him. Then, as he sent her a confused glance, she continued. “He’s a deputy at the sheriff ’s office. He was in my class at school.”
“You didn’t talk to the sheriff?”
“No. He said the sheriff drove to Madison yesterday to deliver a packet to the WSC something or other. She should be back later today.”
“The WSCLB. The Wisconsin State Crime Lab,” Kir explained in absent tones. “I understand why she would personally deliver any potential clues from the murder scenes to protect the chain of evidence. I remember my dad doing the same thing. But I don’t know why she’d stay the night in Madison. I doubt she’ll get any results this weekend.”
“Anthony said he’d drop by later to pick up the picture.” Her gaze darted toward the photo he’d left on the kitchen table before skittering away. “I think everyone is feeling overwhelmed.”
“I’m feeling a little overwhelmed myself,” Kir admitted. “I checked through the shed and garage. I think we should do a quick look through your house to make sure there aren’t any other surprises.”
She paled, but grimly holding on to her courage she gave a small nod before leading him out of the kitchen. They searched the living room before heading down the hall to the bedrooms. Kir was briefly distracted from his fury at the thought of a pervert intruding into this house as they entered the bedroom.
It looked as if it was ready for Lynne’s father to arrive at any moment. The furniture was dark and heavy, with a brown-and-tan comforter on the large bed. The walls had a few framed pictures of Dr. Gale and Lynne together, along with various awards the older man had earned over the years. There was even a pair of boots next to a chair, patiently waiting for their owner to return.
Next they moved to Lynne’s room. There was nothing frilly about it. In fact, it was almost masculine, with solid furniture and beige walls, and a brown-and-black comforter on the bed. But there was a simple coziness that reflected Lynne’s personality. She would never be flashy or glitzy, and that somehow made her all the more fascinating.
Who knew solid dependability could be so sexy?
With a grimace, Kir dismissed his untimely thoughts, waiting for Lynne to make sure that nothing was out of place before they returned to the kitchen.
“Oh, I forgot about breakfast.” She came to a halt in the center of the floor, staring at the eggs and milk on the stove.
Kir’s heart felt as if it’d been put in a vise. She looked unbearably lost. “I doubt either of us can eat right now.” He gently urged her to the table, pressing on her shoulders until she took a seat. Then he crossed to the counter. “But I could use some coffee. I think I’ve been cold since the moment I returned to Pike.”
“I’m sure Freud would have a theory.”
His lips twitched as he switched on the coffeemaker and grabbed two mugs from the cabinet. “No doubt.”
“But it isn’t your imagination. It’s even colder than usual this year.” She shivered. “And, I think there’s supposed to be snow later.”
Kir stiffened, whirling to face the window. “Snow.”
“Has it already started?”
Kir’s gaze scanned the backyard and he silently cursed himself for overlooking such an obvious clue. “The only footprints out there belonged to me,” he said.
“Okay.” She sounded confused.
“That means it had to have snowed since someone put the photo on your shed.” His gaze moved toward the alley beyond the outbuildings. Nothing. The snow was undisturbed.
“It was snowing when you left last night to follow Nash, but it had stopped when I went to bed at midnight,” Lynne said slowly. “So it had to have been before then.”
Kir turned toward Lynne, leaning against the counter. She was right. It’d been snowing heavily when he’d left the bar and gone home. “Did you notice anything when you first came home from work?”
She shook her head. “I stopped by the animal rescue for a few hours. It was already dark by the time I got here.”
“What about before you left for work yesterday morning?”
There was a pause as she considered his question. Then she gave a decisive shake of her head. “The snow had drifted during the night, so I had to go to the shed to get the shovel to clear the driveway. The photo definitely wasn’t there.”
That was exactly what Kir had expected. He moved forward to tap the photo on the table with the tip of