Hannah wanted to say there was nothing between her and Matt, but Vanessa’s heels were already clicking along the sidewalk to her car, a cherryred sports car of some kind. Hannah didn’t know much about cars, but she knew enough to recognize something expensive.
She heard a familiar rumble. A glimpse of that tan truck Reece had been driving made her grab the door and slam it. Stepping to the window, she peered through the curtain. The pickup sat idling beside Vanessa’s car. Vanessa gestured back toward the house, and Reece took a long, slow look. Hannah jerked away from the window. She peeked out again when she heard a door slam. He was striding up the walk.
She ran to the door and threw the dead bolt. Ajax sensed her agitation and shook off the cats. He padded to her side, and a warning growl rumbled from his chest. “Quiet,” she whispered. She peered out the peephole and saw Reece grinning at her.
“I know you’re in there, Hannah,” he said, his voice calm. “Open the door and let’s talk.”
“Go away,” she shouted through the door. “I have nothing to say to you.”
“Look, I know you’re mad, honey. I don’t blame you. But we’ve got our daughter to think about. She needs both of us. We can work this out.”
“I don’t want to be anywhere near you,” she said fiercely. “You don’t have our daughter anyway. It’s a lie.”
He rattled the door. “Let me in, Hannah. I’ve changed. I won’t hurt you.”
“You pushed me down the stairs!” He’d told her things would be different so many times. She knew better than to believe him.
“It was an accident, Hannah. I think you’re remembering it wrong.” He rattled the door again. “Come on, let’s have some tea and talk. Or we can go out for coffee. You’ll be in public and in no danger.”
Could he be right? She didn’t know what to believe. She could have sworn she’d felt him shove her. And there was no question that he’d hit her. Many times. “Where’s the girl, Reece?” she asked quietly. “Tell me that and maybe I’ll open the door.”
“You’re trying to trick me. We’re one package. Me and the kid, Hannah. Take us both or neither one. I know what’s best.”
If she’d heard that once, she’d heard it a million times. She stared at the doorknob. If she could trust him to lead her to the little girl, she would be tempted to open it. Ajax growled again and pushed against her leg. The dog’s warning made her back away. “Go away, Reece. I’m not going to talk to you anymore.” She rushed from the door down the hall to the bathroom, where she shut herself in and clapped her hands over her ears so she couldn’t be tempted to give in.
SIX DAYS AFTER Moe’s murder, Matt still had no leads. He leaned back in his chair at the sheriff’s department with his hands clasped at the back of his neck. “There doesn’t seem to be a clear link between Moe Honegger’s murder and the Schwartz deaths.”
“Other than they were both poisoned with strychnine,” Blake said. “Come on, that’s a clear connection. Not the most common method of murder.”
“Copycat? It’s well-known about the poison,” Matt suggested. He pulled the computer keyboard toward him and called up a screen. “There has been only one homicide in the past ten years—a spousal murder.”
Blake looked up. “And now Reece is back in town and we have another. That has to mean something. Was he ever suspected at the time of the Schwartz murders?”
Matt’s gaze met his partner’s. “He was a detective at the time of the first murders, so no.”
“And he eloped with the only daughter. You think that ever would have happened if the parents were alive?”
“He was with Hannah when her family was killed.” Though Hannah had said he was late. But late enough to have done the deed?
Blake dropped into a chair. “Think about it. He could have helped Long dispose of the quilts, then rushed to meet her at the bridge while the strychnine did its work. We know he was in the area, because he met Hannah at the bridge. The house wasn’t far.”
“Frankly, I don’t know why the quilts were taken. They’ve never been sold.” Matt scratched his head. “It doesn’t make any sense. If we could just find those quilts.”
“They might have been taken as a trophy. You know how some killers take something belonging to their victims.”
“Maybe.”
“He was in the area. It wouldn’t have taken long to load the quilts. They could have been in the back of his truck all along while you were searching. You must have suspected something.”
If only he’d been that observant. Matt shook his head. “I didn’t. I noticed how distracted he was, all worried about Hannah. When he ran off with her, I realized it was because he was crazy in love with her.”
“Weird, don’t you think? An Amish girl like that.”
“Yeah.”
“What’d she ever see in Reece? She’s a looker under those shapeless clothes and scraped-back hair.”
Matt had noticed too. Long ago. “You’re a married man. You’re not supposed to look.”
“I’m married, but I’m not dead.”
Matt wanted to ask if Blake was having an affair as Gina suspected, but maintaining a partnership with his brother-in-law had become a balancing act.
Blake’s face changed as though he’d suddenly been struck with a thought. “What if they did it together?”
“What?”
“Maybe Hannah wanted out from under her parents’ thumb and talked Reece into doing the deed. Or she did it so she could marry him.”
“It would be unusual for anyone Amish to be involved in a violent act.”
“But not unheard of. Wasn’t there some guy in Ohio who killed his wife or something?”
“Yeah, anyone can snap.” Matt rubbed his eyes. “I followed that idea for a while back then, but I was never able to tie Hannah to the purchase of poison. Everyone talked very highly of her. There was no evidence linking her to Long except the fact that they were neighbors. And to tell you the truth, I just don’t buy it.”
“We can check into her background—see what she’s been doing in the ten years she’s been gone.”
“Focus on Reece. I think that holds more possibilities.” Still, Matt didn’t want to believe that either. The guy had been his partner. And a foster brother. Reece had a temper at times, but didn’t everyone? Hannah said he’d beaten her. Maybe you never really knew someone, who they were inside.
Just like the partner sitting right across from him. He had to bring this out in the open between them. “How’s Gina?”
“Whoa, where did that come from? She’s fine.”
Matt pinned Blake with his stare. “She thinks you’re having an affair, Blake. Tell me straight up. Are you?”
Blake looked away. “What if I said I was?”
Matt sagged back in his chair. He hadn’t wanted to believe it. “Who?”
“Vanessa. Your sister-in-law.”
Matt bolted upright. “You’ve got to be kidding. She’s a man shark, buddy.”
“Yeah, well, I don’t know how it happened. It just did.”
Matt clenched his fists. “You idiot! This will kill my sister.”
“I know, I know. I’m in a mess. She’s pregnant, so what can I do?”
Matt found no pity in his heart for his partner. “You’re stupid if you believe that. Vanessa is playing you, man. She came by my house today.”
Blake scowled. “What was she doing there?”
“Looking for some containers of clothes and shoes. I gave them to the Salvation Army.”
“She’ll be steamed. What’d you go and do that for?”
“I don’t run a storage service. I told her at least six times to come get them. She moved out of the place over six months ago, and it’s been rented out since then. She had plenty of time to get them. Man, you’re stupid if you can’t see you’re giving up gold for pot metal.”
Blake wouldn’t meet his gaze. “Look, if she says she’s pregnant, I believe her.”
“Yeah, right. She doesn’t like kids.”
“I’m trying to figure things out, okay? My marriage is important to me.”
“Not important enough to keep your pants zipped.” Matt’s voice vibrated with anger.
Blake flushed. “Just shut up. It’s none of your business.”
“Look, we’ve been friends a long time, Blake. And this is my sister we’re talking about. I want the best for both of you. And that’s not Vanessa.”
“You don’t know her that well.”