of her training to keep her muscles from locking up with tension.
“Sir, I meant no disrespect when I spoke to Malcolm.” Bennett’s voice was calm. “Put down your shotgun and we can talk about it.”
“There ain’t nothing to talk about. You’re trying to ruin my son. I won’t have it. How dare you, Bennett? How dare you suggest my son and Derrick were brothers?”
Bennett slid closer. “Sir, you need to put down your shotgun.”
“I don’t need to do nothin’.” Randy’s face flushed, and he raised the weapon, bracing it against his shoulder. “You need to listen.”
Emilia held her breath. She didn’t want to shoot the former sheriff, especially if he was in an altered state, but she would if it was necessary to save Bennett’s life. She sent up another prayer.
Bennett raised his hands in the classic sign of surrender. “I’m listening, Sheriff King. You have my complete attention.”
“Derrick showed up at our house years ago, spewing garbage about being related to Malcolm. It was a lie. There’s no way the two men can be related. I kicked him off our property and warned him about spreading false rumors. I thought Derrick had listened, but he must’ve told someone. Now you’re giving those nasty lies new attention.”
“It’s not my intention to hurt your son, Sheriff King.”
Randy swayed slightly, lowering the shotgun barrel to the ground. “You should’ve come to me to ask your questions. I know there’s been another murder. I’ve got something that can help with the case.”
“I would love to get your input, Sheriff. But first you have to put down your shotgun.” Bennett offered a strained smile. “We can’t have a conversation like this. What would your wife say?”
Randy glanced down at the weapon. He seemed almost surprised to find it in his hands. “Oh yes. Carol would be very upset. She’d say it was uncivilized. She never did like guns much.”
He lowered it to the ground, nearly tripping over his own feet as he did so.
Bennett caught the older man before he hit the ground. “There we are, Sheriff.”
Emilia breathed out a sigh of relief. She rounded the truck door and took control of the shotgun. Sheriff King’s behavior tonight was completely out of character. Had Randy been drinking? Or taking drugs?
Randy leaned heavily on Bennett. “I don’t feel so good.”
Sheriff King was growing paler by the second. It was clear something was medically wrong with him. Emilia grabbed the older man’s wrist and felt his pulse. It was strong, but Randy looked ready to pass out.
“Let’s get him to the hospital,” Bennett whispered to Emilia. “I’d call an ambulance but driving him will be faster. Can you lock up his truck while I load him in mine?”
Emilia nodded. She circled Randy’s vehicle and opened the door. The scent of stale cigarettes slapped her in the face. She killed the engine and flipped off the headlights.
A photograph tucked in the dash caught her attention. It was crisp, as if it’d been recently removed from a photo album. A woman stood between two men. Emilia’s heart skittered as recognition sank into her.
The woman was Alice Nelson. She was smiling widely and held a plastic cup containing some kind of drink. On her right side, his arm looped over her shoulders, was Derrick. A date was stamped on the bottom of the photograph. It’d been taken the evening Alice disappeared.
A second man stood back from Alice and Derrick, almost in the shadows. His blond hair was slicked back, and he had a lanky build. If Emilia hadn’t run into him at the hospital recently, she might not have recognized him. But she did.
Henry Stillman.
Nine
Morning sunlight streamed through the trees and dew coated the grass. Bennett stifled a yawn and guzzled a cup of coffee. His eyes felt gritty from lack of sleep. He’d hoped the brisk outside air would refresh him, but that wasn’t the case.
The screen door behind him creaked open and then slammed shut. His sister, Sage, appeared at his side on the porch, sipping her own cup of coffee. “Gorgeous morning.”
“It is. Sneaking over to steal mom’s coffee again?”
“She makes it better than I do. If you’re waiting for Emilia, she’s already awake and working in your office. I saw her when I put a few horses out to pasture.”
“Does that woman ever sleep? We didn’t get home from the hospital till after one.”
“She’s under a lot of stress. So are you.” Sage leaned against the porch pillar. “I heard Malcolm may be involved. Is