Settling an Old Score - Delores Fossen Page 0,25

what about the missing records? What about the dead mortician? Does that mean someone wanted to cover up that she’s actually alive?”

“No,” Eli quickly answered. “They could be just smoke screens.” He paused a heartbeat. “Tell me about the disagreement you had with Marta’s family about where she was to be buried.”

Remy blinked, obviously not expecting that to come up. “Uh, her dad, Gus, wanted to bury her in Oklahoma. I wanted her buried in San Antonio so I could visit her grave. Marta would have wanted that, too,” Remy quickly clarified, “but Gus wouldn’t bend. He put her in the ground in a place she didn’t want to be.”

Some of the shock was gone now, and in its place was some venom and bitterness.

“Did that rile you enough to play mind games?” Eli pressed. “Mind games that include getting back at Ashlyn and me?”

Remy’s eyes were narrowed when they came back to Eli. “No. I told you I didn’t try to kill you. Even though you both deserve it,” he added in a grumble. “You let Marta die in that alley, and now you’re on a witch hunt to add more misery to my life.”

“No witch hunt,” Eli tried to assure him, but Remy interrupted him.

“Was it one of you who broke in to my house?” Remy demanded.

Ashlyn sighed. “No,” she insisted, but Eli only tapped his badge to remind Remy that he was the law, not the criminal.

Remy didn’t look as if he believed them. “Well, somebody broke in night before last and stole my laptop and cell phone. I got a new phone with the same number, but I didn’t have all my computer files backed up online.”

That got her attention. Eli had said the mortician’s computer and files had been stolen, too. She didn’t know the timing of that, but she had to wonder if it was connected to the break-in at Remy’s. Of course, Remy could be lying about that.

“Now you demand I come in for questioning and tell me stuff about Marta,” Remy went on. “What the hell am I supposed to think?” But he waved that off. “I’ve changed my mind. I’ll wait for my lawyer. I won’t say anything else until he gets here.”

“Suit yourself.” Kellan tipped his head toward the hall. “Come with me. You can wait in the interview room.”

Ashlyn watched them leave and waited until they were out of sight before she turned to Eli. “You believe him?” she asked.

Eli rubbed his hand over his forehead. “I’m not sure. He hates both of us, and I don’t know how far he’d take that hate.”

Neither did she. But maybe they could find out. “I can call some of Marta’s old friends and find out if they’ve noticed anything off about Remy. I’ll need my cell phone for that, though, because it has the contact numbers. It’s still at my house. I didn’t bring it with me when I went looking for Cora.”

He nodded. “Calling her friends is a good idea, but don’t mention the fake death theory to any of them just yet. I want to talk to Marta’s dad first.”

Just hearing that caused her stomach to twist. Unlike Remy, Marta’s father hadn’t held the anger and hatred for them, but he had been torn up by his daughter’s murder. She doubted that grief had gone away even after all these months.

“The CSIs are done processing our houses,” Eli told her. “I got word about that right after I left the observation room.” His gaze came to hers. Lingering. And reminding her of what had happened between them there.

A hug.

She might be able to convince herself it had only been that. Might. But she couldn’t do much convincing with Eli giving her that smoldering look.

Ashlyn cleared her throat, glanced away. “I’ll need to drop by my house and check on my horses and the ones I board. I could get my cell phone and some of my things while I’m there.” She paused, gave that some thought. Actually, a lot of thought. “I don’t feel comfortable taking Cora back there just yet.”

“Because you’re smart, that’s why. It’s not safe. If there are more hired guns, your house and mine would be the first places they’d go. I’ll take you to your house later today. With backup,” he emphasized. “It’ll have to be a quick in and out, and we won’t be taking Cora with us. She can stay at Jack’s with Gloria and a couple of the deputies.”

Good. She hated