Settling an Old Score - Delores Fossen Page 0,18
it with a nod.
“I didn’t set up the ambush,” Eli went on. “Neither did you or Marta. That leaves Leon, since Drake couldn’t have put it together on his own. The anonymous tip I got about the drug bust came through official channels, through a number that only the criminal informants used.”
A number that Eli knew—that’s what she was about to point out. It was the old argument that Ashlyn had used because she hadn’t believed Leon was gutsy enough to do something like that. It was too dangerous, and from everything she’d learned and heard about Leon, he was basically a coward.
But Marta hadn’t been.
And now for the first time Ashlyn had to consider this from a different angle. She had to consider the unthinkable. What if Marta had set up the ambush in the alley? And maybe Marta had done that to kill Eli. Of course, Ashlyn couldn’t think of a good reason why Marta would want Eli dead, but it was something she needed to at least admit was possible. Along with admitting something else.
What if Marta was still alive?
“Did you find out anything about Marta’s missing records?” she asked.
Eli stared at her as if he wasn’t pleased with the shift in conversation. Maybe because he’d wanted or hoped for an air-clearing between them. Of course, he probably already knew that the “air” wasn’t as murky between them as it had been before the attack. He’d saved her and Cora’s lives, and that changed things. So did this old attraction rearing its head. Someday, soon, they’d talk that all out, but for now the investigation had to come first.
He dragged in a long breath before he finally answered. “Terrell Wilburn, the mortician who handled Marta’s remains, is on vacation, but I’m in the process of tracking him down so I can question him. The owner doesn’t understand why the file is missing, but he said Wilburn might have copies of it. They’re looking into it. So am I.”
That wasn’t a surprise. Eli would dig until he found answers. “And the hospital?” Ashlyn pressed.
“They’re sticking with the glitch theory. They’re converting from hard copy to digital and think it got lost in the shuffle. I don’t believe it.”
“You think Marta’s alive and there was a cover-up?” she pressed.
“No. But someone might want me to think that. I’m having SAPD show Remy’s photo to the employees at both places. Something might pop.”
Yes, but it was just as likely that Remy would have hired someone to steal those files. If he was the person behind the attack, that is.
“The cops questioned the families of the two dead gunmen,” Eli went on a moment later. “If they know anything about who hired the men, they’re hiding it well. If there is something to hide, the Rangers will be monitoring their bank accounts to make sure there aren’t any unusual deposits.”
Good. Because then a deposit like that could be traced back to the source. Hopefully, anyway.
Eli continued to stare at her as if there was something else he wanted to say. “There’s coffee in the kitchen if you want a cup.”
She doubted that was what was actually on his mind, but before Ashlyn could press it, his phone dinged with a text message. Whatever he saw on the screen caused his forehead to bunch up.
“Dominick just came into the sheriff’s office,” Eli relayed. “He’s demanding to see you and the baby.”
Chapter Six
Eli was absolutely certain he wouldn’t like anything about this visit to the sheriff’s office. For starters, it put Ashlyn and the baby out of the house and on the road—since she had insisted on making the trip with him.
It was too big a risk.
Of course, so was staying put, as Ashlyn had argued. Getting answers was what they needed if they were to figure out what was going on, but Eli wasn’t convinced it was necessary for Ashlyn to go with him to get those answers. Hell, he wasn’t sure they’d be getting any useful information from Dominick.
The only thing that was certain so far was that Eli despised the man for demanding to see Ashlyn and the baby. Even more, he hated the new round of worry and fear that this had put in Ashlyn’s eyes.
Eli cursed himself when that thought sank in. Now he was thinking about worry, fear and her eyes. None of that would help this investigation.
At least Ashlyn had agreed with him about Dominick not seeing the baby. Actually, she’d been as adamant about that