Leo shakes his head. “If they did, they’d have to go through this guy.” He nods to Jasper.
“Thomas was the manager,” I say. “Maybe we can find out if they took the deposit to the bank earlier that day? Or”—I wrap my arms around Fish—“maybe they were robbed.”
Jasper rubs my back and warms it. “It looks as if more was happening that night than we thought. I’m having my crew come in and inspect the place one more time. And then I’m going to talk to each of the employees once again, too. Whoever did this had a key, or was there that night pulling it off. Either way, it was an inside job.”
“Do you think it was the same person who killed Wyatt?”
Jasper shakes his head. “I don’t know. This might have been a multi-man operation. There’s no way to know for sure what went on.”
Fish looks up at me. Are there any other suspects?
Leo chuckles. “Doing a suspect circle with one of your best friends, I see. Let’s hear it.”
“There are just two left that we haven’t touched upon. Molly, the psychotic girlfriend. She’s an easy suspect. Maybe too easy.” I look to Jasper.
His chest expands against me. “Sometimes the key to figuring out a homicide is pretty simple. The girlfriend, the boyfriend, the husband, the wife, it’s a common denominator in most cases.”
“Hear that, Bizzy?” Leo widens a sarcastic smile. “Marrying this guy could be hazardous to your health.”
I bite down on a smile as I look up at Jasper. “I’ll take my chances.”
“Last suspect?” Jasper dots a kiss to my cheek.
“Thomas.” I shake my head at the room as if he were in it. “Did you ever find anything out on the Order of the Skulls?” I look to Leo. “Brooklynn more or less claimed they were capable of silencing people forever.”
His shoulders bounce. “Sounds like exactly what happened to Wyatt.”
“It does, doesn’t it?”
Jasper touches his hand to mine. “I did find out something. A contact I have down in New York, he did some local digging at Somerset University. It turns out, at around the same time Wyatt and Thomas were students there, another student went missing. A guy by the name of Channing Neville.”
“Channing Neville,” I whisper. “I bet he was a part of that secret society, wasn’t he? What happened to him?”
Jasper nods. “Walked out of a party one night and no one heard from him again.”
“Someone heard from him,” Leo says. “Someone knows exactly what happened.”
I nod. “Thomas just might be that someone.” I make my way around the caution tape lying limp on the floor as I head in the direction of that bookshelf in the back with the poster of a cat sitting next to it. “Thomas was the one who told me where to get the murder weapon. He was, in effect, the master of ceremonies.”
Jasper steps up next to me. “And he didn’t have a drop of blood on him that night.”
I shake my head, my eyes still pinned to that bookcase with bits of blood dried over its surface. Down on the floor, a faint triangular stain rests over the carpet.
“Look at that,” I point it out to the two of them and Fish inches her head that way as well. “They’re in pairs,” I say.
Jasper squints down at it. “You’ve got great eyes. Footprints. Forensics lit this place up like a Christmas tree. We found they track over from the office. We think that’s where Wyatt was stabbed.”
“You think?” I inch back. “Jasper, you know.” My voice hikes a notch. “And you also know that those footprints belong to a woman.”
Leo blinks my way. “Bizzy, do you own shoes like that?”
“No.” Jasper answers for me, his eyes never leaving mine. “I checked the shoes you were wearing that night. They’re not a match.”
My lips part. “So you were investigating me. I’m almost amused.” Almost being the operative word. “You’re not telling me everything.” A dull huff pumps though me.
“Bizzy.” Jasper’s eyes fill with grief.
“No, it’s okay. I get it. You have a job to do. I’ll leave you so you can call in your crew.”
“I’ll walk you home.” Jasper takes up my hand. “Leo can stay until I get back.”
“No.” I hook my gaze to his. “I’m fine, Jasper. You have a job to do and I’m not a part of it. You don’t owe me an explanation or evidence in this case or any other case that lands on your desk.” I just thought you’d give it to me.
I sigh as I pull him in. “Goodnight.” I land a quick kiss to his lips, walk out of the bookstore, and don’t look back.
Leo walks out on my heels as the dogs get riled up with excitement.
“I’ll walk you home.” We head down the street in silence as the dogs dance between us. “Don’t take it personally, Bizzy. Jasper’s just trying to do his job.”
“And?” We both know there’s another element to this.
“And”—he bumps his shoulder to mine—“he wants to keep you safe. Dragging you into a homicide investigation isn’t the best way to do that.”
“Shutting me out isn’t exactly making me feel so good either. But like I told him, I get it.” I don’t like it.
Leo looks my way. “You don’t have to like it.”
We hit my cottage, and as soon as I open the door, the dogs run a lap around my sofas.
“Thanks for walking me back, Leo,” I say. “You know I think of you like family. And, of course, Emmie is like my sister.” I shrug. “I guess what I’m trying to say is that you have my blessing to see her. Not that you needed it, or were waiting for it, but you have it. I like you, Leo. I see the appeal. You’re a good guy. Emmie has every right to lose her mind over
