Page 21 of Maverick Detective Dad
River cursed again, but he didn’t get a chance to add anything else because of the sound of a car approaching. With River’s attention on the window, Noah checked his phone. He’d silenced it before coming in for the interview, but he saw Theo’s text on-screen.
Someone’s coming, Theo had messaged.Can’t see who yet.
Noah went on full alert. He stood, getting Everly to her feet so he could put her behind him. River got up as well, went to the window and muttered something under his breath that Noah didn’t catch.
“It’s Megan,” River relayed to him.
Megan might have that airtight alibi for her mother’s murder, but that didn’t mean she hadn’t brought the killer with her. Or that she wasn’t there to assist River in trying to murder Everly and him.
Noah and Everly waited inside while River went onto the porch, but Noah watched through the window. Megan came to a fast stop behind the cruiser, and without looking inside, she hurried toward River. Her hands were empty; she wasn’t even carrying a purse, and her face was red as if she’d been crying. The moment she reached River, she threw herself into his arms.
“Daisy’s dead,” Megan sobbed out. “Somebody killed her.”
Noah continued to watch, noting River’s and Megan’s reactions. Megan’s shock and grief seemed like the real deal.Seemed.Over the years, Noah had learned that people were often very good at putting up facades.
River’s response wasn’t tears, grief or even shock, but he did go visibly stiff. Maybe because he was genuinely surprised at the news or because he wanted them to think he was surprised.
“Is Detective Ryland here?” Megan asked.
River nodded, slipped his arm around Megan’s waist and led her inside. Megan’s teary gaze went straight to Noah.
“Why didn’t you stop this?” Megan demanded. “Why did you let that monster murder Daisy?”
Noah had already steeled himself up for the accusation. “I’m here to try to stop anyone else from being murdered. If you want that, too, then you’ll cooperate. You, as well,” he added to River. “And you’ll tell us everything about the Peace Seekers.”
The fresh shock went through Megan’s eyes. “You think River and I could be targets?”
Noah went with the honest answer. “You could be. Anyone who could know the killer’s identity could be.” He slid his cop’s gaze from Megan to River. If River was the vigilante, that might stop him from murdering Megan. “Tell us everything about the group,” he repeated.
Megan wiped her eyes, made a choked sob. “Bobby Marshall. That’s the name of the red card member you were asking about. I didn’t remember his last name until this morning, but then I recalled him telling Daisy that was his name when they were exchanging contact information.”
“Bobby Marshall,” Everly repeated, and she took out her phone no doubt to start a search on him.
“Was that common for Daisy to exchange contact info with group members?” Noah asked.
River and Megan looked at each other, shook their heads. “It sounded though as if Bobby was trying to set up private counseling sessions with her.”
That would have given the man access to Daisy, and it would explain why her phone and laptop had been taken. Then again, River would have had access to Daisy as well. If he’d shown up at her apartment, Daisy likely would have let him in.
“That’s why you asked me where I was early yesterday morning,” River muttered. “You wanted to know if I had an alibi for Daisy’s murder. I don’t,” he added with a groan. “But I wouldn’t kill her. She was trying to help us.”
True, but for a killer covering his tracks, Daisy would have been a huge liability.
“What are you going to do to keep us safe?” Megan demanded, drawing Noah’s attention back to her.
“Do you want police protection?” Noah asked her, glancing at River to let him know the offer applied to him as well.
All in all, it was a good offer, and Noah watched to see their reaction. Megan quickly nodded, but River’s forehead bunched up. Either giving that some thought or trying to figure out how to decline it and not look guilty as hell.
“I don’t want cops watching my every move,” River finally said. “But I’ll lock up at night and watch my back.”
And that response put River at the very top of his list of suspects. Of course, Noah didn’t have enough to arrest him, but he should be able to convince a judge to get them a search warrant to go through River’s house and vehicle. Slashes to the femoral artery would have created a lot of blood loss and spatter. A careful killer would have made sure he didn’t bring any of that spatter home with him, but maybe River had gotten sloppy.
“Have either of you recently received any packages you weren’t expecting?” Noah asked them.
“No,” Megan said. “What kind of packages?”
Noah had no intention of spilling that. “Just something you hadn’t expected,” he confined himself to saying.
