“I’ll get it myself,” the client snapped and disconnected.
The PI also disconnected and checked to see where the pickup was now. It appeared to be on the opposite side of the river from the town of Big Sky. He looked closer. It appeared to be at a ranch of some sort.
As he put away his cell phone, he realized that he knew where the deputy’s pickup was, but he couldn’t be sure that the female was still with him.
He shook his head as if to clear his thoughts. The client was determined to take it from here. He considered what he’d been hired to do over the past few days and tried to make sense of it before he stopped himself.
He often didn’t understand why people did what they did. In all the years he’d been a private investigator, he’d found they often did the one thing they shouldn’t because it was going to get them into trouble. But they still did it.
He had a feeling his client was about to do something that he would regret.
Jim was just glad he’d gotten his final payment before the fool either ended up dead or in jail. But he had to wonder why the man was so obsessed with the woman cop.
Chapter Seventeen
Jeffrey Sr. ushered them into his den, closing the door behind him before striding around to sit behind his desk. “I was surprised to hear that the two cops who crashed my cocktail party now want to speak to me in my office. Deputy Marshal Brick Savage and Homicide Detective Mo Mortensen?” He pretended to tip his hat to them each. “To what do I owe this honor since one of you is suspended and the other is on inactive duty, as I understand it?” Mo thought it interesting that the man had taken the time to check on both of them first. “So can I assume this isn’t a professional visit?”
“Assume whatever you like,” she said as she took a seat even though he hadn’t offered her one. Brick remained standing next to her chair. “Your son was having an affair with my married sister.”
The senior Jeffrey showed no reaction to her statement. She reached out and stroked the wings on the large sculpture of an eagle that graced his desk.
“I’m sure you were aware they were using your residence outside of Red Lodge for their...clandestine rendezvous.” To her surprise, she saw that he hadn’t been aware of that. His face clouded, eyes darkening, but he quickly recovered.
“If you’re asking if I sanctioned such a...relationship, I did not.”
“I believe it was at your Red Lodge home that Tricia learned something she shouldn’t have. Something about one of your nonprofits that you didn’t want the public to know.” Still no response. “Knowing Tricia, she would have taken her concerns directly to you. I would imagine you alleviated her fears, but you couldn’t trust that she might say something, so you went to her house that day. You knew Thomas wasn’t there because he was at work. You’re a big strong man. It wouldn’t have taken much to see that she never talked. Although Tricia would have fought you. I suspect you drugged her, but that will come out once toxicology tests are run.”
“Wasn’t her body cremated?”
That this man knew that chilled her to the bone. “I guess you haven’t heard. A scientist found a way to get evidence from a cremated body. I’ve turned Tricia’s remains over to Forensics.”
Did Jeffrey look paler? He wiped a spot on his upper lip that had turned shiny.
“The police had no reason not to believe it was a suicide after Tricia lost her baby—and maybe a hint that her marriage was on the rocks,” Mo said. “How am I doing so far?”
“It’s your tale,” the man said, looking bored.
“Basically, you killed two birds with one stone. You weren’t happy about your son and Tricia’s relationship, especially with a baby involved. So that took care of that as well as making sure your secret never came out.”
Jeffrey chuckled. “I’m much smarter than I thought since apparently I also got away with it because all of this is simply conjecture. If you had any proof, the real police would be here, right?”
“I can’t prove that you killed her, but you definitely had motive.”
Jeffrey sighed. “I really have no idea what you’re talking about. What is it you want from me? I’m a busy man and my guests are waiting.”
Mo pushed to her feet. “Nothing. I believe I’ll have what I’ve come for soon. Justice for my sister.”
She started to turn to leave but stopped. “By the way, those incriminating papers Tricia found in your study at the Red Lodge cabin? She made copies. She loved dogs and when she realized what you were using the nonprofit facility to do, she planned to stop you. But she must have told you that.” She hesitated for a couple of beats. “Or maybe she only told your son. That kind of information could destroy you and JP if he knew about it. But I’m sure he denied everything to her—unless she didn’t believe him. Oh, and the evidence? I put it somewhere safe with instructions that if anything should happen to me or anyone around me, it would be released to the FBI and the media—and not just locally.”
With that she headed for the door. Behind her, she heard Jeffrey pick up the eagle sculpture from his desk. It shattered just feet from them as she and Brick walked out.
ONCE OUT IN the hallway, Brick swore as he spotted his father moving through the crowd. “My father is here. I need to see why—other than worrying about us.”
“I could use some fresh air,” Mo said. “I’m going to step out on the patio. Holler if you need me.”
He chuckled at that. He would always need her, he thought, and quickly stepped away before he was fool enough to say it.
“Tell me you didn’t follow us,”
