Deadly Coincidence (Brantley Walker Off the Books #4) - Nicole Edwards Page 0,67

continued to walk, through the dining room, down the little hallway, and into the bedroom. JJ was relatively small, so it wouldn’t have taken much to drag her, but the same couldn’t be said about lifting her up onto the bed. Perhaps it wouldn’t have been terribly difficult if she was conscious and willing, offering a little assistance. But she wouldn’t have been. She would’ve been deadweight, which would’ve made it more difficult. Whoever lifted her would’ve needed to be strong. Or they would’ve needed help.

Was there more than one? Someone to overpower Dante? Then JJ? But why wouldn’t JJ hear something if someone came in? Surely Dante would’ve shouted.

Reese looked at the bed, the rumpled blankets, the knife that was conveniently sitting there. When he moved, the light caught on something, and he leaned in, noticed it was JJ’s cell phone. With gloved hands, he picked it up. Taking another evidence bag, he sealed it inside, tucked it in his pocket. He doubted it would give him any information, but he wasn’t willing to take any chances. There could be fingerprints.

There was only one nightstand, and it was on the far side of the room, which meant JJ slept on the other side. However, the blood was not over there. Oddly, it was in a body-shaped design, as though it had been placed there after JJ was on the bed. What would be the reason for that?

Without moving or touching anything, he gave the room a cursory scan. The bed was unmade, but other than that, not much was out of place, with the exception of the closet door standing open.

He peeked inside, saw clothes had been moved aside and a small wall safe was standing open.

“Where does JJ keep her weapon?” he called out to Brantley, who was in the living room.

“Her safe’s in her closet,” Brantley shouted back.

Yes, it definitely was.

The biometric safe, which was just big enough to hold her gun and a couple boxes of ammunition, was open and empty. Meaning what? JJ had gotten her gun out? Why? Had she needed it? Or had she simply not locked it up and someone else took it?

He searched the room for the weapon but was distracted by the sound of an engine outside the window. He slipped his finger between the slats in the blinds, peered out.

“Did you call Travis?” he hollered.

“No. Why?”

“Because he’s here.”

“What the fuck?”

Not wanting Travis to walk in on the horror show, Reese made a beeline for the front door, Brantley and Trey beating him to it. They managed to cut Travis off at the pass, making it halfway across the yard as Travis approached.

“Well, I guess it’s a party,” Travis said in greeting, glancing between them. “Why’re you here?”

Trey greeted Travis with a wave as he headed to his car.

“Where’s he off to?” Travis asked, eyes tracking Trey.

“Get a kit from the car,” Brantley said. “Why’re you here?”

Travis’s confusion was apparent. “I got a text from JJ. Said she had some information I might be interested in.”

Reese felt a cold chill snake down his spine.

“When?” Brantley asked, his tone reflecting his concern.

“I don’t know. Half an hour ago, maybe.” Travis frowned. “What the hell’s goin’ on?”

Reese looked at Brantley, a new scenario coming to light.

“Where’s Kylie and the kids?” Reese immediately asked.

Travis’s expression went stone-cold. “Why?”

“Where are they?” Brantley demanded.

“Someone better start fuckin’ talkin’,” Travis demanded even as he was pulling out his cell phone.

“JJ’s not here,” Brantley told him. “Not right now, anyway. She was.” He motioned toward the house. “When all this went down. But she was unconscious from what we can tell.”

“Unconscious? What the fuck are you talkin’ about?” Real fear glittered in Travis’s eyes. “Why’d she text me?” he asked, his phone to his ear.

“She didn’t. Her phone’s right here,” Reese said, pulling it out of his pocket for Travis to see.

Reese looked at Brantley again, and he saw the same concern in his partner’s eyes.

“Gage? Where’s Kylie and the kids?” Travis barked into the phone. “Did they go to my parents’ yet?”

Reese stared, unable to hear the other side of the conversation, but the relief he saw on Travis’s face said the news was good.

“Okay. Stay with them. Don’t let any of ’em outta your sight.” Travis disconnected the call, glanced from Reese to Brantley. “This is that bitch, isn’t it? Juliet Prince?”

If it wasn’t … well, that was one hell of a coincidence. Possibly a deadly one.

*

“We don’t know anything at this point,” Brantley said,