rachael from doing anything, and I’m guessing you can’t, either.” She stepped out into the hall and closed the door behind her.

Shocked about Kate’s hot and cold attitude toward her, Bobbie walked out the door of the police station, lost in thought, and almost walked right into Rachael.

“Careful!” Rachael took a step back, then scrunched up her nose as she looked at Bobbie. “Oh, it didn’t go well when you turned in the camera?”

“No, it didn’t. I’m sorry, I wasn’t looking where I was going.”

“No problem. I’ve got my car back. Kyle is all done fixing up yours, too. Let’s go.” Rachael headed back toward the parking lot. “As soon as Kyle brought it back to me, I came to look for you.”

“Where are we going?” Bobbie slid into the passenger seat.

“To talk to Philomena, of course. Right now, the mayor’s the best suspect.” Rachael grinned as she started the car.

“Rachael, maybe I should talk to her on my own.” Bobbie glanced over at Rachael as she recalled Kate’s warning, and Josh’s threat.

Rachael’s grin faded as she met her eyes. “Why?”

“I just think it might be better to keep your name out of this.” Bobbie stumbled over her words. “Given that you’re a civilian officer and who your mother is.”

“Wow.” Rachael sighed as she sat back against her seat. “I thought I’d finally met someone who would just see me for me. But I guess I was wrong.”

“It’s not like that. I’m so grateful for your friendship.” Bobbie watched Rachael stare hard through the windshield. “But I don’t want to put you in danger, either.”

“Aren’t you the one who needed a bodyguard?” Rachael smiled sheepishly. “I guess it’s okay when he’s over six feet with those dreamy eyes and that warrior build, but little old me can’t keep you company?”

“Rachael!”

“What? It’s true. If Kyle is good enough to protect you, I should be, too.”

“I never asked for his protection,” Bobbie groaned as her mind spun with rapidly firing thoughts. “Rachael, please! I just don’t want to⁠—”

“Most people around here keep their distance from me because they don’t want to have anything to do with my mother, or my cousin, in case they get on the wrong side of them. I just thought things might be different between us.”

“They are different. You’ve been there for me ever since I arrived. But I just don’t want to rope you into anything. My chaos, is my chaos.”

“Nope, sorry, it’s already ours.” Rachael pulled out of the parking lot of the police station. “Too late to turn back now.”

“You really are remarkable.” Bobbie sat back against her seat.

“Just keep that in mind when I’m driving you crazy.” Rachael swung onto the main road and stepped on the gas.

CHAPTER 20

“Do you really think Philomena could have planted that camera?” Bobbie glanced over at Rachael.

“I think it’s possible. But I’m not sure why she would. What did my mother say about it?” Rachael turned onto Philomena’s road.

“Not much. She was angry I took it to Matt first. She did say that she believes it was probably Robyn who damaged my tires, not Garrison.” Bobbie rubbed her hand across her forehead.

“But Garrison was at your house. So, maybe he really was telling the truth about finding your truck that way?” Rachael parked in the street outside Philomena’s house.

“I guess. But I have no idea why Robyn would want to slash them. I suppose she could have been trying to send a message, but why target me?” Bobbie pointed at herself. “Unless she’s afraid I’m onto something.”

“That does make her seem pretty suspicious.” Rachael stepped out of the car and began up the walkway toward Philomena’s house. An assortment of multi-sized animated reindeer bobbed their heads and twisted their necks.

Rachael glanced over at Bobbie, then knocked on the front door.

The door swung open to reveal Philomena. “You two. What is it?”

“We’re sorry to bother you, but we have a couple of questions for you.” Bobbie tried to keep her tone amicable.

“You do?” Philomena squinted at her.

“Yes, are you aware that there was a spy camera pointed at Colton’s house? We’ve been able to trace it back to your house.” Bobbie hoped that she would get her to admit that the feed led to her house even though she didn’t know for sure that it did.

“Yes, I’m aware. But it’s not a spy camera, it’s just a camera.” Philomena held up a hand before either of them could speak. “The camera was set up on public land. I checked, it wasn’t breaking any laws.”

“Not even privacy laws?” Rachael’s eyes widened. “How’s that possible?”

“If Colton had noticed it and asked me to take it down, he might have had legal grounds to do that, but he didn’t.” Philomena looked between them.

“So, someone was murdered, and you didn’t tell the police about the camera in order to protect your reputation?” Bobbie asked incredulously.

“Wait just a second now.” Philomena crossed her arms. “The first thing I did when I heard the explosion was check the feed from that camera. If there had been any footage of the incident, I would have turned it right in to the police. But there wasn’t. The feed had been cut off. I have no idea why. But it stopped recording, yesterday. Since there was nothing recorded that would help the police, yes, I kept the fact that it existed to myself. There was no reason to open up that can of worms, if it wouldn’t benefit the investigation.”

“You mean there was no reason to make yourself look more guilty than you already do?” Rachael raised her eyebrows.

Philomena sighed. “You’re not wrong. I did want to protect my reputation. I know it doesn’t look good to spy on my neighbor. But he’d been harassing me. He left me no choice. I’m just not sure how the general public would react to knowing the steps I had to take in order to protect myself.”

“Wait, you said the camera feed stopped recording before the bomb went off?” Bobbie narrowed her eyes. “That’s awfully convenient. If you didn’t turn it off, then who did?”

“I have no idea. Maybe it just stopped working. Like I said, I don’t know anything about technology.” Philomena shrugged. “I only know how to access the app that Sandy, my assistant, set up for me. When I checked it and saw no new footage, I knew I had nothing to offer to the police. I have no idea how or why it turned off. Maybe it ran out of batteries or something?”

“Maybe.” Rachael looked straight into her eyes. “Or maybe someone turned it off on purpose to prevent themselves from being recorded when they sabotaged the intercom system at Colton’s house.”

“I don’t think that’s the case at all. I’ll have to ask Sandy when she comes back. She’s on leave for a few days. She would have a better idea of what could have happened.” Philomena started to close the door. “I really do have a lot to handle today.”

“Who else, aside from you and Sandy, knew about the camera?” Bobbie took a step forward.

“I’ll have to consult with my lawyer before I answer any more questions. In fact, I don’t think I should say another word to either of you.” Philomena looked between them. “I do have to protect myself.”

“We just want to get to the truth.” Bobbie stood in the doorway as Rachael hovered just behind her on the porch.

“I have nothing more to say.” Philomena flashed a brief smile at Rachael.

“Okay, but that doesn’t mean this conversation is over.” Bobbie stepped away from the door. It snapped closed before she could speak again. She sighed and started back toward the car.

Rachael followed right behind her. “She’s pretty determined to protect herself. That might be an indication of guilt.”

“Maybe, but from what we know, she doesn’t have much of a motive. Heidi stood to potentially inherit Colton’s whole fortune. Anton could easily want revenge for the way Colton treated him after his injury. Robyn could have done it because of her outrage over his role in the lake pollution. Then there’s Doug, who faced potential jail time, thanks to Colton trying to blame the whole thing on him. He’s the chief’s top suspect.”

“My mom interviewed him. She said he has a pretty solid alibi since he was working out of the country during the week before the explosion. The package wasn’t sent from overseas. But I guess that he could have hired someone to do the job.”

“Do you know if the package was definitely delivered by the mailman?” Bobbie asked.

“That’s the most likely theory. It wasn’t logged in the system, but from the remains of the package, they can see it was prepaid, and they’re still trying to trace it. It’s like it was never scanned.”

“Did your mom tell you what the mailman had to say?”

“She said that he claimed he didn’t remember anything about delivering the package, and that he delivers mail all day, so it all just blurs together.” Rachael waved her hand through the air. “I don’t think she believed him, though, but he refused to say anything more.”

“Well, that seems like a good place to start. Presuming the package was delivered in the mail, the only two reasons I can think of that he’s not saying more, is that he’s afraid of the cops, or he’s involved in the crime. Do you know where we can find him?”

“Maybe he’ll be at his house?”

CHAPTER 21

Minutes later, Rachael and Bobbie pulled up in front of a modest home with an assortment of giant ferns scattered around a cement patio.

The two stepped out onto the driveway and walked toward the house.

“Nope, I have nothing to say.” A voice floated out from behind one of the largest ferns.

“Wait, please.” Bobbie ran toward the mailman as he stood up from behind the plant and ducked toward his front door.

“We just need a minute, Finn.” Rachael matched Bobbie’s pace as Finn turned back toward them.

“Rachael, are you here on behalf of your mother? I already spoke to her.” Finn’s voice faltered.

“No, Finn.” Rachael smiled at the man who looked to be in his late fifties. “This is Bobbie. And we just have a few questions for you.”

“I can’t help you, I’m sorry.” Finn slid his hands into his pockets.

“Are you sure? You told the police that you didn’t remember delivering a package to Colton’s house, yesterday.” Bobbie searched his expression. “Do you really not remember anything about delivering it at all?”

“Look, I don’t want any trouble.” Finn wrung his hands nervously. “I know if the police know I’m the one who delivered that package, that means I’m on their suspect list. I can’t do or say anything that will incriminate myself.”

“We’re not here for that.” Bobbie softened her tone and met his eyes. “Whoever did this, didn’t just do it to Colton. They did it to you, too. You never asked to be part of it. We just want to make sure that the killer ends up behind bars, not you. Whatever you say to us is going to stay just between us.”

“You promise?” Finn’s hardened stare softened into a childlike hope. “Can I trust you? How do I know Rachael isn’t going to run off to tell her mother everything?”

“I won’t. We just want to work out who did this to Colton.” Rachael smiled. “You know me, Finn. You know I’ll do what I can to protect you.”

“I promise, you can trust us. You can trust us both.” Bobbie nodded. “Just tell us what you know, so this person can be caught, and nothing like this will happen to you again.”

