Page 85 of His Forgotten Colton Fiancee
He dialed her number.
As usual, his boss didn’t waste time. “DNA on the butterfly compact matched the hair sample you gave me of Quinn Colton. It’s definitely hers. We didn’t find any other DNA on it and the fingerprints weretoo smudged.”
Fingers tightened on the cell phone. He wanted to ask if she was certain, or if there had been a mistake. He knew better. DNA was conclusive.
Damn, the evidence was stacking against Quinn, placing her in the first bomb site. He closed his eyes, wishing he’d been wrong. But he’d known all along the compact was hers. She needed to regain her memory.
Maybe there was a legitimatereason she’d been at the first bomb site. Right. Quinn had been there delivering meals to her sister, the Groom Killer.
She’s innocent until proven guilty. There’s no proof of anything.
“Where are you?” Mike asked. “I called the station. They told me you took a few days off.”
“I’m out at Pine Paradise Cabins, the property Tia was selling.” He paused. “I went there with Quinn to triggerher memory since she stayed here last year. I found Demi’s jacket inside.”
West took a deep breath. Damn, this was hard, accusing his fiancée, but he had his duty. “The same jacket that had been in Quinn’s closet recently.”
“Which means either Quinn used it to visit the cabin herself, or Demi stole it back, or she gave her sister back the jacket. More than likely it’s the last,” Mike saidin her dry voice.
“I’m near the creek with Rex. He alerted to explosive powder. Found remains of materials for a TATP bomb in a rock alcove. But no alerts on the cabin itself. Nothing.”
“So if Demi made the bomb, she could have washed herself clean of residue.”
West frowned. “I doubt it. Rex is too trained and sensitive. He would have found something in the cabin.”
“Has Quinn rememberedanything?” Mike asked.
“Bits and pieces from childhood. Nothing concrete, except she did recall the unsub’s face before the building blew.”
“Huh.”
Not caring for that “Huh,” he paced. “Get to the point, Mike.”
“Odd that Quinn remembered the unsub and remembers nothing else. Mighty strange. Maybe that memory is one she made up, to throw you off, lead all you ganders on a wild-goosechase to throw off suspicion from Quinn’s sister.”
“That is the stupidest idea you’ve had in a long time, Mike. Did she let herself get blown up, too?”
“I’ll let that slide, West, because you’re stressed. But you’re not separating yourself from this case. You’re too close to the players and not thinking clearly. I sent you there to get friendly with the people in town, investigate DemiColton’s relatives on the police force, and now you’re too involved.”
“Get off my back, Mike. I do my job.” He struggled with his temper. “They’re sending the evidence to our lab for analysis.”
“I’m coming there.”
West’s heart dropped to his stomach. Aw hell no. “Not a good idea. People will talk.”
“The way they’re now talking about you and Quinn Colton?”
He glanced around.“Who’s talking?”
“Everyone, West. I paid a little visit to Red Ridge a few days ago on my way back from Casper, hung out in Rusty’s bar...”
West felt his heart kick harder against his ribs. “Checking up on me? You should have given me a heads-up.”
“Why? So you would have a chance to pretend there was nothing between you two?”
“No, so I could have invited you over for dinner, hadyou and Quinn do your nails, let her hear from you how I’m here to secretly investigate her family. You know, girl talk.”
Silence on the other end. He didn’t give a damn. Everything had gone south since the day Quinn walked into Tia’s office. Each day he struggled between his personal feelings for Quinn and his dedication to getting the job done.
