A FATAL FOCUS

LAKESIDE COTTAGE COZY MYSTERIES

BOOK THREE

CINDY BELL

Copyright © 2025 Cindy Bell

All rights reserved.

Cover Design by Lou Harper, Cover Affairs

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CHAPTER 1

Impossible. That’s what Bobbie Walker had decided. She’d been coaching herself all morning not to think about the way her heart fluttered in Kyle West’s presence, and yet, the moment she locked eyes with him, there it was. The first ten minutes of her self-defense class with Kyle had left her feeling clumsy and annoyed. Each time her mind wandered, he seemed to sense it and drew her back to the lesson.

Yes, her crush on Kyle was a distraction, but what really pulled her focus away from the movements he demonstrated for her, was what she’d learned about her past since she’d moved to Newfield, Vermont.

She could never have dreamed up the twists and turns her life had taken in just the short time she’d been living there.

A flurry of movement left her caught, luckily, in the steady arms of someone she trusted. Bobbie took a deep breath as she resisted Kyle’s hold, her arm twisting against his firm grip. A moment later, she gave in, her muscles relaxed, and she felt a flicker of frustration.

“If you take the bait, I’m going to get the upper hand every time.” Kyle’s light brown eyes focused on her. “You never reach. You keep your hands close to your face, and you stay in your range. If you have to reach, then you’re out of range, and you need to use a different technique.”

“I get it.” Bobbie exhaled as he loosened his grip. His gaze lingered steady and encouraging, before he stepped back.

“Good. Let’s try again.”

“Water break?” Bobbie flashed him a quick smile that softened the tension in his serious expression, and a faint smile tugged at the corner of his lips.

“I suppose you’ve earned it.” Kyle tipped his head toward the chairs that lined the edges of the mats spread across the martial arts studio. “Go on, but only take a minute. We have a lot to cover, and I know how busy you are.”

Bobbie stepped off the mats and grabbed her water bottle as she detected the hint of annoyance in his voice. She’d canceled or rescheduled a few of their classes lately, mainly because she was trying to be the best dog parent she could be. Fostering a goldendoodle after her neighbor, someone she’d barely even met, had been murdered was just one of the many surprises she’d encountered when she decided to move to the lakeside cottage.

Now, Bobbie found herself in a new town, though she’d recently discovered that technically it was the town she’d been born in, and spent the first few years of her life. Along with the shocking revelation that the man who’d raised her wasn’t actually her biological uncle, she’d inherited a lot of questions, with many she still didn’t have answers to.

With so much to unravel, Bobbie had been distracted from one of the reasons she’d decided to move there, the opportunity to focus on writing the detective novel she’d promised herself she would publish before she turned twenty-five. With that deadline closing in, she felt the pressure mounting. She’d written a few books before, but this was her first proper novel.

At that moment, her main goal was to convince the dog rescue in town that she was fit to be a pet parent, and that her sweet Bailey had a happy and safe home with her. That had proven to be difficult. She was only renting the cottage, and she needed written confirmation from her landlord, allowing her to have a dog, before the adoption would be approved. She’d hesitated to ask, worried he might say no, but she knew she had no choice. Now, she was waiting for the paperwork and couldn’t shake the fear that the landlord might refuse.

Bobbie put down her water and walked back onto the mats.

“Okay, so this time I want you to consider how you can counter my strike without leaving yourself vulnerable.” Kyle positioned himself in front of her and threw a deliberately slow punch in her direction.

Bobbie resisted the instinct to grab his wrist. Instead, she twisted to the side, stepped out of the way of the strike, swept her arm around his waist, and shoved with all her strength.

A second later, she found herself in his arms, pulled over his extended hip, and suspended a few feet off the ground. Before she could react, he shifted his weight, his movements fluid and precise, and completed the throw.

Bobbie hit the mat with a dull thud. She blinked up at him, catching the faint smile on his lips as he stood above her.

“You’re getting better.” Kyle offered her his hand. “But you’re still hesitating.”

Bobbie let out a breath and accepted his hand, pulling herself to her feet. “Thanks for the reminder.” Her heartbeat finally began to steady. “Maybe give me a little warning next time you’re going to sweep me off my feet.” She let out a nervous laugh, and her cheeks flushed at her awkward comment.

“Are you okay?”

“Yep.” Bobbie immediately shifted into a defensive stance as she anticipated his approach, her hands instinctively rising to her cheeks.

“Nice.” A genuine smile spread across Kyle’s lips. “I see those instincts are improving.”

“They are, aren’t they?” Bobbie grinned and her muscles began to relax.

“Your entrance was good, the movement was just a little too wide, and that’s why I was able to grab on to your shoulder with my free hand and flip you into that position.” Kyle tapped her shoulder. “If you’d moved a little bit more behind me instead of out to the side, I wouldn’t have been able to reach you, and you had a very good chance of taking me down.”

A short laugh escaped Bobbie’s lips at the idea of her being able to take him down.

“Let’s go again. Do what you can to put me on the ground.” Kyle smiled.

The challenge of outmaneuvering him excited Bobbie. She trusted him, but there was still a lot about him she didn’t know, including the secrets he kept about his own past. He was a bit of a mystery to her.

Just as Kyle began to throw a slow punch, the door to the martial arts studio burst open, and a woman with blonde hair in tight miniature buns on the top of her head rushed inside.

“There’s been a murder!”

CHAPTER 2

Startled, Bobbie forgot all about the punch headed for her.

Luckily, Kyle dropped his hand before it could connect.

“Rachael!” Kyle stared at his cousin. “We’re in the middle of a class.”

“Oh, sorry if I thought that a murder was more important.” Rachael West walked farther into the studio. “But that’s fine. You two finish up, and then I’ll tell you about the homicide that’s taken place right here in Newfield.”

“What are you talking about?” Bobbie left the mats without even thinking twice about whether the class was finished. “Are you serious, or is this like that time you told me a horrible crime had been committed because the dairy bar eliminated the pumpkin spice flavor before Halloween?”

“I’m serious.” Rachael crossed her arms over her slender stomach and narrowed her bright green eyes. “And by the way, that was a crime. But this is an actual murder.”

“Where? What exactly happened?” Kyle’s voice took on a calmer tone as he focused less on the interruption, and more on the information.

“In the forest, out by Wendy’s Cabins.” Rachael answered his question, but looked straight at Bobbie. Wendy owned a few cabins in the woods that she rented out for both short- and long-term stays. Bobbie had met her a couple of weeks ago when Rachael, who seemed to know everyone, introduced them at the convenience store. “I thought you’d want to know. The police don’t know much, yet. But the woman was killed by sharp blows to the side of the head, and her body was found buried in the snow. Someone definitely wanted to hide her.”

Bobbie’s breath caught in her throat. “Do you know who it was?”

“No, she’s not a local.” Rachael shrugged. “I tried to get more out of my mother, but she told me she had a murder to investigate and didn’t have time for my questions.”

Rachael’s mother was Sergeant Kate West. Rachael had trained as an officer but didn’t like carrying a weapon, so she often helped out as a civilian officer, as there were only three officers in the small police department, including Kate, which was headed by the bumbling police chief, Jasper Cullin.

“Let’s go out there and find out more.” Bobbie started pulling on her boots as she looked up at Rachael.

“We can’t go there.” Rachael crossed her arms. “My mom doesn’t want anyone near the crime scene, even me. She said it’s going to take a few hours to properly search the area, and she doesn’t want anyone interfering.”

“Does she have any leads on the murderer?” Kyle asked.

“No leads, yet. Apparently, she was staying in Newfield alone.” Rachael glanced down at her phone. “That’s all we know, so far. But knowing Mom, she’ll have every detail about her life in an hour or two.”

“What about the trail cameras?” Bobbie tugged her long, dark brown hair free of the ponytail she’d put it up in for her class. “The hunters have them everywhere, don’t they?”

“Pretty much, but not near the cabins. Hunting isn’t allowed there, and Wendy’s never wanted any security cameras or anything. She wants her guests to enjoy their privacy.” Rachael squinted at her phone. “No updates, yet.”

“Wait, you said she was buried, right? So, who found her?” Bobbie took a sip of her water.

“A photographer, Jerome. I guess he’d been scouting the area for some pictures, and he came across her body.” Rachael winced. “I’m sure that wasn’t the morning he was expecting to have.”

“She was staying in a cabin alone?” Kyle rubbed his chin. “That’s a little odd, don’t you think? Most people have some kind of companion when they go on a vacation.”

“It’s not that odd.” Bobbie glanced at him. “I don’t have any companion to go on vacation with, well, aside from Bailey, but that wouldn’t stop me.”

“Exactly.” Rachael sighed as she studied her cousin. “We can’t all wait around for someone. We still have to live our lives.”

“You’re right. I didn’t mean it that way.” Kyle held up his hands. “I just meant that she might have been there for more than just a vacation. It’s an odd time of year to choose to stay in a cabin far from the rest of town.”

“We do get a lot of photographers around here in the fall and winter. Maybe she was here for that?” Rachael suggested. “These days, just about every influencer on social media will show up here or somewhere similar to get their snowscape picture of the season. It’s one thing the polluted lake hasn’t really affected. It could explain why she was here alone.”

The local lake had been heavily polluted by waste from ChemTree, a chemical factory.

“We’d know a lot more if we could get a look at the crime scene.” Bobbie glanced through the front window of the studio as a light flurry began to fall. “It’s open woods, right? We could find a way in.”

“Absolutely not.” Rachael shook her head. “When my mother says no about something like that, you don’t defy her. She may seem all sweet and kind, but if you cross her, she’ll never forget it.”

“Sweet and kind?” Kyle chuckled. “I don’t think anyone has ever accused Kate of that.”

“You shush!” Rachael glanced at Kyle, then looked back at Bobbie. “Trust me, we don’t want to try her on this.”

“Okay, then I’m going to see what I can find out at Newfield News.” Bobbie turned toward the door.

“We still have a few minutes left.” Kyle gestured to the mats. “Are you sure you don’t want to practice more?”

“If you think I was distracted before, you don’t want to see my mind right now.” Bobbie ducked her head to avoid his weighted gaze. “I’ll make it up to you, I promise.”

“I know you will.”

When Bobbie looked up at him, she found a smile on his lips.

“You’re thinking about push-ups, aren’t you?” Bobbie narrowed her eyes.

“We’ll see.” Kyle’s smile spread.

“Keep it up, and she just might not come back,” Rachael huffed.

“Like you?” Kyle locked eyes with his cousin.

“I’m leaving.” Rachael waved over her shoulder as she hurried toward the door. “I have a shift at Scotty’s. Text me if you find anything out, Bobbie.”

As Rachael disappeared through the door on the way to the local bar, where she worked as a bartender, Bobbie felt Kyle’s gaze return to her.

“I’m sorry I cut class short.” Bobbie picked up her water and purse and started toward the door.

“You’re making great progress with training. I hope you know that.”

“Thanks. I really appreciate you teaching me.”

“I enjoy it.” Kyle smiled.

CHAPTER 3

With Bobbie’s mind focused on the murder, a murder she was eager to help solve, she drove the short distance to the newspaper office where she worked as a freelance journalist. After a few deep breaths to clear her mind, she stepped out of the old pickup truck she’d inherited from her uncle.

When she’d discovered the fireplace in her cottage, she’d immediately thought of him. But she had yet to start a fire in it. The cool air that blew across her skin reminded her that now was the time. She crunched through the snow and shivered in the icy breeze. She still hadn’t gotten used to winter in Vermont.

The moment she set foot inside the building, a familiar voice called out her name.

“Bobbie! I guess you heard?” Matt Smith jumped up from his desk and walked toward her with a determined stride. “Do you have a theory?”

“On a random dead body?” Bobbie gave a short laugh. “I don’t have any theories. Do you?”

“One.” Matt smiled as he spun on his heel and walked right back to his desk. “She wasn’t who she said she was.” He dropped down into his rolling desk chair, which skidded back a few inches before he stopped it.

Bobbie sensed his excitement. He seemed to love a good mystery as much as she did.

“How do you know she wasn’t who she said she was? Do you even know her name, yet? All I know is that a woman’s body was found out by the cabins. Rachael forbade me from going to the crime scene. I guess blows to the head and a buried body definitely indicate a murder.”

“Exactly.”

“We need as many facts as we can get.” Bobbie sat down on the edge of the desk, and turned her neck to try to see his screen. “So, are you going to tell me what you’ve found?”

“I ran her name that she registered at the cabins with, Joyce Parkers, and I came up with nothing. At first, I thought maybe she lived a pretty mundane life without much social media presence. But what woman under the age of forty doesn’t have at least one account?” Matt raised his eyebrows.

“Me?” Bobbie pointed at herself. “My uncle always taught me that the more information I gave away, the more at risk I was...” Her voice trailed off as she framed his life lesson with what she’d discovered about him and her past.

“Wow, none?” Matt pulled his chair even closer to the desk. “It sounds like you really valued his opinion. Didn’t you ever have a teenage rebellion phase?”

“No. I always knew that he was doing his best to take care of me. I guess maybe because I knew he didn’t have to raise me, but he chose to, I never felt the need to push back against him.” Bobbie scrunched up her nose. “Does that sound strange?”

“Not at all.” Matt glanced back at the screen. “Right, so like I said, there was no trace of her. I thought that was pretty suspicious, so I started wondering if she might have gone by a different name. So, the next question is, who was she?”

“And why did she lie?” Bobbie skimmed the information on the computer screen. “Her lies might tell us more about her story than her identity will.”

“Clever.” Matt slid the mouse across the mouse pad and clicked on a link.

Bobbie glanced at him. She’d been battling with two crushes since she’d moved to Newfield. One on her martial arts instructor, and one on a man who she wasn’t sure actually liked her or just pretended to, so he could have the upper hand professionally. Shaking off the distraction, she tried to focus on the task at hand.

“Aha!” Matt snapped his fingers, and his eyes lit up with excitement.

“What is it?” Bobbie leaned closer to see his screen and nearly knocked her head into his.

“Easy now.” Matt chuckled as he ducked out of the way to avoid the collision.

“Sorry, tell me.” Bobbie leaned back a bit but still tried to crane her neck to see the screen. “What did you find?”

“My source told me that they’ve run her fingerprints, and her name’s Rose Jennings.” Matt continued to type.

“Rose Jennings?” Bobbie repeated the name as she typed it into her phone. “Can you find out anything else about her?”

“I’m looking. I’m looking.” Matt’s fingers flew across his keyboard.

Bobbie couldn’t help but smile at the determination and excitement in his expression. Whenever he was onto a story, his entire demeanor shifted from sarcastic to enthralled.

“Here she is. Here she is.” Matt tapped on the mouse and leaned back as an assortment of photographs spread across the screen. “Rose Jennings is definitely a photographer, but she’s not just a photographer. She’s a journalist as well.”

Before he could continue, Abigail Dale’s office door swung open. The owner and editor of Newfield News walked across the office toward them with purposeful strides.

“I can tell that you have something on the murder. What is it?” Abigail turned her full attention to Bobbie. “What have you found?”

“Only that the victim wasn’t who she claimed to be.” Bobbie stood up from the desk.

“Oh?” Abigail looked over at Matt who kept his eyes on the computer monitor. “Who was she, then?”

“Her name’s Rose. Rose Jennings.” Matt scanned his computer.

“Say that again?” Abigail’s voice took on a higher pitch.

CHAPTER 4

Bobbie looked up abruptly at Abigail’s shrill tone, something she’d never heard from her boss before. She noted the concern and panic that her expression plunged into.

“Rose Jennings.” Matt met Abigail’s eyes. “She was a photographer and a journalist.”

“Rose,” Abigail repeated the name, then shook her head. “No, it’s impossible. It can’t be her.”

“Did you know her well?” Bobbie’s curiosity sparked as she read the tension in Abigail’s expression.

“You have it wrong!” Abigail snapped her words. “This is why I keep telling you to be thorough. You have to check and recheck your sources. We have a responsibility as journalists to present the actual truth, not rumors and guesses. Get it right!”

“It’s the truth.” Matt turned his monitor toward her. It displayed a woman who looked to be in her late thirties or early forties, with straight, shoulder-length black hair, and bright blue eyes. “This is the victim. My source at the scene confirmed it.”

The moment Abigail set eyes on the image, she leaned closer and gripped the desk for support.

“But it can’t be Rose!” Abigail’s voice grew louder in disbelief. “I had no idea she was even in town. Why didn’t she tell me?”

Bobbie saw the sadness flicker across Abigail’s expression.

“Abigail, I’m so sorry.” Bobbie cupped her hand around her shoulder to help steady her. “Was she a friend of yours?”

Abigail leaned away from Bobbie’s touch and straightened up. “I’m fine.” She cleared her throat, adjusted her blazer, then looked Matt square in the eye. “I can only assume that your source is credible.”

“He’s credible.” Matt lowered his voice. “I’m sorry if she was a friend of yours.”

“Enough with the ‘I’m sorrys.’ The only thing I want to hear out of either of you is that you’ve figured out exactly what happened to Rose.” Abigail’s voice broke, despite her attempt to sound tough. “Who did this to her?”

“We’re already working on that.” Matt continued to speak in a gentle tone. “Is there anything that you want to tell us about her? Anything that you think might help us understand what happened?”

Abigail moved her lips to answer, but no sound came out.

“It’s okay, Abigail.” Bobbie lowered her voice to a whisper. “You don’t have to think about it right now. You don’t have to do anything. In fact, if you want, I can drive you home.”

“Stop. Stop that, right now.” Abigail glared at both of them. “This is a place of business. Do you understand me? As journalists, our most important role is to get to the truth, not waste time on pity.”

As Abigail started to walk away from them, the front door banged open, revealing a middle-aged woman in a police uniform. Sergeant Kate West.

“Kate!” Bobbie turned toward her.

“Abigail!” Kate ignored Bobbie as she strode straight toward Abigail, exuding a no-nonsense attitude that demanded her attention. “I need to speak with you about the murder. I gather you’ve already heard about it?”

“I have. But I’m a little busy right now.” Abigail continued to walk in the direction of her office.

“It isn’t a request.” Kate’s tone sharpened. “I know that you have a connection to the victim.”

“Rose.” Abigail’s shoulders slumped as her usually stern gaze melted into grief. “Her name was Rose.”

“Which is exactly why we need to talk. To start with, I need to hear every detail about why she was here.” Kate looked past her, at her office. “Can we go inside, please?”

Abigail nodded, then led the way inside.

The moment the door closed behind them, Matt headed straight for it.

Bobbie followed suit, eager to overhear the conversation, making sure to keep her footsteps as quiet as possible.

On the other side of the door, no one attempted to be quiet.

“I don’t have anything to tell you. I didn’t even know she was in town.” Abigail’s strained voice easily carried through the door.

“What can you tell me about Rose? I know you knew her well,” Kate said.

“What do you want to know?” Abigail asked.

“Did she have any enemies? Anyone who would want to see her dead?” Kate’s tone remained professional.

“So, it’s true? She was murdered? How did it happen?” Abigail’s voice faltered. “Wait, I’m not sure if I want to know.” She paused. “Yes, yes, I do want to know.”

“You answer my questions first, then I’ll answer yours,” Kate said.

“I want a lawyer. I’m not going to speak to you about anything without a lawyer present. Until then, I have nothing to say.” Abigail’s tone became determined.

Bobbie and Matt exchanged a surprised look.

As Bobbie continued to listen, she wondered why Abigail asked for a lawyer so quickly. Why would she need one? Didn’t she want to help the police find out what happened to her friend?

Kate’s sharp voice interrupted her thoughts. “Nothing at all? Because my digging has shown that you’ve been friends with Rose for well over ten years. Are you really going to tell me that you don’t have anything that could be helpful to this investigation?”

“I said, I want a lawyer.” Abigail’s voice strengthened even more.

“I guess I don’t blame you,” Kate retorted. “My digging also revealed that you two had a falling out not too long ago. I guess it makes sense that you would want a lawyer, if you have a guilty conscience.”

Bobbie gasped, then smacked her hand over her mouth in an attempt to cover the sound.

Matt narrowed his eyes as he put his finger to his lips. Bobbie held her breath and waited, wondering if the silence inside the office meant that they’d heard her.

“I had nothing to do with this.” Abigail’s voice trembled.

“Forgive me if I find that hard to believe, considering your refusal to cooperate with the investigation,” Kate said.

Bobbie pressed her ear against the door and tried to catch every word. She had no doubt in her mind that whatever Kate wanted to know, Abigail didn’t want to share.

“I don’t know anything. That’s all I can tell you. Yes, Rose and I had been friends for some time, but I didn’t even know she was in town. So, what can I possibly tell you about what happened to her?”

“You can start by telling me what caused the rift between you two.”

“It was complicated.” Abigail sighed. “But we resolved it. I have no idea why she would come here without telling me. And⁠—”

“And?” Kate asked.

“And, I don’t know who would want her dead. That’s it, Kate. I have nothing else to say.”

“That’s not enough. It’s nowhere near enough, and you know it.”

“Like I said, I want a lawyer. I won’t say another word until I get one.” Abigail’s tone left no room for argument.

Bobbie’s heart slammed against her chest as she wondered why her boss continued to refuse to help the investigation. Could it be that Kate was onto something when she claimed that Abigail had a guilty conscience?

Distracted by the possibility, Bobbie didn’t detect the footsteps approaching the door until it was too late. Kate yanked the door open, right out from under Bobbie’s ear.

Matt managed to dodge into a nearby chair and snatch up a magazine as if he’d been reading it the whole time.

Bobbie could only stare into Kate’s blazing eyes.

“Bobbie, I want to speak with you outside, please.” Kate pointed to the door.

Bobbie hesitated. She’d definitely been learning to trust Kate. Kate’s daughter, Rachael, had quickly become a close friend, and her nephew Kyle had been teaching her martial arts for some time. However, Kate’s intimidating presence still left her with some uncertainty.

“Okay.” Bobbie followed after her, and her thoughts drifted to what Kate had revealed about her past.

