“Exactly,” Joel said. “We’re ruling out half the people in the house without even considering them.”
“But the women stayed inside while the guys went out to check the sheds,” Jayce said.
Guest room doors started opening and shutting, footsteps tracking down the hall.
“They’re coming,” Jayce said. “One more thing...”
“Yeah?” Joel shifted.
“Someone has been watching you.”
“That’s a given.”
“No, I mean there are footprints at most of the windows. Some are big, but some are small. A woman’s size seven if I had to guess.”
Cassie widened her eyes. Was he suggesting a woman was involved? That would ... That didn’t seem right. The messages all had a manly vibe to them. Maybe she was wrong. Wrong about it all, but ... Or maybe he had a helper?
Seventeen
BANG. BANG. BANG.“Joel? Enough. Come out, and let us know what’s going on,” Heath called.
Joel looked back. “Jayce, stay in here with the door locked. Don’t let anyone in or out.”
“Me?”
“You’re the other cop here. Or soon to be. Do you have someone else in mind?”
“No. I just...”
“Wanted to be in the action. I get it. But someone has to protect Brady’s body.”
Good. Cassie sighed. He couldn’t limit their friend to the wordevidenceyet either. Maybe they never should.
Joel opened the door and pushed his way out, pulling Cassie by the hand behind him, and Izzy behind her.
Heath tried to shove his way in, but Iz blocked the door until Jayce got it shut and locked behind them.
Letting out an expletive, Heath shoved into Joel.
“Hey!” Joel roared, shoving off Heath’s chest. “Back off.”
Cassie held still beside Izzy. One of them was going to give the other dominance. It had to be asserted from the start, and Joel couldn’t afford to back down. Would Heath?
“What is going on?” Heath remained in Joel’s face.
“I said,” Joel bit out, his voice dead calm, “back off.”
“Fine, man.” Heath took a step back and readjusted his askew coat.
Cassie would have bit back a smile if a roller coaster of emotions hadn’t hijacked her. Fear, love, grief, terror. Was there a ride she hadn’t been on in the last fifteen hours?
“Just tell us what’s going on, please,” Scott said.
“Brady had an accident.”
“That’s what Iz and Jayce said, but...” Scott cut himself off as he caught Joel’s stare and understanding dawned in his brown eyes.
“Is he going to be okay?” Mia asked.
