“But it’s fun there.”
Amanda laughed, and it caused Trent to look over at her and shake his head. Was that the hint of a smile, or a scowl?Whatever…
“I’m getting off work for the night, miracle of miracles, and was wondering if I should come over,” Carter said.
Amanda had told Carter that Zoe was at her grandparents’this week. “I’d love that except that Detective Stenson and I picked up a new case today. We’ll be at this for hours yet.”
“Oh, that’s never good. It means someone’s dead.”
“Murdered, to be more precise.”
“I have faith you’ll bring the victim justice.”
She appreciated his confidence in her abilities, but this one cut so close to home. Their relationship hadn’t yet developed strong enough roots for her to share that much. Instead, she responded with, “Well, that’s always the plan.”
“You’ll do it. I know you’re a night owl, so if you get in late and want some company, just call me.”
“Will do.” She ended the call and found Trent watching her, his phone away and a smile resting on his lips.
“What?” she asked him.
“Nothing at all.” He pointed at the container on her lap. “I can take it to the garbage with mine.”
“Nah, I’ll do it. You bring up the background on this Melanie and get us an address.”
Amanda took their garbage to the closest trash can, thankful for a few seconds of fresh air. Even if that air was heavy with heat and humidity, it was preferable to being stuffed in a tight space with Trent right now. She didn’t want to field his questions about how her relationship with the doctor was going. It was awkward enough that Trent knew Carter, the two of them meeting during a previous investigation. It was also when Amanda and Carter met each other.
She came back to the car and dropped into the passenger seat, sucking in the cool air coming from the vent. “So what have we got?”
“Melanie and Kent Schaefer, both in their late forties. No criminal record. On paper, they look clean. She doesn’t have a job, but he’s a chiropractor. Good-looking couple.” Trent switched screens to show their photos from their driver’s licenses.
“Sure, but if he’s the only one who works, how could they afford the house on Charmed Court?”
“I’d say that’s a question we need to ask. Their address is just a few streets over. Buckle up, and I’ll get us there.”
Amanda was ringing the Schaefers’ doorbell at five forty-five. The heat still hadn’t let up, and any advisories to stay indoors were being ignored. The excited screams and laughter of young children rang through the neighborhood. Amanda was propelled back in time to when she was a kid during summer break. Every waking hour, she was running under a sprinkler, splashing in a friend’s swimming pool, or sliding down a slip and slide. That was until she developed and that experience became painful.
The smell of barbecued meat had Trent sniffing the air like a hound dog.
“One would think you didn’t just eat,” she said to him.
“Well, you can’t say it doesn’t smell heavenly.”
The door opened, and the woman in the license photo stood there. Amanda held up her badge, as did Trent.
“Melanie Schaefer?” Amanda asked her.
“Yes.” She was leery and appeared to strengthen her grip on the edge of the door.
“Detectives Steele and Stenson. We’d like to speak with you and your husband about Christine Lane.”
Melanie let go of the door and backed up.
“Is your husband home?” Trent asked her.
The woman nodded and went deeper into the house, leaving them in the entry. “I’ll go get him.”
The house was modest, something one would expect to be the home of a chiropractor. Again, Amanda wondered how they could afford the house on Charmed Court.Though it was possible one of them came into an inheritance that allowed them to upgrade their living arrangements.
