Page 27 of Lost Hours
“Makes sense.” He looked out the window again. “Do you know if she has any close friends we can call to be with her?”
“I don’t know her that well, but I’ll ask when I see her.” She didn’t want to talk about this anymore as the closer they came to the house, the more nervous she got about sharing such difficult news with someone she knew. “Thank you again for getting the Veritas team on board with this investigation. I’m sure it will make a big difference.”
“You’re welcome,” he said, and if she was right, she detected a note of thankfulness at the change of topic. “As an official deputy now, I assume I’ll have access to those reports when you get them.”
“I want to review them first, but then…” She stopped as she really hadn’t had time to think this through.
“Then what?” he asked. “I got into this whole deputy thing because I expected you would share every report.”
“I will,” she said and hoped she didn’t have to withhold anything. “I just want to process the news first.”
She turned the corner onto Becca’s street and pulled onto the narrow lane that led to her secluded property, not as brightly lit as the main road. Trees on the property ahead cast ominous-feeling shadows.
Nolan glanced at her. “I’d love to see this in the daylight. I’ll bet it’s beautiful back here. I’m surprised someone as young as Becca could afford this place.”
“The property has been in the family since this town was founded. She inherited it from her maternal grandparents.”
“Looks impressive from what I can see.”
“It really is something. Despite all the trees lining the driveway, the entire back wall of the house is filled with windows overlooking the cove.”
As Nolan leaned forward to look ahead, she pulled into the circular driveway and up to the house. The outside lights burned brightly as if Becca was expecting visitors or someone was already visiting. But there were no cars in the drive ahead or on the road. Lights shone out from the first floor, even at this time of night.
Mina couldn’t be more thankful. It was looking like she wasn’t going to have to wake Becca up. She might not even be there. “No car in the driveway.”
“It’s likely in the garage,” Nolan said.
Mina shifted into park and looked at him. “Wait here. I might be gone awhile, but please don’t come looking for me.”
“Are you planning to question her about her father’s death?”
“Maybe,” she said, though she hadn’t thought that far ahead yet. “It’ll depend on the situation and how Becca responds.”
She got out of the vehicle and headed toward the garage. The scent of pine filled the crisp night air, and an owl hooted from nearby. She looked through the garage windows.
No car. Not home? She turned to face Nolan and shook her head to let him know Becca hadn’t parked in the garage. Could be she wasn’t home and this trip was for no reason.
She started for the solid oak door. It stood open about three inches.
Her steps faltered and goosebumps prickled across her back.
Moving slowly forward, she rested her hand on her firearm and resisted pushing the door open farther. “Becca! It’s Sheriff Park! Are you here?”
Mina waited for a response. Counted in her head.
One one thousand. Two one thousand. Three one thousand. Four one thousand. Five one thousand.
No response. Deadly silence surrounded her.
She nudged the door open with her elbow. She didn’t want to touch anything in case something terrible had happened here. The door groaned inward, revealing a small entry area that led directly into a large open-concept family room.
She took a few steps, her gaze sweeping over the space, traveling across the floor and landing near the stairway.
She halted. Stopped. Abruptly.
A large pool of blood glistened from the tile. The scarlet red color stark against white marble tiles. The metallic smell scenting the air.
She swallowed hard. Gulped in a breath.