She’d explained that her parents hadn’t died in a car accident, but instead, they were murdered by Garrison Crispin, a criminal rival, because her mother had become an informant in an attempt to try and protect her family. He’d never been charged with their murders. But now he was behind bars, on trial for money laundering. A trial sealed to the public for reasons that hadn’t been disclosed. He’d managed to evade conviction on countless occasions, so it was doubtful he would be found guilty.

Bobbie had discovered that the man who’d raised her wasn’t actually her uncle but a close friend and criminal partner of her parents. He’d changed their last names and hidden her away, leaving Kate and everyone in Newfield to believe she’d been killed alongside her parents.

It had been quite a shock for Kate to see Bobbie alive and so closely resembling her mother.

But none of that seemed to be on Kate’s mind as she led the way out of the building and into the parking lot.

Bobbie glanced over her shoulder at Matt, just before she let the door fall closed behind her. She watched as Kate paced back and forth in her perfectly pressed uniform. She delivered each movement with sharp purpose and what appeared to be barely restrained frustration.

Yes, Bobbie had been listening at the door. Of course, Kate would be angry about that. But she felt as if there was something else behind Kate’s reaction. From the moment Bobbie showed up in Newfield, Kate had taken on a protective role, a role that Bobbie hadn’t agreed to.

When Kate finally turned to face Bobbie, her expression took on a hint of guilt. “Bobbie, I need a favor. I know this is a lot to ask, but I need your help, please.”

“This is about Rose?”

“Yes, it’s about Rose.” Kate glanced back at the door of the building before returning her attention to Bobbie. “Abigail knows her rights. She’s going to hire a fantastic lawyer, and I’m not going to be able to get two words out of her. But you work with her every day. You can get information from her.”

Bobbie’s heart raced as she realized that Kate intended to enlist her help, not just as a journalist, but as a spy.

“I don’t know, Kate.” Bobbie felt a rush of panic. “Abigail already isn’t my biggest fan, and I really need this job. If she blackballs me, I’ll never get work from any other newspaper or magazine.”

“I’ll make sure your name stays out of it. There’s a killer on the loose, I thought you would want to help.”

“You know I’d want to do what I can to help find her murderer.” Bobbie’s heart began to pound as she wondered if she could really spy on her boss.

“Then you’ll help?” A hint of relief made Kate’s tense shoulders relax.

“Yes, but I’ll only do what I feel comfortable doing, okay? That’s all I can offer.”

“Okay. It’s a start. Let me know what you find out.” Kate turned and walked back inside.

CHAPTER 5

Bobbie didn’t dare go back inside the building. She knew that Abigail would demand details about her conversation with Kate, and Matt would follow her with those eyes that seemed to see everything. She shivered at the thought of deceiving her boss. No, she didn’t know her well enough to be particularly loyal to her, especially if she was a murderer, but what did she know about spying on someone? How could she fool someone like Abigail into trusting her?

Bobbie had agreed to share information with Kate, but planned to carefully decide what to reveal. She hoped to help prove Abigail’s innocence, and she wouldn’t betray her unless she believed she was guilty. She hoped by agreeing to do this it would keep Kate on her good side and she might even be willing to share information with her because of it. After all, no journalist would turn down inside details from a cop.

After stopping by her cottage to take Bailey out for a quick run, she headed to the bar where Rachael worked. Bobbie had a much clearer head after spending some time with the gorgeous goldendoodle who always brightened her day. She hoped that a little time with her friend would help her focus even more.

As Bobbie stepped inside, Rachael greeted her with an enthusiastic smile. “Oh, you must have missed me!”

“I did miss you.” A smile sprang to Bobbie’s lips. Rachael’s infectious positivity reminded her of Uncle Jimmy, who’d always encouraged her to see the brighter side of life.

“I have something to tell you.” Rachael leaned against the bar and lowered her voice. “I don’t know how it can be relevant, but considering there’s been a murder, any strangers in town are suspicious. Jamie, one of the other bartenders, said that these two men came into the bar last night, looking for a woman. She said they seemed on edge. I asked if they were looking for someone named Joyce, but she said they were looking for someone named Rose.”

“Rose!” Bobbie dropped down onto a barstool in front of the bar and lowered her voice. “You obviously haven’t heard, yet. That’s Joyce’s real name. She was registered at the cabins under a false name. And get this, she’s a friend of Abigail’s.”

“Really? I hadn’t heard that yet.” Rachael took a sharp breath.

“Yep. Did Jamie have any idea who the guys looking for Rose were?”

“She said their names were Stephen and Russ, or at least that’s what they said their names are, and they’re staying at the motel on the outskirts of town.” Rachael’s eyes glowed with excitement. “What if they’re the murderers? They have to be, right? Why else would they be trying to find her?”

“Let’s try not to get ahead of ourselves.” Bobbie scanned the bar and found it mostly empty. When she looked back at Rachael, she grinned in response to the plate of chips and salsa that she set down in front of her. “Ah yes, you know me so well. Thank you.”

“You can’t solve a murder on an empty stomach, can you?” Rachael winked. “Oh, I have something else to tell you.” She lowered her voice to a whisper. “Although, I shouldn’t. It’s police business. And yes, yes, I know I should keep it confidential.” She huffed as she dropped down onto the barstool beside her and reached across and snatched one of Bobbie’s chips from her plate. “But you know I can’t keep things from you.” She tossed the chip into her mouth.

“Rachael!” Bobbie laughed. “Please, have some more.” She slid the plate toward her, then smiled as she leaned closer to her. “Yes, that’s the quality I admire the most about you. So spill, tell me everything.”

Rachael held up one finger as she had another chip, then sighed. “Just don’t get me in trouble with my mom, got it?”

“Got it.” Bobbie absolutely adored Kate’s daughter and didn’t want to do anything to threaten the closest friendship she’d ever had. She’d clicked with Rachael instantly. She hadn’t had many close friends over the years, and having a bestie, as Rachael called it, felt amazing.

“I found out three things. Rose was killed by multiple blows to the side of the head. She wasn’t killed where she was found, her body was moved, but there were no drag marks or footprints because there was fresh snowfall afterward. So far, her estimated time of death is yesterday afternoon between three and five. And some bits from a dog biscuit were found in her cabin and near the body.” Rachael tilted her head to the side and scrunched up her nose. “Okay four things, I found out four things.”

“Dog biscuit?” Bobbie thought of Bailey curled up in his usual spot on the couch in her small living room. “Could she have had a dog?”

“According to Wendy, she didn’t check in with a dog, and she never saw her with a dog. Her cabin and car have been searched, and there’s no evidence of her having a dog with her.” Rachael picked up a big chip and pointed it at Bobbie. “Which means that the murderer might have had the dog biscuit with them. Maybe they dropped it when they killed her, and it got crushed and dragged outside with her.”

“Oh! A clue!” Bobbie rubbed her hands together at the thought. “Okay, in my novel the next step would be to go through our list of suspects and figure out which ones have dogs. They would become the prime suspects.”

“Right, but maybe your detective doesn’t live in Newfield where just about everyone has a dog?” Rachael raised her eyebrows as she smiled. “You weren’t here for even a week when you ended up with Bailey.”

“Good point.” Bobbie rubbed her hand across her forehead. “So, maybe it’s not a great clue, but it’s still a clue. I know that you said I couldn’t go anywhere near the crime scene, earlier today, but what about now? The investigation of the area should be complete, right? I’d love to see where all of this actually happened.”

“Sure, the police tape should be down soon. Wendy is pushing for that as soon as possible since she has other guests in the cabins.”

“Wait, the cabins haven’t been cleared out?” Bobbie’s eyes widened. “But isn’t the killer likely to be out there in the woods?”

“To be honest, they could really be anywhere. Because of the way she was killed, and her body disposed of, there’s an assumption that this was a targeted attack. Which would mean that no one else is in danger.” Rachael frowned. “At least, that’s the theory.”

“But the snow is a factor, right? A few inches fell last night. That has to slow the killer down.” Snow was something Bobbie was struggling to adjust to. It had never been part of her life, growing up. But then again, she guessed she had some memories locked away in the back of her mind about playing in the snow, since her first few years had been spent here. “The killer can’t survive in it forever.”

“True, even lighting a fire would draw attention to their location. I think my mom’s favorite theory is that since she wasn’t a local, whoever killed her wasn’t a local, either, and there’s no further risk to the community. She thinks they’ve probably already taken off.”

“And what do you think of that?” Bobbie looked up at her and noticed the strain in her usually perky expression.

“I think that even if the killer isn’t local, they might be sticking around to make sure they covered it up well.” Rachael chewed on her bottom lip as her bright eyes clouded with concern. “I worry about my mother so much, Bobbie. I know that’s probably not fair of me to say, since you lost your mother so long ago. But I’d do anything to keep her safe.”

“It’s completely fair of you to say. I can understand why you worry. Your mother’s probably the bravest person I’ve ever met.” Bobbie smiled slightly. “Does she ever train with Kyle?”

“The better question is, did she train him?” Rachael winked at her.

“Are you serious?”

“A little bit. Let’s just say, she’s the reason Kyle started martial arts training.” Rachael plucked another chip from the plate.

“So, she’s skilled in combat?”

“Yes, but not at the same level as Kyle. His life experiences have helped hone his skills.”

“What experiences?” Bobbie searched her eyes.

“One mystery at a time.” Rachael held up a finger. “Listen, when I finish my shift, we can try and find Russ and Stephen. I’m sure my mother will find them first, but that doesn’t mean we won’t be able to get something out of them.”

“It’s a plan.” Bobbie forced a smile to hide her disappointment. Kyle had his own secrets, and Rachael had made it clear that he would need to be the one to share them, but she couldn’t deny her curiosity. She was eager to find out more. “Until then, I’ll do some research myself.” She snatched the last chip off the plate, then stood up from the barstool. “Thanks for the info. Text me when you’re finished your shift.”

“I will.” Rachael stood up as well.

Bobbie left the bar and drove back toward the newspaper building.

CHAPTER 6

Bobbie pushed open the door of Newfield News and paused, waiting for Matt’s usual greeting. Instead, she was met with silence. Though a few lights were still on in the building, there was no sign of anyone around. A wave of relief washed over her. Abigail was probably in her office, and Bobbie welcomed the chance to do some research without having to face her.

Although Bobbie preferred that Matt was there to help her, as he was great at getting information, she would start herself, and hopefully he would join her. She sat down at Matt’s computer. He’d let her use it before, and she doubted he would mind if she used it again. As soon as she’d logged in, Abigail’s office door opened and she stepped out.

“Bobbie, just who I wanted to see.” Abigail crossed the space between them. “I need an update.”

“Sure.”

“What have you found, so far?” Abigail sat down in the chair beside Matt’s desk.

“Not much, unfortunately. But I did come across a new lead. There are two men in town, Russ and Stephen. At least that’s what they said their names are. They seem to have come here specifically to find Rose.”

“Russ and Stephen,” Abigail repeated the names, then leaned over and began typing on the keyboard. “Those names sound familiar. Give me a second.”

Bobbie shifted uncomfortably in her seat as she wondered if Abigail could somehow sense or suspect that she’d agreed to collect information about her to give to Kate.

“Oh no.” Abigail sighed as she pressed her fingertips against her forehead. “I know exactly who they are.”

“Who?” Bobbie leaned forward in an attempt to look at the screen, but Abigail twisted it away before she could see it properly.

“Let me look into this a little more. I’ll let you know when you need to know.” Abigail continued to study the screen.

“Abigail.” Bobbie watched the woman avoid her probing gaze. “Please, tell me. If there’s a connection to Rose, the more people investigating it, the better.”

“Actually, it’s not always that simple.” Abigail sat back in her chair and steepled her fingers together in front of her chest as she looked straight at Bobbie. “How people handle an investigation can make all the difference. It’s not just about uncovering facts. It’s about how those facts are presented and what’s done with them. How we publish a story has real life impacts on everyone around us. It certainly did for Russ and Stephen.”

“Are you saying a story Rose published had consequences for them?”

“Yes, they’re brothers. Their father, Gerald, was a politician in their hometown of Oldtown, about an hour from here. About three years ago, Rose did an article on him, linking him to organized crime.” Abigail winced. “Sometimes a reporter has to make the hardest decisions. Is it better to report the truth, even if it risks the safety of others?” She held Bobbie’s gaze. “It’s not an easy choice, is it?”

“No, I guess not.” Bobbie noticed the tension around Abigail’s eyes and the tightness of her lips. “Have you had to make those choices?”

“A few times, yes. In this case, Rose chose the truth, and Gerald paid the ultimate price. Her article exposed a series of shady land deals tied to organized crime, and it painted Gerald as a key player. At the time, the full extent of who was behind the operation wasn’t clear. When the story broke, it’s believed the criminals saw Gerald as a liability, someone who might cooperate to save himself. They made sure he couldn’t. Gerald was killed. And his aide, Raymond, who wasn’t named in the article but was implicated indirectly, disappeared.”

Abigail turned the screen, so they could both see it. It displayed a photo of two men, taken at what appeared to be a fundraiser or formal event.

“That’s Gerald.” Abigail pointed at a tall, lanky man who appeared to be in his late fifties or early sixties, with curly brown hair peppered with gray and dark-green eyes. He was dressed in a dark suit, and his tie was slightly askew. “And that’s Raymond.” She gestured to the man beside Gerald, who looked about twenty years younger and was slightly taller, with broad shoulders, neatly cropped black hair, and brown eyes peering out from behind thick glasses. He wore a tailored jacket over an open-collared shirt, and exuded a calm confidence. “It’s assumed Raymond either fled or was killed for what he might have known because he worked with Gerald.” She tapped on the keyboard. “Here’s the story and the fallout from it. If Russ and Stephen are in town, there’s a very good chance they’re here to get revenge on Rose.”

Bobbie read through the article, then sat back in her chair. “She was a very talented writer.”

“Very.” Abigail’s voice softened. “I was her mentor when she entered the field.”

“What happened between you two?” Bobbie held her breath as she wondered if her boss would confide in her.

“Not long after Rose began making a name for herself, I came across some information that exposed many people in the large corporation her husband, Warren, worked for. It was a massive fraud scheme, involving millions of dollars. He’d recently had to stop working due to having a severe medical condition. A heart condition. We both knew that if I published the story, he would probably still be swept up in the arrests that would follow. The doctors had only given him a few months left to live.” Abigail’s cheeks flushed as she looked down at her own hands folded tightly in her lap. “Rose begged me not to publish the article. She said she only had a short time left with him, and she couldn’t imagine him spending it in courtrooms with lawyers.”

“Oh, that was such a tough position to be in.” Bobbie waited until she looked up at her. “I’m sure you did what you thought was right.”

Abigail shifted in her chair and drew a long, slow breath. “Of course, I did. But that didn’t matter. I chose not to write the article, but someone else uncovered the same information I did, and they published a piece about it. Rose believed I’d shared the information with them. But I didn’t.” She held Bobbie’s gaze, her eyes tight with frustration. “I chose not to publish the truth for the sake of our friendship, and I still lost it. Warren was arrested, and Rose was furious with me and threatened to expose some things she knew about me.” She sighed. “It took years for her to believe that I had nothing to do with it. Just a few months ago, she reached out to me and admitted that she knew I wasn’t involved. But Warren was already long gone by then, and we’d missed years of our lives together.” She took a deep breath. “And now she’s gone forever.”

Abigail stood up from the chair and sighed.

“It’s important to make the most of every day. You never know when your chances to make connections, to pursue what’s important to you, are going to vanish.” Abigail started back toward her office. “The police think I had something to do with Rose’s death, but I would have done anything to protect her.” She glanced back at Bobbie as she reached her office door. “If I’d known she was here, maybe I could have.”

“Do you have any idea why she would have come into town without telling you?” Bobbie stood up. “Are you sure she didn’t email or maybe call an old number?”

“No, she didn’t do any of that. Trust me, I’ve searched everything. When we were friends, we often used to turn up unannounced and surprise each other. But she’d been here for a while. I don’t know why she didn’t tell me she was here.”

“What about the false name? Why would she be using a false name?”

“I know that she’d been working in investigative reporting, but not the criminal kind. She was working under the radar to do reviews on restaurants, hotels, things like that, to make extra money and travel at the same time. My guess is, she came here to do reviews of some businesses around here, including the cabins, and used the fake name to prevent the owners like Wendy, from discovering why she was here, so she could get an honest impression.” Abigail frowned. “It pays well, and Rose probably thought it would be harmless. I still don’t know why she wouldn’t have told me she was here. She knew I moved to Newfield and was working here.” She hesitated for a moment, then lowered her voice as she continued. “Maybe things weren’t as resolved between us as I’d thought.”

“You said she once threatened to expose you. What did she know about you that you didn’t want to get out?”

“If I didn’t want it revealed, why would I tell you?” Abigail stepped into her office and closed the door behind her.

Bobbie lingered for a moment, tempted to push the topic and see if Abigail would tell her more. But one thing she’d come to realize about Abigail since she’d become the editor of Newfield News was that she wasn’t easily swayed or manipulated. If she’d made up her mind not to share something, she wouldn’t. Bobbie would have to come up with another way to figure it out.

Bobbie left the building and headed back to her cottage, eager to take Bailey for his evening walk.

CHAPTER 7

As soon as Bobbie got home, she wrangled Bailey into his coat and slid his booties on to his paws, despite his protests.

“I have to keep you warm, buddy. It’s freezing out there.” She ruffled his curly fur.

Bailey loved his walks, and Bobbie found walking him always helped clear her mind. Once his leash was on, she headed out.

As Bobbie walked through the neighborhood, she tried to imagine what it had been like for Abigail to make the choice not to expose Rose’s husband. She didn’t know Abigail that well, but from what she did know she imagined Abigail would want to reveal the truth. She’d guessed that it had been a huge decision to not report the story. Then she faced losing her friendship with Rose, anyway.

Abigail claimed that she and Rose had reconciled. But what if that was a lie? What if Rose planned to get revenge, and Abigail had killed her to stop her? Maybe Rose hadn’t believed her. Maybe Abigail had given the information to the other journalist who wrote the article, and Abigail really was responsible for Warren being arrested during his final days.

As Bobbie neared her cottage again and walked Bailey up onto the porch, she crouched down and wrapped her arms around his neck. For a few moments, she let her head rest against his and soaked in the comfort that only he could offer.

Bobbie had spent so much of her life relying on her uncle for a meaningful relationship, and now she’d found herself in a town that knew more about her past than she did, and surrounded by people who genuinely seemed to care about her. Navigating it all was overwhelming. She wanted to trust Rachael, Kate, Kyle, and even Matt, who had at times betrayed her trust. And now she was faced with the possibility that her new boss might be a murderer. If Rose really came into town and threatened to expose whatever Abigail’s secret was, what lengths would she have gone to in order to keep her quiet?

Bobbie’s thoughts were interrupted when her phone buzzed. She glanced at the text and discovered that Rachael had finished her shift and was waiting at the bar for her.

“Okay, Bailey, back in the house for you.” Bobbie led the dog inside.

As she filled his bowls with water and food, she noticed the adoption forms on the kitchen counter, a reminder of the possibility that she might not be able to keep the gorgeous pup. She tried to push the thought aside as she drove back to the bar. She couldn’t bear to think about life without him in it.

As Bobbie parked outside, she saw Rachael hurrying toward her.

“I need some excitement. I’m ready to do some snooping.” Rachael climbed up into the truck. “Things have been so boring lately.”

“You mean things didn’t go well with Chad?” Bobbie backed out of the parking space. “Or was it Dean?”

“Please, don’t remind me. I think I’ve been through every eligible bachelor in Newfield, and I’m not thrilled with the choices.” Rachael had confided in Bobbie that she’d been in a long-term relationship with someone she thought she would spend the rest of her life with, but it had ended. Now, ready to start dating again, it hadn’t gone smoothly. “To be fair, I don’t think they were thrilled with me, either.” She slumped back in her seat and sighed. “Is it too much to ask for someone to look at me the way Kyle looks at you?”

“What?” Bobbie abruptly stepped on the brake, causing a faint squeal as the truck jolted to a stop.

“Was there a cat?”

“No, there’s no cat.” Flustered, Bobbie took a breath, then began driving again. “You’re ridiculous.”

“Because I care about cats?”

“You know what you said.”

“Oh, sorry for speaking the truth.” Rachael rolled her eyes. “But remember what I said.” She pointed her finger at Bobbie. “He’s not an open book, but he definitely has a thing for you.”

“Stop it, Rachael. He doesn’t look at me in any way. He’s just my trainer. Where am I going?” Bobbie peered through the windshield at the dark road ahead of her and hoped the late hour would disguise the heat in her cheeks.

“Just keep following this road for about five minutes, then we’ll hang a right and it’ll be on the left.”

As Bobbie drove, she explained what Abigail had revealed about Stephen and Russ.

“Interesting. It’s just there.” Rachael pointed at the motel.

When Bobbie turned into the parking lot, she felt a rush of nervousness. Writing about confronting potential killers and investigating crimes was far different than actually doing it in person.

“If Russ and Stephen really do have the history with Rose that Abigail told me about, we need to make sure we’re careful. They might be desperate to cover up their involvement in the murder.” Bobbie stepped down out of the truck and waited for Rachael to join her.

“Let’s not start off by accusing them of being murderers.” Rachael winked at her. “We’ll get them to invite us in, and we can go from there.”

“I don’t know. It might be a better idea if we invite them out.” Bobbie lowered her voice. “We’re thinking that they might be murderers.”

“Good point. Good thing you’re around.” Rachael started toward the door. “They could already be gone.”

“That’s true. Let’s hope not. If we can’t find out why they were looking for Rose, we might not be able to get very far on figuring out what happened to her.” Bobbie stood beside her as they reached the door.

Rachael knocked and waited. She raised her hand to knock again, when the door swung open.

A man who looked to be in his late twenties or early thirties stood in the doorway. He looked between them, then smiled. “Can I help you?”

“Hi, we just wanted a few minutes of your time, please.” Rachael smiled in return. “We’re working for a local tourism company, and we were wondering if you would complete a short survey. We wanted to ask you a few questions about your stay here, explain some special offers in the area, that sort of thing. We’ll buy you a drink in exchange for your time.”

“Who’s out there?” A second man walked up to the door. He looked a few years younger than the first, and nearly identical.

