Page 35 of Investigate Away
Albert Morning’s name flashed across the screen.
“Hey, man, what’s up?” Jag asked.
“I’ve got some news for you. Where are you?”
“Camping at Fort Casey,” Jag said.
Albert grunted. “That’s interesting considering Callie’s back in town.”
“Don’t go reading anything into it. She wanted to interview me for her book. I agreed, but I didn’t want to do it in the office or at my home. I thought somewhere that put us both on common ground would be a good place to hash out something like that.”
“You didn’t need to give me a dissertation,” Albert said. “Do you want to know what I’ve got?”
“I sure do.”
“No prints on the trinkets left at your place, but we did find a local store that carries them, and it’s the same one that carried all the other ones that the Trinket Killer left at all his crime scenes.”
“Any idea when they were purchased?” Jag scratched the center of his chest, hoping it would help the heartburn that churned in his gut.
“The store owner said someone bought their entire stock about a month ago. Paid in cash. No receipt. Only remembers it was a woman, average height, thought maybe light-brown hair, but couldn’t be sure because her hair was tucked up under a hat. The owner didn’t think anything of it because the woman was on the phone talking to someone about how she found the perfect party favor,” Albert said.
“And how many were in their entire stock?”
“Fifty at ten dollars apiece,” Albert said. “That’s a lot of cash to be carrying around these days.”
“Sure is.” Jag stood by the fire and stared out at the lighthouse. The salty air filled his nostrils, cooling his increasing anxiety. “When the Trinket Killer made his, or her, first purchase, it had been after Renee’s murder, so they’d already had an attachment for the store. Did you ask if they had any of the original dolphin ones?”
“I did, and they haven’t carried them since they found the Trinket Killer purchased them at their store.”
“Thanks for letting me know.”
“I sent all the information over to Detective Marlo at the cold case division. Let me know if you need anything else.”
“Thanks, man, I appreciate it.” Jag tapped the screen, ending the call, and shoved the cell in his back pocket.
A woman serial killer would shift the entire investigation.
Movement in the tent caught his attention. He glanced over his shoulder and smiled. “Good morning, babe.”
Callie stepped from the tent wearing his long-sleeved shirt and sweatpants. She’d pulled her hair into a messy bun on top of her head.
His favorite look.
Especially after wild, passionate sex.
“This yo-yo weather is crazy.” She rubbed her arms.
He pulled her in for a hug, pressing his lips on her cheek. “Do you have all your questions that you wanted to ask me with you?”
“Most of them are in my head, but my recorder is in the Jeep.”
He dug into his pocket and pulled out the key, pressing the button. The Jeep beeped twice. “Let’s get this party started,” he said with a slightly sarcastic tone.
“I promise, I’ll go easy on you.”
“Right,” he said with a chuckle, patting her behind as she jogged toward his SUV.
He went back to the open fire, his boiling water, and a couple of fried eggs and sausage links. He tossed them on a couple of tin plates and poured the thick coffee that smelled like burnt pavement. He picked at his food while she set up shop with a little more excitement than he’d like. He understood she wanted to humanize the detective who botched part of the case. If he were being honest with himself, her book was set up to show a series of events that led the police down a dangerous path.
