was construction going on now, signs for a shopping center. Beyond that, though, it grew lonesome again.
She wrapped her fingers over his on the gearshift. “I remember when you first brought me out here.”
“You were thinking, What the hell am I doing?”
She shoved him. “No. I was nervous, though. I knew what I was doing. Or what I was going to do.”
Make love with Raleigh for the first time. A stolen afternoon when she was supposed to be at the beach.
“Well, you should be asking yourself ‘What the hell am I doing?’ now.”
He turned onto a gravel road with NO TRESPASSING signs warning of imminent death and destruction. Off to the right a newer road cut in, one she didn’t remember. “That’s where they were doing the construction?”
“Yes. And where my dad was found.”
The brush grew high alongside the road. As they rounded a bend, sun reflected off the windshields of two police cruisers parked by the cabin. Mia glanced in the rearview mirror. A T-Bird with a front license plate that read BIRDIE followed close behind. Grace gave them a wave as she pulled up beside them. Within seconds she was stalking over to Sheriff Sullivan, crooking her fingers.
He handed the warrant to her, smug as could be. They traded words as Raleigh remained by the car, letting her do her job. He watched Cassidy and another deputy walk out with sealed paper bags.
Grace came over, her cheeks red with rage. “I will be talking to Judge Crandall about this.”
“What are they looking for?” Mia asked.
“Blood evidence. The murder weapon. They’re taking all knives found to check for blood.” Grace eyed the deputies setting the stapled paper bags in the car. “Is there anything inside that might cause us trouble?”
Mia bristled. “You think he’s guilty?”
“Calm down, honey. No, I do not. But things can be misconstrued, and, with Sullivan after Raleigh, he’s going to be grasping at straws. We also have to think about what it’s going to look like to a jury.”
A jury. Grace thought this might go to court. The idea of it clamped around Mia’s stomach.
“I have a couple of hunting knives,” Raleigh said. “Every guy who hunts and fishes does. But there won’t be any of my dad’s blood on them. And they won’t find any of my father’s DNA inside my cabin, either. He’s never been inside. But if one of my knives is close in size to the knife marks,” Raleigh said in a low voice, “it’ll be one more thing the prosecutor will present as evidence, right?”
“Afraid so, circumstantial as it is. Of course, I’ll move to strike it.”
The crime-scene analysts didn’t take long, since the cabin wasn’t that big. The officers exited without any more bags, and Mia swore that Sullivan looked disappointed. Jerk. On the other hand, that was a positive sign.
“I’m going to dog Sullivan for information on what they took.” Grace patted Raleigh’s arm. “Stay calm. And positive.”
Raleigh didn’t look the least bit positive even as he nodded. A few minutes later, everyone had cleared out.
Mia slid her fingers between his. “The sheriff didn’t find what he wanted.”
“But all he needs is a few pieces of the puzzle, even if it’s not the right picture. I know, I know, I’m not being very positive.” He rubbed the back of his neck, the tension clear on his face. “I wish Pax had been here. Then again, he got in trouble for warning me about the arrest.” He pulled out his cellphone and sent a text: Sorry that you were reprimanded for giving me a heads-up.
“Let’s go back to the cottage. We can work on the yard, burn off some of this restless energy.”
A few seconds later, a text came in. It’s gonna work out just fine. Will call you in a bit. BTW, Cass went ballistic. He’s fired. TTYL
“Holy…” Raleigh shook his head and laughed.
“What?”
“Cass was being his usual dick self when he retrieved me from my cell. I might have incited him just a little when he didn’t know that the captain of the jail was standing a few feet away.”
She grinned. “Just a little?”
He indicated an inch between his finger and thumb. “Didn’t take much. He tried to hit me. According to Pax’s text, he got fired. In my defense, the captain indicated that Cassidy had been a pain in the ass for a while.”
Mia snorted. “Serves him right. As long as Pax doesn’t get fired, too.”
“He said it was going to work out fine. And his