“We’re just conducting a survey in the area and were hoping you would help.” Rachael’s voice raised slightly with enthusiasm.

“Sure, we can help.” The second man gave a friendly nod. “I’m Russ, and this is my brother, Stephen.”

“Forget about it, Russ.” Stephen’s sharp tone indicated he was used to being the one in charge. “We don’t have time for this."

“We can spare a few minutes. We might be able to offer some insight.” Russ looked back at them. “And I could do with a drink.”

“That would be great.” Rachael beamed. “I’m Rachael.” She offered her hand.

Russ took it in a quick shake.

“And this is my friend Bobbie.” Rachael gestured to Bobbie.

“Nice to meet you both,” Russ said.

“Sorry, we really don’t have time for this tonight.” Stephen grabbed the door and started to close it.

“Not even a few minutes?” Rachael raised her eyebrows.

“No, not even a few minutes.” Stephen’s eyes flashed with frustration as he looked between the two of them. “Because I know exactly who the two of you are. Rachael, the daughter of a local police officer, and Bobbie, a reporter for the local newspaper. I don’t know what kind of con you’re trying to run, but we’re not interested.” He closed the door.

Rachael sighed as she heard the lock slide into place. “Well, that was a bust.”

“Not entirely.” Bobbie walked back over to her truck. “We learned two things.”

“What’s that?” Rachael climbed into the passenger seat.

“Stephen’s in charge, and they came here for a reason, not just a vacation. They knew us, which means they researched us, which means they probably figured that the police and the newspaper might investigate them.” Bobbie started the truck. “That makes them pretty suspicious in my book.”

“That’s true.” Rachael peered through the windshield as they drove back to the bar. “But if they did kill Rose, why are they still here? Why didn’t they take off the first chance they had? That part doesn’t make sense to me.”

“Me neither. Unless they didn’t think they would be caught, and they’re hanging around for another reason.” Bobbie hesitated as she wondered if she should share what she’d found out about Abigail. Before she could, her headlights illuminated Kate’s police car, as she turned her truck into the parking lot of the bar.

Bobbie parked, and Kate walked up to the truck as Rachael stepped down out of it and walked around it to her mother.

“Where have you been?” Kate’s eyes were clouded with suspicion as she focused on her daughter.

“I just went for a drive with Bobbie.” Rachael reached out to hug her mother.

Kate returned her hug, then looked past her through the open driver’s side window at Bobbie. “We need to talk.”

“Sure, but can it be in the morning?” Bobbie’s heart pounded as she had yet to decide how much she’d be willing to tell Kate about Abigail. “I’m really tired, and I just want to get some sleep.”

“Fine, it can wait.” Kate sighed. “Come into the station first thing tomorrow, okay?”

Bobbie nodded while doing her best to avoid her eyes.

“Yes?” Kate prompted.

“Yes, I’ll be there.” Bobbie started the truck and drove back to the cottage.

CHAPTER 8

Bobbie parked in the driveway and smiled at the sight of the quaint cottage. Its beauty always struck her, no matter how many times she saw it. The steeply pitched roof and weathered blue wood siding stood out in the warm glow of the porch light. As she stepped onto the cozy wooden porch and unlocked the door, she heard Bailey leap off the couch and charge toward her.

She felt a rush of excitement at seeing him as she pushed the door open, and he jumped up to greet her with eager kisses and a few happy barks. She was trying to get him to stop jumping up to no avail. She guided his front paws back down to the ground and crouched down to stroke the fur around his head and neck, then froze as she sensed someone just a few steps behind her.

“Bobbie, it’s me,” Matt spoke up as Bailey bounded past her and jumped up to give him kisses. “Hi, buddy.”

“Sorry, he’s a little overeager.” Bobbie called Bailey back to her.

“No worries. I just wanted to check in with you.” Matt held up a bottle of white wine. “And maybe share a drink while we go over what we’ve figured out so far?”

Bobbie smiled to herself as she watched the hope bloom in his eyes. Then alarm bells rang in her mind, warning her that inviting him in, accompanied by wine, would be crossing a line that she’d been trying to avoid. Yet, the warmth in his smile reminded her of how much she would like the company.

“And for you, buddy. I would never show up to Bailey’s house empty-handed.” Matt pulled a small bag of dog biscuits out of his pocket. He gave one to Bailey, who eagerly took it and trotted inside.

“I guess Bailey’s happy for you to come in.” Bobbie laughed and gestured for Matt to follow her into the cottage.

Minutes later, Bobbie and Matt settled on the couch with a glass of wine each and a respectable amount of distance between them.

Bailey curled up on his dog bed as he chewed on the biscuit.

“I know you logged into my computer.” Matt gazed at her over the rim of his glass.

“Oh? I didn’t realize you could tell that.” Bobbie frowned. “You’re not mad, are you? I wasn’t snooping. I just wanted to do a little research, and your computer has access to archives I don’t.”

“No.” Matt lowered the glass and smiled. “I’m not mad. I have nothing to hide from you. Speaking of which, I managed to get a copy of the report of what Rose had on her when she was found and what they discovered in her cabin. I’ll text it to you.”

“Thank you.” Bobbie decided to tell him that she’d agreed to share what she’d learned from Abigail with Kate. Maybe he could help her figure out how much to reveal. “Matt, there’s something I’ve been meaning to tell you.”

“Is it about Kyle?” Matt took another sip of his wine. “If you two are a thing…”

Bobbie nearly choked on her wine and quickly set the glass down on the coffee table.

“No, not that, nothing like that.” Bobbie’s cheeks reddened as she stumbled over her words, while his gaze steadily searched hers.

“Are you okay?” Matt set his own glass down. “I didn’t mean to upset you.”

“You didn’t. It’s just that, I mean, that’s not what I meant at all.”

“Okay.” Matt sat back against the couch as he continued to study her. “So, what is it, then?”

“It’s about Abigail!” Bobbie burst out.

“Abigail? What about her?”

Bobbie’s heart pounded as she realized she’d already gone too far down this road to turn back. He was expecting a confession of some kind, and if she just made it up, he’d see right through her. “She’s a suspect.”

“Clearly,” Matt said.

“The main suspect.” Bobbie met his eyes.

“Wait, is that what Kate was talking to you about outside? Did she tell you that she has some evidence against Abigail?”

“She asked me to help in the investigation, by getting more information from Abigail.” Bobbie winced as she prepared for his reaction.

“And what did you say?” Matt strained to keep his voice calm, but tension roughened the edges.

Bobbie licked her lips and picked up her wine again.

“Bobbie!” Matt’s voice raised enough to summon Bailey from his slumber. “You can’t let the police use you like that. You’re a journalist. You have ethics.” He stood. “Did she threaten you? Is that it? I’ll expose her if she did!”

“No.” Bobbie sank deeper into the couch as she realized her mistake. She hadn’t expected him to respond so strongly. “She didn’t threaten me. She asked me for my help to solve the murder.”

“And you just agreed?” Matt eyed her with skepticism.

“I want to figure out what happened. Rose deserves justice. And I’ll be selective in what I reveal to Kate, of course.”

“So, you think Abigail did it?”

“I don’t know what to think. I think she’s not being very forthcoming with information.”

“Just hear me out, okay?” Matt held up his hands.

“I’m listening.”

“I know you love Rachael, and you like Kate, especially seeing as she has a connection to your parents. But the difference between a journalist looking for the truth, and the police looking for the truth, is that one has to find the facts in order to prove their story is worth publishing, and the other can just slap on some handcuffs and convince a jury to agree with them. It’s an imperfect system that leads to terrible, unbalanced consequences.”

“Do you really believe that? Do you think it will be unbalanced if Abigail did kill Rose?” Bobbie leaned forward on the couch and looked into his eyes. “Have you ever considered that the police and journalists working together could make it easier to uncover the truth?”

“No, it doesn’t work like that. I know you want to trust Kate, but her motivations will never be the same as yours. Just think about it before you make any decisions that you’ll regret.” Matt finished off his drink and stood up. “It’s getting late. I’ll let you get some sleep.”

“Thank you. I am tired. Look, I know you have a problem with Kate. I know you think she isn’t trustworthy. But I’m not sure I share that point of view. From what I’ve seen, I think she’s good at her job and thorough. I think more can be accomplished by working together, instead of working against each other.” Bobbie stood up. “Maybe you could think about it, too, and ask yourself, are you really so against Kate because of the badge she holds, or because you made a mistake when you accused her of arresting someone without cause?”

Matt’s lips parted with shock as his eyes locked briefly to hers before he averted his gaze. “I wish I could say that wasn’t true. Maybe you’re right. Maybe we both have some things to think about.” He looked at her again. “I respect you, Bobbie, not just your skills as a writer, but who you are as a person. I just don’t want to see you get hurt. Just think about what I said. Okay?” He patted Bailey’s head on the way to the door.

“Okay.” Bobbie closed the door behind him, the quiet of the house settling around her.

Later that evening, as Bobbie sprawled out in bed with Bailey curled up beside her, she thought about her conversation with Matt. She still believed that her decision to help Kate could help get to the truth, but she had no intention of throwing Abigail under the bus when she very well might be innocent and grieving for a good friend. She stroked Bailey’s fur and tried to clear her mind before she quickly drifted off to sleep.

CHAPTER 9

After Bailey’s sharp barks woke Bobbie in the morning, the first thing she noticed was the quiet. Aside from Bailey’s barking, she heard nothing. It took her a moment to realize what was missing. The usual hum of morning life. Cars on their morning commute, the faint rumble of the occasional truck, and the school bus in the distance. She didn’t hear any traffic on the road outside her cottage. She didn’t hear neighbors calling out to each other, or even other dogs outside barking greetings to each other.

Bobbie pushed herself out of bed and walked over to her bedroom window. She pulled back the curtain and gasped. At least six inches of snow blanketed the ground, on top of the fresh few inches that had fallen the previous day.

A cat prowling across the porch appeared to be the cause of Bailey’s barking. The cat bolted across the snow, a spray of snow kicking up in its wake.

Bobbie knew that very soon the snowplows would roar to life, but for now, the entire town stood still. Enjoying the view, and the quiet, she soaked in the beauty for a few minutes while her coffee brewed. She ducked into the shower, then quickly got ready, snapped on Bailey’s leash, and led him out onto the snow-covered driveway. He burrowed into the snow with great joy.

A moment later, a group of people, each accompanied by a dog or two, began walking down the street.

Bailey perked up and let out an excited yelp as he tried to get the attention of the other dogs. “Settle down.” She patted the top of his head. “You’re bigger than most of those dogs, buddy. You have to be polite.” She noticed a familiar face in the crowd and called out to her. “Wendy? Where are you all going?”

“The dog park.” Wendy flashed her a brief smile as two dogs walked beside her. They looked like complete opposites, one was a towering, shaggy giant with a lumbering stride, while the other was a tiny, sleek pup, darting ahead with boundless energy. “Roxy and Ray can’t wait to get there. The dogs love playing in the snow. You should join us.”

“Thanks.” Bobbie smiled. “Maybe I will.”

As they continued on their way, Bobbie’s attention lingered on them for a moment. Suddenly, a low rumble broke the quiet of the neighborhood, pulling her focus in a new direction. Her breath caught as a small dune buggy roared into view, speeding toward her with Rachael at the wheel.

“What are you doing?” Bobbie laughed as Rachael skidded to a stop a few feet away from her, sending a spray of snow in her direction.

“It’s my souped-up snowmobile.” Rachael grinned as she stepped out of it. “I thought you might be snowed in, but it looks like you didn’t get as much as we did on the other side of town. What’s your plan this morning?”

“Well, I was thinking about how they found pieces of dog biscuit at the crime scenes. I know you said just about everyone around here has a dog, and I just saw a group of people who proved that. Wendy was with them. It got me thinking, what better place to look for dogs, than a dog park?” Bobbie scratched behind Bailey’s ear. “Part of my pet parenting plan is to make sure that Bailey’s socialized. Although he’s very social, anyway.” She smiled. “I just wish the rescue would get back to me, so I’d know the adoption’s finalized.” She ruffled her hand through the curls on the top of his head. “But no matter what, there’s no way you’re going anywhere, is there, Bailey? I’ll do everything I can to make sure you stay with me.” Her heart sank as she knew that it might be out of her control. She forced a smile. “You and me, we’re family.”

“Don’t worry, I’m sure that with my mom’s endorsement, you’ll get Bailey, no problem.” Rachael began to lead the way down the street. “I can show you where the dog park is.”

“Your mom’s endorsement? What do you mean?” Bobbie paused to lock the door, then followed after her.

“She told me she wrote a letter of recommendation to the rescue for you. Since you’re new to town, and don’t have any rental history in the past for them to check, she thought the more recommendations, the better.” Rachael quirked an eyebrow. “Didn’t she tell you?”

“No, she didn’t say a word about that. That’s very kind of her.” Bobbie’s heart warmed at the thought.

“Don’t tell her I said anything, just in case she wanted to keep it secret.”

“Okay. I wonder if they’ll have cleared the snow from the dog park?”

“Usually, the dogs make short work of it by running through it. This is our heaviest snow so far this season, but we’re in for much, much more. Trust me.” Rachael kicked up a fountain of snow from the edge of the sidewalk. “Plenty more.”

“I think I get the point.” Bobbie laughed, then froze at the sight of a man across the street with a camera pointed straight at her. Given what she’d discovered about her past, it immediately put her on edge.

“Bobbie, what’s wrong?” Rachael gave her a light pat on the arm. “Are you practicing to be a snowman?”

“I just noticed him taking our picture?” Bobbie tipped her head toward him as he pointed the camera in another direction.

“Well, like I said before, we do get quite a few photographers around here every winter. They love taking photographs of the snowscapes. I’m pretty sure Newfield ends up on a lot of postcards and website backgrounds.” Rachael grinned. “I guess it’s not the worst thing to be known for.”

“Maybe not.” Bobbie continued to watch him. “Do you know him? Have you seen him around here before?”

“Actually, no, I don’t think so. Let’s see if we can find out who he is.” Rachael waved at the man and started to cross the street toward him.

“Rachael, wait up!” Bobbie followed with Bailey.

CHAPTER 10

“Sir! Excuse me!” Rachael called out as she approached the man snapping pictures, with Bobbie and Bailey close behind.

He lowered his camera as he looked over at them. “I hope you don’t mind I was taking some photos. You two and your pup just looked so captivating playing in the snow. I couldn’t resist.”

“Can we check them out, please?” Rachael glanced over her shoulder at Bobbie.

“Sure.” He tipped his head toward a small house behind him. “That’s the house I’m renting. I’m using it for my office as well. Do you want to come inside and have a look at the pictures?”

“Is there coffee?” Rachael grinned.

“Rachael!” Bobbie shot her a look as she held tight to Bailey’s leash. “I can’t come in. I have my dog.”

“He’s welcome to join us. I have a dog, too, and she’s friendly. I’m sure she’ll get along well with yours.” He opened the door to the house. “Don’t worry, I’m not an ax murderer.”

His laughter faced awkward silence. He winced as he turned to look at them both. “Sorry. I forgot for a moment that there really was a murder in town. It’s still so hard for me to believe that she’s gone.”

“Wait, so you knew her?” Bobbie followed him inside without another moment’s hesitation.

They paused just inside the doorway and brushed snow from their coats and stamped their boots on the mat.

“Yes, I did. When the police questioned me, yesterday, they told me she’d checked into the cabins as Joyce. But I only knew her as Rose.” He gestured for them to follow, and led them over to a laptop set up on a small desk.

“Did you know what she was doing out here?” Bobbie asked.

“Yes, she was here trying to capture the beautiful scenery at this time of year. We worked together a bit while we were both here. Sometimes I’ll team up with another photographer to share ideas about where to take pictures, and just get another perspective on a location.” He took the memory card out of his camera and put it into a card reader on his computer, then navigated to a folder of photographs. He scrolled through them, until he’d reached the ones he’d just taken.

“Wow, those look great.” Rachael smiled as she studied the photos of Bailey. “You’re very talented.”

“Thank you.” He continued to click on the computer and opened another folder. “Rose shared a few of her favorite pictures of the area with me to give me some inspiration.”

Bobbie surveyed the pictures with a faint smile on her lips. The beauty was unmistakable, but there was also a sense of emotion in each photograph. “She was very talented.”

“Yes, she was. I wasn’t the only person she was working with, though. She was working with a local historian named Elliot on another project.” He cleared his throat as he continued to scroll through the pictures.

“Look at that gorgeous dog!” Bobbie gasped as she saw a German shepherd in one of the pictures. “Look at those markings!”

“Ah, yes, she took a few pictures of the dog.” He smiled as he made one larger, so that they could all see the dog better. “He’s a sweetheart, too, didn’t give me any trouble when I went up to him to introduce myself.” He winced. “His owner, on the other hand, he wasn’t too keen on meeting me. I managed to get his name. Trent. He’s staying in one of the cabins, near Rose’s. I offered to do a photo shoot of him and his beautiful dog, but he was very abrupt with me. He told me that if I bothered him again there would be a problem. I thought it was odd how angry he was, but, you know, not everyone’s friendly.” He gave a short laugh. “Listen to me, I haven’t even introduced myself.” He offered Rachael his hand. “I’m Jerome.”

“Rachael.” She shook his hand, then tipped her head at Bobbie and grinned. “And this is my friend Bobbie. And we’re friendly.”

“Good. I’m glad that I had the chance to meet you, and your beautiful pup.” Jerome snapped his fingers, and a miniature schnauzer bolted from the other room into the office. “This is my Sasha.”

“Hi, Sasha!” Bobbie dropped down to greet her, just as Bailey stuck his nose out to sniff. She found herself in the middle of the two dogs circling each other. All at once she recalled the name of the person who’d found Rose’s body. “Jerome?” She looked up at him with wide eyes. “You found her?”

Jerome’s cheeks flushed, and his voice began to tremble as he spoke. “Yes. I could tell the snow was disturbed. I thought maybe there was an animal creating a den under it or something. I thought it would be a great picture.” He closed his eyes. “I’d really rather not discuss it.”

“I can understand that. It must have been a shocking discovery.” Bobbie frowned.

“Look at that, they’re already friends.” Rachael grinned as she glanced at the dogs, then looked back at Jerome. “So, you worked with Rose. Did you notice anyone giving her a hard time?”

“Look, I don’t want to point any fingers, but there’s one guy who I know was pestering her.” Jerome clasped his hands together. “She mentioned that there was a guy hanging around her cabin. She said that she thought he’d followed her to her photo shoots a few times, and it just made her really uncomfortable. I knew exactly who she meant as soon as she mentioned him. I’d seen him out there as well, and he left me unsettled. But he didn’t try to talk to me. He wouldn’t leave Rose alone. She said she might even stop taking pictures by herself.”

“Did you tell the police about this?” Bobbie asked.

“Yes, I told them.” Jerome closed his laptop. “But I doubt they’ll be able to find him. He seemed like the kind of guy who would know every corner of these woods.”

“Joel? Was his name Joel?” Rachael asked.

“Yes. That’s it. That’s what Rose called him.” Jerome’s shoulders slumped as he let out a long sigh. “Maybe if I’d taken her a little more seriously, I’d have been there with her, to keep her safe. I’ll never stop regretting that.”

“Remember, the only person responsible for her murder, is the murderer. So, unless you’re the one who killed her, you didn’t do anything wrong.” Bobbie searched his eyes. Something flickered deep within them. “Jerome?”

“Sorry. I get a little lost in my thoughts sometimes, and I’m not the best conversationalist. I spend a lot of time alone with my camera.” Jerome gestured to the device he’d set down beside his computer. “I love watching the world through the lens, but actually participating in it, not so much.”

“Well, you’ve done a pretty good job today.” Rachael’s warm voice inspired a smile on his lips. “Thank you for your help.”

“Anything I can do to help, I will.” Jerome reached down to pet Sasha who stood beside him. “Rose could capture the most vivid moments, even in low light. I’m sorry that people will never have the chance to see more of her work.” He looked back at them both. “I’m sorry that I couldn’t do more to help. I really do hope that you find whoever did this to her.”

“That’s what we intend to do.” Bobbie steered Bailey out of the house.

When Bobbie reached the street, her mind returned to the people and dogs gathered at the dog park. Maybe the dog biscuit by the body was a long shot and didn’t mean anything, but it might be a clue, and it was still worth investigating.

“That was an interesting conversation.” Bobbie glanced over at Rachael as they continued toward the park. “He seemed to like you.”

“Like me?” Rachael furrowed her brow. “Okay, I’ll admit that I noticed it. And he’s okay to look at, but he’s really not my type. His dog is really cute, though.”

“She is.” Bobbie opened the gate to the dog park and held tight to Bailey’s leash. “There’s Wendy.” She tilted her head toward the woman. “I want to talk to her about Rose and ask her about Joel.”

“You go talk to her, I’ll see if I can get Bailey to make a few friends.” Rachael took the leash from Bobbie and ran off toward the center of the park where an agility run had been built.

CHAPTER 11

Excited that Bailey could have some fun, and hoping she might get some answers, Bobbie approached Wendy.

“I took your suggestion.” Bobbie smiled.

“Good call.” Wendy glanced at Bailey. “There’s nothing quite as entertaining as watching dogs play, especially in the snow.”

“It’s definitely good for Bailey. And probably for me, too.” Bobbie laughed, then lowered her voice. “It must be unsettling, after what happened yesterday. Rose staying in your cabins and being found so close to them.”

“Yes, yes it is.” Wendy closed her eyes briefly, then sighed. “That poor girl. She had her whole life ahead of her.”

“You know, I heard a rumor that the police found bits of dog biscuit in her cabin and near to where she was found. Do you clean the cabins? Did you ever see her with any dogs?”

“Yes, I clean the cabins between guests.” Wendy glanced at her dogs who were chasing after each other. “Like I told the police, I didn’t see her with a dog. I make sure all guests with pets document them in their paperwork. She didn’t have any animals with her.”

“Maybe she had a guest with a dog?” Bobbie raised her eyebrows. “Did you ever notice her having any visitors?”

“No, not that I saw. I have strict rules for the cabins because of insurance. If she was going to have a visitor, she should have told me.”

