Page 49 of Killer on the Homestead
She scowled, but figured he would do just that, and she didn’t want to be slowed down because there was movement. Besides, she didn’t have to keep any promises. Not if it meant helping.
“I know you’ll keep your word if you promise, Rosalie,” Hart said gravely and seriously.
Oh, damn him and his guilt tactics. “Fine, I promise I won’t get in the waythismorning. So just tell me.”
“We didn’t get a match on the prints in Duncan’s place yet. We’re still waiting on the report for the murder weapon too. It’s a process, full of red tape. You know this.”
“Yeah, I do. So, what’s the movement then?”
“There was an emergency call out at the bunks at the Kirk Ranch not too long ago. One of their hands was unresponsive, had clearly taken a large number of pills. Ambulance got out there and transported the patient to Bent County Hospital.”
Oh God. Pills. It had to be Duncan’s pills. It just had to be. One of the ranch hands had… “Owen.” He’d been so distraught over Hunter. It made the most sense that it was Owen who’d done it.
Hart’s expression was grim. “What I can confirm is Owen Green was transported to Bent County Hospital. The first responders confiscated the remaining pills they found on the scene, and we can confirm they are the same type of pills Duncan Kirk reported stolen last night.”
Owen had stolen Duncan’s pills. Trashed his cabin. But why? Just to hurt himself? She might have believed that if he hadn’tmade a mess of Duncan’s whole place. That he’d just been looking for oblivion.
But the scene of the crime didn’t make sense if all he wanted was some pills. There were other ways to get drugs around here, no doubt. It just didn’t add up, and worse, it made her heart hurt, the whole of it. She rubbed at her chest, trying to determine her next move. “But… Owen’s alive?”
“So far. We haven’t been notified of a change in his condition. We will be, either way, and if he wakes up, we’ll need to question him on the pills.”
She hated the thought of it. Of Owen stealing from Duncan. Making that mess in the cabin. She just hated all of this. She really hadn’t pegged him as capable of it.
“Rosalie, I know you’re close with the Kirks, and I’m not sure they realize what the next step of this is going to be.”
For a minute, she was confused. But it connected, and quickly, just what the next steps the detectives would need to take.
They were going to try to connect Owen to Hunter’s murder. Because how could the burglary, the murder, and a suicide attempt in this short of time on the same ranch not connect?
“I need you to let us do our job, Rosalie,” Hart said, trotting out his no-nonsense detective voice that brooked no argument. “Trust us to do our job. You’re a hell of an investigator, but this is a big deal, and we need to make certain our case doesn’t have any inconsistencies.”
“Owen didn’t kill Hunter, Thomas. Hunter was his friend.” All she could think about was him crying at that table in the bunkhouse. Maybe it was guilt. Maybe a response to killing, but…
She just couldn’t believe it of him.
“Unfortunately, when you add drugs to the equation, nothing is as cut-and-dried asfriend,” Hart said gently. “But if there’s no evidence he did it, then that’s going to tie our hands.”
Rosalie wanted to argue with Hart about drugs and murder, but what was the point? Hart was right. Drugs complicated everything, and both Owen and Hunter had a history of being involved in them.
But that didn’t make Owen a murderer. And there was no evidence, so… “You’re still waiting on the reports for the Kirk weapons Copeland confiscated?”
Hart nodded. “Yes. Looks to be a few more days yet.”
Slow and frustrating. “Do you know if the Kirks are at the hospital?”
“I’m going to ask you to stay away from the hospital.”
She shook her head. “No go, Thomas. If they’re there, I’m going to stop by and make sure they’re taking care of themselves.”
“If I thought that’s all you’d do, I’d be okay with it. But I know you, Rosalie. You’re going to try to push your way into Owen’s room, and if he’s awake at all, you’re going to try to push your way into our investigation.”
“I’m a licensed investigator. What I find out will hold up in court.”
“You’re too close to this case. You’re a liability. Stay away from the hospital. Okay? Don’t put me in an awkward position at home.”
More guilt. She wanted to hate him for it, but how could she? The fact he was even being kind about this was because he was married to her cousin. Otherwise he’d tell her to get lost and threaten to arrest her if she went to that hospital.
But she didn’t need to go to the hospital to help. “Fine,” she muttered. “Can you at least let me know if he wakes up?”
