Page 25 of The Husband's Secret
3:20 p.m.
Ben split hisattention between the bevy of uniformed personnel in the alley and the garage where Brenda waited. She had asked to go into the house, but he didn’t want her out of his sight. And one of them had to talk to Shelton.
At this point, it was fairly clear that the small bomb had been placed just beneath the driver’s-side door. The device had been activated by the short-range radio transmitter in the key fob. The only reason it hadn’t been activated when Brenda moved the car was because the door had been unlocked, so there had been no reason for the transmission. She hadn’t locked the vehicle when she parked in the alley, but Ben hadn’t known this. Most vehicles locked automatically after a few minutes once the driver walked away with the fob. But Brenda had turned off that option to ensure her daughter could get out if for any reason she was ever left in the car.
When Ben went to move the car he had hit the unlock button on the fob out of habit.
Thank God he had.
Shelton’s people insisted they had checked her car when they went over the garage, which, assuming they had been thorough in their search, meant the bomb had been added at some point since that time. Neither he nor Brenda had used her car since her return from Los Angeles, so that was possible.
The device wasn’t a complex one. Based on what was left of the small case, a magnet had held it to the bottom of the vehicle. There would hopefully be more information available once the lab had finished its work.
Ben wasn’t particularly surprised by the act. Cartels often sent enforcers orsicarios—hit men—to do their dirty work. To scare with threatening messages, to injure or kill. It wasn’t unusual, but what this level of enforcement suggested was thesignificance of the item or items they were looking for. Clearly the cartel had deemed the loss particularly important, and they were growing impatient for its return.
This was something he would very much have liked to know before the explosion, but he knew now. Thankfully no one had been hurt.
When Detective Shelton started for the garage, Ben joined him. Brenda watched the two of them approach, dread evident in her posture. It was difficult to be left with the fallout when you had no idea what it related to.
“We’re taking your car in,” Shelton advised Brenda. “I think it’s pointless to take prints from the garage again, but we will go over the car thoroughly. If we find anything we’ll let you know.”
Brenda nodded her understanding. “Should I call my insurance company?”
She had chosen not to call about the intruder since nothing had appeared to be missing and none of the windows or doors in her home were damaged by the invasion.
“Yes,” Shelton replied. “Although I can’t give you a firm release date, it’s best to advise them of the situation and go with whatever they suggest.”
Brenda hugged herself. “They’ll probably cancel on me. I think it’s the same insurance company as Scott used for the firm.”
It happened. Like any other business, insurance companies had a degree of risk they were willing to assume and anything beyond that point was unacceptable. Ben hoped for her sake it didn’t become an issue. She was dealing with enough already.
Shelton pointed to the cleared garage floor with the pen in his hand. “You put everything away.”
“I needed to be doing something.” Brenda drew in a big breath. “This escalating situation has me on edge, and I can’t just sit around waiting to hear from you.”
“It’s not easy, I’m sure.” The detective’s brow furrowed. “Did you find anything that might have some bearing on the case?”
“I would have called you about it if I had,” Brenda tossed back. “I’m aware of my legal obligations, Detective. No one wants this resolved more than I do.”
Ben bit back a grin. “If,” he said to the detective, “you don’t need us for anything else, we’ll go inside where Ms. Devers can feel safer.”
Shelton hitched his head back in acknowledgment. “If I have any further questions I’ll knock on your door.”
“Is it all right,” Ben ventured, “if we close up and lock the garage, or do you still need access?”
“Sure. Sure.” Shelton glanced around. “We don’t need to be in here for anything else.”
“Thank you,” Brenda said. “I do appreciate all you’re doing to find the person or persons responsible for…” She shook her head. “I don’t even know what to call it.”
“It’s a difficult situation,” the older man agreed. “When these things happen to the family of a criminal suspect, it’s never easy or pretty.”
Brenda’s arms visibly tightened around her. “I can see that.”
“As I said, I’ll call if we find anything.” Shelton turned and walked out of the garage.
Ben hit the button next to the walk-through door, closing the overhead one. While it lowered, he checked the garage’s one window, ensuring it was secure.
“We can start on the house now, if you’d like.” He returned to the door where Brenda waited.