“Are there many guests in the cabins at the moment?” Bobbie asked.

“No, only two are occupied now. I’m hoping when the lake gets cleaned up, things will pick up. Trent’s staying in a cabin with his dog. And Owen’s in the other one. At least they’re here for a couple more months or maybe longer, so I have that income.”

“Did you ever see her speak to them?”

“Yes, both of them, just once or twice.” Wendy flinched. “I still can’t believe it happened right here, in our little town, in our beautiful forest. Right by my cabins. I can’t wrap my head around it.”

“Wendy, I met a photographer named Jerome who’s staying in town. Do you know him?”

Wendy paused, thoughtfully, then spoke up. “No, but I did see a photographer taking pictures with Rose a few days ago. That might be him.”

“He told me about a man named Joel. Do you know him?”

“Yes, I know Joel.” Wendy brushed her bangs away from her eyes.

“Can you tell me a bit about him?”

“He loves the woods, he’s a caretaker for a few cabins that people only use in the summer, and does the occasional odd job for me. He’s not good at social interaction, so rarely ventures into town unless he needs supplies, but he’s harmless.”

“Jerome said that Joel had been following Rose around, and that she was becoming afraid of him. Did she file any complaints with you?”

“No, but that doesn’t surprise me.” Wendy glanced at a Maltese terrier running after a ball. “She used a fake name to book that room. She probably didn’t want to draw too much attention to herself.”

“Do you know why?” Bobbie asked.

“No, no idea. Look, after getting a few complaints from guests about Joel, I warned him to stay away. I couldn’t afford the bad press. That’s when I learned real fast that Joel doesn’t really listen to anyone. He lives his life his own way.” Wendy settled her hands on her hips. “Do you really suspect he was involved in all of this?”

“We think it’s possible.” Bobbie nodded. “Do you have any idea where he might be right now?”

“No, no idea. But I don’t think he would do anything like this. He usually stays in one of the vacant cabins, but the police have been all over all of them, and as far as I can tell, they haven’t found him.” Wendy crossed her arms. “And maybe it’s better that way. That way he won’t be blamed for something he didn’t do. Maybe he’s disappeared for good. Excuse me.” She hurried off to chase after her smaller dog who’d stolen one of the other dog’s toys. “Roxy!”

As Bobbie walked back over to Rachael, a strong determination welled up within her. She quickly explained what Wendy had told her. “I’m going to take Bailey home. There’s something I want to look into.”

“What something?” Rachael brushed some snow from Bailey’s fur as she looked at her.

“I’d rather not say just yet. I know you have a shift to cover. But I’ll keep you up to date on what I find.”

“You’re going to try to find Joel, aren’t you?” Rachael’s eyes narrowed. “Bobbie, that’s a dangerous idea. People say he’s very unpredictable. Besides, if he really knows the woods like they say, you won’t be able to find him.”

“Well, the plan isn’t for me to find him. I’m hoping he’ll find me. If I wait and watch long enough, he’s bound to show up.”

“That’s a terrible plan.” Rachael raised an eyebrow.

“Maybe, but it’s the only one I have. If he’s hiding out, it could be years before anyone finds him. I want to try.” Bobbie pointed in the direction of her cottage. “Do you want to walk back to the cottage with me and we can drop Bailey off?”

“Okay. But I still don’t like the idea of you going out there. At least not alone. I should go with you.” Rachael matched Bobbie’s pace.

“You know you have a shift to cover, besides I’m sure the whole area is still crawling with cops. I’ll be just fine, I promise.”

“You have to be really careful.” Rachael’s tone became serious.

“Joel’s our best lead, but if no one can find him, we’re never going to get to the truth.”

After dropping Bailey off at the cottage, Rachael went to work, and Bobbie headed toward the cabins. She walked near them, not far from where a police presence still gathered in search of any evidence that might have been left behind. She expected that they might tell her to leave.

Bobbie doubted her plan. Would she really find Joel? Since she’d gone all the way out there, she would at least stay for a little while and see if Joel came out of hiding. She’d just settled into a quiet area with very little tree cover, but plenty of snow, when she heard a familiar voice.

“Out playing in the snow?” Kyle walked up to her with his hands buried in the pockets of the large coat he wore. “Staying warm enough, I hope?”

“Rachael told you?” Bobbie took a step back as his gaze locked to hers.

“She was concerned about you coming out here alone. I guess she was right to be concerned.” Kyle leaned back against the tree beside her and gazed up at the clouds scattered across the sky. “I told her that Bobbie would never go hang out in the woods alone with a killer on the loose.” He cast a playful look in her direction. “I guess I was wrong.”

“I’m not alone.” Bobbie held up her cell phone. “I have Kate on speed dial.”

“I see.” Kyle raised his eyebrows, then glanced around at the trees that surrounded them. “Are you going to throw that cell phone at the bear that charges you? Because my aunt can definitely put people in their place, but I don’t think her screaming over the phone is going to protect you from the wildlife out here.”

Bobbie pursed her lips as she did her best to cover up the fact that she hadn’t exactly thought about bears being out there. She and her uncle had always lived in urban areas, and the closest thing she’d seen to a bear was a very large raccoon in their trash can.

“I’m sure the bears won’t bother me if I don’t bother them.” Bobbie shrugged in an attempt to project a casual attitude.

“Can I stay, please?” Kyle’s tone shifted from teasing, to serious with a twinge of hopefulness. “I promise, I won’t bother you. I’m the strong, silent type, you know?”

Bobbie considered the benefits of his presence. He knew the area, he was familiar with the wild animals, and he was clearly well-trained in hand-to-hand combat. The truth was, with him beside her, she felt safer than she’d ever felt. When his eyes met hers, her stomach fluttered. Before she could answer, the sound of snow crunching nearby caused her to jump.

CHAPTER 12

Kyle’s hand settled on Bobbie’s arm as he guided her behind him before she even had a chance to look in the direction of the sound. Her mind spun with the sudden movement, and all at once she knew just how foolish she’d been. She had no idea who or what was walking out there, but she was very grateful she wasn’t alone.

“Who’s there?” Kyle took a slight step forward, though his hand remained on Bobbie’s arm while he kept her behind him.

“What are you two doing out here?” A flashlight beam briefly blinded Bobbie before it drifted away. She blinked in an attempt to clear her sight, then slowly a man’s face came into view. The flashlight in broad daylight wasn’t the only thing that was odd. His eyes shifted back and forth without focusing.

“Joel. We were looking for you, actually,” Kyle spoke up as he remained in front of Bobbie.

“Nothing to say, I have nothing to say.” Joel held up his hands as he backed away from the two of them. “No, no, no!”

“You must be freezing!” Bobbie shrugged off her coat and held it out to him. “What are you doing out here with nothing to keep you warm?” She scanned the nearby trees. “How long have you been out here?”

Joel snatched the coat out of her hands and whipped it around his shoulders like a cape. “It’s where I’m safe.” He slurred his words.

Bobbie took a step closer to him. “Joel, are you okay?” She shot a worried look in Kyle’s direction, when Joel didn’t reply.

“It could be from the cold.” Kyle held out his hand to Joel with his palm up. “Will you let us help you? We can get you somewhere warm, get a doctor to have a look at you.”

“No doctors.” Joel shrank back from them. “Don’t you touch me. Do you hear me? Leave me alone. Leave me alone!”

“Just calm down.” Kyle patted the air.

“Joel! It’s Sergeant Kate West,” Kate called out as she approached. “I’ve been trying to find you. I need to ask you some questions.”

“No questions,” Joel shouted just before his legs gave out and he collapsed to the ground.

Kyle walked closer to Joel as Kate hurried over.

“Kate, something’s really off about him.” Bobbie watched Kyle help Kate pull Joel to his feet.

“Drunk?” Kate studied his eyes. “Joel! Joel!” She snapped her fingers in front of his face.

Joel’s knees buckled again, and he crashed back down into the snow.

“Oh, no, no, this isn’t good!” Kate dropped down beside him and looked up at Kyle. “I need you to carry him, please. An ambulance will never get up here through this snow. Let’s get him to the road, and we can get him to the hospital.”

Kyle bent down and swept Joel up effortlessly, then steadied him over his shoulder.

“Wait, what are you doing?” Bobbie picked up her coat, and put it on as she followed after them. “He could be the murderer. What if he’s faking? He could be trying to trick you.”

“We’ll be cautious, but I don’t think he’s faking. I think he needs help. I think he’s been drugged, or poisoned.” Kate quickened her pace. “There will be an ambulance waiting for us at the road.”

“Poisoned?” Bobbie murmured the word as she did her best to keep up with the more athletic pair. Even with Joel in his arms, Kyle moved smoothly through the snow, his body like a machine delivering each movement with perfect balance and agility.

Meanwhile, Bobbie’s boots kept sliding in the snow, and the only reason she remained upright were the tree limbs she could randomly grab on to, to steady herself.

When they reached the road, the flashing lights of the ambulance summoned them.

“He needs help, fast.” Kyle helped load Joel onto the gurney.

“We’re going to take care of you, buddy. Just try to relax,” the EMT said.

Kyle watched the ambulance as it sped down the road toward the hospital. “Do you think he’ll be okay?” He glanced over at Kate. “Do you know what he might have been drugged with?”

“No. It could have been slipped to him or something he took himself. Kyle, can you please go to the hospital and keep an eye on him for me, until I can get there?” Kate asked.

“Sure, I will.” Kyle met Bobbie’s eyes. “Do you want to come with me?”

“Actually, I need to speak to Bobbie. She can catch up with you later.” Kate’s tone left no room for argument.

“I’ll meet you there soon.” Bobbie gave him a reassuring nod.

Kyle headed for the parking lot as Kate led Bobbie into one of the nearby cabins, which Bobbie assumed was being used as a base for the police.

As soon as Bobbie felt the heat from the fireplace, she remembered to breathe. Her muscles finally began to relax. She turned to face Kate as she closed the door behind them.

“What happened to you coming into the police station this morning to have a conversation with me?” Kate crossed her arms as she paced back and forth in front of the fireplace.

“Oh!” Bobbie’s eyes widened as she clapped one hand over her mouth. “Kate, I know that you’re not going to believe me, but I honestly forgot all about that.” She winced as Kate suddenly stopped and looked straight at her. “See, I knew you wouldn’t believe me.”

“I just want the information you promised me.”

“I didn’t promise you anything. I said I’d do my best. The only thing Abigail’s told me is that she and Rose had reconciled.” Bobbie held back what Abigail had said about Rose having something against her. Sharing it now would only make Abigail look guilty. She needed more information first. “I know it’s not what you were hoping for, but that’s all I’ve got so far.”

“Bobbie, I really wish I could believe you.” Kate settled her hands on her hips and let out a deep breath. “I need to make sure this case is thoroughly investigated. Abigail being the prime suspect is really making this a delicate situation. If you can’t get information from her, I’ll have to bring her in for an interrogation.”

“Don’t do that. Just give it some time. Now you have Joel in custody, and we know that Stephen and Russ are here in town. Actually, even Wendy might have had a motive to want Rose dead. If she was doing a secret review of the cabins, and Wendy found out that it was going to be negative, who knows what she might have done.”

“Yes, we do have a few suspects now. But that still doesn’t give me much information to work with. Once Joel has been treated I’ll see what I can get from him. I’ve already questioned Jerome and Wendy. They don’t have alibis for the estimated time of the murder.” Kate shook her head. “I need more information or I’m not going to get anywhere.”

“There’s someone else you could talk to. Jerome mentioned that Rose had been working with someone else, a man named Elliot. He said he’s a local historian. Do you know him?”

“Elliot?” Kate repeated. “Yes, I know him. I had no idea that he was working with her, though. I’m sure he’s heard about the murder. I wonder why he hasn’t come forward. I’ll definitely speak with him.” She met Bobbie’s eyes. “But I still need more from you. The history between Rose and Abigail is very complicated. There’s been conflict. I know you like your boss, but she hasn’t been here long. You can’t possibly know her well enough to be sure she didn’t kill Rose.”

“I told you I’d help, right? And I will, but you need to give me time.”

“Okay, okay.” Kate held up her hands. “Just make sure you keep me updated.”

“I will,” Bobbie said as Kate left the cabin.

Bobbie stood there for a few moments as she thought about what she should do next. She decided she wanted to go to the hospital to find out if Joel was okay, and she’d told Kyle she would meet him there. She headed toward the door but it opened before she could reach it.

CHAPTER 13

Aman with dirty-blond hair and wide shoulders shook the snow from his curls, then stepped into the cabin and looked up at Bobbie.

“Oh, I’m sorry. I thought I saw Kate come in here.”

“You did. She just left.” Bobbie noticed that he wasn’t dressed for hiking in the woods, especially in the snow, with his thin pants, casual shoes, and button-down shirt. “I’m Bobbie. Is there something I can help you with?”

“I’m Elliot.” He shook her hand. “Is it true? I see the police are here, and someone told me that there’s been a death, but was it really Rose?”

“Elliot,” Bobbie repeated his name. When he’d been described as a local historian, she’d expected someone older. But from her assessment, he seemed to only be a few years older than her. “Yes, I’m afraid it’s true. She’s passed away. She was killed.”

“Killed?” Elliot’s voice wavered. “Who did it? Why?”

“I wish I had those answers for you. We all want those answers.” Bobbie gestured to the couch in front of the fireplace. “Maybe you could help with that. I was told you were working on a special project with her?”

“I was meant to.” Elliot sank down onto the couch beside her. “She told me she wanted my voice added to her photographs because it would give them authenticity. I thought that meant she genuinely cared about the region. But it turned out that wasn’t the case.” He fiddled with a thick, gold ring on his left index finger.

“What do you mean that wasn’t the case? Did she lie to you about something?” Bobbie leaned forward. “Elliot, anything that stands out might be important. Please, don’t hold back.”

“Did she lie to me about something? Only everything.” Elliot finally raised his eyes to hers, holding the connection for a moment before he looked back down at his folded hands. “She was supposed to give me a memory card with all the pictures, and I was supposed to pair them with historical accounts from around the area, explaining what your average citizen might have been doing around here at the time. I’d even dug up some poems and essays that related to the winters here. But she never gave me the card. When I asked her for it, she said she’d changed her mind, and she didn’t want me to work with her anymore. After I’d already done all of the research and invested all of my time.” He tensed his jaw. “I guess it’s because I asked her to make sure my name was included, to get credit for my work. I didn’t think that was unreasonable.”

“It doesn’t sound unreasonable to me at all. As a writer, I always make sure that I’m given credit for any content I create, whether it’s an article or a poem, it’s important. And it sounds to me like your way of curating a story from history demands the same kind of credit. I’m sorry she changed her mind after all that. Did she also refuse to pay you?” It occurred to Bobbie that Elliot had a pretty strong motive to want to harm Rose.

“I didn’t give her the chance to offer. Once she ended things, let’s say, I wasn’t that eager to speak with her. That was the last time I saw her. The day before she was killed.” Elliot stood up from the couch and turned toward the fireplace. “I know it’s ridiculous to be angry with her now that she’s passed away. I should only be thinking about what might have happened to her. But now I’ll never have the chance to resolve this. That’s going to gnaw at me. The idea that she might have died believing that I was angry at her, makes it even worse.”

“But you were angry, weren’t you? You still are?” Bobbie frowned. “Why would that make it worse?”

“Listen, we might not have agreed on how the project had turned out, but she was a fantastic artist. She had more talent in her little finger than I do in my whole body. I might not have liked the way she was treating me, but there was never a question in my mind that she was a genius.” Elliot dropped back down onto the couch beside her. “I just hope she knew that. My family has a long history here.” He held up his hand to display his ring. “This is my family crest. This town means a lot to me. I wanted her to treat the town right.” He ran his hand across his cheek and stared at the flames in the fireplace. “How did this happen? I told her she shouldn’t have been working alone in the forest. And I knew I was right when those guys came looking for her.”

“What guys came looking for her?”

“They said they wanted to speak to her about their father’s death.” Elliot looked up at Bobbie. “I was angry.” His voice wavered. “I might have let it slip which cabin she was staying in.”

“You told them?” Bobbie’s eyes widened. “You told Stephen and Russ which cabin she was staying in?”

“You know about them?”

“Yes, I’ve heard about them.”

“Look, I didn’t think they meant her any actual harm. I was upset about our project falling through. I wasn’t thinking straight.”

Before Bobbie could reply, her cell phone began ringing. She looked at it and saw it was Matt. Maybe he had an important update. “I’m sorry, I have to take this. I’ll just be a moment.”

“Yes, fine.” Elliot continued to stare at the fire.

Bobbie answered the phone as she stepped outside. “Matt.”

“I just wanted to check in and see if you have any new info?”

“Well, I ran into Joel near the cabins, and I just had an interesting conversation with Elliot.” Bobbie spoke quietly, explaining her encounter with Joel and what Elliot had said as she started to walk over to a nearby police officer. She knew that Kate would want to speak with Elliot. “All I know for sure is that he might have a motive, and I don’t think we can rule him out as a suspect.”

“Why don’t you come in?” Matt suggested. “We can do some deep dives on everyone we suspect at the moment. We’ll get the work done twice as fast if we do it together.”

“Okay, I’ll be there soon.” Bobbie ended the call, then turned her attention to the police officer she’d reached. She spoke softly as she explained the situation. “Bill, Elliot’s inside that cabin.” She pointed at it. “I know that Kate will want to question him.”

“Right, let me see if he’s going to cooperate.” Bill walked into the cabin. A couple of minutes later, he stepped back outside again. “Is this some kind of joke?” He fixed her with an annoyed glare.

“What do you mean?” Bobbie slipped her phone back into her pocket. “Like I said, Kate’s looking for him.”

“Well, she’s going to keep looking, because there’s no one in there.” Bill gripped his belt. “If you were talking to someone in there, they’re gone now.”

“Why would he take off like that?” Bobbie realized that his sudden vanishing act only made him look more guilty. “He was just there.”

“Well, he’s not there now.” Bill frowned. “If you don’t have a reason to be here, you shouldn’t be here. This is still an active investigation. You shouldn’t be hanging out here.”

“I wasn’t hanging out.” Bobbie was about to argue, but she didn’t want to waste time. She needed to focus on finding the killer.

With renewed determination, Bobbie headed for her truck, then drove toward the newspaper office. She knew Kyle would handle Joel in the hospital, and she wanted to see if Matt could help her discover the truth about their main suspects.

CHAPTER 14

Still preoccupied by Elliot’s disappearing act, Bobbie stepped into the newspaper office.

“Bobbie.” Matt gestured for her to join him at his desk. “I set up a laptop for you to use.”

“Thanks.” Bobbie sat down in the chair he rolled in front of his desk. “After I spoke to you, Bill went into the cabin to talk to Elliot and he was gone. I’m not sure if he was spooked and took off, or if maybe he left for some other reason.”

“Taking off might indicate a guilty conscience.” Matt sat down in his own chair and faced her.

“He said that he came in there to speak to Kate, so that makes me a little less suspicious of him. What he told me about Rose has left me very curious. So far, we know that she came here under a fake name, and we know that she’s done secret reviews in the past. So, we’d assumed that she might be doing that at the cabins. But Jerome said he was taking photos with her, and Elliot said she was here working on a project with him, a photo book.” Bobbie pulled up a search engine on the laptop. “So, what was she really doing here?”

“It’s possible she was doing all of those things.” Matt tapped his keyboard to awaken his monitor. “I’ve been digging into her more, and she was definitely dealing with some strained finances.”

“Interesting. That does add a new element. It means that she might have had a reason not to run if she felt threatened. She might have thought it was more important to get the job done.” Bobbie glanced at Abigail’s office and lowered her voice to a whisper. “What I’m curious about is her connection with Abigail. She claims she had no idea Rose was in town, but she could be lying to us.”

“Do you really suspect Abigail?” Matt locked eyes with her.

“I just think that it’s pretty suspicious that not only does she claim she had no idea that Rose was here, but she’s refusing to cooperate with the police.” Bobbie began typing. “I want to understand more about their past relationship. She’s the only person we know of who had a long history with Rose.”

“I haven’t been able to turn up much about Rose, other than the death of her husband, and her history writing articles about corruption involving influential politicians and high-profile criminals.”

“Which is what led to Russ and Stephen’s father, Gerald, being killed, right?” Bobbie frowned at the thought.

“Well, some might debate that. He might have been killed whether the article was published or not. From the articles I read, she was a great journalist and an advocate for telling the truth. But all of that changed one day. I’m not sure why, but she stopped writing investigative articles and switched to photography and writing reviews.”

“Do you think it’s because the article she wrote about the corruption exposed Gerald? If so, then she might have felt too guilty to continue.” Bobbie leaned forward in her chair to get a look at his screen.

“I thought that might be the case, but she wrote several articles after that. None with such dire consequences, as far as I know, but still heavy hitters. Then, suddenly a shift in her career. She didn’t take a break, just switched paths.” Matt sighed as he pushed his keyboard away from him. “It’s just like going in circles. You’re right, Abigail’s probably our best chance at understanding Rose. I’ve looked into Abigail’s history, and I can’t find anything that would directly point the finger at her, but I’ll do more research after I’ve looked into Rose’s history a bit more.”

“Are you sure you want to look into Abigail more?” Bobbie eyed him over the top of her laptop. “If she finds out you’re helping me, it could mean your job.”

“I’m not scared of Abigail.” Matt gazed back at her. “We need to find out the truth.”

“I really appreciate your help.” Bobbie concentrated on the screen as she felt his eyes on her.

“Always.” Matt started typing.

“Thank you.”

“Oh, this is interesting.” Matt read over the screen.

“What?” Bobbie leaned forward.

“The last article Rose wrote was about Roger Dannier. He was in jail at the time for racketeering, and the article exposed him as the head of the crime syndicate that Gerald was involved with. Roger has a long history of criminal activity, with a reputation of violence and making sure anyone who crosses him pays. He was recently released from prison after serving time for various crimes, some of which Rose helped uncover. I wouldn’t put it past him to have done this.”

“Very interesting.” Bobbie walked around to view Matt’s computer screen.

