Settling an Old Score - Delores Fossen Page 0,38

That was one of the first things that had occurred to him, and he’d need to press Remy on not only his alibi but that deeper search into his financials. Motive was easy to figure out. Remy wanted to keep it secret that Marta was alive. But that only worked if Remy was aware of that. He might not be.

“Thanks for not giving me an argument about this,” Ashlyn murmured a moment later, drawing his attention back to her.

Eli hoped he didn’t regret giving in on this, but he had to consider that whoever had hired those gunmen would be getting desperate. Three hired killers—all dead. That was a lot of money down the drain, and that had to be beyond frustrating for the person who’d hired them.

His phone dinged with a text, and Eli read the info that Kellan had just sent him. And he cursed. “They got an ID on the latest dead gunman. Jay Hamby. I know him. He was a criminal informant.”

Ashlyn shifted in the seat toward him. “I never heard Marta mention him.” But then she shook her head. “She didn’t talk about that side of her life very often, though. Is Hamby connected to Oscar, too?”

“Don’t know yet, but that’s something I intend to find out.” However, Eli was guessing that would be a yes, that there was indeed a connection. Now he’d need to figure out if Hamby had been hired to frame Oscar or if Oscar had just tapped someone that he already knew to do the job.

“How soon do you have Oscar and Dominick coming into the sheriff’s office?” she asked.

“They might already be there. I didn’t exactly treat them with kid gloves when I ordered them to come in.”

That, of course, meant they’d be showing up with their lawyers. Eli didn’t mind that. He just wanted them in the box so he could grill them about both of the attacks.

The moment that Gunnar pulled to a stop in front of the sheriff’s office, Eli spotted Remy, who appeared to be pacing across the reception area. He looked about as riled as Eli was. Ditto for the suit—the lawyer, no doubt. He was a wiry man with white hair and a steely expression. Eli gave him steel right back, and he knew for a fact that he was better at it.

“What the hell is this about now?” Remy snapped the moment they were all inside.

Eli didn’t answer but instead turned to Kellan, who was sipping coffee while standing in the bullpen. “I frisked Remy. He’s not armed. And I read him his rights.”

That was exactly how Eli wanted to start this meeting. “This way,” he told Remy.

Eli started toward the interview room. That would not only get this started, it would also take Ashlyn away from the windows. Eli was about to tell her that she’d have to wait in observation for this leg of the chat, but Remy started up before they even reached the room.

“I asked you a question,” Remy went on, his voice as sharp as a bullwhip. “Why did you say you’d arrest me if I didn’t come in? I’ve cooperated with you, and I’ve done nothing wrong.” Remy opened his mouth again, no doubt to continue his verbal fire, but Eli stopped him cold.

“Marta’s coffin is empty,” Eli said, turning in the hall so he could study every bit of Remy’s reaction. By telling him this way, Ashlyn would be able to do the same. “There’s no body.”

Remy pulled back his shoulders, his gaze firing to Ashlyn as if he expected her to confirm or deny that. She didn’t say a word. Neither did Eli. They both just stood there, waiting.

“No body,” Remy repeated. Groaning, he spun around, pressing his head to the wall. Eli was skeptical enough to believe the man had done that to hide his expression rather than his attempt to deal with the shock.

“What’s this about?” the lawyer asked. “What’s going on?”

But Remy waved him off. With his breath coming out in short bursts, Remy finally turned back around to face him. “How’d you find this out?”

“Marta’s father had the body exhumed,” Eli answered, still watching Remy. There wasn’t so much shock or surprise now, but something else. Urgency, maybe?

“Where’s Marta?” Remy demanded. “Did Gus say?”

The tone seemed right for a man who’d just been given a big shock like this, but Eli wasn’t ready to buy it just yet. “Gus doesn’t know. Do you? Do you know where she is?”

“Of course