“Okay. I do remember delivering the package. I remember that I was glad that it wasn’t very heavy.” Finn’s voice cracked. “It had been a long day of hefting and hauling.”

“How did you get past the gate to deliver it?” Bobbie held his gaze.

“I just pressed the buzzer and a man answered. When I told him I had a delivery, he told me to leave it by the front door, and the gates opened. So, I walked in and put it down beside the door.” Finn shivered. “I just dropped it. I dropped a bomb on the ground. I guess it could have gone off right then, huh?”

“It could have.” Bobbie noted the fear in his eyes. “But it didn’t. You’re still here. And you might know some details that will help us catch the killer.”

“No, I don’t know anything.” Finn squeezed his eyes shut.

“Listen, I know you’re scared.” Bobbie softened her tone. “But you should know that if the killer suspects you know anything, you might be in danger. The sooner they’re caught, the safer you’ll be, and you may be the only person that can help do that.”

“Look, the truth is that I would help if I could. But I can’t.” Finn rubbed his hand across his eyes and groaned.

“What can you remember about delivering the package?” Bobbie asked.

“I remember dropping it on the porch. I remember hurrying back to my mail truck because I didn’t want to be there when someone opened the door.” Finn ran his hands across his face.

“Wait, what are you saying?” Rachael stepped closer to him. “Why did you hurry away?”

“See, I broke my glasses at the start of my shift. I dropped them and they shattered.” Finn pointed at his eye. “My eyesight is so bad, I’m not supposed to drive without them. But I was worried I would get written up, or worse, if I left the route unfinished. I’m quite new and skipping deliveries can get you into big trouble. So, I tried to make it through my route. A couple of customers along the way were angry that I’d delivered to the wrong address. The address label on Colton’s delivery was a bit smudged, and without my glasses I couldn’t really make out the name or the full address on the package, so I was worried that the recipient would be angry. I probably should have taken it back to the depot, but I didn’t have much time, and I didn’t want anyone to suspect I couldn’t see properly. There was no return address anyway.”

Bobbie’s eyes flew wide open. “Are you saying that you’re not sure the package was addressed to Colton?”

“I’m sure it was the right street. Or at least I think it was.” Finn’s voice wavered with desperation. “Please, you can’t tell anyone. If my boss finds out, I’m going to be fired. I’m already way behind on my bills. And now I also have to buy new glasses.”

Bobbie stared at him as she attempted to process his words. After a few seconds, she stepped closer to him and spoke softly. “Are you saying you might have delivered the package to the wrong address?”

“I can’t get fired. I’ll end up homeless.” Finn held up his hands.

Stunned by what he’d revealed, Bobbie took a step back, then glanced at Rachael. “We need to rethink everything.”

“We need to tell my mother.” Rachael pulled her phone out of her pocket.

“Please! You said I could trust you,” Finn groaned as he looked between them. “It might have been the right address. I don’t know for sure.”

“I understand your situation. Trust me, I do.” Bobbie recalled the state of her own bank account. “But we’re talking about a murder here. If it’s possible that the package was meant to go to a different person, a different house, then we need to look into it. It may change everything.” She met his eyes. “We’ll try to keep your name out of it, but we do have to investigate this.”

“Fine, you’re right.” Finn wiped his hand across his face again. “I guess it’s more important to find the murderer.”

As Rachael and Bobbie walked back toward the car, Rachael spoke to her mother on her phone.

“Mom, I’m telling you, there’s a good chance that package went to the wrong house.” Rachael sighed as she slid into the driver’s seat. “No, I can’t tell you why. You just have to believe me.”

Bobbie didn’t have to lean close to the phone to hear Kate shouting through it.

“No, I’m not going to tell you.” Rachael rolled her eyes as Bobbie buckled her seat belt. “Have you found Robyn, yet?” She paused for a moment. “Okay, I think you should look into whether anyone else on Colton’s street might have actually been the target.” She ended the call. “She’s mad. Hopefully, something good happens before we’re in the same room together again.”

“What did she say about Robyn?”

“She’s still on the loose. They’ve been trying to bring her in. You know how good she is at hiding out in the woods.” Rachael pulled onto the road. “But I found her last time, and I can find her again.”

As Rachael continued driving in the direction of the forest, Bobbie considered the fact that the bomb might have been intended for someone else. She gazed out through the window at the swirling wind and fluttering leaves. “The wind is picking up.”

“And it’s getting colder.” Rachael fiddled with the dials and turned up the heat. “We’ll definitely have snow before Christmas.”

“Christmas.” Bobbie blinked. “I’d almost forgotten about that. Not that it matters.”

“Don’t you have any family to visit during the holidays?” Rachael turned into the parking lot at the top of the trailhead.

“No. I’m not in contact with any of my family. I guess they still think I’m dead. And Uncle Jimmy and I never really celebrated it much. He would put up a tabletop tree, and we would exchange a few presents, but we never made a big deal out of it.”

“Oh my, well you’re about to have a whole different experience. Wait until you see the size of my mother’s tree.”

“Oh, no, that’s okay. I’ll be fine at home with Bailey.” Bobbie stepped out of the car and hoped that Rachael would take her resistance seriously. The last thing she wanted was to spend an awkward holiday with Kate. Before Rachael could reply, a shout from the trees just beyond the trailhead sent them both running.

CHAPTER 22

“Who’s shouting like that?” Bobbie ran even faster as she heard the loud voices peel through the thick trees.

“No idea.” Rachael matched her pace.

They broke through a line of trees into a clearing and took in the sight of Robyn and Heidi face-to-face.

“Leave me alone.” Robyn took a step back from Heidi.

“You killed Colton!” Heidi snarled.

“Heidi, just relax.” Rachael rushed forward and stepped between Robyn and Heidi.

“I know she did it! I saw the video from Colton’s house. The alarm company showed it to me. She smashed up the intercom on his gate,” Heidi shouted.

“You need to calm down, Heidi.” Bobbie patted the air. “If Robyn’s responsible for Colton’s death, you need to tell the police, and they’ll get to the truth of all of this.”

“Is that why she’s out here wandering in the woods instead of being behind bars?” Heidi tried to step around Rachael.

“Just relax.” Rachael blocked her path.

“Okay, okay.” Heidi held up one hand in surrender. “Just make sure she gets arrested.”

“You need to explain to me exactly what you’re talking about.” Rachael looked at Heidi.

“Colton had cameras all around his house, and I wanted to have a look at them to see if there was any evidence of who did this. I found footage of what happened to his intercom. I thought if I got proof of who sent the package, or at least sabotaged the buzzer, it would help prove I had nothing to do with it or the murder.” Heidi glared at Robyn. “I was able to get the alarm company to play the videos by telling them I was Colton’s daughter. They believed me and showed them to me. The police couldn’t access them without a warrant. If they don’t already have one, they’ll be getting it soon enough. Then they’ll see what I saw.”

“Right now, you need to leave.” Rachael’s tone took on a hint of authority. “The police will handle it from here, once they’re able to see the footage.”

“And give her the chance to disappear? I’m not letting that happen.” Heidi crossed her arms.

“You have no choice.” Rachael put her hands on her hips.

“Okay, okay.” Heidi took a long, slow breath and held up her hands. “I’ll go.” She turned and walked off toward the parking lot.

“She was so angry at me.” Robyn shivered. “Shouting at me like that.”

“It sounds like she might have had a good reason to.” Bobbie crossed her arms. “Is she telling the truth about the buzzer?”

“Okay, yes, I did smash it up.” Robyn frowned. “I thought it was pretty harmless, but would cause him a headache, and that’s all I wanted to do.”

“You sure gave him a headache, and a lot more.” Bobbie pursed her lips as she studied her. “You vandalized Colton’s property shortly before the bomb went off that killed him. Are we supposed to buy into the idea that you just happened to cause that destruction to his property but had nothing to do with his murder?”

“I would never.” Robyn scowled at them both. “I’m not a murderer.”

“Even though you knew that he might get away with polluting the lake by blaming it on Doug, you didn’t decide to kill him?” Bobbie stepped in front of Robyn just before she could turn away from her. “Tell the truth, Robyn!”

“I am.” Robyn scowled. “I didn’t kill anyone. If you want to arrest someone for murder, you should look no further than that guy I told you about who hurt his leg. Anton. I happen to know he was asking around for someone to threaten Colton to get him to pay up. He came around the campsite shopping the idea of giving a portion of his payout to whoever would help him get it.”

“If that’s the case, why didn’t you tell us about that in the first place?” Rachael glared at her.

“Because I knew you’d want the name of who agreed to help him, and I’m not going to give you one.” Robyn shook her head.

“If you had something to do with this, we’re going to find out. It would be better to tell us the truth now, so that you can try to make a deal with the police.” Bobbie met her eyes.

“I had nothing to do with it.” Robyn drew back slightly.

“Just like you had nothing to do with slashing my tires?” Bobbie’s voice dropped and hardened. “You came onto my property and damaged all my tires. Why would you do something like that?”

“Maybe you shouldn’t be driving that gas guzzler around,” Robyn huffed. “I’m only protecting the environment by making sure that you can’t destroy it with your fumes.”

“So, you admit that you did it?” Bobbie raised her eyebrows. “Just like you sent that bomb to Colton.”

“No! Never that. Some things must be done in the name of saving this planet, but never murder.” Robyn gave them each one last long glare, then turned and ran into the trees.

“Should we go after her?” Rachael asked.

“No, not yet. At the moment we don’t have any proof that she was involved.” Bobbie glanced back toward the parking lot. “If she’s telling the truth about Anton, maybe he did do it.”

“Even after Robyn just confessed to smashing up the buzzer on Colton’s gate and slashing your tires, you suspect Anton?”

