Page 84 of Hell Hath No Fury

Eric’s expression turned guilt-ridden. “Yeah.”

Matthias looked at Emma. “What’s the code?”

She named four numbers.

He closed his eyes in exasperation. “Let me guess. His birthday.”

Emma wrinkled her freckled nose. “Lame, I know.”

Matthias turned away and continued down the sloping driveway, his mind sorting the possibilities. Who besides Eric and Emma knew Eric’s favorite four-digit sequence?

As Emma had stated, the garage stood open. The shovel leaned against the block wall in plain sight. Matthias raised his phone and snapped several photos of it before crossing to the basement door. He pulled on the gloves, punched the number into the security keypad, and entered.

While he didn’t expect to find the intruder, he wanted to give the place a quick search to make sure nothing else of interest had been left behind. Or taken. The crime scene techs had clearly been there, as evidenced by the smudges of fingerprint powder and the empty spot where Eric’s computer had been. The guest room was messier than the first time he’d seen it, as was the guest bath. Otherwise, nothing seemed out of place.

As Matthias descended the stairs to the main floor, he pondered the muddy shovel. The crime scene unit had been there. They would’ve collected that telling piece of evidence.

He made his way back to the garage and stood in the middle of it as he placed a call to Fergusson.

“Honeywell,” the trooper said, “to what do I owe the honor?”

Matthias ignored the sarcasm. “I’m in Eric Baker’s garage. You might want to get over here. We’ve located the shovel I suspect was used to dig Sonny Jones’s grave.”

The mockery was replaced by excitement. “In Baker’s garage? Wow. Thank you for tying a bow on my case against him.”

“Not so fast. Baker insists it’s not his.”

“Of course he does.”

“Why on earth would he leave a piece of evidence sitting in his garage? He’s meticulous. If it was his shovel, he would’ve hosed the mud off it.”

“Maybe he didn’t have time.”

“I’m not going to argue with you.” Nor was he going to mention the crime scene unit. Let Fergusson figure that out on his own. “I’m keeping the scene secure,” Matthias said.

“Thanks for that. I’m on my way.”

“Fergusson?”

“Yeah?”

“Bring a search warrant.” Matthias disconnected. He could well imagine Eric telling the investigators that they didn’t need the court order—that he had nothing to hide—but Matthias wasn’t about to let Emma’s friend make that mistake.

* * *

“Are you sure he can’t go inside?” Emma asked when Matthias joined her and Eric. “He’s ready to drop.”

Matthias studied Eric’s pale and bruised face and had to agree with her assessment. “It would be better in the long run if he waits for Fergusson to give the all-clear.”

“All right,” she said, her gaze dropping to the ground.

Matthias knew her well enough to see she had more on her mind. “What is it?” he asked.

She inhaled a deep breath, held it a beat, then exhaled, her shoulders sagging. “I got a text from my credit card company.”

She laid out the situation to him. Cheap motel. Not wanting to scare Nell into running. Acknowledging the fear that the card may have been stolen, possibly from Nell’s dead body. Emma’s decision to drive Eric’s car to Akron and find out.

Matthias listened in silence. When she finished, he gazed into the distance, thinking over her plan. And his response. He summed it up in one word. “No.”