Page 38 of Unlocked

Someone had been very tidy about it. A fact that bothered Archer most.

"This wasn't an accident. I'm sure the police will realize that as soon as the autopsy is complete."

"What do you see?" Rush asked.

Archer slid the photographs back into the envelope. "The way he is positioned and the fact that there's a large dent in his skull but only a smallish cut above his eye suggest he hit the back of his head first. He was facing away from the stairs and went down backward."

Ryker frowned. "He could have been on his way back up?"

"But he left his cell on the coffee table. Would he come down to get it and then forget it and go back up again?" Archer shook his head. "Highly unlikely."

"Maybe he came down for something else?" Rush suggested.

Archer went up the stairs carefully, avoiding where the crime scene crew had done their work. At the top, he studied the landing. "If I were going to kill him, I would do it here."

Rush and Ryker came up behind him.

"Make it seem like an accident," Rush supplied.

Archer nodded. "I would stand over there." He pointed to the corner of the landing that would be in shadow at night. He moved over and crouched down.

There was a hair on the marble. Longish. Blond.

Now that was interesting.

His cell went off. He glanced at the screen. Flynn. He straightened to his full height. "What is it?"

Flynn said, "Josh Kent just arrived at Ms. Wellington's building. Tatum's mother's assistant."

"Understood." Archer ended the call. What did Josh want with Tatum? Bunny had probably sent him. Tatum wouldn't be happy. It was time to go.

He turned to Ryker. "Get the autopsy report when it's completed and let me know as soon as they rule it a homicide. That will make the news, and we need to be prepared for the questions that follow from our members."

"Will do," Ryker said, following his boss back down the staircase. The three men exited the condo and minutes later hit the street.

Archer turned to Rush. "Check in with Cash and see how he's doing with the camera project. I have no doubt Davis and Fisher will be raising it again shortly. It's not going to go away."

"Got it," Rush said, pulling open the door to the SUV. "Are you coming back with us?"

Archer shook his head. "No. I have somewhere I need to be." He turned on his heel and headed down the sidewalk toward Tatum's apartment.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

"Sorry. The door was open. I knocked," Josh said with a smile that didn’t reach his eyes.

She glared at him. She’d left her door open? Had she not locked it? She'd been so stunned by the state of the apartment when she came in, so distracted. Was it possible she'd simply not locked it behind her? She always locked the door. Didn't she? Dammit, Tatum. She couldn't afford to be careless, not now.

She bent down and started picking up the pieces of her mug. Joshua walked into the kitchen and grabbed paper towels to help her.

"What are you doing here, Joshua? What do you need?"

"Your mother asked me to stop by."

"Why?"

"She said she's tried to reach you, but you haven't answered your phone."

That was so like Bunny; not quite worried enough to check herself. Easier to just send a subordinate.