“He had a motive, for sure. In his eyes, Colton ruined his life. He wanted the money.” Bobbie shrugged. “It makes sense to me. If Robyn’s telling the truth about Anton looking for someone to help get him the payout, then he definitely intended to cause Colton harm. Maybe he wanted to use the bomb just to threaten him, so he would pay up. Or maybe Anton wanted the guy to kill Colton, not just threaten him. Maybe he thought if Colton wasn’t in the picture, he would have more chance of getting the payout if Doug was running the company. I don’t know.”

“Should we try to find out who Anton had been talking to at the campsite?” Rachael led the way back toward her car.

Before Bobbie could answer, her cell phone began ringing. She glanced at the ID and winced. “It’s my boss. I should take this.” She stopped beside the car. “Hello?”

“I need you to come in right away. I have a request for an interview, and he’ll only speak with you.” Abigail’s authoritative tone came through the phone.

“Who is it?” Bobbie asked.

“It’s Doug. Colton’s second-in-command. He’s refused to speak to the police without a lawyer present, but he’s willing to come in for an interview with you.”

“That’s odd. I’ve never met him. Why would he want to do an interview with me?”

“You’re going to ask him that, when you come in right now. Right?” Abigail’s demand left no room for discussion.

“Right. I’ll be there soon.”

CHAPTER 23

After Rachael dropped Bobbie off at Newfield News, Bobbie took a deep breath and stepped inside. She had no idea what to expect from the man who was the police chief’s prime suspect, or why he’d chosen her to interview with.

“He’s in Abigail’s office. He’s alone in there. Abigail went out the back to make a call, and she said to tell you to go right in.” Matt walked up to her. “How come he’s prepared to talk to you?”

“No idea. I haven’t spoken to him. He refused to speak to me when I was breaking the story about ChemTree, and I was planning to try to speak to him after Colton was killed, but I haven’t, yet. I guess I’ll see what he has to say.”

“Do you want me to sit in there with you?” Matt offered.

“I think it’s better if you don’t. If he’s asked for me, he’s probably more likely to tell me things, if it’s just me.” Bobbie glanced over at him. “Is Garrison still in custody?”

“Yes, but he hasn’t been charged with anything.”

“Do you think it was him?” Bobbie asked.

“I think he’s the best bet, yes. But I guess you might find out something during this interview. Keep me posted. Okay?”

“I will.”

“And Bobbie, be careful.” Matt’s tone became serious. “If Doug’s the killer, he might have singled you out to find out what you know about the crime. Not only did you witness the explosion, but you’re investigating it.”

Bobbie’s eyes widened at the possibility. “I hadn’t thought of that.”

“If you want me in there with you, just say the word.”

“No thanks, it’s okay. I’ll be fine.” Bobbie walked toward the office and opened the door. She wondered if what Matt suggested was true, and the man who sat on the other side of the desk had set this whole interview up just to assess what she knew about the murder he’d committed.

“Bobbie?” He looked across the office at her as she walked inside.

“Yes, Doug?” Bobbie watched as he blinked nervously. “My boss said you wanted to do an interview with me.”

“Yes, I do.” Doug watched her as she sat down across from him. “Thanks for coming in.”

“Why did you ask to talk with me?” Bobbie noticed the way he tugged at his tie and flipped it between his fingers in a nervous pattern.

“I don’t know who was on Colton’s payroll. I know that you recently came into town, and soon after, you broke the story about him polluting the lake. You seem like someone I can trust to tell the truth.” Doug sighed as he looked into her eyes. “And that’s what I need more than anything. First, Colton was going to blame the pollution on me, and now the whole town wants to blame me for Colton’s murder. None of it’s true. I’m just hoping that you can find a way to help me prove that.” He hesitated as he held her gaze. “But in order to do that, you have to believe me first.”

“Well, from where I sit, you had a lot to gain from Colton’s death. As you said, he was trying to throw you under the bus, and now with him dead, he can’t blame you, and I imagine you’ll get a good salary bump by taking over as CEO of the company. So, why should I think that you had nothing to do with his death?” Bobbie studied his expression as he squirmed in his chair.

“I’m not a murderer. I’m just not. I wasn’t even in the country during the murder. The only reason I’m in the middle of this whole mess is because I was too nice to call Colton out for what he was doing. I didn’t know that he was dumping in the lake, but I did know that he was lying about how he was getting rid of the chemicals. I should have pushed him more to find out the exact process, but I didn’t want to upset him. He was hotheaded.”

“So, you two didn’t get along?”

“I wouldn’t say we didn’t get along. At work we handled everything just fine. But we never really gelled on a personal level. I was always trying to get him to follow the rules, and he was always telling me to relax.” Doug rubbed his hands across his cheeks. “If I’d known what he was really doing, I would have put a stop to it.”

“Oh?” Bobbie asked doubtfully. “Would you have?”

“No, I guess. Probably not.” Doug sighed.

“That doesn’t tell me that you didn’t kill him. It tells me that you knew he wasn’t very good at his job, and he was a horrible person.” Bobbie tapped her fingertips against the desk. “I need more. You say that you’re not a murderer, but what would stop you from hiring someone else to do the job?”

“Do you have any idea how much that would cost me?” Doug spread his hands out in front of him. “I’m broke. I don’t have two dimes to rub together. Go ahead, look at these.” He pushed a stack of papers toward her. “I printed out all of my bank statements for the past year. You tell me where I’m going to find a few hundred thousand dollars to hire a murderer, or even just a few thousand?”

Bobbie began looking through the statements as her mind churned with the information. She imagined that he wasn’t wrong about it being costly to hire a killer.

“These may show that you’re financially strapped, but they don’t prove that you’re not hiding money somewhere else. You work for a successful company, why aren’t you making a better income?” Bobbie looked up at him and found his bottom lip quivering.

“Because Colton took everything from me. He kept telling me that he had to pay me less and less to keep the company afloat. I didn’t want it to collapse, so I agreed to the pay cuts. But none of my expenses went down. I still have a huge mortgage, two car payments, and my wife’s shopping habits. If I’d told her the truth about the pay cuts, she’d divorce me, and that would cost me even more money. And to top it off, I just managed to see ChemTree’s financial records, and I found out Colton had been paying thirty thousand dollars a month to a mysterious charity. He ruined me and he was donating company money.” Doug sank down deeper in his chair and shook his head. “I can’t do this, I just can’t do this anymore. Even in death, he’s wrecking my life.”

“Doug!” Bobbie sharpened her tone in an attempt to break the panic he’d spiraled into. “I need you to stay calm. If what you’re saying is true, and you’re innocent, then the best thing you can do is tell me who you think did this to Colton. If you can point me in the right direction, then we might actually catch the killer.”

“All I know for sure is that Anton had been hassling him a lot. That guy was intent on getting his money. And I don’t know how it could be relevant, but Colton had been getting a lot of phone calls from the mayor. I kept asking him why she was on his case. This was even before the pollution story broke. I was worried that she planned to shut the company down for some reason. He was very evasive about it. He wouldn’t give me a straight answer, he just kept telling me to stay out of it.” Doug stood up. “Please, Bobbie, I’m counting on you to get the truth out there.”

“I’m going to do my best.” Bobbie also stood up.

Doug walked past her, toward the door, then he looked back at her. “And be careful, Bobbie. Colton had connections everywhere.” He left the office as Bobbie tried to make sense of what she’d just learned.

“What did Doug have to say?” Abigail walked into the office.

Bobbie relayed what he said. “So, ultimately, he says that he didn’t do it.”

“And do you believe him?” Abigail asked.

“I’m not sure.”

“Okay. Make sure you get a detailed account of everything new you’ve learned about Colton’s murder to me by the end of the day. I want to write another article.”

Bobbie wanted to argue that it wouldn’t be thorough enough. She didn’t know enough yet, but she knew it would be futile.

“How did it go with Doug?” Matt caught up with Bobbie at the front door.

“He seemed broken.” Bobbie leaned against the wall beside the door. “I guess that means that he could have done it. But he claims that he’s completely broke and that he had no resources to hire anyone to do the job. I’m not sure that he could do it himself.”

“He may have been telling the truth about that. I went through his financials, and Colton’s. At least what I could get ahold of. Doug was up to his eyeballs in debt but Colton had plenty of money. What I don’t understand is why none of that money was making it into Doug’s pocket.” Matt leaned against the wall beside her.

As their elbows brushed together, Bobbie tried to ignore it and focus on the conversation she’d had with Doug. “According to Doug, Colton kept asking him to take pay cuts, but he recently found out Colton was donating thirty thousand dollars a month of company money to some sort of charity. That would have easily covered Doug’s monthly paycheck.”

“That’s a lot of money. And a motive for murder” Matt released a low whistle, then looked over at her. “What are your instincts telling you?”

“You mean my non-journalistic instincts?” Bobbie pursed her lips.

“Did I say something like that?” Matt tipped his head against the wall and gazed at her until she looked into his eyes. “I’m an idiot, you know? Don’t your instincts tell you that?”

Bobbie couldn’t resist a smile as she gazed back at him. She leaned a little closer to him and lowered her voice. “I don’t think Doug’s a criminal. I think he’s a nice guy that Colton was taking advantage of, and even though Doug might have good reason to want him dead, it appears as if it didn’t even occur to him that he was being swindled.”

“I got the same impression.” Matt looked away as he sighed. “But that doesn’t make a great news story, does it?”

“No, but catching the actual killer will. I’m going to try to get an update from Kate.” Bobbie opened the door and started down the street.

CHAPTER 24

Afew minutes later, Bobbie walked into the police station. She spotted the chief napping at one of the desks.

Kate stepped out of the back hallway and immediately noticed Bobbie.

“Do you have any updates?” Bobbie walked over to her.

