Page 85 of Hell Hath No Fury

She stared at him, visibly stunned. “No?”

The ice in her tone immediately told him it was the wrong word. He tried again. “Not alone. If you’re determined to go, I’ll drive you.”

“No.”

His jaw tensed at having it thrown back at him. “Why not?”

“Because you need to stay here and make sure the cops don’t railroad Eric back into jail. That shovel was planted. So was the trash bag with the glass.”

“I know.”

“I’m not suretheydo.” She blew out another breath. “I’ll be careful. I’m going to drive straight up, talk to whoever’s manning the registration desk to get a description of the person using my card. If it’s Nell, I’ll bring her back with me, even if I have to tie her up and gag her. If it’s anyone else, I’ll get back in the car, call the police and my credit card company, and drive straight back.”

Matthias studied her face, the determined slant of her mouth, the steel in her eyes. As much as he wanted her to lock herself back in their hotel room where she was safe, he knew it wasn’t happening. If Nell was in that motel room in Akron, and if he kept Emma from going to her… if Nell ultimately did take her own life when Emma could’ve stopped her… Emma would hate him for the rest of his life. “Okay.”

Her reaction told him she’d expected more of a fight. “Really?”

“Yes, really. Just promise you’ll stay in touch with me every step of the way.”

Emma’s expression softened into a smile. “You’re not going to call Cassie and have her meet me in Akron as backup, are you?”

“It’s not a bad idea.” Except Cassie was recovering from a gunshot wound. A car turning the corner caught his eye. “Here comes Fergusson. You should wait in the car with Eric.”

“Gladly. Have I mentioned that I don’t like that man?”

Matthias kept his focus on the approaching sedan but gave Emma a grin. “Welcome to the club.”

She returned to the Prius as Fergusson parked behind Matthias’s Jeep, blocking the driveway.

Matthias waited, arms crossed, as Fergusson and Lukan exited the sedan and approached.

Fergusson stopped at the Prius and leaned down to peer into Emma’s open window. “Long time no see, Baker. I understand you made some ‘friends’ during your time in jail. I intend to make sure you have a reunion real soon. And this time, your fancy attorney won’t be able to get you kicked loose.”

Matthias couldn’t hear if Eric responded. “Back off, Fergusson,” Matthias said. “You need to stop with the tunnel vision and find the real killer.”

Fergusson straightened. “Yet all of the evidence keeps leading me back here.”

“Because whoever killed Jones is playing you for a sucker.” Matthias closed the distance between them. Without taking his focus from the trooper, he said, “Eric, show him your hands.”

Matthias didn’t need to look to know Eric complied willingly.

Fergusson, however, did bend down and peer inside the car. When the trooper again faced Matthias, his expression soured. “So, he wore gloves.”

“Your lab says half of the glass shard was bleached. The half the killer held. Meaning he wasn’t wearing gloves and needed to remove his DNA.Meaning,” Matthias said emphatically, “Eric isn’t your man.”

Lukan stifled a snicker, drawing a sharp scowl from Fergusson.

Coming back to Matthias, Fergusson demanded, “How did you get your hands on our lab results?”

Matthias wasn’t about to give up his source.

Fergusson muttered under his breath before saying, “Let’s see that shovel you called me about.”

“Did you bring the warrant?”

Lukan pulled the paperwork from his jacket pocket and handed it over.

Matthias scanned it before passing the document to Emma. “Make sure Eric holds on to this.” He gestured to the troopers. “Follow me.”