“He lives about half an hour away. I’ll reach out to some of my contacts and see if I can find out his movements over the last few days.” Matt picked up his phone and typed into it. “We’ll see what they come back with.”

“Okay, while we wait for that, we should look at the other suspects.”

“We know that Stephen and Russ are here in town. That’s a pretty big coincidence. Let’s see if we can find out when they made their plans for this trip.” Matt began typing again.

“Okay, and what about Jerome? And Elliot? I think both of them might be possible suspects.”

“Actually, Jerome’s a great suspect. I’ve been digging into him ever since you texted me about him. It turns out he wasn’t being completely honest with you about working with Rose. He was actually competing with her, and lost the chance to create the photo book for a prestigious publishing house. After she got the contract, she arranged for Elliot to be included in the project.”

“Oh, wow, if Jerome had to compete with her, that changes everything, especially if he lost a good book deal to her. But Elliot was angry that she dropped him from the project at the last minute, and he took off after I discussed it with him at the cabin.” Bobbie pulled up the website featuring Jerome’s photography. “Jerome’s quite good. It looks like he and Rose took photos of other areas at similar times, not just Newfield. I couldn’t find any of Rose’s photos of Newfield on her website. Maybe Rose and Jerome worked together before?”

Matt stood up and walked around the desk to sit down on it beside her laptop and peered over at Jerome’s photographs.

“Look at the lake.” Admiration warmed Matt’s voice as he studied a few of the photographs of the large, local lake. “Those must be old.”

“It’s hard to believe that it’s toxic.” Bobbie’s heart sank as she recalled the scandal she’d stumbled on to when she’d arrived in Newfield.

“It should be all cleaned up soon. I’ve been working on documenting the cleanup. I figured it would be a good story to help smooth over the feelings of the community. It was disheartening when ChemTree contaminated it, but knowing that it’s in the process of being fixed completely is making everyone look forward to summer again. I went out to the lake and took some samples before it froze over, so I could compare them to when it thaws. When I was out there, I ran into Joel.”

“What was that like?” Bobbie asked.

Matt lowered his voice. “I hate to say this, but I think he’s a little strange.”

“Strange how?” Bobbie watched the way he avoided looking straight at her.

“I really don’t know how to explain it. I guess, he’s better with nature than people is the best way I can put it.”

“When we came across him today near the cabins, he was acting really weird. Kate suspected that he was drugged or poisoned. But maybe he wasn’t?”

“It feels wrong to suspect someone of murder just because they’re a little different. I don’t have any real evidence against him, but the way he looked at me, the way he spoke, it left me feeling uneasy.”

“I do have a reason to suspect him. He may have been following Rose, which makes him an even better suspect.” Bobbie gestured to his screen. “Can you tell me more about him? Does he have a criminal history?”

“Actually, I looked him up just before, and found out that he doesn’t. He’s clean as a whistle, not even a traffic ticket.” Matt glanced up as Abigail’s office door opened.

CHAPTER 15

“Ah, my two favorite reporters, hard at work.” Abigail smiled as she walked over to Matt’s desk. “I guess you’re about to break this story wide open, right?”

“Not exactly.” Matt sank back in his chair as he gazed up at her. “But you’re right, we’re working hard.”

“Good. I just need to steal Bobbie for a moment.” Abigail gestured for her to follow her into her office.

As Bobbie stood up, she noted that Abigail had finally begun calling her by the name she preferred. She didn’t think she could ever get used to being called Roberta regularly.

“Come in.” Abigail sat down at her desk and waited for Bobbie to sit down on the other side. “Just go on and push that door closed.” She pointed to the door of the small office.

Bobbie leaned back in her chair and stretched out far enough to close it before turning back to face her. The moment she did, she sensed the scrutiny in her expression. Did she suspect her? Did she find out something about her deal with Kate?

“Do you have an update?” Abigail folded her hands together on the desk.

Bobbie gave her a rundown on everything she’d learned.

“Well, that’s interesting. It sounds like Rose had a lot going on while she was here.” Abigail tightened her hands. “I want to find out who killed her. That’s my top priority. This isn’t easy for me. I’m not used to being on this side of an investigation, and I’m hesitant to share some things with the police because of our history, but I need her murder solved. Do you have any questions you want to ask that you think might help solve this?”

“Of course, I can understand it’s not easy.” Bobbie’s mind raced with possible questions as she sat forward in her chair. “Do you know if anyone ever threatened her?”

“Yes, a few people over the years. But there was one person that stood out to me because he was relentless. Shortly before she published the article about Gerald, she got threatening letters not to publish it. They were anonymous and she never really took them seriously. She told me they were a sign of her being a good journalist. Getting hate mail meant she told the truth. But I warned her there was a difference between telling the truth and taking risks that had no benefit.” Abigail leaned back in her chair. “But then the letters got really bad after she published her last article about Roger.”

“Roger Dannier? The man who was recently released from jail?”

“Yes. I think he started sending the letters after she published the article about Gerald, then they continued while Roger was behind bars and got worse after she published the article that focused on him. I told Rose she shouldn’t publish those articles, but she wouldn’t back down." Abigail shook her head. "I wish I’d tried harder to stop her.”

“But he didn’t silence her, at least not back then. He silenced the subject of her story instead?”

“Yes. She carried so much guilt over the consequences of that story. She wrote that final article about Roger, eager to get him to pay for his crimes. And after that she refused to do any more investigative stories, and did her best to stay out of Roger’s line of sight. It changed her.” Abigail met her eyes. “I was relieved that he didn’t come after her, but in a way, he didn’t have to. He left her constantly looking over her shoulder. Even when he was in jail, he could have gotten someone to get rid of her for him. But when he was released, I’m sure she became even more worried.”

“That must have been terrible for her?”

“It was. I just don’t know why she didn’t tell me she was here. Maybe she came out here to hide from Roger because he was released, and that’s why she used a fake name at the cabins?” Abigail suggested.

“That’s what I was thinking. But he doesn’t live too far from here, and so many other people knew she was here, so now I’m not so sure.”

“So, do you really think I’m a murderer? Is that why you agreed to spy on me?” Abigail gave her a wry smile.

Bobbie’s heart dropped as she froze.

“Don’t bother denying it. I can read the shock in your face.” Abigail chuckled as she shook her head. “You’re a terrible spy.”

“Abigail, I can explain⁠—”

“There’s no need to.” Abigail looked into her eyes. “So, tell me, what has your espionage turned up? Am I a killer?”

“That’s not really for me to decide.” Bobbie gazed back at her. “I’m a journalist. I deal in facts, not guesses. Right now, I have no evidence that you murdered Rose.” Her muscles tensed as she continued. “But I’ll keep looking for the truth, and when I find it, I really hope that it doesn’t lead me back to you.”

“It won’t.” Abigail leaned back in her chair. “But I know you can’t take my word for it.”

“I might be able to, if you told me what Rose had on you, what she threatened to expose about you.”

“Well, I guess I can tell you. No one can prove anything, now.” Abigail clenched her jaw, then shook her head. “Rose knew some things about a story I wrote years ago. It was about a murderer.” She paused and took a deep breath. “Let’s just say, not every detail made it into print. I made choices back then, choices that supported the police’s case and might look questionable if taken out of context.”

Bobbie’s heart skipped a beat. “You’re saying you left things out on purpose?”

“I’m saying the man who’s in prison is the right man. I didn’t fabricate anything, but I did prioritize justice over perfection in the reporting.” Abigail’s voice softened, her expression resolute. “Rose threatened to dig it all back up, twist it, and make it look like I did something wrong. It had the potential to damage my reputation.”

Unfortunately, Abigail’s confession made her even more of a suspect in Bobbie’s mind. What else could she be hiding?

Bobbie gave a slight nod. “Thanks for telling me.”

“I know you’re going to go to Kate with this.” Abigail looked into her eyes. “And I know it might lead to me being taken in for questioning. I just want you to know that you’re doing the right thing. Don’t let yourself get distracted by whatever happens next. I don’t care if I end up behind bars for a few days. What matters to me is finding out who actually killed Rose.”

“I’m sure you won’t be locked up,” Bobbie said.

“Actually, I might. I’m not going to answer any of Kate’s questions. I can’t take the risk of my statement going on record and being used to help set that man free. Kate will probably have the opportunity to charge me with obstruction of an investigation, if she decides to take it that far. Again, I just don’t want you to be distracted by that. Got it?”

“Got it.” Bobbie sighed. “But you can trust Kate.”

“You may be right, but this won’t stay with Kate. Just do what I ask, please.”

“Okay, I will.”

Bobbie stepped back out into the main area of the office and found Matt’s desk empty. She waited a few minutes, but there was no sign of him, so she grabbed her purse and headed for the door.

Bobbie didn’t want to waste a second. The truth was out there, and it started with the person who likely knew the most about what had happened near the cabins.

CHAPTER 16

The drive out to the cabins took far longer than usual as Bobbie navigated the still snow-covered roads. She reached the parking lot, then stepped out to trudge through the snow. The temperature had dropped, and by the time she neared Wendy’s cabin, she’d walked through several inches of fresh snow, the most she’d ever walked through, and was beginning to regret her decision.

“Bobbie?” Wendy called out to her. “What are you doing out here? It just snowed. You’re going to freeze.” She looked down at her boots. “Are those waterproof?”

“They don’t feel like it.” Bobbie wiggled her freezing toes. “I guess I’m not fully prepared for the winter months.”

“I see.” Wendy eyed her for a moment as she tapped her chin. “Okay, get in here.” She led her up the cleared walkway toward the front door of a cabin. “You can warm your feet up by my fire, and I’ll get you some proper boots.”

“That’s so kind of you.” Bobbie stamped her boots on the mat and shook the snow off her coat, then followed her inside. She immediately savored the warmth that radiated from the fireplace.

“It’s not kindness. It’s pity.” Wendy shook her head as she stalked over to a closet. “I suppose I can’t blame it on you, growing up without a mother and all.”

Bobbie was once again reminded that many of the locals knew more about her past than she did.

“Okay.” Bobbie wasn’t sure how to respond. She tugged off her boots and her soaking-wet socks. As her toes began to defrost, she winced at the painful tingling.

“Now, these are the boots you need.” Wendy dropped them down beside her, then clucked her tongue at the sight of her socks. “You need at least two pairs of thick socks this time of year. You might as well be barefoot in those useless things. Don’t worry, I’ll get you some socks, too.” She caught sight of her wounded expression. A faint smile played at her lips. “Don’t fret. I have to keep extras of everything because some of the tourists that come here have no idea how to keep themselves warm, either. You’ll get the hang of it.” She opened a drawer and rummaged around. “Here we are.” She tossed two new pairs of thick knee-high socks down next to the boots. “Now, would you like to tell me what you were doing wandering around out here in the snow?”

“Actually, I came to talk to you.” Bobbie tugged the socks onto her feet, then continued to warm them by the fire. “I ran into Joel.”

“Oh, yes, I heard about that. You and Kyle should be ashamed of yourselves for attacking that young man like that.” Wendy crossed her arms.

“That’s not what happened. We helped him. He needed medical attention.” Bobbie looked straight into her eyes. “Kate suspects he was drugged or poisoned.”

“That’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard. Joel is just a little off, that’s all. He spends all his time out here. He’s not used to talking to people. But he does a good job.”

“Does he?” Bobbie pulled on the new boots. “Thank you for these. They’re much warmer and sturdier. I’ll bring them back as soon as possible.”

“You’re welcome. You can leave your boots here if you want, and pick them up when you return those. Look, like I said before, Joel’s harmless, and yes, he does do a good job. As long as people leave him alone.” Wendy frowned. “He has his moments, but if everyone gives him his space, he does just fine.”

“What do you mean he has his moments?” Bobbie tried to meet her eyes again, but failed, as Wendy turned to gaze out the window. “He can have a temper, if you talk to him the wrong way, but he would never hurt anyone. He’s very protective of the woods, and the animals. A lot of people don’t understand that.”

“Did you warn Rose about him?”

“No. Why would I? He never caused anyone any harm? She caused the harm. She lied about her own identity.” Wendy rolled her eyes. “You’re really reaching for someone to blame, aren’t you?”

“Maybe that’s it.” Bobbie held her gaze. “Maybe, you didn’t warn her because you hoped something would happen to her, because you knew she wasn’t here just to take photos of the landscape, didn’t you?” Her heart raced as she read the guilt in the woman’s expression. “You did.”

“I’m not an idiot. Joel told me she’d been asking a lot of questions. Then Trent, one of the guys staying in the cabins, mentioned that he’d seen her taking pictures of the cabins. He had an argument with her and complained about it, actually. He said that he’d told her not to come near him or his dog. He didn’t want to be photographed. It didn’t take much digging to figure out who she actually was and why she was here.”

“So, you knew why she was here before she was killed. Yet, you didn’t tell the police?” Bobbie shifted closer to her. “Why didn’t you tell the police? How did you know who she was?”

“When I noticed she was taking so many photos of the cabins, I might have snooped in her room.” Wendy pursed her lips. “I saw some of the notes she’d taken about the cabins. They weren’t flattering. Mostly, she criticized the amenities. That’s the kind of thing that will ruin my business. People want to have a nice time when they’re on vacation. Have access to everything they need. So, I took the notes. I knew the police would figure out who she was. It wasn’t my job to tell them.”

“You didn’t want to tell them because you knew it would make you look guilty.”

“I didn’t tell them because it’s their job to figure it out, not mine.” Wendy looked down at Bobbie’s feet. “You’re lucky I don’t take those boots back. I showed you hospitality, and this is how you act?” Her voice raised with every word she spoke.

“I just want to find out the truth, but it looks like Joel isn’t the only one with a temper.” Bobbie edged back toward the door.

“You’re right. I have a temper. Go on! Get out of here!” Wendy pointed to the door. “And don’t come back here if you’re going to accuse me of murder.”

“Wendy, I didn’t mean to accuse you of anything.” Bobbie hovered just in front of the door. “I’m only trying to get to the truth. Rose was murdered. Doesn’t that matter to you?”

“Of course, it matters to me.” Wendy sneered. “She didn’t deserve to be killed. But now Joel can’t hurt anyone. He’s in police custody, so what’s the point of dwelling on it?”

“We don’t know for sure that it was Joel. You even said you didn’t believe it was him.” Bobbie took a step toward her. “Unless there’s something else you’re not telling me?”

“There’s nothing else. Good luck in the snow. Try not to get lost out there.” Wendy stormed off toward the kitchen.

Bobbie’s nerves bristled with the urge to ask Wendy more questions, but she doubted pushing her luck would lead to a conversation instead of an argument. She glanced down at the boots on her feet, then called out to her, “Thank you again for the boots.”

“Just go, before someone starts accusing me of your murder!” Wendy snapped.

As Bobbie closed the door behind her, she tried to work out her next steps. Wendy had certainly gone up on the suspect list, but killing someone over a review seemed like a bit of a stretch, and she wanted to try and get real evidence of who the murderer was.

CHAPTER 17

Bobbie took a deep breath of the crisp air and set off along the route she imagined Rose had taken before she was killed.

As she walked, she noticed a path branching off toward two cabins. Maybe they were Trent’s and Owen’s cabins. If either of them were there, perhaps they could tell her more about Rose.

Bobbie walked up to the first cabin and saw there was a large dog kennel outside. She continued to the door of the cabin and knocked lightly. When no one answered, she knocked again. Louder this time. When again there was no answer, she started down the path toward the next cabin.

She knocked on the cabin door, and a few seconds later, it swung open to reveal a man who looked to be in his forties, well over six feet tall, with a thick beard and mustache. His muscular frame filled out his T-shirt as he looked at her quizzically.

“Hi, I’m Bobbie.”

“Owen.” He gestured to himself.

“I just had a couple of questions about Rose, if you have a minute, please?” Bobbie remembered Wendy mentioning she’d seen Owen and Rose speak to each other.

“Sure. Come in. It’s freezing out there.” Owen took a step back and gestured for her to come inside. “What do you want to know?”

Bobbie hesitated for a moment. Should she just walk into a secluded cabin with a stranger? She brushed her fears off as being ridiculous. If she wanted some answers, she had to ask the questions. She stepped inside the cabin which was small and rustic. The wood fireplace and timber walls made it feel welcoming. Bobbie walked farther inside and felt a rush of heat from the fireplace. “Did you know her well?”

“No, not really. I just spoke with her a couple of times. Like I told the police, I warned her.” Owen grabbed some papers off a small couch. As he did, she noticed they were property listings. “Take a seat.” He put the papers on a table in the corner.

“Thank you.” Bobbie sat down. “Why did you warn her?”

“About Joel. Do you know him?”

“Yes. I’ve met him.”

“Well, he’s always out lurking around in the woods. He just gives me a bad feeling.” Owen leaned against the wall across from her.

“What are you doing staying out here?”

“I work in construction, and we don’t have much work in the colder months, so I thought I’d escape out here for a break.” Owen adjusted his glasses. As he did, Bobbie noticed how smooth his hands were and presumed that he was probably involved in the administration side of things. “It’s so beautiful in this area. And the cabins are cheap. Look, I wish I knew what happened to Rose. All I know is she rubbed a few people the wrong way with all of those photos she took.”

“Anyone in particular?”

“Everyone really. Trent, Joel, me. She just wouldn’t let up.”

“Anyone else you know who had a problem with her?”

“I know Wendy was angry with her, she thought she was snooping around. I told her to relax, that I’m sure that the review would be good, and even if it wasn’t, people would still come and stay. It’s just one review and people forget things.”

“Do you have a dog?” Bobbie hadn’t noticed any sign of one, and Wendy didn’t mention he had one, but Bobbie wanted to double-check.

“No.” Owen chuckled as he rubbed his lower arm, where Bobbie noticed part of a tattoo peeking out from the cuff of his long-sleeve shirt. “It seems like everyone’s asking me that. I used to, but he’s been gone for a long time now.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Thank you. Look, I wish I could offer more.” Owen stood up from the wall indicating it was time for her to leave. “Stay warm out there.” He opened the door for her. “I don’t know about you, but this weather is still a shock to me.”

“It definitely takes some getting used to.” Bobbie stepped outside and continued along what she presumed was the murderer’s path.

After a few minutes, Bobbie felt winded from the frozen air lacing her lungs. She stopped and leaned against a nearby tree to catch her breath.

“No, don’t!” a male voice shouted from just beyond the tree line.

“Don’t what?” Bobbie shifted closer to the tree and peered around the trunk in an attempt to see who’d spoken. As she did, a pile of snow slid off the branch above her and plopped into the previously untouched snow on the ground.

“Why?” A low moan carried from behind a large tree.

“Jerome? Is that you?” Bobbie walked around the tree and spotted him on the ground with his camera pointed up toward the tree she’d just leaned against.

“Yes, it’s me.” Jerome stood up, and dusted the snow from his jacket, as he let his camera fall back against his chest. “You just ruined that perfect photograph.”

“What?” Bobbie looked between him and the branch. “Oh no. I knocked all of the snow off, didn’t I?”

“Yes.” Jerome glanced up at the now bare branch. “I spent a few hours finding the perfect spot.”

“I’m sorry,” Bobbie apologized, even though she thought it was a bit of an overreaction. “I didn’t mean to.”

“I know you didn’t. I’m sorry for snapping at you.” Jerome took a step toward her. “I’m just a little discouraged with the pictures I’m getting. I just can’t seem to get into the artistic space.”

“Well, there are a lot of distractions happening right now.” A chunk of snow fell from a higher branch and struck the hood of Bobbie’s coat. She shivered and shook it off. “Do you think we could talk somewhere a little less snowy?”

“If it’s about Rose, I have nothing else to say.”

“It’s not really about Rose. It’s about Joel,” Bobbie said.

“Oh, that doesn’t surprise me.”

“Can you tell me more about him?” Bobbie didn’t want to ask him again to move somewhere else to talk as she thought he might clam up.

“There’s nothing else to tell. I told you what I know.”

“That she thought he was following her?”

“Yes.” Jerome shrugged. “That’s all I can tell you.”

“I looked at your website. You’re very talented.”

“Thank you.” Jerome smiled.

“I noticed that quite a few of your photos almost mirrored Rose’s. Same locations, same season, and even similar release dates. And you were in competition for the photo book, and you lost.” Bobbie studied his expression carefully. “You often seemed to be where she was.”

“I admired her work, sure, but it wasn’t personal.” Jerome shifted uncomfortably.

“Okay, so why were you so focused on her, then? If I found this out, the police will, too. You might as well try your explanation out on me first.”

“Look, it was like every picture she took turned to gold.” Jerome sighed. “I was getting less views and interest in my photographs, and I realized hers had doubled or tripled. I’ve been following her career for a long time, trying to capture the same photos as her. Nothing I tried seemed to get me the same kind of attention. So, I decided to do what she did, and get as many similar photographs of similar places as I could. It may sound ridiculous to you, but this is my livelihood. I have to do whatever I can to keep it going.”

“And? Did it work?” Bobbie asked.

“No. Not yet.” Jerome grimaced. “My views increased some, but not enough to make much difference. I just couldn’t figure out what she was doing that I wasn’t. When she beat me out for that photo book I was upset, but then I decided maybe I needed to focus on taking photos with a similar style to hers. So, when I approached her here, she finally agreed to share some ideas with me. That’s why I have a few photos of her time here. But after a day or so she changed her mind. Said she wanted to focus on her own work. I was disappointed, after the book and everything, so I decided I wasn’t going to try and keep copying her pictures. I was going to focus more on my own work. I decided that maybe she was getting such good photos because of the passion she had for her art. So, I decided I wanted to try and fill my photos with the same enthusiasm and come up with a fresh point of view.”

“Your pictures are wonderful.” Bobbie took a deep breath before she asked the next question. “Were you looking for her when you found her buried in the woods?”

Jerome looked down at the ground.

“You said you just stumbled upon her body, but it was buried, under the snow.” Bobbie tried to catch his eye. “Jerome, how did you really find her?”

Without another word he held out his cell phone, with a tracking app open.

CHAPTER 18

“Atracking app?” Bobbie took a sharp breath as she realized what this meant. “You were tracking her? Did you tell the police this?”

“What’s the point. They already know she was killed in her cabin.”