“Robyn is being processed for vandalism. She still hasn’t confessed to the murder, though.” Kate squinted at her.

“Kate, can you tell me more about Garrison? What’s his connection to my mother? He obviously knew her, and I feel like there’s some reason he would be after me in particular. Not just because I was trying to look into Colton’s murder.”

Kate took a deep breath, then nodded. “If I tell you, you have to promise me that you’ll let me handle Garrison. You won’t go off and do something stupid.” Her gaze softened, but her voice remained stern.

“I promise.” Bobbie’s heart skipped a beat.

“Okay.” Kate steered her into an interrogation room and sat down beside her at the table.

“What is it?”

“The reason your mother and I became so close is because she helped out the police with an investigation.”

“She was an informant!” Bobbie gasped.

“Yes.” Kate nodded. “But before that, your parents were involved in some low-level crimes. It was a difficult time for them financially, and they were doing their best to keep themselves afloat. At some point your father got himself tangled up with Garrison. Once that happened, he had no way out. Garrison will coax you into his criminal enterprise, then never let you out.”

“So, Garrison killed my parents?” Bobbie’s heart skipped a beat.

“Let’s take this one step at a time.” Kate leaned back against her chair. “I was investigating Garrison, and I discovered that your parents were involved with him. I offered them a deal. If they would help me take him down, I wouldn’t go after them. But they refused.”

“They chose to protect Garrison?” Bobbie narrowed her eyes. “That doesn’t make any sense.”

“It did make sense because your parents were terrified of what Garrison would do if he found out they were informing. They would have done anything to protect you. I knew if Garrison even suspected that they’d begun working with law enforcement, all of you would be in danger. So, I backed off.”

“Okay.” Bobbie struggled to process her words. “What happened next?”

“I was friendly with your mother, but I had to do my job. While I was getting the evidence together to arrest your parents, Garrison went after your father one night, and nearly killed him. He believed that your father had betrayed him. Your father wanted to run, but your mother knew that they could never escape him. So, she came to me. She told me she would do whatever I asked as long as I would keep you safe.” Tears glazed Kate’s eyes. “I promised her I would do whatever I could. And I meant it, Bobbie, I really did.”

“What happened?”

“Your mother and I began working together just about every day. She got as close to Garrison as she could while convincing him that she and your father had nothing to do with the police. I almost had enough to arrest him.” Kate’s hands balled into fists. “And then, just like that, you were all gone. Your father, your mother, and you. At least, I thought you were. When I couldn’t reach your mother, I went to the house, and there were scenes of a struggle, and bullet casings. Garrison is notorious for getting rid of any evidence of his involvement in a crime, including the bodies. I could only presume you were all killed.”

“But I wasn’t.”

“No, you weren’t.” Kate took a sharp breath. “While we worked together, your mother and I became very close.” She smiled fondly at Bobbie. “We would both do anything for our daughters, and that bonded us. She was a good woman, Bobbie, who got pulled into a bad situation. She was just trying to find her way out of it, so that she could keep you safe. Your father was also a good man, but he got caught up in the criminal lifestyle. He was worried your mother was putting herself and you at too much risk by trying to help catch Garrison. He felt very guilty for the situation he’d gotten all of you into. Seeing you again has been like a miracle to me. So, yes, I want to protect you.”

“And you’re worried that Garrison will want to finish the job he started?” Bobbie’s heart pounded as she imagined what her parents must have faced.

“Yes, I am. I’m sorry that I haven’t been able to put him behind bars for what he did to your parents.” A tremble entered Kate’s voice, the only hint of weakness she offered. “I just hope I can keep him locked up, now. But I still have no solid evidence.”

“He killed my parents?” Bobbie whispered the question.

“I’m sure of it. I don’t know how to prove it. But one day, I promise you, I will.”

“That makes two of us.” Bobbie stood up and walked out of the room with a renewed sense of determination. She wanted to make sure Garrison was brought to justice for her parents’ murders.

“Bobbie! Be careful! Please, don’t do anything rash!” Kate called out as Bobbie hurried out through the station door and to her truck. As she got in, she tried to comprehend what Kate had told her. She guessed that she expected her to wait for Garrison to be released and then confront him. But she didn’t feel brave. She still felt shocked. She headed straight to the cottage.

Along the way the festive lights and decorations reminded her of the holiday season. In the small town, people were gathering together, baking cookies, hanging garland, and preparing to celebrate with one another as a family, but all she could focus on was what Kate had just told her.

Bobbie opened her front door, and Bailey ran over and jumped up to greet her with his tail wagging. “It’s so good to see you, buddy.” She hugged him and kissed his head. “Let’s go for a walk.”

As Bobbie took Bailey for a walk, she felt a sense of calm come over her in his presence.

By the time she’d returned to the cottage her thoughts had begun to clear.

After feeding Bailey and having a cheese and tomato sandwich, Bobbie snuggled up on the bed with him right beside her. She was going to have a quick nap with him to refresh, then wake up and work on her novel. As she gazed up at the ceiling, she wondered whether her mother had stared at the same ceiling, perhaps with her curled up right beside her. How long had she spent plotting a way to protect her young daughter? She’d taken a huge risk to protect her.

At some point, Bobbie drifted off to sleep. The doorbell ringing drew her out of her deep slumber. Tiredness still clung to her muscles and her mind as she attempted to sit up. Daylight had just broken, casting an eerie glow through the bedroom. She realized that instead of just having a short nap, she’d slept through the night.

The doorbell rang again. Bailey snorted in his sleep.

“Not a watchdog.” Bobbie slid out of bed, her thoughts still foggy with the desire to sleep. As she neared the door, she started recalling the events of the previous day and her heart began pounding. Who was it? She froze a few feet away from the door as she felt a rush of fear.

Knocks sounded, followed by a rattle of the doorknob that set her nerves on edge.

“Don’t you do it! Don’t you come in here!” In a panic Bobbie looked around for the closest thing to defend herself with. She grabbed the first thing she saw, a large throw pillow on the couch.

“Bobbie, it’s me, Kyle.”

Relief flooded Bobbie as she swung the door open.

Kyle looked from the pillow she still held in her hand, to her face, then raised his eyebrows and smiled. “What were you planning on doing with that?”

“What are you doing here?”

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you. I was worried because you didn’t return my calls or texts last night, and I wanted to let you know the good news. Garrison’s lawyer worked some kind of miracle and got him released overnight, but the FBI have been investigating him in connection with money laundering, so they took him in for questioning right away. He hasn’t been charged, yet, but at least they are holding him a bit longer.”

“Oh, that’s a relief.” Bobbie tossed the throw pillow back onto the couch. “At least he’s still in custody. But I don’t think he killed Colton.”

“You don’t? Are you sure? Apparently, the car Philomena had seen with the green license plate had belonged to one of Garrison’s men. So, he’d been at Colton’s house on the day of the murder.” Kyle stepped inside and walked toward the kitchen as he looked around. “This place is so great.”

Bobbie cringed inwardly as she wondered if he noticed the dirty dishes or the water splashed on the floor from Bailey’s sloppy drinking habits.

“I still don’t think he did it. I think Garrison could have killed him in many different ways, and he had no reason to go to all the trouble of mailing him a package with a bomb in it. It was risky.” Bobbie pointed to the couch. “Come sit.”

“Thank you.”

“Did you know that the mailman might have delivered the package to the wrong house?” Bobbie sat beside him. “I know it’s unlikely that Colton wasn’t the target, considering how hated he was, but that idea has been bugging me. How can we find the killer when we’re not even sure of the target?”

“Rachael told me about that.” Kyle leaned back against the couch. “Colton does seem like the best target on the street. But, of course, the mayor lives right next door.”

“She does. But she doesn’t have any security around her house. Why would anyone go to the trouble of sending her a bomb, when they could just walk up to her door? And also, why would Colton open the package if he saw that it wasn’t addressed to him?” Bobbie wiped her eyes as Bailey trotted out of the bedroom. “I’ll quickly run Bailey out back, then I’ll make us some coffee.”

“I’ll take him out.” Kyle stood up from the couch before she could.

Bobbie thought about fighting him on it, but the tiredness that still clung to her convinced her to accept his offer.

CHAPTER 25

As Bobbie started a pot of coffee, she ran through the possible suspects in her mind. She set aside Garrison for the moment and focused on the others. As the coffee began to brew, she imagined Doug plotting his revenge, hiring someone to make a bomb, and hiding it in a package.

“Kyle!” Bobbie spun around to face him as he stepped into the kitchen with Bailey. “I just realized something. Whoever did this had to plan it. They had to build the bomb or get one. They had to find the right package. They had to mail it.” She locked eyes with him. “Don’t you see what that means?”

“Not exactly. What does it mean?” Kyle took a step toward her. “Tell me what you’re thinking.”

“I think it practically eliminates Heidi as a suspect. She’d been to his office the day before, demanding to see him. If she’d planned to kill him that way, she probably would have already built the bomb or gotten the bomb. So, why would she still be trying to get his attention?” Bobbie wondered. “She would have been pleading for acknowledgment from someone who wouldn’t be around anymore.”

“Okay, that pretty much clears Heidi. Or puts her way down on the suspect list. It’s possible she wanted to try to get something from him one last time before she killed him, though. Does it put anyone else lower on the suspect list?”

“Anton. He wanted to see him as well. Why would he bother if he knew Colton would be dead. And I think, maybe Robyn. She’s destructive, that’s clear. But she’s never been violent with a person. She would have had to preplan this. Maybe out of anger she could have planned it, but I don’t think she would have gone through with it. Not only that, but killing him would just put the company and its problems into Doug’s hands, without anyone facing any real consequences for polluting the lake. The more I think about it, the more I think it just doesn’t make sense that she would want to kill him instead of watching him reap the punishment he deserved.”

