“Thank the Goddess the baby wasn’t hurt.” The woman crossed her hands over her chest. “Brett told me the baby was his son and that the baby’s mother had died in an accident and they were separated at the time, so he hadn’t spent much time with Wyatt.”
“The baby’s mother was murdered, Brett is a suspect in that murder and we’re not even sure he’s the baby’s father. What’s your name?”
“I’m Luna. I didn’t believe his story, but out here...”
“I know. People come and people go.” Emily thrust out her hand. “I’m Emily. Thanks for helping out with Wyatt. Brett kidnapped him from a DCS caseworker after shooting her.”
Luna closed her eyes and pressed her fingers against her temples. “He brought violence and discord with him. I keep telling Zeke we need to move to another location. There’s a rough element infiltrating our place.”
“Did you see Brett with anyone? Did he tell you anything about someone wanting the baby?”
“He didn’t. I’m sorry, but at least the baby is missing instead of dead in that trailer. I had such a foreboding when I followed Zeke outside. I just knew the trouble involved Brett and that little baby. Such a precious little thing—an old soul. I could see it in his eyes.”
Emily blinked. She sensed Nash’s restless scorn, but she understood Luna completely.
Sirens blared in the distance and it took Emily a few seconds to recognize them for what they were. They seemed so out of place here.
“I know you folks aren’t fond of the police out here but if you cooperate with the detectives, it might help bring Wyatt back safely.”
“I will do my best.” Luna touched Emily’s arm. “You were meant to be with that baby.”
Luna floated away and Emily glanced at Nash to make sure she hadn’t dreamed the whole encounter.
His lips twisted. “Earth mother, but at least she’s not hostile like the rest of them.”
When the patrol car pulled into the site, bathing the battered residences with red-and-blue lights, the space in front of Brett’s trailer cleared out, although Zeke and Luna stood firm.
When the officer exited his vehicle, Nash introduced himself and flashed his badge. Emily stayed outside as Nash led the officer to the trailer. They came out seconds later, the young cop covering his nose and mouth with one hand.
Brett’s body couldn’t have been there that long, but the heat had accelerated the decomposition process and anyone who’d entered that trailer would be living with the smell for a while.
The officer unfurled the yellow crime scene tape and blocked off the area. Then, notebook in hand, he began to question Zeke and Luna.
They had to wait almost another hour for the Pima County Sheriff’s homicide squad, led by Detective Espinoza.
When he strode up to the scene, his cowboy hat creating a big shadow behind him, he nodded once to Nash, not looking at all surprised to see him here.
Several minutes later, Espinoza questioned Emily, and she stuck to their story as closely as possible. She assured him that she and Nash would’ve called the police, but they didn’t really consider this a lead—just an offhand comment by Jaycee to Nash had led them here.
While Espinoza turned to ask Nash some further questions, Luna tugged on Emily’s arm. “Come to our place for a cup of tea. We’ll sit outside so you can keep an eye on things. I have a blend that’ll cleanse the evil aura for you.”
“I need that.” Emily poked Nash in the side and pointed to Luna.
She followed the older woman to her mobile home, where two chairs sat beneath an awning and a tin of water boiled on the camp stove.
When the tea was ready and steeped, Emily sipped the fragrant brew and tilted her head back to take in the stars, sitting in companionable silence with Luna.
After about thirty minutes, Nash ambled over. “Are you ready?”
“I am.” Emily patted Luna’s arm. “Thanks for the tea and the company.”
As Emily handed the empty cup to Luna, the older woman covered her hand and leaned forward, almost touching her nose to Emily’s. “Find that baby.”
Nash took Emily’s hand and led her back to the police presence. “Sorry I couldn’t rescue you sooner.”
“Actually, that was just what I needed.” She patted her stomach. “That tea had a calming effect. Why are we going back to Brett’s trailer?” Emily scuffed her feet in the dirt.
“We’re not. Officer Soltis is giving us a ride back to my truck in his squad car.”
“Did they find anything? Any clues?”
“None that they shared with me.”
“That’s it, isn’t it? They’re not going to share anything with us.”
“Shh.” Nash squeezed her hand as Officer Soltis trudged toward them.
She and Nash scooted into the back seat of the squad car while Soltis got behind the wheel. “Sorry you both have to ride in back. It’s policy.”
“Understood, Officer.” Nash rapped a knuckle on the wire screen separating back from front. “Thanks for the ride.”
A few minutes later, Officer Soltis dropped them off at Nash’s truck, and Nash swung his pack into the back seat. Before taking the wheel, he pulled two phones from his pocket, dropped one on the console and powered up the other.
Emily wrinkled her nose and picked up the other phone. “What’s this?”
“That—” Nash turned the ignition “—is Brett’s phone that I took from his pocket before the police got there.”
Her jaw dropped as she clapped the phone to her chest. “Is that what you were doing in there all that time?”
“I figured once Detective Espinoza arrived on the scene, he’d make everything off-limits to us. So, I took a few liberties.” He lifted his shoulders. “We can always give it back and say we took it in the shock and confusion.”
“You did that for me, didn’t you?” She tapped the phone to wake it up. “I know you never would’ve taken those...liberties if I hadn’t
