Page 57 of Deputies Under Fire
“Bennie, did Frank happen to mention Diedre?” Eden asked after Livvy had left the group chat.
“He didn’t bring her up, but she’s something else I worked into the conversation while I was searching. I asked him the last time he saw her, and get this—he said it was night before last.”
“The night of Brenda’s murder,” Eden muttered. It was also when Carter had taken those photos of Diedre returning home in different clothes.
“Yep. That puts Diedre in Renegade Canyon at the time of the attack,” Bennie said. “Well, it does if Frank is telling the truth.”
And that was the problem with this investigation. Someone was lying, since Diedre had said she wasn’t in town that night. Unfortunately, Eden didn’t think they were going to get the truth from the killer.
But what exactly was the truth?
“Diedre’s not answering her phone,” Livvy said, coming back on the line. “Should I have SAPD check on her?”
“Yes,” Rory said immediately, and Eden knew why.
If Diedre wasn’t the killer, then she could be the next target. Then again, the same could be said about Rory and her.
“Did anything else turn up in the search of Frank’s house?” Rory asked, obviously directing that question at Bennie.
“Not a thing.” But then the deputy paused. “It seemed too clean. Maybe that’s just Frank’s thing, and I could way off base here, but to me it looked as if everything might have been…staged,” he said. She heard him gather his breath. “I’m about to check in with SAPD on the search at Helen’s. If anything turns up, I’ll let you know.”
Rory thanked Livvy and him, and he ended the call. Seconds later, just as Eden was putting on the rest of her clothes, there was a knock at the bathroom door.
“It’s me,” Rory said.
She opened it, and despite the serious conversation they’d just had, Eden had to deal with the stomach flutters she got whenever she was around Rory. The flutters must have shown on her face because the corners of Rory’s mouth lifted.
“You do the same to me,” he muttered, and then he leaned in and melted her with a kiss.
She was toast.
No way could she not sink into that kiss and make it last a whole lot longer and turn a whole lot hotter than it should be. Apparently, she was going to continue to muddy these relationship waters with him.
He eased back, that slight smile still in place on his clever mouth, and he smoothed his hand over her cheek. Again, she must not have had a poker face because he seemed to know exactly what she was thinking.
“Let’s not overthink this,” he muttered.
“Good. Because I don’t believe I can cram anything else into my head right now.” Eden didn’t get a chance to add more because their phones buzzed again, and this time it was Bennie who’d initiated the call.
“The CSIs going through Helen’s house found something,” Bennie blurted the moment they answered. “And it’s not good.”
Eden and Rory both groaned, and Eden could think of many incriminating things they could find in the house of a possible killer. “What?” Rory asked.
“They found some traces of the supplies that were used to make those IEDs,” Bennie explained. “They were in a plastic bag at the bottom of her trash can.”
Rory’s gaze met hers, and she saw the relief. And the sickening dread. They might finally have their killer, but it was horrific to think of his blood kin committing these horrible crimes.
“There are also some deleted computer searches on how to make explosives,” Bennie added. “Her laptop will be sent to the lab to see what else they can find on it.”
“They’re certain it’s the same supplies as those in the IEDs?” Rory asked.
“They seem plenty certain to me. Of course, everything will be tested, but they had the components of the IEDs from the bomb-squad guys and matched them to what they found in that plastic bag.”
Rory stayed quiet a moment, obviously processing that revelation. “What did Helen have to say about that bag and the computer searches?”
Bennie huffed. “She’s not here. According to the CSIs, she left shortly after the search began. And they say she’s not answering her phone.”
“Hell,” Rory grumbled. “Put out an APB on Helen. I wanted her foundnow.”