Kyle accepted the cup of coffee she offered him. “Yes, that makes sense.”

“I really don’t think it’s Doug.” Bobbie took a sip of her coffee. “He just doesn’t have what it takes to murder someone. I really don’t think he does.”

“You have to listen to your instincts.” Kyle settled his gaze on hers. “So what do they tell you? Who did this?”

Bobbie recalled Matt asking her the same question. “The spy camera.” She snapped her fingers. “That’s it. That’s the key. Someone turned it off before the bomb was delivered. Someone knew the bomb was coming, and they also knew that the camera was there.”

“Who would that be?” Kyle asked.

“Philomena.” Bobbie’s eyes widened as she walked toward him. “I can’t believe I’m saying this. But I really think it was the mayor.”

“That’s a huge accusation to make, Bobbie.” Kyle finished his coffee. “And a dangerous one.”

“I know. I’ll be careful.” Bobbie nodded. “I’m just going to throw some fresh clothes on and head to the police station. You’re right. If I’m going to accuse the mayor, I need to take the proper steps to do it.” She pointed toward the kitchen. “Just leave your mug in the sink. I’ll take care of it later.”

“Okay, will you keep me updated?” Kyle walked over to her.

Bobbie became distinctly aware of her disheveled hair and her rumpled clothing, from the day before. How had they gone from doing martial arts training together to him seeing her at her worst?

“Yes. Hopefully, by the time I leave the station, the killer will be in custody.” Bobbie headed back to her bedroom before he could say another word.

When she emerged again, she found the house empty. The mug he’d used had been washed and set neatly on a towel beside the sink to dry. Bobbie wondered about his focus on the small details. She recalled Rachael’s comment about whatever it was he hadn’t told her about his past. She pushed the thought from her mind.

“I need to focus on finding the killer.” Bobbie gave Bailey’s cheek a few kisses, then headed out the door.

When Bobbie turned into the police station, she noticed a few news vans parked near the front entrance. As she parked, she heard a commotion from people who’d begun to gather near the front as well. Just as she walked toward the door, Rachael’s car sped into the parking lot and skidded to a stop a few feet away from her. She hopped out and hurried toward the front door.

“Rachael. What’s wrong?” Bobbie ran to catch up with her.

“They’re doing it again, Bobbie!” Rachael pulled the door open. “They’re going after my mother because no one’s been arrested for Colton’s murder, yet. The residents are demanding that the mail service be stopped because they’re scared more bombs might be delivered.”

“Why aren’t they going after the chief?” Bobbie eyed the man who, for once, had on his full uniform. He paced back and forth and eyed the media setting up their cameras and microphones.

“Everyone knows my mother runs things around here. She’s arranged for the mail service to be canceled for another day, but even that’s not enough. They think she needs to do more.” Rachael watched her mother emerge from one of the hallways.

“Well, she won’t have to worry.” Bobbie felt a pang of sympathy for Kate. She couldn’t shake a sense of loyalty to the woman who’d known her mother in a way that she never would have the chance to. “We’re going to find the killer today.” She pulled Rachael inside the police station and lowered her voice. “I’m pretty sure it’s Philomena. I know there are plenty of other people it could be, but I think the placement of that camera is the key.”

“You may be right, but we need to keep quiet about it. If the press gets word that my mother’s even thinking about going after Philomena, these protests are going to erupt into riots. You can’t just go around accusing the mayor, not unless you have some proof.”

“I’m going to get just that.” Bobbie smiled as she gave her shoulder a pat. “I’m going to get some proof. Just give me a few hours, and we’ll all be ready to focus on Christmas, instead of Colton’s murder.”

“Does that mean you’ll come to dinner?”

“Yes, thank you.” Bobbie knew that if she wanted to make Newfield her home she needed to do what she could to make connections there, and she liked spending time with Rachael. She turned and walked back toward the door. At the sight of the press outside, she shifted direction and ducked into a side hallway. After wandering past a few doors, she spotted a back door that led outside. As she neared it, she heard two men arguing as they headed for the same door.

“The truth is going to come out, one way or the other. We got given that information about Philomena and Colton for a reason. We should have reported it to Kate before Colton’s death. We have to report it now. It might be relevant. It might solve his murder. If the truth comes to light that we didn’t, we might be fired or worse.” The younger of the two men blocked the other man’s path. Bobbie recognized them as James and Bill, the other officers, aside from Kate, on the small police force. “Listen to me.”

“Keep quiet,” James whispered. “Have you lost your mind? I told you before, and I’ll tell you again, none of this will ever go public. If you have a problem with that, then you’d better consider what happened to Colton. Someone made sure that his mouth stayed permanently shut. Is that how you want to end up?”

“No, it’s not!” Bill chased him out through the door. “But we have to do something!”

Bobbie crept closer to the door, eager to hear what she could of the conversation.

James abruptly turned to face Bill.

Bobbie ducked back behind a large Christmas tree set up as a collection place for donated mittens and hats, before she could be spotted, and held her breath.

“I’ll tell you exactly what we’re going to do. We’re going to go home, we’re going to pretend that we don’t know anything about anything, and we’re going to keep our mouths shut. Do you understand me?” James’ tone was filled with authority.

“I understand. I’m going to keep quiet about it,” Bill agreed.

As Bobbie was about to confront them to find out about what they’d been told about Philomena and Colton, she heard the chief instructing them to manage the growing crowd of media and locals. It was clear she wouldn’t be able to talk to them now.

CHAPTER 26

As Bobbie’s heart raced, she heard footsteps striding away from the building. She waited a few more seconds, then stepped outside as well. With her heart still in her throat, she hurried to her truck. Clearly, she needed to get to the truth, and fast. She felt as if Matt was the best person to help her with that.

As Bobbie turned into the parking lot of the newspaper office, she smiled at the sight of Matt’s car. For a moment she wondered if he ever went home. Did he even have a home? She laughed at the idea of him curled up under his desk waiting for the next big story. As she stepped into the office, his presence at his desk made her smile widen.

“Well, don’t you look cheerful.” Matt looked up at her.

“I need your help, please.” Bobbie paused beside his desk.

“I’m at your service.” Matt leaned back in his chair. “How can I help?”

“I need you to help me prove that it was the mayor who killed Colton.” Bobbie tugged a chair around behind his desk and sat down in it. “I know you have the resources. I know you can get into files and records that I can’t.”

“Wait, why do you think it was Philomena?” Matt asked as she slid her chair closer to his.

“The camera. It was pointed at Colton’s house, but turned off before the explosion happened. Someone had to have made the effort to turn it off, right? But only Philomena knew it was there.”

“Actually, we don’t know that, do we?” Matt surveyed her expression. “All we really know is that she’s admitted to putting it there. But that doesn’t mean that she didn’t tell someone else that it was there.”

“Okay, okay, maybe I’m getting too far ahead of myself. She did say her assistant, Sandy, helped set it up. But I’m still not sure why Philomena had it there in the first place. There must have been some kind of issue or feud between the two of them. She said she placed it there to keep herself safe, but why did she feel the need to do that? Had he been threatening her?” Bobbie gestured to Matt’s computer. “Come on, work your magic.”

“This isn’t a detective novel, Bobbie. I can’t just type a few things and uncover proof of something we don’t even know happened.” Matt began typing, his tone measured. “But I can tell you this, I don’t think she did it.”

“Because she was scared of him?” Bobbie asked.

Matt paused, his hands hovering over the keyboard, then looked at her.

“What is it?” Bobbie met his eyes. “Tell me.”

“The truth is that she wasn’t scared of him. She was profiting from him.” Matt leaned back in his chair. “I’m working on a story about the bribes she took from Colton for years. She turned a blind eye to the pollution and other shady deals in exchange for payouts. It’s why I don’t think she killed him. She was benefiting too much to risk it.”

Bobbie blinked as she lowered her voice. “You knew this and didn’t tell me?”

“I wasn’t hiding it to keep it from you.” Matt stood up. “I didn’t have enough to back it up, yet, and I didn’t want to put you in a position where you’d have to act on incomplete information.”

“You mean you didn’t want to risk losing your story.” Bobbie crossed her arms. “You wanted to break it at the right time, even if it meant leaving me in the dark.”

“That’s not fair.” Matt shook his head. “If I thought she was involved in Colton’s murder, I would have gone straight to the police. But I didn’t, and I still don’t. She didn’t have a motive to kill him.”

“She did if she thought he was about to expose her. If she thought Colton might take a plea deal and turn her in, she would have lost everything.” Bobbie narrowed her eyes. “That’s plenty of motive, and you’ve been keeping me out of the loop this whole time.”

“I’ve been doing my job.” Matt’s tone sharpened, though he kept his gaze steady. “As a journalist, it’s my responsibility to dig for the truth. Sometimes that means holding back until I have all the facts. It’s not about attention or profit. It’s about doing it right. And if you think I don’t care about you, and that I’m not on your side, then you haven’t been paying attention.” 

“If you have my back like you say, prove it. Tell me everything you know about the mayor.” Bobbie softened her tone.

“I know she cares about money more than anything else in this world. I know that she shared that thirst with her late husband, and until the day he died, they schemed and robbed this town every chance they had. I know that until now, I didn’t have a shred of proof that she’d been accepting Colton’s bribes, but I recently found a link between the thirty-thousand-dollar monthly payments he was making to that mysterious charity, and the mayor’s own bank account. I was just about to break the story, you’re right. But I would never allow a criminal to roam free, just for a good story. If I’d had enough, I would have taken it to Kate.”

“Really?” Bobbie asked incredulously.

“Well, maybe not Kate, but the chief.”

“Okay.” Bobbie wanted to believe him. “Well, I’m ready to get to the truth about the mayor and who killed Colton.” She headed toward the door.