“Jerome! You have to tell the police about this.” Bobbie grabbed her own phone in an attempt to take a picture of the app.

“Don’t!” Jerome snatched his phone back and stepped away. “I’ll go to jail! They’ll say I was stalking her.”

“You were stalking her,” Bobbie retorted.

“It wasn’t like that,” Jerome groaned. “It just made it easier for me to take the same pictures. I didn’t use it for any other reason. I’m not some kind of creep. But that’s not how they’ll see it. They have access to her phone, so they’ll be able to see where she went.”

“How did you track her?” Bobbie asked.

“I dropped a device in her coat pocket.” Jerome winced. “I never should have pretended to find her. I could have left her there, buried. The police probably never would have found her. But I couldn’t. I couldn’t just let her vanish. It just wouldn’t be right.”

Bobbie realized that he’d taken a huge risk by telling the police where to find her body, but the thought crossed her mind that maybe he was actually the murderer, and he thought if he pretended to find her and came forward with the information he would look innocent.

“This information could be really important, and it might give them a more accurate time of death, or somehow help them find her killer. If you’re not the murderer, then you should want to prove that, and send me the data from the tracker.”

“I’m not.” Jerome gave a slight nod. “I’ll send you the data. But please, I don’t want to go to prison over this.”

Bobbie forced herself to nod in return. She wanted to tell him that stalking Rose for any reason was cause for him to go to prison, but at the moment she was dependent on him sending her the information. She heard the notification on her phone.

“I had nothing to do with her murder. I have to go.” Jerome turned and disappeared back into the woods.

She looked down at her phone and forwarded the information from Jerome to Matt.

Hopeful that the data might provide more information about Rose’s murderer, Bobbie started walking back toward the parking lot, but something else caught her attention. A bark, loud and distinct, followed by a man calming his dog. As she looked in the direction of the noise, the man and his dog emerged from a trail not far from her.

A smile crossed Bobbie’s lips as she recognized the German shepherd from Rose’s photographs that Jerome had shown her when she’d first met him.

“He’s so cute.” Bobbie smiled.

“Go.” The man gestured for the dog to go over to Bobbie. He trotted over and sat down in front of her.

“Oh, aren’t you a beauty?” Bobbie leaned down and ruffled his fur. “So well behaved.” She laughed to herself as she wondered if Bailey would ever be like that. She doubted it.

“He’s well-trained. Come, Scout.” The man snapped his fingers, and the dog ran back over and sat down beside him.

“I’m Bobbie.”

“Trent. So, why are you out here all alone?” His tone held a sharp edge.

“I’m here because I want to find out who killed Rose. Well, you might know her as Joyce.” Bobbie recalled Wendy mentioning Trent. “I understand you had an argument with her. Do you mind telling me what that was about?”

“Do I mind?” Trent locked eyes with her. “What are you? A cop or a reporter?”

Bobbie hesitated. She thought that if she told him the truth he might not be forthcoming with information. “Neither. I’m a fan of her photography. I was hoping to meet her, and now that’s she’s dead, I just want to try and work out who did this to her.”

“Look, I didn’t know her by anything. We didn’t have an argument. Like I told the police, we exchanged a few words about privacy. I asked her not to take pictures of Scout.”

“Why did it bother you so much?”

“She just had no right to. She didn’t even ask my permission. And when I asked her to stop, she wouldn’t.” Trent clenched his hands into fists at his sides. “Now, as I told that unfortunate woman, and the police, I would appreciate it if you would respect my privacy.”

“Of course. I can understand why you want your privacy. I’m sure that Rose didn’t mean to overstep. Was she upset when you last saw her? Maybe you saw someone else around her? Following her?”

“I saw Joel with her a few times. But it was none of my business. Just like I ask for privacy, I respect the privacy of others. I just told her to leave me alone and move along. And that Scout’s a working dog. She can’t just walk up and start snapping shots of him.” Trent pointed at Scout. “She needed my permission.”

“You may have been one of the last people to speak with her. Did you notice anything strange about her, or anyone following her?”

“Strange.” Trent’s jaw locked, then he took a breath as he nodded. “Yes, she was strange. Like you. She wouldn’t leave Scout and me alone. She didn’t seem to know how dangerous it was to be alone with a stranger in the woods.”

“Are you threatening me?” Bobbie looked up from the dog, to him, and tried to keep her voice even.

“I asked politely for you to leave me alone. When I booked the cabin here, the owner assured me that I would have my privacy. However, that isn’t turning out to be the case.”

“Okay, I’ll go.” Bobbie took a step back as her heart raced. “But just so you know, not trying to help get to the bottom of this makes you look pretty suspicious.”

“Suspect me all you want. Just leave me alone.” Trent waved his hand dismissively.

Bobbie exhaled and turned in the direction of her car. The crisp air bit at her cheeks as she trudged back through the icy snow. Behind her, Trent’s footsteps faded in the opposite direction, and for a moment, the only sound was the soft crunch of snow underfoot.

Bobbie had just started the engine when her phone rang. The heat that came out of the dashboard reminded her of how kind Kyle had been to fix it for her.

“Kyle?”

“Hey? I wanted to update you about Joel, and you’re late for your class.”

Bobbie glanced at the clock on the dashboard and realized how late it was. “I’m so sorry. I lost track of time.” She dug into the glove compartment and found a granola bar to snack on. Had she even had breakfast? She couldn’t remember.

“Come into the studio, and we can still fit some of the class in.”

Bobbie nodded, then realized how pointless that was. “Thank you. Yes, I’ll be right there.”

CHAPTER 19

Bobbie drove to the studio and parked out front. She walked inside and found Kyle waiting for her on the other side of the door.

“Are you ready?” Kyle helped her out of her coat.

“Yes. Ready!” Bobbie shed her boots and socks and stepped onto the mats as she tugged on hand wraps and boxing gloves. “So what’s your update on Joel?”

“He did test positive for drugs, a sedative, valium, but they’re not sure if he took them or someone slipped them to him. He isn’t very coherent, yet, and unfortunately, he’s not normally that coherent, so it might be hard to figure out exactly what happened. However, he’s adamant he had nothing to do with Rose’s murder, and keeps saying the man with the dog was after her.”

“The man with the dog?” Bobbie looked up as he held up pads for her to punch.

“Yes, does that mean something to you?” Kyle braced himself as she threw a flurry of jabs.

“Well, there’s Jerome and his dog, and I was just out at the cabins, and I spoke to Wendy, Owen, and Trent, and I met Trent’s beautiful dog.” Bobbie explained what she’d learned from them. “Jerome and Trent are the only men with dogs who I know of connected to this. Do you know if Elliot has a dog? I didn’t get a chance to ask him.”

“No, he doesn’t. Kate told me that Trent filed a complaint against Rose because she wouldn’t leave him and Scout alone, so that makes him a good suspect.” Kyle threw another punch, and she blocked it.

“Wendy mentioned him, but today was the first time I met him.” Bobbie let her hands relax just long enough for him to throw a punch at her. She dodged it at the last second. “His dog seems to be incredibly well-trained. He said he’s a working dog.”

“Maybe he’s an ex-police dog, or a guard dog.”

“It sounds like you know a thing or two about trained dogs.” Bobbie took a slight step back and lowered her hands as she met his eyes. “Am I right?”

“I have worked with a few, yes.” Kyle gestured to her hands. “Not a great idea to drop your guard.”

“Maybe it is. Maybe you should drop yours.”

“The pads?”

“Your guard.” Bobbie held his gaze. “Maybe try answering one of my questions with more than a few words.”

“This is about trained dogs?” Kyle squinted at her.

“It’s about more than that. I know almost nothing about you.”

“You know what you need to know.” Kyle shrugged, then took a sharp breath. “I’m sorry, that came out differently than I intended.”

“More secrets?”

“It’s not that I want to keep things from you.” Kyle lowered his voice as his cheeks flushed. “It’s just that some things are classified.” He looked up at her. His brown eyes now filled with the confidence she was familiar with. “I can’t draw attention to myself.”

“Okay.” Bobbie wanted to find out more, but she doubted he’d reveal anything else, at least not yet, and she didn’t want to seem overly interested. “Your business is your business.” She glanced toward the door as it swung open and a few students walked inside. “And it looks like your next class is here.”

“Do you want to pick this up tomorrow morning? Make up for the rest of the class?” Kyle smiled. The warmth in his eyes made her stomach flutter. “At ten thirty?”

“Great, thank you.” Bobbie put on her socks and boots, grabbed her purse and water, then headed past the students and out the door.

As Bobbie settled into her truck, she recalled Kyle’s words that he couldn’t draw attention to himself. It reminded her of the countless times her uncle had sat her down to explain why she couldn’t afford to get into trouble or attract too much attention. He’d warned her that problems at school would lead to too many questions.

At the time, she’d assumed he was worried about her future, about not getting into college. But now she understood the real reason for his urgency. He wasn’t actually her legal guardian. To the rest of the world, Bobbie was dead, just like her parents. Drawing too much attention could have revealed the truth.

At the very least, Bobbie knew for certain that her uncle had been determined to protect her from Garrison. And although she carried some bitterness for the secrets that Uncle Jimmy had taken to his grave, she reluctantly understood. If she’d known the truth as a child or a teenager, she could have easily let it slip. And if the authorities had looked too closely at their lives, they might have discovered that she wasn’t the person her uncle claimed she was, and that he didn’t actually have legal custody of her.

Bobbie couldn’t help but think of Garrison. He was locked away for now, but what would happen if he was released? He’d managed to evade the law for years. Could she really expect him to never be released? Could she ever expect that he would pay for her parents’ murders?

She pushed the thoughts aside and turned on the engine of her truck, then backed out of the parking spot. She wanted to go speak to Matt to see if he could help sort through the suspects and get to the bottom of things.

As Bobbie pulled up outside the front door of the newspaper office, she noticed that all the blinds were drawn. Her first thought was that maybe Matt was out working on another story, and Abigail had been taken in for questioning, so she’d locked everything up.

CHAPTER 20

By the time Bobbie reached the door of Newfield News, she’d convinced herself that it would be locked. Instead, the knob turned easily. Surprised, she pushed the door open and stepped inside. She immediately spotted Matt at his desk.

“Matt, why is everything closed up? Where’s Abigail?” Bobbie walked over to him.

“She left for the day, and I came back after she’d locked up to keep working on the story. I didn’t see the point of opening the blinds, I didn’t plan on being here that long, but I got caught up in things.” Matt slid a chair over for her to sit on. “So? What are you thinking?”

“I don’t know.” Bobbie sank down into the chair. “I can’t seem to sort this out. We have so many suspects, and not much actual evidence.”

“That’s a good point. Let’s try to start from the beginning. We know that Rose wasn’t killed where she was buried. And from the evidence the police discovered, she was killed at her cabin and taken out to the woods.” Matt rubbed his hand along his chin as he studied the screen. “What I can’t figure out is why.”

“Why? I mean, I’m sure the killer didn’t want to get caught.”

“You’re right. But it just feels like maybe she was put there for a reason. He could have left her in her cabin and hoped it wouldn’t lead back to him. Instead, he risked getting caught digging a hole and burying her. When the ground was too frozen to dig into, he piled up snow on top of her.”

“He or she. We haven’t been able to rule out Wendy or Abigail as suspects.”

“So, you really do still consider Abigail a suspect?” Matt leaned forward. “Why is that?”

Bobbie bit her bottom lip.

“You can trust me,” Matt said.

“Okay, but you can’t tell anyone else.”

“I promise.”

“Let’s just say Abigail had a good reason to want to keep Rose quiet. I can’t tell you anything else. At least not yet.”

“That’s a start.” Matt turned back to his computer. “Okay, so now we know where Rose was killed, how she was killed, and where she was buried. What else do we know?”

“That’s about it. We don’t even really know why she was here.”

“Let’s think about what she had with her when she was found. She was fully dressed, including boots and a heavy coat. She was probably about to go out to take pictures, or had just come back from taking them. The police found her camera in her cabin.” Matt folded his hands behind his head as he leaned back in his chair and gazed straight at her with a hint of arrogance in his eyes. “What’s missing?”

“What do you mean? Nothing’s missing. The police found her purse, with her cell phone, her wallet, and cash inside. They found her camera. She was even still wearing her wedding ring. Nothing was stolen. So, obviously this wasn’t a robbery.”

“Wrong.” Matt sat forward abruptly and continued to look straight into her eyes. “Tell me, what’s missing?”

Matt’s intelligence left her intimidated most of the time, but she was eager to show that she could work out what he was talking about. She took a deep breath without looking away from him. She slowly ran through her memory of the personal effects described in the police report that Matt had gotten a copy of. Everything seemed accounted for, until she reached the camera.

“The pictures.” Bobbie’s eyes widened as it dawned on her, and his own eyes blazed with triumph as a smile spread across his lips. “No memory card was found, right?”

“That’s my understanding.” Matt squinted at her. “Now, I’m not a professional photographer, but I’ve known quite a few. One thing I’ve discovered is that they’re very careful with their storage. I find it hard to believe that all of Rose’s most recent photographs are missing. The memory card wasn’t found on her or in her cabin. So, I ask you again—was this a robbery?”

“It must have been. Why else would her camera not have any memory card in it? She wouldn’t have a camera without one in it, and if for some reason she did, the memory card would be in a safe place, probably in her cabin. I’m sure the police would have found it in their search. So, either she hid it, or someone stole it.”

“What makes you think she might have hidden it?” Matt’s eyebrows shot up and his cheeks flushed. “I hadn’t thought of that.”

“Rose knew people were after her. She’d been getting threatening letters. She didn’t even bother telling Abigail she was in town. I originally thought that maybe she was trying to hide from Roger, worried about her own safety. But maybe she was killed because someone was after her pictures for some reason.” Bobbie stood up and began pacing. “But without knowing what was in those pictures, there’s no way for us to know why she might have been hiding them. Or why she might have been killed because of them. It’s so frustrating. How will we ever find anything as tiny as a memory card? It could be anywhere! And there could be more than one, of course.”

“We don’t know everything that she was afraid of, or why she would want to hide the memory card, but we do know some things. We know she got those threatening letters from Roger, and he was recently released. We know that she felt guilty about Gerald, the man who was killed as a result of her exposing him.”

“I find it weird that she came here when Roger was nearby.” Bobbie scrunched up her nose. “I mean, I know you discovered she was really strapped for cash, so maybe she was here because she really needed the money, but it seems like a risk.”

“Consider that maybe she showed up here, not just for a photography book, not for a secret review of the cabins, but for an investigative story. Maybe even about Roger. But she was killed before she could write it.” Matt snapped his fingers. “Just like that, it makes sense, doesn’t it?”

“I suppose. You’re right, it adds up.” Bobbie nodded. “But Roger isn’t the only option. After my encounter with Trent, I want to know more about him. He had an argument with Rose.”

“Trent?” Matt narrowed his eyes. “What motive would he have?”

“He was angry over her taking the photos, but maybe the reason he was so angry gave him a motive to murder her? Maybe there’s more to their history?”

“Okay, I’ll look him up.”

“I think you should look at Owen as well. He also said he didn’t want her taking photos of him.”

“Okay, good idea.” Matt’s fingers flew across the keyboard.

“I’ll also see what I can find out.” Bobbie began typing on the laptop. However, she didn’t search for information about Trent and Owen. She knew that Matt had the connections to get that information. Instead, she tried to find out more about Roger.

As Bobbie and Matt worked quietly across from each other, she stole brief glances at him over the top of her screen. They’d had their share of conflicts, and while Matt had recently made his interest in her clear, they worked together, and dating could make things awkward.

Bobbie pushed the thoughts aside and tried to focus on her search instead. She tried to find out more about Roger. She couldn’t find much on social media, but that didn’t surprise her. She imagined he would want to stay out of the limelight.

“Trent does have a military background but it’s not in his public records. Special operations.” Matt glanced up at her. “That might explain why he’s so private. Guys like that tend to avoid cameras for security reasons, even after they’re out.”

“Okay, so he might have had a motive to take the memory card if there were photos of him on it.”

“Yes, and this is very interesting.” Matt studied the screen. “Owen doesn’t seem to have any history at all.”

“Really?” Bobbie’s voice raised slightly. “Do you think that he might be using a false identity?”

“That would be my guess. I’ll look into it more.” Matt looked at his phone as it buzzed with a text. “I just got a notification from a source that Roger’s been in town recently. A couple of days ago. They’re still looking, but they don’t know where he was when Rose was murdered.”

“Interesting.”

“What are you thinking?” Matt asked.

“That it’s hard not to think Roger had something to do with her murder, with him being so close by.”

“Well, if he did, maybe it’s because she had some evidence against him, maybe on the memory card that’s missing. If she did hide it, we might be able to find that evidence, too.” Matt stood up from his desk. “Should we go talk to him?”

“Seriously?”

“It’s what you were planning to do, right?” Matt asked.

Bobbie flinched.

“Exactly. Only, you’re not going alone.” Matt began walking toward the door. “And don’t argue with me. You and I both know there’s safety in numbers. Yes, you can take care of yourself. No you’re not going alone. Besides, I’m the one who happens to know exactly which of his houses he’s holed up in at the moment.”

Bobbie rolled her eyes as she followed after him.

CHAPTER 21

Bobbie took a deep breath and walked up to the front gates of Roger’s opulent house and found herself face-to-face with one of his giant security guards.

“I need to speak with Roger, please.” Bobbie stood her ground as the large man surveyed her with a critical eye.

Knowing that Matt was parked along the road a few houses down with his cell phone monitoring their exchange made Bobbie feel a little braver to face the notorious crime boss. They’d come up with a plan to ensure Matt was looking out for her without setting off any red flags with his presence, as Roger might recognize Matt, who’d been in journalism for a while and might be wary talking to him. It had seemed like a good plan at the time, but as Bobbie stood there, she started to doubt it.

“Why would he ever want to see you?” the security guard barked.

“I just need to speak with him, please.” Bobbie tried to keep her voice even. “Can you let him know?”

“I’m not letting him know anything until you tell me why you’re here.” The man crossed his thick arms over his chest.

“I’m Bobbie, a reporter with Newfield News, and I have a few questions for him.”

The man picked up his radio and relayed the information, then he slid the radio back into the holster, and gestured to the gate behind him. “Go on in. Don’t tell me I didn’t warn you, though.”

Bobbie began to cross the expansive driveway toward the luxurious home. Despite the extensive security, the home itself appeared much smaller than she expected, but embellishments of opulence stood out everywhere from large statues to inlaid marble in the structure of the house.

Bobbie had barely crossed half of the distance when one of the tall double wooden doors swung open.

Roger emerged. For a split second he looked small, dwarfed by the towering doors, but the moment he stepped out fully onto the driveway, his arrogance spread wide around him. Bobbie tried to steady her nerves as she wondered if she’d been too impulsive by coming to talk to him.

Roger crossed the driveway toward her, his expression passive if not a little amused.

“So, you’re a reporter. What’s this about?” Roger raised his eyebrows as he looked her over.

“Rose Jennings,” Bobbie blurted out.

“Rose?” Roger shrugged, then shook his head.

“I’m sure you know who she is. She used to be a journalist, and she wrote an article about you shortly before you were arrested.” Bobbie took a deep breath, then squared her shoulders. “The journalist you threatened. Now, she’s dead.”

Roger scowled. “I didn’t threaten anyone, and I didn’t have anything to do with her murder.”

“She was scared. Someone sent her threatening letters.” Bobbie stood her ground.

“You think I’m the only person with a grudge?” Roger’s eyes hardened. “Rose had a way of making enemies. People didn’t always take kindly to her digging into their business. You should be looking at someone else, not me.”

“Then where were you yesterday afternoon?” Bobbie tried to keep her voice even.

“I was at the speedway all day, watching the races.” Roger crossed his arms. “There will be security footage to prove it. I stayed for a couple of drinks and didn’t leave until after eight. Ask around if you don’t believe me.” He waved her off. “Go do your job, Bobbie. You won’t find anything else here.”

Bobbie bit her lip, uncertain whether to press him for more.

Was Roger telling the truth? If his alibi checked out, then someone else was responsible for Rose’s death. But who?

“Do you have any idea who might have done it?” Bobbie called out, and Roger paused, then turned back to face her.

“I’d look at those two boys Russ and Stephen. Gerald’s sons. I heard they were in town wanting to take revenge.” Roger started back toward his house.

Bobbie turned around. She gave the security guard a quick wave as she headed through the gates and to her truck. She climbed into the driver’s seat and looked over at Matt. “I guess you heard all of that.”

“Yes, I’ll see if I can verify his alibi. Do you believe him?” Matt asked.

“I don’t know. But if he’s telling the truth, and he does have an alibi, it doesn’t mean he didn’t get someone else to do it. He did point the finger at Russ and Stephen. I think it’s obvious he’d been monitoring her.”

“I’ll look into them more.” Matt looked at his phone as it beeped. “Finally.”

“What is it?” Bobbie glanced at him.

“Um—”

“What?” Bobbie repeated.

“If I tell you, you have to promise to keep it to yourself. It’s not exactly legal.”

“Okay. I promise.”

“Someone managed to get access to Rose’s cloud storage for me, and it looks like she uploaded some photos from her time in Newfield.” Matt scanned through them. “There’s only a handful of shots, most are of the cabins, so I don’t think she uploaded everything.”

“There are a couple of Trent’s dog.” Bobbie leaned close to peer over his shoulder.

“And this.” Matt pointed to an image of Elliot standing beside remnants of a historical building in the woods, with only a light snow covering it. “This was a few days ago, before that first fresh snowfall.”

“But from the time stamps, these are more recent. From the day of her murder.” Bobbie pointed out the heavier snow in the pictures of Scout. “The morning of the day she was killed.” She lightly smacked his shoulder as she gasped, “Are there any that seem unusual or out of place?”

“There aren’t that many on here. I did notice this one, though. I think it’s the last one she uploaded.” Matt selected one of the pictures. “It’s almost like it’s blurry and sideways.”

“Hmm, I bet I know someone who could clean it up for us. Can you send it to me?” Bobbie continued to study the picture.

“Yes. But why? Do you think it’s important?”

