Page 64 of Counter Attack

“I’ll get some of my officers over there as well since the gravel pit borders the city limits.” This was another case they would share, and this time Alexis didn’t protest.

She took a deep breath. “We need all hands on deck. You ready to roll?”

“First I want to apologize for—”

“If you’re going to say you’re sorry you kissed me, I just might kick you in the shins.”

“Not sorry about that, just the timing. You’re vulnerable right now, and I took advantage of that.”

“We’ll talk about it later.” She slipped into her body armor on her way out the door.

Nathan called his office as he followed Alexis to the gravel pit, and Peggy answered. “Where’s Kayla?” he asked. Answering the phone was her job.

“Just came in the door. And she’s not late,” Peggy added.

He was a little surprised it’d taken her that long to drive the short distance from the jail to his office. He shook his head. Kayla was the least of his worries. “I need you to dispatch all the officers to the quarry on the edge of town.”

“What happened?”

“Another murder,” he replied.

“You’re kidding.”

“I wish.” He disconnected and a few minutes later pulled in behind Alexis at the gravel pit and parked.

They walked the quarter mile to the crime scene on a path that paralleled the road into the gravel quarry. Because of complaints about the dust the trucks kicked up, the company wet down the road each morning, and there appeared to be a clear set of tire prints in the sand that Dylan was examining.

From where Nathan stood, it didn’t look like there were any tracks exiting the quarry, overlaying the victim’s. He probably knew whoever killed him. The killer could’ve even ridden with him into the gravel pit.

Near what Nathan assumed was the victim’s car, Mark Lassiter strung the last of the crime scene tape around the murder site. His dog, Gem, followed at his side.

Nathan inched closer to the body that was sprawled in front of the car, being careful not to disturb anything. It was Trevor Martin, the fourth man in the Escalade, and regret stabbed his heart. It was true Nathan wanted to put the drug dealer in jail, but he never wanted to see him dead.

“Phoned Doc Williams, and he called the medical examiner in Hamilton County. Dr. Edwards is on his way,” Mark said when they approached.

“What can you tell me so far?” Alexis said.

Mark nodded toward the teenaged boys standing with three deputies on the far side of the crime scene tape. “The three stooges over there walked all over the crime scene. Doubt we’ll get anything from it.

“And I’m not an ME, but it looks like he was facing the person who shot him and fell on his back. Can’t know for sure, but it appears to be like the Norman murder—a singlegunshot wound to the chest. There also appears to be a note in his shirt pocket and a chess piece in his hand.”

Nathan needed to get a look at the note. “Did the boys see anything?”

“They say they didn’t, but I’d have trouble believing them even if they said the sun came up in the east. I posted deputies with them to make sure they don’t get together and make up a story about what happened or why they were here.”

Alexis looked at Nathan. “Would you like to go with me to talk to them?”

Instead of Mark.

“Sounds good.”

Nathan took a couple of steps and stopped, turning back to Mark. “Any witnesses? Maybe one of the drivers loading gravel this afternoon?”

“No. The boss shut the operation down at noon for his father’s funeral—the father started the business.”

Nathan had noticed the gravel yard was empty but figured it was because of the investigation. That did put a different face on the case. He turned and jogged to catch up with Alexis so he could tell her what the K-9 officer had said. “Martin probably knew that and had the boys meet him here instead of at the field house tonight.”

“Sounds logical,” she said. “I assume we don’t let the boys know we’re onto them.”

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