“Let me know if I can help,” Matt called after her.

“I will. I’m going to get this solved.” Bobbie swung the door closed behind her, determined to make her words a reality.

CHAPTER 27

As Bobbie made her way back to her cottage, everything she’d just learned rolled through her mind. She led Bailey on a quick walk around the neighborhood. As she glanced at the bright and colorful decorations around her, she tried to decide what she would do next.

She needed to get proof that Philomena was involved in Colton’s murder. She doubted talking to her would get her anywhere. Maybe she could get her to invite her inside and she could sneak around. She didn’t like her chances, but it was worth a try. And if she wasn’t home, maybe she could break in. If she was caught breaking into the mayor’s house, she knew there would be serious consequences. But she felt as if getting access to her house was her best chance, maybe her only chance, of finding the proof that she’d sent the package that had killed Colton.

As Bobbie reached her cottage again, she saw Rachael on her front porch.

“There you are.” Rachael grinned.

“Here I am.” Bobbie unlocked the cottage door and let Bailey inside. “And do I have a story to tell you!” She recounted her conversation with Matt about Philomena.

“And do you think he’s right, that she’s innocent?”

“No, I’m going to try to find the proof myself. He’s insisting that she isn’t the one who did this, because she was getting payments from Colton. She knew about the dumping and the pollution and was extorting him to line her own pockets. Tell me that’s not a murderer if you’ve ever heard of one.”

“You know how much I hate agreeing with Matt.” Rachael scrunched up her nose. “But he does have a point. Why would she want to do anything to make those payments end?”

“Think about it this way. Colton had been caught polluting the lake. He was going to go to trial, and he was likely to be found guilty. If he was bribing her, that meant that she was at risk, too. He had that leverage over her. If he took a plea deal to reduce his sentence, he could expose her involvement. When Philomena realized everything was falling apart, she probably felt she couldn’t take a chance on letting it happen. Just think, even now, if the truth comes out, she’s going to lose her good reputation, her job, and a fortune in court battles and penalties. Maybe everything. It’s not going to be an easy process for her.”

“But that’s the point, isn’t it?” Rachael raised her eyebrows. “If Philomena’s the murderer, her plan worked. Colton is dead. But she’s still going to face consequences when Matt’s story comes out.”

“True. But maybe she didn’t know Matt was onto her. I overheard the officers at the police station arguing about whether to reveal something that they’d been told about Philomena and Colton. Maybe someone told them about the bribery? She seems to be more focused on greed than on the well-being of this town.”

“What’s your plan?”

“I’m just going to try to speak to her again, although I doubt I’ll get anything from her.” Bobbie knew she couldn’t tell Rachael she planned to break in if she had to. It would put her in a very awkward position. “But maybe she’ll invite me in, and I can snoop around and see if I can find any evidence she did this. Which I think is my best chance of getting to the truth. That’s all I can do at this point.”

“I didn’t hear that!” Rachael plugged her ears with her fingers and began to hum.

Bobbie grinned, unable to resist being amused by Rachael’s innocent expression.

“I know you can’t help with trying to find evidence at her house.” Bobbie leaned close and smiled.

“Oh?” Rachael eyed her as she lowered her fingers from her ears. “You know I’ll do whatever I can to help you. But there are some things I need to steer clear of.”

Bobbie’s heart warmed as she sensed the truth in Rachael’s words. Maybe she didn’t know how to interpret her feelings for Kyle, or whether she could trust Matt, but Rachael had become a fast and loyal friend that she could count on. “Of course. I’ll be fine.” She smiled.

“While you’re doing that, do you think I could borrow Bailey?”

“Borrow him?” Bobbie squinted at her.

“I want to take him to visit a friend. Theodore. He was my English teacher at school, but he’s retired now, and he lost his wife recently. He loves dogs, and I said I would bring Bailey to visit him.”

“Of course. Bailey loves meeting new people.” Bobbie admired how Rachael always seemed to want to help everyone. She had such a kind heart.

“Great, thank you. Are you sure you want to do this. It’s risky. You know, if you’re caught snooping around, no one will be able to help you. If Philomena makes a complaint, my mother will probably have to arrest you.” Rachael looked into her eyes. “Are you really thinking this through?”

“No.” Bobbie’s muscles tightened as the reality of her confession set in. “She probably won’t let me in anyway.”

“Be careful, Bobbie.” Rachael led Bailey toward the street.

“I’ll be fine.” Bobbie tried to believe her own words as she started down the street. “Stay positive, always stay positive, Bobbie.” She took in a deep breath. “It doesn’t cost extra to be confident, or to believe in the best outcome.” She smiled as she recalled some of Uncle Jimmy’s favorite optimistic phrases. However, her smile faded as she realized that each time he said those words, he knew that her parents had been murdered, that he wasn’t really her uncle, and that one day she would realize she’d been lied to her entire life.

Bobbie shook away the thoughts and focused on getting to the mayor’s house. Noticing the driveway was empty, she made her way around the side of the house, hopefully out of sight of any cameras that might be rolling.

Bobbie tried the back door and found the knob turned easily. “She really is lax about security,” she muttered to herself as she stepped inside.

She headed for the front of the house where she’d spotted an office just off the entrance, when Philomena had spoken to them with the door open, on her previous visit. She thought that would be the most likely place to find any evidence of Philomena’s involvement in Colton’s murder.

She navigated around a huge Christmas tree and gasped as her hip knocked into a gingerbread house that already appeared to be rather fragile. She caught it before it could crumble, then continued toward the office. As she reached it, she heard footsteps outside the front door.

CHAPTER 28

Startled, Bobbie realized it was better to confront the situation head-on than get caught sneaking around. She grabbed the knob on the front door, hoping she could come up with a convincing excuse for her presence before she opened the door and faced the mayor.

She flung the door open and froze at the sight of Josh right outside the door with a package in his hands.

“Bobbie.” His eyes widened as he set the package down on the porch, then took a step back. “I found this in the driveway, I guess the mailman didn’t want to bring it all the way to the door.”

Bobbie’s heart lurched with panic as she stared at him. She knew that the mail service in the area had been shut down for the day. Suddenly, all the pieces fell into place.

“Your own mother?” Bobbie gasped. “You tried to kill your own mother?”

“Stepmother.” Josh’s expression hardened, his eyes darkened. A cruel, mildly amused smirk crept across his lips. “You might as well know the truth. You won’t be able to tell anyone anyway.” He pulled a small device out of his pocket. “I made sure there wouldn’t be any mistakes with this one, so I delivered it myself. I had the other one built, so when the package was opened it would explode, but this one has a detonator. All I need to do is push the button, and when I release it, the bomb will go off.”

“Don’t!” Bobbie’s heart raced as panic spread through her. “Please don’t, Josh!”

“I’m done listening to everyone else. I listened to my father when he married her. I listened to the lawyers when they told me not to fight for my inheritance, when my father died. They told me to be patient, that she wouldn’t live forever. But when I found out that she’d played a part in the pollution fiasco, that she’d been taking bribes from Colton for years, and the truth would eventually come out, I knew then that every dime I’d been waiting so patiently for would be at risk. Everything I’d been putting up with, with that intolerable woman, would be gone. They’d go after the house, too. I’d be left with nothing. All because she was too greedy to be satisfied with the fortune my father created for her.”

“So, you wanted to get rid of her?”

“Yes, I wanted her gone and Colton to be blamed for her murder, so I could get my inheritance now, before the truth about the bribery came out. I figured Colton would never reveal he was bribing Philomena. It would just make him look more guilty for the murder, and everything else he was involved in. It was all planned perfectly, but everything went wrong. Before Colton was killed, I leaked incorrect information to the police, to try and make it look like Colton had sent the package to Philomena. I told the officers that Colton had been threatening Philomena to keep her quiet about the pollution scandal. But, of course, they were too lazy to do anything about it. I guess I should have told Kate instead. Not that it mattered, the mailman messed everything up.”

“I can understand why you’re so angry, Josh. She was putting your future security at risk.” Bobbie held up her hands as he held up the device. “But you have to think this through. Killing me isn’t going to solve your problem with your stepmother. She’s still going to be alive, and everyone will know that it was you. Once this bomb explodes, she’ll go into protective custody, and you’ll never be able to touch her.”

“Actually, the opposite will happen. The chief has assured me that if my stepmother goes into protective custody, I’ll go right along with her. I discussed it with him after Colton was murdered. So, things might be delayed a bit, but the end result will be the same.” Josh met her eyes. “Unfortunately, you know too much. I made a mistake when I turned the camera off.”

“How did you get the package delivered without it being traced? And why did you turn off the camera?”

“I guess there’s no harm in telling you, now. I addressed that package to my stepmother’s house. I dropped it in the mail carrier’s van, so it couldn’t be traced. He always leaves it unlocked. He trusts everyone. How could I know that the pathetic mailman would deliver it to the wrong house? I made sure the camera was off, because I’d planned to blame Colton for Philomena’s murder. I planned to use the camera as evidence that Philomena had been working to catch Colton in his crimes, and that he discovered it, turned it off, and murdered her, to protect himself. The information I’d leaked to the police would support that. But, of course, none of that went as planned. Maybe Colton couldn’t be bothered giving the package to Philomena, or maybe he even thought he could use it to harass her somehow. If he’d just been neighborly, he’d still be alive.” Josh sighed and looked up at the sky.

Bobbie realized that must have been why Colton’s smile had stood out to her when he took the package into the house. It had been mischievous. He’d seen the label and kept it even though it was addressed to Philomena.

“This whole thing has been a ridiculous endeavor. But that ends now.” Josh looked back at her and held up the device again as he pressed his thumb down on the button. “Because you’re the only one who knows the truth, which means it’s time for you to die.” He began backing down the driveway with the device raised in his hand. “If you move a muscle, I’ll blow you to tiny little bits right now.”

