"I've got a condo in the Nautilus just down the hall from Eden.”
"Can anyone verify your whereabouts?"
She exhaled and gave me an annoyed look. "I was doing a livestream. I’ve got about 100,000 people who can verify my whereabouts. Feel free to check the replay if you like."
She told me she'd send a private link to the livestream. I wouldn’t have to be a subscriber to see it. "Who knows? You might become a fan," she said with a flirty glint in her eyes.
Lacey was easy to look at. There was no doubt about it.
“What do you know about the gun?”
She shrugged. “I didn’t know she had one.”
I thanked her for the info and told her I'd be in touch if I had any additional questions. JD and I transferred back to the sailboat and caught the sheriff up to speed.
Brenda and her crew bagged the body, and we transferred the remains aboard the sheriff's patrol boat. JD and I stayed aboard the sailboat and navigated it back to the Sheriff's Department. It would remain in the property department as evidence now.
We sat in the cockpit, enjoying the morning as the wind swirled. The sun sparkled the water as the boat cut through the swells.
"What do you make of this one?" JD asked.
I shrugged and said, "I think we need to find Ethan Rexrode.”
Back at the station, we filled out after-action reports, then set out to find Eden’s parents. I was not looking forward to breaking the news.
6
Lisa Scott answered the door to the Stingray Bay mansion when we rang the bell. In her late 20s, she was gorgeous with wavy chocolate hair that kissed her shoulders. Tawny eyes, smooth skin, high cheekbones, and full lips. She looked expensive, from the jewelry to the dress. The two Ferraris in the driveway told me the Scotts had refined taste. Richard Scott wasn't a billionaire, but he had done well for himself. With a massive following on social media and generous donations pouring in, he wasn't hurting for cash.
I flashed my badge and made introductions. "I’m afraid I’ve got some bad news."
I tried to put it as gently as possible, but there was no easy way to say this kind of thing.
Lisa's jaw dropped, and her eyes rounded when I told her. She blinked a few times, then stammered, "I'm sorry, did you just say she's dead?”
"Yes, ma'am. We're very sorry for your loss.”
"But I just talked to her a few days ago. How did this happen?”
"I can't go into detail at this time. When you spoke, what did you talk about?”
"What I always talk about when I speak with her." Lisa frowned. "I tried to get her to see that her lifestyle was not doing her any favors. As you can imagine, she was not interested in listening to what I had to say.”
Lisa wasn’t much older than Eden. I’m sure it had been a bone of contention.
"What prompted the conversation?” I asked.
"I don't recall. I think she was looking for Richard. She couldn't get in touch with him. She called me."
"Did she ever express any suicidal thoughts or behavior?"
Lisa looked surprised. "So she killed herself?"
"The medical examiner hasn’t made a determination yet.”
Lisa frowned and shook her head. "I warned her. Her choices came with a toll. It was a heavy burden to bear. It's like a sore that festers and gets infected. You can't turn to sin and not pay the price.”
Lisa didn't seem to have a lot of empathy. I figured their relationship was a contentious one at best. I asked her about it.
