She looked around the room quickly. Technically, she didn’t have to be the agent-in-charge on this one, either. Not if she didn’t want to.
Max had the most seniority with the bureau, though they had all started with PAVAD at about the same time. Jac, too, could run the investigation fully. But no. This was her case. Her home. No one would give it as much attention as she would. “Joel Masterson, Sheriff of Masterson County, this is Special Agent Maddox Jones, Jaclyn Jones—not related to one another, just the work of the naming fairies, and Dr. Kelly Compton, our forensics supervisor who’ll be reviewing everything again.”
“Nice to meet all of you,” Joel said, giving his characteristic beautiful grin. “The office is small, but it’s home. I’ll do whatever I can to help.”
“Thanks, Joel. Do you have a room we can work out of?”
“There’s a small room in the back. It’s not big, I’m afraid. It’s about all I can spare for a cold case like this. But it’ll give you some privacy. No doubt we’ll have people wandering in.”
Curiosity seekers. The FBI in Masterson County would be a big deal. “We’ll make do.”
Miranda looked at Max and Jac. Any of the three of them could run this case. Jac shook her head and pointed lightly. Max didn’t say anything. This time. He usually was the most talkative of the bunch, but whenever Jac was around now, he was silent as a clam, unless necessary. No one really knew why. Well, no one besides him, Jac—and Miranda. And she had some very definite theories.
It would be entertaining—if it wasn’t hurting her friends so much.
Miranda nodded. “I’m taking point on this.”
Max would act as her second. Him and Jac. Two people she could count on in the darkest hour. Miranda trusted them both completely.
“Let’s get started. Jac and Kelly, you’ll come with me. We’re going to the ME and finding out what we can.”
She looked at the other man. Knight wasn’t technically a member of PAVAD yet. But she was in charge now, and that meant she had to find something to do with him—without letting him alienate anyone else on the team.
She was going to have to keep him as close to her as a puppy on a leash.
“You can come along, Knight, if you mind your manners. Think you can do that?”
“I think I’ll managed just fine, Talley.”
Miranda was used to doing what she wanted and getting what she wanted. The looks she kept shooting him amused him. He would let her have her way; it was her case, after all. This time.
He wasn’t PAVAD, and he knew it. He was there strictly to observe. See how PAVAD worked in action. That meant keeping his eyes on the people around him. It took him a short moment to study them all.
Miranda was the one he couldn’t help looking at.
Every time she smiled, her entire face lit. The green eyes sparkled.
He resented that kind of happiness. Knight understood that. He even knew that was a bit unreasonable.
“The coroner is on maternity leave, Randi. Nate is filling in. Unwillingly. He handled the autopsy and cause-of-death reports,” Sheriff Masterson said. “He’s taken over the hospital for Mom. Should be in his office by now. He brought Ivy here to meet Phoebe before heading in. She watches all the kids out at her father’s ranch.”
Dr. Talley nodded. “We’ll head there now.”
“I’ll call and give him a heads-up.”
Knight wondered at the point of it. Helen Caudrell had been buried for nine weeks now—plus or minus fourteen years if he counted her original unmarked grave. There wasn’t anything they could learn that they didn’t already have in reports.
Knight hated that part about cold cases. Memories often dulled with time. Tiny, crucial details would be overlooked.
Especially in a small town like Masterson.
He was there to learn procedure during what was a PAVAD cold case. That was it. Then, if he took the position, he’d modify that procedure to fit what he envisioned for a unit devoted to his passion. That wasn’t exactly chump change at this point—especially if he was having to deal with a massive irritant standing so close that he could smell her shampoo. Floral, with a hint of vanilla underneath.
“I’ll ride along with you, Doctor. Strictly to observe, of course.”
“Then let’s get going.” Miranda turned toward the sheriff. “Max will help get things started in here.”
“Keys. Matt’s loaned one of his trucks to our office for the time being. It should be large enough for most of your team.” The sheriff tossed her a set of keys. She missed, shifting a bit to her left to catch them. “He doesn’t need the truck for a while—he’s sticking close to home until his wife has the baby.”
Metal rings bit into Knight’s hand when he nabbed them out of the air. Miranda landed against his chest for just a moment. Long enough for Knight to determine she was all woman.
If it wasn’t for her irritating attitude, he almost wouldn’t have minded.
People who dealt with the worst side of humanity like they did had no business being so happy. Smiling and sunny. She was like a tail-wagging, ball-chasing puppy, just oozing happiness drool everywhere.
He wrapped his free hand on her waist and helped her right herself. The woman was pure trouble from the top of the cinnamon curls to her toes. “Let’s get going. I’ll drive.”
12
Miranda took charge once everyone was in the hospital’s one conference room. She was aware of Knight next to her, but he hadn’t said anything more than his name during the introductions. Ass. If this was the attitude he was going to bring to PAVAD, he’d probably not go very far. He’d alienate everyone he worked with. “Helen Caudrell, Nate. Joel said you did the autopsy?”
“Not my favorite part of this gig.”
Nate Masterson ran the hospital. His family had been in Masterson since the very beginning—the town and the county were named after his ancestors. He and his brothers were pillars