Bobbie froze, unable to even take a breath. As her chest ached with the desire to breathe, her mind replayed the explosion she’d witnessed just next door to where she stood. Tears stung her eyes as she watched him wave the device in the air. She would never see Bailey again. She would never find out more about her parents. How was she going to get out of this?

As her mind raced, she saw Bailey leap through the air. His curly fur glistened in the sunlight as he collided with Josh and tackled him to the ground.

“No!” Bobbie screamed and squeezed her eyes shut as she waited for the explosion. A few seconds later, as her lungs continued to fill with air, she cautiously opened her eyes.

Bailey sat next to two men on the ground. He panted happily as he gazed at her.

Kyle pinned Josh to the ground, as Josh held one hand high in the air.

Bobbie saw the detonator in Josh’s hand, and without thinking it through, she sprang into action. She ran toward them, and clasped the detonator with one hand, making sure the switch was still pressed down, and grabbed Josh’s wrist with the other hand. She twisted it the way Kyle had taught her as she held firm on the switch, and the device slipped from Josh’s grasp.

“Careful!” Kyle’s eyes locked to hers. “Be calm, just breathe, and be careful.”

Panic coursed through Bobbie as she thought of what she held in her hand. She couldn’t move her finger from the detonator. If she did, they would all die.

Kyle held her gaze as he easily kept Josh on the ground.

“I’m going to tie him up, and then you’re going to give that to me.”

Bobbie offered a faint nod as she watched Kyle use Josh’s own shirt to restrain him.

Kyle stood up, then reached for the device.

“Don’t,” Bobbie whispered as she took a slight step back.

“Bobbie, it’s okay. I’ll make sure it doesn’t go off. Give it to me.” Kyle’s jaw tensed as he reached for it again, though the gesture remained gentle.

“No. I can’t.” Tears filled Bobbie’s eyes. “Please, just take Bailey to safety, and get help.”

“Help is on its way. I called Kate when I saw the bomb.” Kyle continued to stare into her eyes with a mixture of determination and desperation. “Now, please, give me the device.”

“Kyle, I’m not going to put you in more danger!” Bobbie took another step back.

“No!” Kyle suddenly caught her by the wrist and wrapped his fingers around hers, pinning the device within their hands. “I’m not going anywhere.” He stared hard into her eyes as warmth filled his own. “I’m right here with you. We’ll get through this together.”

Bobbie felt a rush of frustration and relief. As much as she wanted him to listen to her and get somewhere safe, she also didn’t want to be left alone.

Sirens shrieked, as police vehicles approached the scene.

Chaos unfolded around them as she noticed Josh being taken into custody and Bailey being whisked away to Rachael.

But Kyle’s eyes remained focused on Bobbie’s as she heard Kate’s voice barking orders, and Rachael’s high-pitched, desperate demands for information, as well as a few shouts from the mayor as she recognized her stepson in the back seat of a patrol car.

What felt like hours later, the bomb squad arrived, and the technicians began inspecting both the package and the device Bobbie and Kyle held.

“Okay, the bomb has been cleared.” Kate walked up to Kyle and Bobbie with heavy relief in her voice. “You can let go.”

For the first time, Kyle looked away, to his aunt. “Are you sure?”

“Absolutely.” Kate placed a hand on Bobbie’s shoulder. “It’s all right, you’re safe now.”

Kyle slowly unwound his hand from around Bobbie’s. Bobbie’s arm trembled, her fingers ached. But she couldn’t convince them to let go.

“It’s okay, Bobbie, you can let go.” Kyle looked into her eyes again.

She continued to tremble. Her hand refused to uncurl.

Bobbie felt a warm palm on the small of her back and glanced over to see Matt step up beside her. He met her eyes and spoke in a slow, even whisper.

“I’ve got your back, Bobbie. We all do. You’re safe now.” Matt held out his hand for the device.

At the warmth of Matt’s touch on her back, she felt her muscles relax. Her hand released its grasp on the detonator. She watched as it tumbled into Matt’s hand.

The moment it did, Kyle’s demeanor shifted from calm and comforting to angry, as he looked at Matt. “How do you have her back, Matt? Didn’t you send her here all alone? I ran into Rachael and Bailey. Rachael told me Bobbie did this because you didn’t believe her when she suspected the mayor. You let her come here alone. She could have been killed!”

“This isn’t what she needs right now.” Matt’s voice rose slightly.

“Don’t act like you know what she needs.” Kyle pointed at him. “She never should have been in this position. She needs to know who she should trust, and who she shouldn’t.”

“Kyle!” Bobbie tried to make sense of the argument that was unfolding between them.

“Enough!” Kate’s sharp tone broke through the tension.

“Let’s get you somewhere you can rest, Bobbie.” Matt draped his arm around Bobbie’s shoulders.

Bobbie’s heart pounded as she sensed the animosity sparking off the two men. She looked up as Rachael walked toward her with Bailey. Bailey strained on the end of the leash to get to Bobbie. She pulled away from Matt, and Bailey jumped on her. She ruffled his fur as he licked her cheeks. “I’m so glad you’re okay. You saved my life.” She bent down and gave him a few more pets after he hopped down. “Rachael, can you please take me and Bailey home?” She stood up and met Kyle’s eyes. Words of gratitude stuck in her throat, stymied by her confusion at his anger toward Matt.

“Of course.” Rachael rubbed Bobbie’s shoulder and spoke in a soft tone. “It’s okay.”

Matt walked toward his car, clearly disappointed that Bobbie hadn’t left with him.

Bobbie reached out and caught the tips of Kyle’s fingers in a loose grasp. “Thank you, Kyle. You saved my life.”

“I’m just relieved you’re okay.” Kyle’s voice was thick with emotion.

CHAPTER 29

On the way to Bobbie’s cottage, Rachael had explained that she’d run into Kyle after taking Bailey to see Theodore, and Kyle had been worried because Bobbie hadn’t been at her cottage, so Rachael admitted where Bobbie was.

Rachael had wanted to go to check in with her mother about any developments on the case, so Kyle had taken Bailey and tried to find Bobbie. He’d planned on spending some time walking in the park together and sorting everything out, but then he’d seen Bobbie, and Josh, and the bomb, and in that moment he knew he had to help her. What he hadn’t expected was for Bailey to leap at Josh first.

Shortly after arriving at home with Rachael and Bailey, Kate had joined them. She explained that she’d spoken to Heidi again. Heidi’s mother had admitted to her Colton was never her father. It was just a story she’d made up hoping Heidi would get money from him. She also told them that the mayor had been arrested for her involvement in the bribery. Bobbie thanked them both and they’d left, after promising them she would join them later that evening for a Christmas Eve dinner.

Relieved that the murderer had been caught, Bobbie’s mind shifted to what she’d learned about her family. She wanted to know more about her parents and how she’d ended up with Uncle Jimmy. But would she ever get the answers?

Bobbie gave in to her tiredness and curled up on the couch. Through the front window she watched as the cloudy sky exploded into heavy, huge snowflakes. While watching the hypnotic scene, she’d fallen asleep.

Bailey’s wet nose against her cheek woke her up what felt like moments later, though the time on her phone indicated that hours had passed.

“What is it?” Bobbie tried to clear the fog of sleepiness from her mind as she sat up.

Then she heard it, noises outside, accompanied by laughter.

“What’s going on?” Cautiously, Bobbie opened the front door. Bright sparkling red and green lights covered her front porch, with garland and bows, transforming it to festive.

In the middle of the fresh layer of snow, Rachael balled up a wad of snow and hefted it straight at Kyle.

Bailey burst through the door, bounded across the porch, and jumped right into the snow. “What is all this?” A wide smile spread across Bobbie’s lips as she watched Kyle fling a snowball back at Rachael.

“Surprise!” Rachael laughed as she dodged it. “Merry Christmas!”

“I can’t believe you did all of this.” Tears misted Bobbie’s eyes as she looked over the decorations. “It’s so beautiful.”

“I wanted to use my key and set up a tree inside, but Kyle said no.” Rachael rolled her eyes. “So, you’ll just have to share ours tonight when you come over.”

“I didn’t realize how late it was.” Bobbie glanced at her watch. “I must have fallen asleep.” She shook her head, as for a moment she wondered if she’d really woken up or if this was all a dream. It certainly felt like one, with the warmth that flowed through her body despite the icy temperature.

Bailey chased after the snowballs that Rachael and Kyle threw, sending up fountains of snow as he ran.

“Do you like it?” Kyle walked up to the porch and smiled at her.

“Yes, I love it! Thank you so much!” Bobbie resisted the urge to hug him.

“I’m sorry about earlier.” Kyle sought her eyes.

“Sorry?” Bobbie gazed back at him. “Why would you be sorry? You saved my life.”

“And then I got angry with Matt.”

“Why were you so angry with him?” Bobbie asked.

“I know that you like him.” Kyle averted his gaze. “But he’s dangerous. He acts before he thinks, and he only cares about himself. He let you walk right into danger, alone, because he trusted his instincts more than yours.”

“I don’t know him that well, but he wasn’t wrong. Philomena wasn’t the murderer, Josh was. Kyle, Matt isn’t responsible for my safety, and neither are you.” Bobbie infused her voice with confidence.

“If you believe that, then you don’t know me that well.” Kyle stepped closer to her.

“I know that you protected me. You seem to always want to do that.” Bobbie studied his expression. “But why is that? Rachael told me there are things I should know about you.”

“She did, did she?” Kyle muttered just before Rachael called out to them while she made a snow angel in the front yard.

“Look at me!”

Bobbie burst into laughter, then turned her attention back to Kyle. “Thank you for staying with me. When I thought the bomb was going to explode, you wouldn’t let me be alone.”

