Page 91 of The Woman Left Behind

“Great.”

He had one more question, for the investigation, and for Lillian.

“This hotel keep registration records?”

“The daughter dug those out too and handed them over. The dad said they were there one night.”

More than likely, the night they died.

So at least Lillian would have a date to put on a gravestone.

“I’m gonna pay you, but even so, I owe you both one,” Harry stated.

“Harry, I heard about the cookies. You don’t owe us dick.”

Those fucking cookies.

Harry had no chance to respond, Jess hung up on him.

Harry immediately called Lynda.

“Figured I’d hear from you,” she said as greeting.

“Jess reported in.”

“I was about ten minutes from calling you. Lab’s still processing. Once I get my hands on them, if it takes me two weeks, I’m going to read every word in those journals. But we’re on hold. Feds are sending some guys. There’s gonna be the usual jockeying that masks itself as coordinating. But I’ll cut through that crap as fast as I can and get this shit rolling.”

“Appreciated, Lynda. And I’d appreciate it if my deputy who’s there to get Sonny and Avery could sit in when you let Jess and Jace look at those journals.”

“Is he hot too? Because I’m married, and those boys are too young for me, but still, I’ve got urges that are detrimental to my continued holy matrimony.”

If Misted Pines did a bachelor auction for the animal rescue, they’d be funded indefinitely if Jason and Jesse participated.

“Bohannan stock is special,” Harry replied.

“Yeah. I’ve heard of their dad. Anyone with a badge has heard of their dad. Then again, you all have been having some pretty public problems for a few years, and he was dragged into it, and he isn’t hard on the eyes either, so I might have paid a bit more attention than I normally would, and normally I’d be all kinds of interested.”

“Time to scratch a vacation to Misted Pines on your calendar.”

“Thanks, no. No offense, but people get dead there in ugly ways, and your people even get dead here in ugly ways.”

He couldn’t argue that.

“One way or another, Harry,” she continued, “you’re in this. Best I can, I’ll treat this like your desk is next to mine. First up, your man will come back with copies of those journals.”

“Then I’ll scratch it on my calendar to drive out there and buy you a steak.”

“That’s a date I’ll keep.”

“Great, Lynda, but I gotta give full disclosure here. I’ll be overseeing, but I’m romantically involved with Sonny and Avery Rainier’s daughter. I’m gonna have to punt this to my detective, Rus Lazarus. He’ll be lead on what comes out of Misted Pines.”

No nonsense Sergeant Lynda Westwood said only, “You’re heard. Anything else?”

“Nope.”

“Right then. Later, Harry.”

“Later, Lynda.”

---