“He could have contracted somebody.”
She thought about that, but shook her head. “I think you’re wrong. That isn’t his style. He wants to defeat me, crushingly, but he wants to take credit for it. He wouldn’t do it anonymously. He would rather his victory get live TV coverage on election day.”
“Okay, but he still goes on the list. So does Dennis.”
“I told you, our breakup was friendly. No hanging up on each other, no harsh words or threats, no hostility. Nothing like that.”
Crawford intended to check him out anyway. Her ex may not be as reasonable and refined as she believed. “There’s nobody else you’ve crossed swords with, professionally or personally?”
She shook her head.
“Even going back a few years? Parents? Siblings?”
“No siblings. Both parents are deceased.”
“Friends you’ve had a falling out with?”
“No. To my knowledge I don’t have an enemy who would make an attempt on my life.”
He tried to stare a contradiction out of her, but she didn’t flinch. He had to take her word for it. “All right,” he said, “our culprit remains a question mark. So first thing, tonight in fact, we’ve gotta find a place to stash you for a few days.”
“Excuse me?”
“Is there someplace you can lay low? Keep out of sight?”
“What are you talking about? I can’t go into hiding!”
“Hell you can’t.”
“Hell I will! If you feel security is warranted, I’m sure the police will provide it.”
“The Prentiss PD?” he asked.
“Or the sheriff’s office.”
She still wasn’t seeing the big picture. “Holly, anyone within the Prentiss PD or sheriff’s office is a suspect. Everybody who was in the courthouse when the shooting occurred is a suspect, and that includes dozens of law enforcement officers. Anyone who was ostensibly trying to apprehend the shooter could have been the shooter.”
She pulled her lower lip through her teeth. “How many police personnel were off duty yesterday?”
“Doesn’t matter. Anyone on the payroll could still provide a plausible explanation for being in the building.”
“Yes, but Neal Lester would carefully screen—”
“Neal’s included.”
“What? He’s the lead investigator.”
“Who better to pull off something like this?” At her horrified look, he gave a soft laugh and instinctively reached across and squeezed her thigh. “Relax. Bad joke. It wasn’t Neal. He’s not nearly that creative. Wrong body type.”
“Wrong hair color.”
“Besides, what motive would he have?” Reluctantly, he lifted his hand off her thigh. “All the same, I wish someone else was investigating this thing. Neal’s a political animal, more bureaucrat than cop. He’s a suck-up because he wants to be in the chief’s chair one of these days, and until then he wants to be in the chief’s lap. His priority will be to cover his ass first, not yours.”
“How do you think he’ll react when you tell him?”
“He’ll have to wash his underwear. Then he’ll take it to the chief, and, knowing how the grapevine works within the department, it’ll be all over the place in no time. Which means that the perp will get wind of it, and he’ll go underground, and we’ll be screwed in terms of catching him.” Lowering his voice to a murmur, he said, “Until he tries again.”
She hugged her elbows. “It hasn’t been established that I was the target.”
He wasn’t going to argue that point again. “Whoever he was, and whatever his intention, he killed Chet. I want the son of a bitch, and I’ll get him.”
“I thought you wanted to distance yourself from the investigation.”
“I did. I do. But my chances of getting Georgia went to shit the moment I ran after that gunman. Don’t bother,” he said when he saw she was about to counter. “We both know it’s true. I’m in, even if I didn’t choose to be. Neal won’t like it, but if he balks, I only have to remind him that I don’t need his sanction, and, anyway, his chief solicited me. First order of business is to see that you’re protected.”
“I can’t put my work, my life, on hold indefinitely.”
“Your court is still a crime scene. You couldn’t go about your routine anyway.”
“I could use another courtroom temporarily.”
“You could. But you’d be placing not only yourself in danger, but everyone around you.”
Her shoulders slumped. “Like Chet.”
The statement subdued them and nothing was said for a moment.
When Holly spoke again, she reverted to argument mode. “I can’t disappear from the public eye. I’m running for office.”
“Your life was threatened. Everyone will understand if you take a few days off to regroup.”
“And have Greg Sanders paint me a coward?”
“That would only reflect badly on him.”
She lowered her head. “I could drop out of the race altogether.”
“Then you’d really look like a coward.”
“It wouldn’t be solely because of the courtroom shooting,” she said quietly.