“I’m just relieved you’re okay.”

“Thanks to you.” Bobbie looked up at the sparkling lights that hung from the porch. “I can’t believe how you and Rachael have made this old cottage look so wonderful.”

“It is beautiful.” Kyle smiled as he met her eyes. “I’ll see you at dinner?”

“I’ll be there. Thank you, Rachael!” Bobbie waved to Rachael.

“Don’t be long, or Mom will come looking for you!” Rachael plodded through the snow toward her car.

“I’m just going to get Bailey dried off and give him a special dinner, and I’ll be right over.”

“Bring Bailey with,” Rachael called out. “It will be fun having him with us.”

“Okay, thank you.” Bobbie gazed at the snow that stretched out in all directions. If she waited much longer, she might not make it out of her driveway. She rounded up Bailey, hauled him inside, and dried off his beautiful curls, then she quickly got ready, suddenly eager to join Rachael and her family for what would be her first real Christmas Eve celebration ever.

The End

***

Thank you for reading A Perilous Package. I loved writing it and I hope you enjoyed reading it. Ready for more of Bobbie and Bailey’s sleuthing adventures? The next book in the series is A Fatal Focus. If you’d like to receive an email when I have a new release, please join my cozy mystery newsletter.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Cindy Bell is a USA Today and Wall Street Journal Bestselling Author. She is the author of over one hundred books in thirteen series. Her cozies are set in small towns, with lovable animals, quirky characters, delicious food and a touch of romance. She loves writing twisty cozy mysteries that keep readers guessing until the end.

When she is not reading or writing, she loves baking (and eating) sweet treats or walking along the beach with Rufus, her energetic Cocker Spaniel, thinking of the next adventure her characters can embark on.

If you’d like to receive an email when she has a new release, please join her cozy mystery newsletter at https://www.cindybellbooks.com.

ALSO BY CINDY BELL

LAKESIDE COTTAGE COZY MYSTERIES

A Murky Murder

A Perilous Package

A Fatal Focus

CHOCOLATE CENTERED COZY MYSTERIES

Chocolate Centered Cozy Mystery 10 Book Box Set (Books 1 - 10)

Chocolate Centered Cozy Mystery Series Box Set (Books 1 - 4)

Chocolate Centered Cozy Mystery Series Box Set (Books 5 - 8)

Chocolate Centered Cozy Mystery Series Box Set (Books 9 - 12)

Chocolate Centered Cozy Mystery Series Box Set (Books 13 - 16)

The Sweet Smell of Murder

A Deadly Delicious Delivery

A Bitter Sweet Murder

A Treacherous Tasty Trail

Pastry and Peril

Trouble and Treats

Fudge Films and Felonies

Custom-Made Murder

Skydiving, Soufflés and Sabotage

Christmas Chocolates and Crimes

Hot Chocolate and Homicide

Chocolate Caramels and Conmen

Picnics, Pies and Lies

Devils Food Cake and Drama

Cinnamon and a Corpse

Cherries, Berries and a Body

Christmas Cookies and Criminals

Grapes, Ganache & Guilt

Yule Logs & Murder

Mocha, Marriage and Murder

Holiday Fudge and Homicide

Chocolate Mousse and Murder

Salted Caramels, Shows, and Suspects

Peppermint Bark and Peril

Birthday Cake and Betrayal

LITTLE LEAF CREEK COZY MYSTERIES

Little Leaf Creek Cozy Mystery Series 10 Book Box Set (Books 1-10)

Little Leaf Creek Cozy Mystery Series 10 Book Box Set (Books 11-20)

Little Leaf Creek Cozy Mystery Series Box Set Vol 1 (Books 1-3)

Little Leaf Creek Cozy Mystery Series Box Set Vol 2 (Books 3-6)

Little Leaf Creek Cozy Mystery Series Box Set Vol 3 (Books 7-9)

Little Leaf Creek Cozy Mystery Series Box Set Vol 4 (Books 10-12)

Little Leaf Creek Cozy Mystery Series Box Set Vol 5 (Books 13-15)

Chaos in Little Leaf Creek

Peril in Little Leaf Creek

Conflict in Little Leaf Creek

Action in Little Leaf Creek

Vengeance in Little Leaf Creek

Greed in Little Leaf Creek

Surprises in Little Leaf Creek

Missing in Little Leaf Creek

Haunted in Little Leaf Creek

Trouble in Little Leaf Creek

Mayhem In Little Leaf Creek

Cracked in Little Leaf Creek

Stung in Little Leaf Creek

Scandal In Little Leaf Creek

Dead in Little Leaf Creek

Scared in Little Leaf Creek

Felled in Little Leaf Creek

Deceit in Little Leaf Creek

Secrets in Little Leaf Creek

Poisoned in Little Leaf Creek

Silenced in Little Leaf Creek

Last Dance in Little Leaf Creek

Broken in Little Leaf Creek

Skeletons in Little Leaf Creek

Trailed in Little Leaf Creek

Kidnapped in Little Leaf Creek

DUNE HOUSE COZY MYSTERIES

Dune House Cozy Mystery Series 10 Book Box Set (Books 1 - 10)

Dune House Cozy Mystery Series 10 Book Box Set 2 (Books 11 - 20)

Dune House Cozy Mystery Series Boxed Set 1 (Books 1 - 4)

Dune House Cozy Mystery Series Boxed Set 2 (Books 5 - 8)

Dune House Cozy Mystery Series Boxed Set 3 (Books 9 - 12)

Dune House Cozy Mystery Series Boxed Set 4 (Books 13 - 16)

Seaside Secrets

Boats and Bad Guys

Treasured History

Hidden Hideaways

Dodgy Dealings

Suspects and Surprises

Ruffled Feathers

A Fishy Discovery

Danger in the Depths

Celebrities and Chaos

Pups, Pilots and Peril

Tides, Trails and Trouble

Racing and Robberies

Athletes and Alibis

Manuscripts and Deadly Motives

Pelicans, Pier and Poison

Sand, Sea and a Skeleton

Pianos and Prison

Relaxation, Reunions and Revenge

A Tangled Murder

Fame, Food and Murder

Beaches and Betrayal

Fatal Festivities

Sunsets, Smoke and Suspicion

Hobbies and Homicide

Anchors and Abduction

Friends, Family and Fugitives

Palm Trees and Protests

Road Trip, Risk and Revenge

Fruit Smoothies and Felonies

Sunshine, Scents, and Suspects

Docks, Discoveries, and Danger

SAGE GARDENS COZY MYSTERIES

Sage Gardens Cozy Mystery 10 Book Box Set (Books 1 - 10)

Sage Gardens Cozy Mystery Series Box Set Volume 1 (Books 1 - 4)

Sage Gardens Cozy Mystery Series Box Set Volume 2 (Books 5 - 8)

Birthdays Can Be Deadly

Money Can Be Deadly

Trust Can Be Deadly

Ties Can Be Deadly

Rocks Can Be Deadly

Jewelry Can Be Deadly

Numbers Can Be Deadly

Memories Can Be Deadly

Paintings Can Be Deadly

Snow Can Be Deadly

Tea Can Be Deadly

Greed Can Be Deadly

Clutter Can Be Deadly

Cruises Can Be Deadly

Puzzles Can Be Deadly

Concerts Can Be Deadly

MADDIE MILLS COZY MYSTERIES

Maddie Mills Cozy Mysteries Books 1 - 3

Slain at the Sea

Homicide at the Harbor

Corpse at the Christmas Cookie Exchange

Lifeless at the Lighthouse

Halloween at the Haunted House

DONUT TRUCK COZY MYSTERIES

Deadly Deals and Donuts

Fatal Festive Donuts

Bunny Donuts and a Body

Strawberry Donuts and Scandal

Frosted Donuts and Fatal Falls

Donut Holes and Homicide

WAGGING TAIL COZY MYSTERIES

Wagging Tail Cozy Mystery Box Set Volume 1 (Books 1 - 3)

Murder at Pawprint Creek (prequel)

Murder at Pooch Park

Murder at the Pet Boutique

A Merry Murder at St. Bernard Cabins

Murder at the Dog Training Academy

Murder at Corgi Country Club

A Merry Murder on Ruff Road

Murder at Poodle Place

Murder at Hound Hill

Murder at Rover Meadows

Murder at the Pet Expo

Murder on Woof Way

Murder at Beagle Bay

NUTS ABOUT NUTS COZY MYSTERIES

A Tough Case to Crack

A Seed of Doubt

Roasted Peanuts and Peril

Chestnuts, Camping and Culprits

BEKKI THE BEAUTICIAN COZY MYSTERIES

Hairspray and Homicide

A Dyed Blonde and a Dead Body

Mascara and Murder

Pageant and Poison

Conditioner and a Corpse

Mistletoe, Makeup and Murder

Hairpin, Hair Dryer and Homicide

Blush, a Bride and a Body

Shampoo and a Stiff

Cosmetics, a Cruise and a Killer

Lipstick, a Long Iron and Lifeless

Camping, Concealer and Criminals

Treated and Dyed

A Wrinkle-Free Murder

A MACARON PATISSERIE COZY MYSTERY

Sifting for Suspects

Recipes and Revenge

Mansions, Macarons and Murder

HEAVENLY HIGHLAND INN COZY MYSTERIES

Murdering the Roses

Dead in the Daisies

Killing the Carnations

Drowning the Daffodils

Suffocating the Sunflowers

Books, Bullets and Blooms

A Deadly Serious Gardening Contest

A Bridal Bouquet and a Body

Digging for Dirt

WENDY THE WEDDING PLANNER COZY MYSTERIES

Matrimony, Money and Murder

Chefs, Ceremonies and Crimes

Knives and Nuptials

Mice, Marriage and Murder