Page 29 of Christmas Homecoming Secrets
“Thank you, sir. We all were.” She hung up, pulled into a grocery store parking lot and put the vehicle in Park.
A sob slipped out. Bryce reached for her, and she gripped his hand then leaned her head against the steering wheel to cry. Her grief mingled with his, and he settled his head back against the seat, closed his eyes, and tried to keep his composure even though his heartbeat pounded in his ears.Not Frank. Please not Frank.But if he’d learned anything from his bout of depression, denial didn’t work.
God, why Frank?
“How am I going to tell Heather?” Jade whispered. She touched her throat and grimaced.
“Sore?”
She nodded. “Hurts worse when I cry.” She sniffed and swiped her eyes. “I need to call my mom. The kids will be so disappointed about putting off the tree again, but it can’t be helped.”
“They’ll understand when you explain.”
“Yes. At least, I hope so.” With another squeeze to his hand, she released him. He wanted to grab her hand back and tell her not to make the call just yet, but he kept silent. The first call to her mother didn’t take long. He heard the woman’s sharp cry, and more tears squeezed out from Jade’s closed eyes. After she hung up, she grabbed several tissues from the center console and wiped her face. “The captain said his wallet was on him. That’s why they believe it’s him.”
“Doesn’t mean someone couldn’t have stolen it and gotten killed and buried with it.”
She shot him a sidelong glance and he sighed, pressed his fingers to his eyes and swallowed hard. “I know, I know. Not likely. Are you up to driving?”
Jade nodded. “Guess I have to be. You can’t drive my vehicle.” She pulled a bottle of ibuprofen out of the glove compartment and popped four.
He held out a hand, and she gave him the bottle. He took four, too, replaced the cap and returned it to the compartment. “All right, then.”
“All right, then,” she echoed.
Ten minutes later found them on an active scene. Floodlights had been set up, and the medical examiner was on site. Bryce limped behind Jade as she ducked under the tape and flashed her badge. She signed the crime scene log and motioned for him to follow her. His eyes landed on the medical examiner, who was bent over a body.
Jade stopped, and Bryce heard her breath hitch. He gripped her elbow, not sure if it was to comfort her or steady himself. Maybe both.
“Hi, Neal,” Jade said to the medical examiner as she pulled the scarf tighter around her neck. He figured she was hiding the marks left by her attacker more than trying to block out the cold.
Neal nodded. “Jade.”
“Is it Frank?”
The man stepped back to give them a better view, and Bryce shuddered.
“Yeah,” she whispered. “It’s him.”
“You were friends?”
She nodded, and Bryce looked away.
“Can you tell the cause of death?” she asked.
“Not at the moment.”
“Lift his shirt up, will you?” she said. “Please?”
Neal raised a brow, but did as Jade requested. His eyes went wide and jerked back to Jade. “Whoa. I guess we know what killed him.”
Two bullet holes in his chest, and Bryce had no doubt they’d line up with the jersey they’d found.
“Someone changed his shirt?” Neal asked.
“Yes.”
“But why?”
