Page 62 of Night Watch
“Making friends and influencing people.” Sierra laughed. “But on the bright side, I doubt the criminalists are fond of me to begin with. Despite me telling them that they’re super good at their jobs and they just don’t have all the cool toys.”
“Don’t sell yourself short,” Grady said. “You’ve got mad skills and experience that they don’t possess.”
“Well, yeah, but I thought that would sound too cocky to say aloud like you do.” She laughed and lifted the camera that hung around her neck. “I need you all to wait here so I can take scene photos. And move your kit, Grady, so it’s not in my pictures.”
“Did I mention bossy too?” Grady laughed.
“Hey, you’ve only had to deal with it for a few years.” Erik slung his arm around Sierra’s shoulders. “I’ve been bossed around by her my whole life.”
He loved that he could tease her, and she went with it. Most of the time. But right now he was more thankful for those mad skills Grady mentioned. Maybe she would recover something that would produce the lead Erik was desperately looking for. No guy threatened Kennedy and got away with it. That wouldn’t go unpunished. The creep could count on that.
Erik stood back and contemplated leaving after he and Aiden had given their statements. He wasn’t needed here. Grady and Sierra would do top-notch work, and all he could really do was get coffee. But he wasn’t ready to go back to his place, where he’d have to fight his feelings for Kennedy. The shooting had really done a number on him, bringing up all the old feelings for her. Maybe cementing them in his heart again. And it seemed like she felt it too. Or maybe he just wanted her to.
It would be a lot easier to stop thinking about her—about the way he was starting to feel again—if he hadn’t once known what it was like to be wholly loved by her. But he did. And it had been exhilarating and calming at the same time. An impossible contrast, but there it was. Kennedy. He’d never been able to put his finger on why he was so drawn to her, but he was leaning toward surrendering to it again. Lock, stock, and barrel.
He started to sigh but stopped when Sierra glanced at him. If she got even a hint of his returning interest in Kennedy, his sister would start asking questions. She must not have seen anything interesting in his expression because she returned her focus to her work. He watched her, taking a moment to appreciate his family. And thinking about how Kennedy was almost alone. Just a sister left.
Frost returned, grabbing his attention. “Let me show you inside so you can get started on the evidence.”
Sierra had finished taking her shots, so Frost led them to the back of the building and up worn wooden stairs with plastered walls to a landing with two doorways. One of them stood open.
She stepped through it into a single room that was made up of a living, bedroom, and kitchen space. The table she’d mentioned sat in front of the open window, shell casings scattered across the floor.
“Let me snap pictures, then we can get to work,” Sierra said, already lifting her camera.
Frost focused her attention on Aiden. “I’ll take those statements now. You know the drill. One witness at a time. So if you’ll wait downstairs, I’ll talk to Erik first.”
“It’ll give me time to look around outside.” Aiden jogged down the stairs and out the door.
Frost drew a small notepad and pen from her pocket. “Tell me what happened.”
As Grady tapped his foot and watched Sierra, likely jonesing to get to the casings, Erik launched into a description of the incident.
Frost asked a few follow-up questions, then closed her notepad. “I’ll just talk to your brother and let you know if I have any more questions.”
“Thanks again for letting us handle the forensics.”
“Just remember. They’re not being processed for you but for PPB. I’ll decide if and when I’ll share any information.”
Erik nodded, and she started down the stairs. She was right. The evidence was confidential, but if Sierra or Grady discussed something they discovered and Erik overheard the conversation, all the better.
“Here! Look!” Sierra’s excited tone broke into Erik’s thoughts.
He moved closer to her. She was holding up a white vinyl wristband for Grady to see, but she cast Erik a subversive look. She knew he was listening, but wouldn’t acknowledge it.
Erik focused on the bracelet similar to ones handed out for admission to theme parks, waterparks, and bars. Large black letters were embossed on the band, as were tiny red hawks. Erik tried to read the writing but couldn’t make it out.
“Where’s it from?” Grady asked.
“Hood to Coast relay race dated this year.” Sierra turned the bracelet in her fingers. “The race ends today.”
“You’re kidding, right?” Grady took the band with his gloved fingers and studied it. “A guy runs the world’s largest relay race and then stops in to shoot at an SUV. Not likely.”
“Maybe his leg of the race was done earlier,” Sierra said.
“But if his leg was done, and he came here to commit a crime, why keep the band on?” Grady asked.
“Bragging rights?” Sierra looked at Erik. “Our family ran the race one year, and we were so thankful to finish. Nearly two hundred miles. We told everyone who would listen.”
