“Yes.” Grady beamed. “He’s sucking his thumb. Doesn’t he look like me?”
“Ugh.” Weston shuddered and winced. “Let’s hope not. Of the two of you, Tara is the better looking one. By far. You better hope all your kids come out looking like her.”
They all laughed.
Lieutenant Rodriguez strolled in, and the entire room snapped to attention. Luke took his seat next to Megan. His boss set a notepad and pen down on the table before pulling out a chair.
“You’re caught up to date on the recent developments in the case?” she asked.
Heads nodded around the table.
“Good, because I’ve got another one. The revolver we recovered yesterday wasn’t the only thing stolen from the evidence room. Various contraband, including weapons and controlled substances, are missing.”
The news wasn’t shocking, but it still felt like a sharp blade in Luke’s gut. Members of the badge were supposed to protect and serve. Those that betrayed the mission didn’t deserve his loyalty or understanding.
From the tense looks on his colleagues’ faces, they were having the same thoughts.
“How long has it been going on?” Luke asked.
“Several years.” Her lips thinned. “And it’s extensive. I had investigators working overnight to prevent the staff and deputies from figuring out what we were looking into. Sheriff Franklin was the only one aware of the new direction our investigation has taken, and he’s agreed to cooperate in any way possible.”
“How much do we trust the sheriff?” Grady asked.
“I’ve had a background done on him overnight as well. It’s preliminary, of course, but there are no red flags. Sheriff Franklin even consented to a search of his home and provided information on his bank accounts. It doesn’t rule him out completely, but it makes me a lot more confident that he’s not involved.”
Beside him, Megan let out a sigh. Luke echoed the sentiment. He liked Sheriff Franklin, and he hated to think the corruption went all the way to the top.
“Other than the Smith & Wesson, no other contraband was found in Quentin’s room.” Lieutenant Rodriguez nodded in his direction. “Good eyes, Luke.”
“The inscription on the outside of the weapon made it unique, thank goodness. Otherwise I might not have caught it.”
Weston frowned. “Which begs the question. Why would Quentin—if he’s the killer—use that particular weapon to murder Franny? It’s easy to identify as being stolen. And why keep it?”
“Maybe he didn’t realize the gun was unique until later,” Grady suggested. “If that part of the cylinder is under the frame, the inscription isn’t visible. Or could be he simply kept it as a trophy.”
Weston nodded. “A memory of the kill. Yeah. That works.”
“There is another possibility,” Luke said. “According to his family, Quentin wanted out of his troubled lifestyle. He started going to Narcotics Anonymous and so forth. Maybe the gun was leverage against the person he was working for. I talked to forensics this morning. There were traces of fingerprint powder on the weapon and it’s not the type used by the state lab.”
Megan sucked in a breath. “My aunt dusted it.”
“That’s my guess.”
“If that’s true, then someone had to tell her where to look.” Lieutenant Rodriguez made a notation on her pad. “Grady, you take the lead on that. I want every single one of Quentin’s friends and associates interviewed. Somebody knows something.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
She turned her steel-eyed gaze to Megan. “Did your brother know Quentin?”
“No. I spoke with my brother’s attorney this morning. Grace confirmed Wade didn’t know him.”
“Do we know if Quentin was at Franny’s party that night?” Weston asked. “Is there any link between him and Franny other than the murder weapon?”
“It’s possible they knew each other. Quentin competed in rodeos and Franny’s brother, Chad, is a former bull rider.” Megan frowned. “We should talk to Kyle Franklin. He was a competitive calf roper as well. Maybe he can tell us if he saw Quentin at Franny’s party.”
“Franklin?” Lieutenant Rodriguez cocked her head. “Is he related to the sheriff?”
“It’s his nephew. Kyle’s been helpful in giving us information. I think he’ll be willing to share anything he knows.”
Luke nodded his agreement, and his boss made another note.
“Good. The two of you can do that this afternoon. Weston, you and I will tackle the Medina County Sheriff’s Department. We need to start at the top with Chief Deputy Dan Carter and work our way down. Alibis, financials, the whole works.” She tapped her pen against the pad. “Right now, I’m going to treat these cases like one. Quentin is the link. Either he killed Franny, or he was working for the person who did.”
Lieutenant Rodriguez squared her shoulders. “We don’t stop until we find every single person involved.”
The drive back to Cardin was mostly made in silence. Menacing clouds, thick with rain, greeted them when Luke exited the freeway and took the turn toward Kyle’s property. An occasional lightning bolt lit up the sky. Luke needed to keep his mind on the case, but last night’s conversation with Megan kept creeping in.
He glanced at her out of the corner of his eye. She was deep in thought, evident from the cute wrinkles above the bridge of her nose. Her hair was pulled back in a high ponytail, gracing him with the sweet curve of her cheek and the long column of her neck. Megan rummaged around inside a bag of jelly beans, popped a few in her mouth, and chewed slowly.
He loved her. There wasn’t a doubt in his mind about that, but like the brewing thunderstorm in the distance, harsh realities loomed in their future. What happened if he couldn’t prove Wade’s innocence and get him out of prison? Would Megan leave again? Would the love they have survive a second time?
Luke didn’t know, and it terrified him. He’d spent half the night staring at her old engagement ring. The warmth of being in her arms, hearing her say I love you, was overshadowed by the case and his past mistakes.
When he pulled into
