“Yes. He came down last night for a few days of rest after the blow to his head. I heard him go out last night about ten, and I spotted him through the window, in the yard.”
So he was still roaming around.
Why?
“Can you think of any reason he’d be leaving the house at that hour?”
“No, and I’ve racked my brain trying to come up with a plausible explanation. But cameras won’t be necessary now that I know who’s roaming around the property. I’ll straighten this out with him when he gets back.”
Not the safest plan if homicide was in the picture. The sort of questioning Natalie had in mind should be handled by law enforcement.
Brad pulled out his keys. “May I ask a favor? I have some questions I want to ask him on another subject. If he comes back before I get there, I’d appreciate it if you didn’t say anything about your concerns. I can bring up his nighttime activity during our conversation.”
“I don’t know, Brad.” Worry scored her voice. “He may be upset with me ifyoubroach it. He could think I’ve been telling tales out of school. He’s such a good boy, and he’s been very kind to me. I don’t want him to think I’ve been going behind his back, or that I don’t trust him.”
If Boyer was as guilty as Brad was beginning to believe, he wasn’t worthy of trust—or all the kindness Natalie had shown him.
And if he’d killed Micah, he was also dangerous. Anyone who got in his way or threatened to expose him would be at grave risk.
Including the cousin who doted on him.
Cornered people, like trapped animals, could lash out with little regard for consequences.
He signaled to Larry, tension bunching in his shoulders ashe spoke into the phone again. “Natalie, I understand your concern. Protecting those we care about is admirable. But I have information indicating Steven may also know more about Micah’s death than he’s told us. I’d like to talk to him about that before you ask him about his evening activities. I know you want justice served on behalf of Micah as much as I do.”
“Of course. But what could Steven know about that?” She sounded baffled.
“I’ll explain when I get there.” After he talked to her cousin. “Why don’t you wait for me in your room? That way, if Steven comes back, you won’t have to engage with him until after he and I connect.”
A few beats passed.
“Very well. I’ll trust your judgment on this.”
“Thank you. Expect me in less than twenty minutes. Where’s Cara?”
“She went back to the cottage.”
Good. She should be safe there.
“Sit tight until I arrive.” He ended the call and spoke to Larry, who’d walked over to join him. “How much longer do you think you’ll be here?”
“Half an hour, tops. I want to poke around behind the barn, see if the guilty parties left us anything to work with. There had to be two of them, minimum. Stealing a five-hundred-pound generator worth thousands of dollars isn’t a one-person job.”
“I hear you. I’m going over to Natalie Boyer’s place. I have a lead on the Micah Reeves case and her trespasser. After you’re done here, check in with me. I may want to bring in backup, depending on what I find.”
“Will do.”
Brad pulled out his keys, slid behind the wheel of his cruiser, and pressed hard on the accelerator once he cleared the end of the dirt drive at the farm.
It was possible Natalie was right. There could be a simple explanation for Steven’s actions.
But every instinct he’d honed through thirteen years of police work wasn’t buying that.
In fact, as he barreled down the rural roads that wound among the wooded hillsides, one word kept strobing through his mind.
Guilty.
IT HAD TOBE HERE.