“I think that if I were a photographer, and someone suddenly surprised me, I might have the instinct to turn around and take a picture. Or my hand might have been on the button. I mean, if I were writing this into my novel, it would be a great twist to think that the victim took a picture that might be a clue to their murderer.”

“It would be.”

“I’m going to get this picture to Jerome and see if he’ll tidy it up. If he’s not the murderer, he has nothing to hide, right?” Bobbie smiled.

“I’ll come with you.”

“Actually, I’d like you to look into something else for me, please.”

“Sure, what?” Matt asked.

“I want you to see if there’s a connection between Abigail and Roger. I have to tell Kate what I know about Abigail soon, and I want to make sure I have the whole picture.” Bobbie started her truck. “Are you willing to do that?”

“Sure, I am.” Matt looked over at her. “But why do I get the feeling you’re just trying to get rid of me?” 

“Matt, you’re the best at digging up these hidden connections.” Bobbie met his eyes and detected determination in his gaze. “I can handle Jerome on my own.” 

“But he’s a prime suspect.” Matt’s voice raised slightly. “I don’t think it’s a risk you should be taking. Seeing him alone.”

“Then I’ll pick up Rachael along the way.” Bobbie shrugged, then surprised herself by placing her hand over his for a moment. “It’s sweet that you worry, but there’s no reason to.”

Matt smiled. “Have you met you? There’s plenty of reason.”

Bobbie couldn’t help but laugh at his words. “Fair, but I promise. I’ll be fine. Just see what you can find.”

During the drive they discussed the possible suspects, and motives. But as they neared Newfield, Bobbie felt as if they were getting nowhere fast.

“Thank you for coming to Roger’s house with me.” Bobbie smiled as she pulled into the parking lot of Newfield News.

“No problem. Keep me updated.” Matt climbed out of the truck. 

After Matt disappeared into the building, Bobbie dialed Rachael’s number. Her shift was finishing soon, so she arranged to pick her up outside Scotty’s.

Bobbie drove toward the bar. She pulled into the parking lot and put the truck in park, then picked up her phone and looked down at it to text Rachael that she was outside.

“I’m here!” Rachael popped open the passenger door and climbed in. 

Bobbie gasped and placed her hand over her chest. “What are you doing? Trying to give me a heart attack?”

“Sorry.” Rachael winced as she laughed. “So, where are we headed?”

“Jerome’s. I want to talk to him about cleaning up a picture for me.”

“Ah, Jerome.” Rachael grinned. “Sounds good to me.”

“Remember, he’s a murder suspect.”

“I know.” Rachael nodded. “But he’s pretty easy to look at.”

“As long as you’re entertained.” Bobbie laughed as she turned out onto the road.

CHAPTER 22

Bobbie updated Rachael on Roger as they drove toward Jerome’s house.

“So, you don’t think Jerome did it?” Rachael looked over at Bobbie as they pulled up out front.

“I’m not sure.” Bobbie hopped out of the truck. “It did occur to me that he might have stolen the memory card and that’s how he had the pictures he showed us. But if he stole it, why would he show them to us?”

“Good question. Nice boots, by the way.” Rachael pointed at them.

“Thanks. Wendy lent them to me. Although, I think she regretted it. I need to buy a pair, so I can give these back to her.” Bobbie mentioned the encounter they’d had and Wendy knowing Rose was planning on doing a negative review of the cabins.

“Maybe she really did kill Rose. I would normally say that murdering someone because of a review doesn’t seem like a very strong motive, but she put everything into those cabins, and she’s had trouble keeping the business afloat.”

“Wendy said she took Rose’s notes, and that’s all she was really after and that she didn’t kill her. But I guess it’s not like she would just admit to killing her.”

“She would have access to Rose’s cabin, of course, and she does own dogs and knows the area. Maybe that’s why Rose's body was moved away from the cabins. Wendy wanted to avoid some of the bad press. I don’t think we can rule her out.” Rachael knocked on the door of the house Jerome was staying in.

After a few seconds, the door swung open, and Jerome sighed at the sight of them. “Let’s see, you’re here to arrest me for murder?” He peered past them. “Hmm, I don’t see any police cars.”

“Can we talk, please?” Rachael smiled.

Jerome stepped back to allow them both inside, and Sasha ran over and wound around their legs as they ruffled her fur.

“We don’t think you did it.” Bobbie sat down on a chair in the living room. “But it doesn’t matter what we think. It only matters what we can prove. The sooner we can get you cleared as a suspect, the sooner the real killer can be caught.”

“And how do you plan on doing that?” Jerome sat down on the couch beside the chair and looked over at her. “I have no alibi. I was here with Sasha.”

Rachael plopped down on the couch beside him.

“I found this picture that I think Rose took shortly before her death. It might even be the last picture she took.” Bobbie held out her phone to him. “It’s a long shot, but if we can clean it up, we might be able to get some kind of proof of what happened. Do you think you can do something with it?”

“It’s pretty blurry.” Jerome rubbed his cheek. “But I guess it’s worth a try. Text it to me, and I’ll do what I can.” He gave her his number.

“Thank you. Let me know as soon as you find something, please.” Bobbie texted him the photograph, and they said goodbye to Sasha and headed to the truck.

On the drive back toward town, Bobbie peered through the windshield at the quickly fading sunlight. It had been a long day, and despite their efforts to get to the truth, there were still many unanswered questions.

“I’ll drop you off at Scotty’s, so you can pick up your car.” Bobbie glanced over at Rachael who’d been unusually silent. “Is something on your mind?”

“I can’t shake the idea that we’re missing something. After what Jerome did to track Rose, do you really think he’s going to help us out by cleaning up that picture?”

“I think he’s our best resource at the moment.” Bobbie shrugged. “But if he doesn’t come through, it might mean he’s the murderer, and then we can always get someone else to look at the picture.” She eased the truck to a stop beside the bar. Her headlights illuminated two men who hovered close to the entrance. “Is that Russ and Stephen?”

“It is!” Rachael jumped down out of the truck.

“Wait, Rachael. We don’t know why they’re here.” Bobbie also stepped out of the truck and rounded it to be at Rachael’s side, as she walked up to the two men.

“Did you change your mind about those drinks?” Rachael grinned. “If so, you’re in the right place.”

“No, we wanted to see you, though. The police won’t believe us.” Stephen shoved his hands into his pockets as he looked between them. “So, we’re going to tell the two of you the truth. Hopefully, you’ll get the police to take us seriously.”

“Oh?” Bobbie braced herself, wondering if they might confess.

“We didn’t just come here looking for Rose. She invited us here the day before she was killed.” Russ glanced over at his brother before looking back at them. “She told us she’d just discovered information that we would want. But we never had the chance to talk to her about it. So, you see, we had no reason to kill her. She was helping us. She told us that she wanted to put our father’s murderer behind bars. But maybe it was just a trick. We’ll never know.”

“Please, you can’t let us go to prison for something we didn’t do. Look.” Stephen held out his phone with a text exchange on the display. “This is the last message she sent us. She told us to let her know when we got into town. But when we did, she never responded. We think she must have already been dead. That’s why we had to ask where to find her. The police said these texts weren’t on her phone, and they’re trying to verify them. I think the murderer must have deleted them.” He slid his phone back into his pocket. “Please, you have to believe us.”

“Do you have any idea who she might have suspected?” Bobbie locked eyes with Stephen. “Did she give you a name?”

“No. She didn’t give us any details at all. She said she wanted to make sure she was right before she told us the information.” Stephen nudged Russ’ arm with his elbow. “We should go.”

“Just, please, talk to your mother about us. We didn’t hurt her. I swear.” Russ met Rachael’s eyes, then followed his brother back toward their rental car.

Rachael watched them go, then looked over at Bobbie. “Do you believe them?”

“The texts seem valid, but if the police haven’t been able to verify them, I don’t know.” Bobbie watched them drive off. “If they’re telling the truth, then the real reason Rose might have been here was to reveal Gerald’s murderer. Maybe she finally had proof Roger did it.”

“Come inside and have some dinner with me. You aren’t going to get anywhere else with this tonight.” Rachael glanced toward the door, then back at Bobbie. “We can ask around to see if anyone’s noticed any other strangers in the area. You never know, we might get lucky.”

Bobbie wanted to protest but her stomach rumbled at the thought of food from Scotty’s. It was always delicious.

“Okay, great.” Bobbie followed Rachael into the bar.

CHAPTER 23

Bobbie woke up the following morning with a wet nose pressed against her cheek. She smiled as she opened her eyes to see Bailey’s face right in front of her and him curled beside her. Still fast asleep. She glanced at her clock and was surprised at how late it was. She’d been up until the early hours of the morning, working on her novel and the article about Rose. Bailey usually woke her up to be fed if she overslept.

She checked her phone for any messages or calls she might have missed. She was hoping Jerome might have gotten back to her about the picture, or Rachael would have discovered something, or Matt would have an update for her. She found nothing.

After Bobbie got ready, she took Bailey for his morning walk, then she worked on her article for a bit. When it was time to go for the class, she made sure Bailey had everything he needed, then drove toward the martial arts studio. By the time she set foot in the gym, she was eager for the training session. She walked inside to find Kyle waiting for her in the middle of the studio.

“Right on time.” Kyle watched her as she stepped onto the mats to join him.

As Kyle walked Bobbie through several hand-to-hand self-defense techniques, they’d been practicing for some time, she felt her confidence growing with each maneuver, as she fought to keep her mind sharp.

Kyle suddenly grabbed her arm. His movements were quick, but in an instant, her muscles seemed to leap into action on their own. With a practiced series of swift movements, she had him on the ground, flat on his back.

Stunned, Kyle looked up at her with a wide grin. “Wow.”

“Did I do it right?” Bobbie offered him her hand.

“Yes, and you did it very well.” Kyle grabbed her hand, then jumped to his feet.

“I can’t believe I did that.” Bobbie’s hand tingled, still held in his firm grasp as he stood. A rush of adrenaline coursed through her from throwing him to the ground, as a small, confident smile crept across her lips. “Something’s definitely working. I’ve never felt so powerful.”

“You are powerful. But remember, true strength isn’t just about what you can do. It’s about knowing when and how to use it. Defending yourself is important, but don’t let that strength tempt you into unnecessary risks.”

“Sure, right.” Bobbie smiled as she glanced at the clock. “And class is finished.”

“It is.” Kyle grinned. “How about we go get some dinner tonight to celebrate?”

Bobbie froze. Was he asking her on a date? She’d been secretly hoping for something like this. But when it came to saying yes, the words caught in her throat. Instead, she managed, “I’m sorry, I can’t tonight. I need to work on my article. Maybe another time?”

“Sure.” Kyle nodded. If he was disappointed, he didn’t show it. “Great work this morning.”

“Thank you.” As Bobbie walked over to pick up her purse, her phone buzzed. She looked at it and saw it was the photograph sent to her from Jerome. She gasped at the sight of it.

“Everything all right?” Kyle walked closer to her and peered at her phone as she held it out.

“It’s Elliot’s ring.” Bobbie stared down at the distorted image. “I know it is! It has his family’s crest on it. He said he hadn’t seen Rose, but this was taken the day she was murdered.”

“Elliot? Are you sure?”

“Yes, I don’t know if Kate can bring him in on this. I’m going to go see him. Maybe if I can get a picture of his ring and prove he saw Rose that day, Kate can get him back in for questioning, and maybe even make the arrest.”

“I’m coming with you.” Kyle started toward the door. “I have a couple of hours before my next class.”

Bobbie decided not to waste time arguing as she grabbed her purse and hurried after him.

Kyle locked up the studio. “We’ll take my car.”

“Why?”

“So I can drive,” Kyle called out over his shoulder as he walked toward his car.

“Why?” Bobbie repeated.

“You’re not used to this snow.” Kyle stopped and turned to look at her. “And with the sun out, it will start melting, and as the day goes on, and the temperature drops, the roads will only get icier.”

“It seems like you’re used to giving orders.”

Kyle hesitated. When he finally spoke, his expression softened. “Maybe.”

“I’m not accustomed to taking them, and I never will be.”

“I’m sorry.” Kyle met her eyes and smiled. “Will you please allow me to drive you to Elliot’s, as my car is prepped for the snow, and I have years of experience driving in these conditions?”

“Are you mocking me?” Bobbie pursed her lips.

“No. I’m trying to apologize. I’m sorry. Now, can we go?” Kyle started toward his car again.

Reluctantly, Bobbie followed him. “Yes, we can.” She got into the passenger seat.

On the short drive to Elliot’s house, Bobbie explained the significance of the picture.

“Elliot said he hadn’t seen her that day, so why would this photo be there? Maybe it was taken shortly before she was killed?”

“But why would Elliot kill her?” Kyle parked in Elliot’s driveway.

“He said that she’d backed out of doing the book with him at the last minute. Elliot was pretty angry about that.”

“Still, is that a reason to murder someone?” Kyle stepped out of the car and walked around it to open her door.

Bobbie popped it open and stepped out before he could reach her, then continued up the driveway to the front door.

“I guess there’s only one way to find out.” After Bobbie knocked on the door it swung open, revealing Elliot.

“Bobbie?” Elliot met her eyes, then looked over at Kyle, before looking back at her. “What are you doing here?”

Bobbie surveyed his bare hands and tried to hide her disappointment. “Oh, I wanted to ask you about that ring you were wearing, and the crest on it. I came across it in some of my research, and I’m just curious about its history. Can you tell me about it?”

Kyle studied her as she gave Elliot a warm smile.

Elliot stepped past them, toward his car on the other side of the driveway. “I don’t have time to talk, now. Sorry, I was just leaving.”

Without another word, Elliot headed straight for his car.

Bobbie took a step forward to follow him, but Kyle placed his hand on her arm to stop her. “Bobbie, you’re not going to get more out of him.”

“It’s pretty convenient that he wasn’t wearing it.” Bobbie walked back down the driveway. “Clearly, he’s hiding it. Maybe it has evidence on it. Maybe he destroyed it.”

“Or maybe he just didn’t want to wear it today.”

“Maybe. This is so frustrating. We know he lied about seeing her. How can I just walk away?”

“You don’t have to just walk away. You can call Kate and let her know what you’ve found. That’s a good next step.”

“Right, I can do that. But she might do nothing, or she might just come here and question him. I doubt she’s going to be able to get a warrant to search his home based on my hunch and a blurry picture. It’ll just tip him off even more.” Bobbie glanced back at the house. She couldn’t simply do nothing. “What if he runs?” She watched as Elliot’s car whipped past them.

“Bobbie, isn’t there some way you can get some evidence to prove the connection?” Kyle led her back toward his car.

“Actually, yes!” Bobbie faked a smile. “I can go through every photograph I can find of Elliot until I find one of him wearing the ring. I’m sure that Matt will help me with that. If I can find that, and we can turn the two pictures over to the police, it just might get Kate to look into this more. I’d better get on that, right now.”

“Okay, I’ll take you over.” Kyle opened the passenger side door for her.

“Uh, you know what? It’s probably better if I walk. It will give me time to work out where to look. It’s not far.” Bobbie gestured down the road. “Maybe five minutes.”

“In this snow?”

“The roads are already cleared, and the sun is still out, well, mostly.” Bobbie’s defenses prickled as she grew frustrated at having to explain herself. Or maybe at the fact that she guessed he could sense her deceit.

“This is about Matt, isn’t it?”

“No, it’s about you.” Bobbie raised her eyebrows. “You might call the shots in the studio, but out here I want to make my own decisions.”

Kyle flinched, then nodded. “Okay, you’re right. Just be careful.”

Kyle slid into his car, and she noticed he closed the door rather hard. She wondered if she’d pushed too much. As he drove off, she felt some relief. She didn’t want to make him angry, but she needed him gone.

CHAPTER 24

Bobbie allowed a few minutes to slide by as she watched for any sign of Elliot coming back toward the house, or any neighbors who might be able to see her. Once she felt satisfied that it was safe, she walked around the side of the house, checking for any open windows.

A large one in the rear of the house slid open easily. She slipped in through the window, hoping she didn’t trigger an alarm. Her feet hit the floor with a hard thud. She winced and prepared herself for the possibility of being discovered. She’d seen Elliot leave, but could someone else be in the house?

For what felt like an eternity, she strained to hear the slightest sound in the silence. After nothing stirred, she began to trust that, as she’d expected, she’d entered an empty house. With more confidence, she headed through the house as she looked around hoping to find photographs of Elliot and the ring. There were many of Elliot but none that displayed the ring. She searched for any clue he’d killed Rose, but discovered nothing.

When Bobbie came across a large office at the back, she went inside. Maybe there was something there. She began going through drawers and cabinets. When she found nothing, she spun back to the computer. It was no use. It required a password. Frustrated, she slumped down in the desk chair. That’s when she noticed a USB card reader sticking out of one of the computer’s ports, with a memory card still in it.

After all the talk about a missing memory card, she wanted to see what was on that one, but she couldn’t get access to his computer.

She grabbed a tissue from a box on the desk and used it to pull the card out of the slot. She’d just tucked it into her pocket when a faint creak drew her attention toward the open office door. She glanced around for a place to hide, but before she could move, a face peeked inside.

Wendy!

The door opened wider, and Bobbie’s heart raced as Wendy stepped farther inside the room. The older woman froze as her eyes locked on to Bobbie.

“Wendy, what are you doing here?”

“What am I doing here?” Wendy hissed. “What are you doing here?”

“Out with it, Wendy. Why are you here?” Bobbie tried to keep her voice even to hide her own guilt.

“If you must know, I’m cleaning up a mess.” Wendy’s voice was laced with frustration. “Now, why don’t you tell me what you’re doing sneaking around Elliot’s place?”

“I’m looking for something.” Bobbie’s mind raced.

“The memory card?” Wendy’s eyes narrowed.

“What memory card?” Bobbie stiffened.

“You know what memory card. Rose’s,” Wendy whispered. “Why do you want it?”

“Is that why you’re here? What’s on it, Wendy?” Bobbie demanded. “What are you hiding?”

Wendy hesitated, and her shoulders sagged. “I guess I have no choice but to tell the truth. I’m not a murderer. But please don’t tell anyone what I’m about to say. I’ll fix this, I promise.” She took a shaky breath. “There are pictures Rose took, on it. They show problems with the cabins, serious ones. Unsafe wiring, cracked foundations, things like that. Things I haven’t had the time or money to fix.” Her voice cracked as tears welled in her eyes. “If people see those pictures, I’ll lose everything.”

“How do you know Elliot has the card?”

“He told me. He told the police that he hadn’t seen her the day of the murder because it would make him look guilty. But he said he took the memory card that morning because he was angry that Rose had excluded him from the photo book at the last minute, so he wanted to get even with her. When he saw what was on it he threatened to blackmail me to keep it a secret.”

“So, you’re here to get it back?” Bobbie asked.

“Yes, and hopefully find something I can use against him, in case he’s copied the pictures. I don’t have money. I need leverage to keep him quiet. Look, I don’t have time to argue with you about it. If Elliot finds us here, this won’t end well for either of us.”

The sound of a car engine rumbled outside. Both women froze, their eyes darting toward the window.

“That’s him,” Wendy whispered. “We have to go. Now.”

Bobbie wasn’t going to reveal she had the card until she knew for sure what was on it.

“Let’s get out of here.” Bobbie followed after Wendy through the window.

“Let’s split up.” Wendy went one way and Bobbie went the other.

Bobbie rushed home, eager to see what was on the memory card. She opened the cottage door to Bailey who greeted her with a wagging tail and kisses. After taking him out quickly, she stuck the card into her computer and opened it. It was filled with photographs. It looked like it really was Rose’s memory card.

As Bobbie began to look through them, she found a few more pictures of Elliot wearing his ring. She also found many photos of Wendy and her cabins that supported her story, and placed her high on the suspect list.

Bobbie also found several pictures of Trent and Scout. But most of the pictures were of Owen, from many different angles. So many, in fact, that Bobbie was certain he’d been Rose’s main focus. Her mind swirled with why that might have been. There was only one way to find out.

CHAPTER 25

The last of the sun slipped from the sky as Bobbie stepped back out into the frigid air. She’d made sure Bailey had everything he needed, but her own stomach rumbled with hunger. She couldn’t even think of eating. She needed to get to the truth.

Bobbie had called Wendy and asked if she knew why Rose had taken so many pictures of Owen. Bobbie didn’t reveal she had the memory card but claimed someone had mentioned they’d seen Rose taking the photos. Wendy insisted she had no idea. So, Bobbie had decided she would go out and speak to Owen herself. She wanted to get to the bottom of things.

As Bobbie hurried back to the martial arts studio to pick up her truck, she noticed the roads had indeed become far icier. She climbed into her truck and drove slowly until she reached the parking lot for the cabins.

She picked her way through the snow and ice. In the back of her mind she knew she should have waited until morning. But nothing could stop her momentum. She wanted to get to the truth.

“You there.” Joel’s voice carried through the cold winter air as he trudged through the snow to get to her. “Stop. You don’t belong here!”

“Joel?” Bobbie took a few steps back as she watched him charge toward her, sending showers of snow into the air with each step. “I thought you were in the hospital.”

“I don’t need help. You do!” Joel pointed his finger straight at her. “You’re done for. Don’t you know that?”

“Done for?” Bobbie’s heart began to race as the winter scape around her suddenly looked far less magical and much more isolated. “It’s okay, Joel. I know you’re upset, but the police said I can be here. The crime scene’s been cleared.” She noticed the way he shoved his hands into the shallow pockets of his thick coat. Was there a weapon hidden in there?

“Listen to me!” Joel shrieked as he drew even closer. “Run! Run right now!”

All at once Bobbie believed him. She believed that she shouldn’t be there and that she should run. She whipped around to do just that and slammed into the chest of someone who stood a step behind her.

Arms wrapped around Bobbie before she could even look up at the face they belonged to. She felt his grip tighten as a strong voice shouted just beside her ear, in Joel’s direction. “Get out of here! Can’t you see you’re scaring her?” His grip remained strong.

Bobbie recognized the voice as belonging to Owen, the person who she’d wanted to talk to. Relief allowed her muscles to relax in his grasp.

“Don’t!” Joel wailed as he flung his hands out of his pockets and into the air. “Please don’t!” He stumbled backward with his hands still raised high.

“That’s right, get out of here!” Owen continued to hold Bobbie close.

“Joel, is that what happened to Rose?” Bobbie pulled away from Owen. “Did she go somewhere you didn’t want her to go?”

Joel stared at her for a few seconds with his brow furrowed as if he’d lost himself in the depths of a hard decision, then he broke into a run toward the woods.

“We have to stop him.” Bobbie lunged in his direction. “It’s pretty clear he killed her.”

Owen’s hand landed heavily on her shoulder, holding her in place.

Bobbie felt the urge to pull away from his touch and shift into a defensive stance, but resisted it. He’d just kept her safe, she didn’t need to be on the defense. Instead, she turned around to face him. “We can’t just let him go. He knows these woods so well, he’ll disappear into them.” Urgency pumped through Bobbie’s veins.

“Which means we can’t compete with him or catch him.” Owen gestured toward a nearby trail that had been worn, through the snow. “My cabin isn’t far from here. We can go and get the police to come out.”

“I can just call them.” Bobbie reached into her pocket for her phone. Her mouth dropped open as her fingers found her keys but no phone. She’d left her purse at home and just taken her phone and keys. “Oh, no!” She quickly checked her other pockets, then gazed down at the thick snow that surrounded her. “I must have dropped my phone. Do you have yours?” She looked into his eyes and read the annoyance that flashed through them. She didn’t blame him. How could she not even keep track of her own phone?

“I don’t have mine with me. I was out for a walk and saw Joel headed for you. I don’t bring my phone with me when I go for walks. I don’t like being interrupted.” Owen tipped his head toward the path again. “Let’s just go to my cabin. My phone’s there. I’ll be able to get in touch with the police, so they can get a search started.” He settled his hand on the curve of her elbow. “Don’t worry. I won’t leave your side.”

Comforted by the promise, and also by his presence, she gave a slight nod and began walking down the path he illuminated with his flashlight.

CHAPTER 26

They’d walked down the path for several minutes before Bobbie peered up at the threatening clouds in the early evening sky. “Are you sure this is the way? It looks like it’s about to snow.”

“It’s always about to snow here.” Owen gave a short laugh. “Let’s keep moving, though. It’s not too far, now.”

As they continued to walk, Bobbie considered asking him about all the pictures Rose had taken of him, but that could wait. Her focus was getting to a phone to call Kate, so she could arrange for Joel to be tracked down.

Bobbie glanced around in an attempt to find something familiar. However, the recent snowfall, combined with her general unfamiliarity with being surrounded by nature, left her uncertain of where they might be, and where they might be heading. She winced as she recalled losing her phone. How could she be so careless? In her enthusiasm to get to the truth, she’d lost it.

“It’s just here.” Owen pointed down the path that led to his cabin.

As Owen led her past Trent’s cabin, loud barking came from the heated dog kennel. Scout stood in the doorway of it. Bobbie smiled at the sight of him.

“Scout only keeps quiet if you give him some food.” Owen pulled a dog biscuit from his pocket and tossed it to him. “Unless Trent’s giving him instructions, it’s the only thing that works.”

Bobbie froze at the sight as she recalled that dog biscuit pieces had been found by Rose’s body. She quickly brushed the thought aside. Lots of people carried treats for dogs. Even Matt had some on him.

Owen led her inside his cabin and shut the door behind them, then he took off his coat and hung it on a hook. “I’ll get a fire started.” He walked over to the fireplace.

“There’s no time for a fire. We have to catch Joel! Can I use your phone, please?”

Owen reached for a log stacked beside the fireplace and turned to face her. A familiar ringtone began playing from his pocket. Her cell phone’s ringtone. Her eyes widened as her heart sank and her nerves buzzed with sudden fear. She hadn’t dropped her phone at all. He’d taken it. The panic began before she’d even reached the full realization of her mistake.

“No!” Bobbie gasped as she took a step back. Fear froze her in place despite knowing that she needed to flee. “You killed Rose! Why? How could you do this?”

“Because she figured out who I was. She recognized me, and she was going to turn me in. After everything I’d done to keep myself hidden, to protect myself, she was going to ruin me.”

“Who you were?” Bobbie’s voice trembled as her mind raced.

“They thought I was dead. I had it all figured out. But Rose wouldn’t leave it alone. She said the truth needed to come out.”

“The truth?” Bobbie’s eyes locked on his brown gaze, and a flood of recognition hit her. “Raymond. Gerald’s aide?”

“That’s right.” Owen smiled faintly.

“It wasn’t Roger, it was you! You killed Gerald. Why?”

“To keep him quiet. Gerald was a saint, a real do-gooder. He couldn’t keep his mouth shut. He was going to ruin me.”

“Ruin you? He was innocent?”

Owen let out a bitter laugh. “I guess you could call it that.”

“It wasn’t Gerald who was involved in the sketchy land deals with Roger, was it? It was you.” Bobbie’s mind spun at the realization.

“Exactly. I kept my involvement buried, but Gerald figured it out. He was going to blow the whistle on me and clear his name. Rose’s article was the catalyst.”

“So, you killed him.” Bobbie’s voice wavered.

“Yes. I killed him, and I went into hiding.” Owen sneered. “The police thought it was Roger or one of his men, so I let them. I kept moving so I wouldn’t be found. I came here to hide out for a while, so I could stay put for a few months. No one recognized me, until Rose.”

“And she wanted to make things right. That’s why she got Stephen and Russ to come here. She was going to tell them about you?”

“Yes. She was going to ruin everything. She’d put the pieces together a while ago. She’d suspected I was involved and not Gerald. But she never knew where I was. I don’t think she knew I was here. But the moment she saw me, she recognized me. What she’d been suspecting for years was confirmed. She was ready to set the record straight. She’d gathered evidence, photos, and proof. I managed to find the papers in her cabin about the land deals and my involvement, so I could get rid of them. But I couldn’t get the photos she’d taken of me while she was here. I couldn’t find the memory card.”

Bobbie recalled the papers about the property deals he’d moved from his couch, and she knew that Elliot had taken the memory card.

“She was going to clear her conscience and expose what I’d done. She was intent on making sure I paid for killing Gerald. She said she was giving me the chance to turn myself in, before she revealed what had happened and where I was. Was she crazy?” Owen’s jaw rippled. “She was going to publish a big story about me to redeem herself. My future was at stake. My life was at stake! I didn’t go through all of that—kill Gerald, leave my life behind, live a life off the grid—to spend a moment in jail. That’s even if I managed to get to jail before Roger’s men killed me. So, I decided I had to take care of the problem. I picked up a log from the stack next to the fireplace and I took care of the problem.” He held the piece of wood high in the air, as his voice dropped to a menacing growl. “And now it’s your turn.”

Bobbie shied away from the wood that she knew he could easily swing at her. Sure, she might be able to dodge the first blow, but she had no doubt that he wouldn’t stop until he’d followed through with his plan. “Please, Owen, you don’t have to do this. Just let me help you. You can just leave and get out of here. I won’t tell anyone what you did.”

“No, I’m not taking any more chances. I had it all planned out. I buried her in the snow to make it look like Joel did it, and then I drugged his water to make him seem crazier than usual. Make him look like the murderer. I think he even suspected I was the one who killed her. I think he saw me move her, but as I’d hoped, he was too scared or drugged to talk. The sooner he’s locked up, the better. It would have all worked beautifully, if you hadn’t gotten in the middle of everything. I thought everything was going to plan, but Wendy just mentioned to me you called her earlier asking about Rose taking lots of photos of me. So, I knew you were getting too close, and I had to take care of you. And you walked right into my hands. And now, you’ll pay the price, and I can still make sure Joel goes down for the crime, and I can stay out of jail.” Owen raised the log in the air again, ready to swing.

As he did, his sleeve slipped up farther along his arm and revealed his full tattoo. It was of a bulldog. Bobbie remembered Joel’s words about the man with the dog being out to get Rose.

Panic rushed through Bobbie as she willed her muscles to move. She lunged toward a nearby window and threw it open.

Owen grabbed her by the hood of her coat and yanked her backward, away from the window. His head jerked to the side as a large, tightly packed snowball came flying through the window and slammed into his temple. Startled, he stumbled back.

Bobbie seized the opportunity as she remembered taking Kyle down and immediately her muscles kicked into action. Luckily, her training had taught her not to give in to distraction, as even though she heard noises outside, she kept focused on the task at hand. She leaped forward while reaching for the hand that held the piece of wood and threw Owen over her knee to the ground. Owen was caught off guard, and she managed to wrestle the log from his hand and pin him down.

Just then, Rachael climbed through the open window into the cabin, then crouched down to help Bobbie keep Owen restrained.

Owen thrashed as he tried to get out of their grasps.

The door to the cabin burst open.

Kate charged in, flanked by police officers with their guns drawn.

An officer snapped handcuffs on to Owen’s wrists, as Bobbie and Rachael moved away.

“Are you okay?” Kate hurried over to them.

Bobbie felt a wave of relief at Kate’s presence as they nodded.

“He’s Raymond.” Bobbie pointed at Owen, then blurted everything out. “He was Gerald’s aide. He killed Gerald and Rose. When Rose came here, she was just going to do the photo book and review, but she recognized that Owen was Raymond. She knew him well from her days as a journalist, and she’d been researching the case and suspected him all that time. I think she planned on telling Abigail she was here. She was going to surprise her when she got here, but when she discovered Owen, she didn’t want her to get involved and put her in danger. I think that’s why she didn’t want Elliot or Jerome working with her. She wanted to focus on Owen and make sure they weren’t put in danger.”

Still stunned, Bobbie turned toward Rachael and hugged her.

After Owen was toted away, Rachael led Bobbie out of the cabin. When they’d stepped outside, Bobbie looked up at her friend. With wide eyes, Bobbie shook her head. “Did you really just save me with a snowball?”

“And a steak.” Rachael pointed to the kennel where Scout sat in the doorway, chewing on a steak. “Don’t forget about the steak. I came up here to find you, and Wendy told me she’d seen you go into Owen’s cabin, and I had a feeling something was wrong. She told me that Scout would bark unless he was fed. I was worried Owen would panic if Scout alerted him that someone was close by. I didn’t know what Owen would do. So, Wendy gave me the steak and I threw it to Scout. Then I came to the door and heard what was happening and the rest you know about.”

“How did you know I was here?”

“Kyle called Matt to make sure you made it to the newspaper office. He must really care about you to have asked Matt.” Rachael smiled and continued before Bobbie could respond. “Matt said you hadn’t shown up and that he’d tried to contact you because he found out Roger’s alibi was solid. The two of them ended up calling me, and demanded I tell them where you were. It was quite a mess. I came out here to look for you. I figured if you were investigating more you might be somewhere out here.” She met her eyes. “But, you know, you have a lot of people looking out for you around here.”

Bobbie smiled as she realized that Rachael was right.

CHAPTER 27

After a hot bath and a long chat with Rachael, Rachael had gone home, and Bobbie had given into her tiredness and quickly fallen asleep with Bailey cuddled close.

The following day, after taking Bailey for a long walk, Bobbie sat on the couch with him curled up beside her, his head resting in her lap. She contemplated how much her life had changed. When she’d moved to Newfield, she’d been an orphan with no one in her life. Now, she felt surrounded by people who cared about her.

The sound of a knock on the door startled her.

“It’s me Kyle.”

Bobbie wasn’t disappointed to hear his voice, but she wondered if he intended to lecture her about the risk she’d taken. “Come in, it’s open.”

“It’s open?” Kyle opened the door and stepped in with an annoyed look. “There’s a lock, you know?”

“I changed my mind.” Bobbie pointed to the door.

“Oh, really?” Kyle grinned as Bailey ran over and jumped up to lick his cheeks. “Are you going to kick me out for being concerned about your safety?”

“Listen, as long as Rachael’s around with a steak and snowball, I’m going to be just fine.” Bobbie smiled as he joined her on the couch.

“That cousin of mine is pretty amazing.” Kyle’s hand drifted from Bailey’s head and settled on the crook of her arm. “So are you. You handled yourself really well.”

“Thanks to your training.” Bobbie looked into his eyes. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you, I didn’t tell anyone.”

“I’m sorry you felt like you couldn’t trust me.” Kyle leaned his head back against the couch beside her. “I’m going to try to change that.”

“I do trust you. But I’d like to learn more about you.” Bobbie grabbed his hand and squeezed it between her own.

“Okay, if I tell you this, I need you to keep it quiet.” Kyle lowered his eyes briefly, then looked back up at her with a stern expression. “I don’t want to read about it in the newspaper. And you can’t tell anyone anything at all, ever. Understand?”

“Yes. I promise.” Bobbie held her breath as he rubbed the back of his neck.

“When I was a teenager, my martial arts skills caught someone’s attention. They invited me to join a program that sounded like a leadership academy. It was more than that, though. It was a pipeline for intelligence work. Covert operations, surveillance, that kind of thing. At first, I thought it was just a way to improve my skills, but I didn’t realize what I’d signed up for until I was already neck-deep in training. By the time I graduated, I was completely beholden to them.”

“So, you were a spy?” Bobbie asked incredulously.

“Technically, I was classified as a field operative.” Kyle gave a short laugh. “But yeah, I guess you could say that. At first, they sent me on standard assignments, monitoring shipments, tracking people. Then they sent me on a mission that changed everything.”

“What happened?”

Kyle hesitated, his jaw tightened as if he were reliving the memory. “I was sent to extract a journalist. She’d uncovered evidence tying a prominent politician to illegal arms deals. She had the documents, and she was ready to turn them over, but only if we got her out alive. My job was to get her out of the country safely.”

“Did you?” Bobbie leaned forward slightly.

“Yes, but it wasn’t simple. Someone on her end betrayed her. The meeting point was leaked, and we were ambushed. I got her out, but not before one of the attackers got a good look at me. My cover wasn’t blown completely, but it was compromised enough that I couldn’t stay in the field.”

Bobbie’s breath hitched. “So you had to disappear?”

“Pretty much. I knew how to lay low, how to make myself untraceable. I cut all ties with anyone who knew me under my cover, ditched everything that could be tracked, credit cards, online accounts, even my phone. I started using cash for everything, and stayed off the grid for a while. I kept moving until I was sure no one was following me.”

“And then?”

“And then I started fresh. Or rather, I came back here and went back to my real name.” Kyle gave a faint smile. “Opening a studio made sense. It gave me something normal to do, something that wouldn’t attract attention. I kept my story simple, stayed consistent, and made sure nothing about me stood out.”

“And no one ever came looking for you?”

“No, not yet. Or at least they haven’t found me. Either they decided I wasn’t worth the trouble, or they haven’t traced my real identity, and they didn’t know where to look. But I’m careful. Always.” Kyle’s tone took on a serious edge. “The training doesn’t just go away. Sometimes it kicks in, even when I don’t expect it.”

“Well, you’ve certainly led an interesting life so far. And you’re still young.” Bobbie instinctively touched his cheek. “And now this is home again?”

“Yeah, it’s a far cry from that life, but it works for me.”

The silence between them lingered for a moment as they met each other’s eyes. Bobbie hesitated, then leaned in slightly. At the same time, Kyle tilted his head, their movements careful, unsure of what might happen next. A sharp knock on the door shattered the moment.

Bobbie jumped and pulled back from Kyle. Kyle sprang to his feet, his instincts sending him into a protective stance.

“Bobbie?” Matt called out.

“Come in,” Bobbie said.

“Old habits,” Kyle muttered as he relaxed.

“Sorry.” Matt cleared his throat as he glanced around the room. Bobbie noticed disappointment flicker across his features as he saw Kyle there. Or was she imagining it? “I need to talk to you, Bobbie.” He stepped farther inside, then greeted Bailey, and gave him a dog biscuit.

“I have news about Garrison.” Matt met her eyes.

“You do? What?” Bobbie’s heart raced. “Has he been released?”

“No.” Matt held up his phone. “He’s been convicted.”

“Really,” Bobbie gasped.

“But here’s the thing.” Matt took a deep breath. “Not just for money laundering, but also for your parents’ murders.”

“What?” Bobbie froze as her heart pounded. “I don’t understand. I didn’t even know he was on trial for their murders.”

“The court kept the murder charges under wraps to protect the integrity of the case. They didn’t want anyone, including the media, finding out until the trial was over.”

“So, you never knew he was being tried for murder?” Bobbie blinked as she tried to make sense of what he was saying.

“No idea. Everyone thought it was just about the money laundering. The murder charges were only revealed to the public now that he’s been convicted,” Matt said.

“Wow?” Bobbie’s mouth dropped open. “Are you sure?”

“I am.” Matt crossed his arms. “I know that must come as a huge shock.”

“And a huge relief,” Kyle spoke up.

“It is. Have they sentenced him?” Bobbie chewed on her bottom lip as she attempted to process what Matt had revealed.

“Not yet,” Matt said.

Bobbie had hoped Garrison would be locked up, but didn’t think for a second it would be for her parents’ murders. What if he appealed and was released? Or what if he got a light sentence? The thought crossed her mind that if he was behind bars would she ever get the whole truth?

Bobbie’s thoughts returned to the moment, and she noticed the tension between Matt and Kyle. They didn’t look at each other. They both focused on her.

There was a knock on the door, and Kyle walked over and opened it to reveal Kate. She stepped inside and looked at the three of them.

Bailey happily chewed on the dog biscuit in his basket and didn’t even look up at her.

“I guess you’ve heard about Garrison?” Kate smiled at Bobbie.

“I have.” Bobbie nodded. “But I still can’t believe it’s true.”

“Well, believe it. He’s finally going to pay for what he did.” Kate glanced between Matt and Kyle. “I need a few minutes alone with Bobbie, please.”

“Okay. We’ll catch up later.” Kyle gave Bobbie a quick smile before he turned and walked out the door, followed by Matt.

“Did you know about the murder charges?” Bobbie asked.

“I did. I gave evidence at his trial. But I couldn’t say anything. I never really thought he would go down for the murders. I hoped, but I never really thought it would happen.”

“But how? He’s always been able to evade the police before.”

“Well, it has to do with your parents actually. I have some new information about what happened to them.” Kate softened her tone. “I thought you would want to know.”

“Of course I do.” Bobbie felt a mixture of anticipation and trepidation. “What is it?”

“What helped seal Garrison’s fate was testimony from one of his men.” Kate paused, letting the words sink in. “He testified that Garrison killed your parents. And he revealed some things about that night.”

“What things?” Bobbie’s chest tightened.

“Are you sure you want to know? It might be upsetting.”

“Yes. I need to know.” Bobbie braced herself.

“The night it happened, Garrison and a few of his men came here. One of them, Vince Miller, confessed as part of a plea deal. He said Garrison pulled the trigger himself.” Kate’s voice faltered briefly before she continued. “Vince saw you hiding in the closet. Garrison had ordered him to make sure there were no loose ends, but Garrison didn’t know you were there.”

Bobbie felt like the air had been sucked out of the room. “I’m still here because of Vince?”

“Vince couldn’t do it. He said he’d been following Garrison’s orders for years, but that night was different. He saw you, just a little girl, terrified and clutching a stuffed animal. He couldn’t bring himself to hurt you. So, after Garrison left, he took you to Jameson.”

“Uncle Jimmy?” Bobbie’s voice was barely a whisper.

“Your dad and Jameson were close, almost like siblings. Your parents trusted him completely. Vince knew Jameson from a few jobs they did together when they were young, and Vince told him what had happened and warned him that Garrison would come after you if he ever found out you were alive. Jimmy agreed to take you and disappear. Vince told Garrison he’d found you and killed you and got rid of your body, so Garrison wouldn’t come after you.”

“Why is Vince revealing this now?”

“He’s wanted out from under Garrison’s thumb for years. When Garrison was arrested, investigators pushed Vince to cooperate. He realized this was his chance to do the right thing and ensure Garrison couldn’t hurt anyone else. Especially you. Vince was worried Garrison would come after him now that Garrison knows you’re alive, and Vince had lied about getting rid of you. His testimony helped secure the case against Garrison, and in return, he got a light sentence. With Garrison behind bars, Vince finally felt safe enough to tell the truth.”

“So, Garrison really did kill my parents because my mom was informing on him?” Bobbie wiped her eyes as she tried to process the flood of information.

“Yes. Your dad died trying to protect your mom, but he couldn’t save her from Garrison. Your parents did everything they could to protect you. And Vince and Jimmy made sure their sacrifice wasn’t in vain.”

“This is a lot to take in, but I’m glad the truth’s out.” Bobbie took a shaky breath. “I just hope Garrison finally pays for what he did and he gets locked away for a long time.”

“It’s looking very promising.”

“I guess we’ll just have to wait and see. I hope nothing goes wrong.”

“You’re strong, Bobbie.” Kate smiled. “Stronger than you think. Your mom, your dad, Jimmy. They’d be so proud of you.”

Bobbie jumped as the door burst open.

Rachael stepped inside, then glanced around the room as Bailey ran over to greet her. “Oh, I’m sorry, I should have knocked. Am I interrupting?”

“No.” Kate looked up at her daughter. “We were just finishing up.”

“Well, I have some good news for Bobbie and it couldn’t wait.” Rachael waved a piece of paper in the air.

“What?” Bobbie smiled at her contagious enthusiasm.

“I went to the animal rescue to try and give them a nudge with your application, and they said they’d just received the letter from your landlord, and they have enough to give you full adoption of Bailey. They were just about to notify you.” Rachael clapped her hands, then gave her the paper. “It’s official. You’re a family.”

Bobbie’s face lit up. For the first time in her life she felt as if she belonged to someone and someone belonged to her. And she was even more excited that someone had four paws and a wagging tail. 

“Rachael, thank you so much!” Bobbie hugged her and bent down to kiss Bailey’s head. 

Bobbie couldn’t wait to see what the future held. Never in her wildest dreams had she thought she would end up living in a gorgeous cottage in Newfield, Vermont, with two potential love interests, a best friend, and a goldendoodle. She wondered what surprises life would throw at her next.

The End

***

Thank you for reading A Fatal Focus. 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 Deadly Dunk. 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

A Deadly Dunk

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