“Not at all,” Kenneth began, then added, “So long as you have a warrant. If not, then I do mind. This is private property, and we like to guard it like Fort Knox from any unreasonable intrusion. I’m sure you understand?”
Only too well, Campbell told himself. Braison was buying time for himself or others to cover any tracks that needed to be covered. That still didn’t mean someone there was directly responsible for what happened to Mia O’Dell. But the resistance certainly caused his suspicious meter to shoot up.
“I’m sure I’ll be back with the search warrant,” he told him warningly.
Kenneth ran a hand across his mouth and glared. “Do what you must.”
Campbell held his gaze. “I’ll show myself out.” He walked away and could feel all eyes on him as if he intended to break up their happy home. Only if there was good reason to. Like being responsible for one death. Or maybe two poisonous deaths crossing two long decades.
* * *
KENNETHBRAISON WATCHEDintently as Detective Campbell Sawyer left the compound. He seemed full of himself. Just like his father, Mason Sawyer, who had once gone after Kenneth’s own father, Wendell Braison. Decades ago, he had been accused of poisoning to death Lynda Boxleitner, a former member of the Braison Family. But the investigation had gone nowhere.
Though Kenneth had long suspected that his father had murdered Lynda—one of his then-lovers—after she had rebuffed his advances, he had denied this till his dying breath. Maybe he simply couldn’t bring himself to come clean, not even to his only flesh-and-blood relative. Or maybe his father had been innocent after all and someone else inside the Braison Family, or outside of it, had killed Lynda for whatever reason.
Now Kenneth felt it was like déjà vu. Only this time, Mason Sawyer’s son had all but accused him of killing Mia. Though they had slept together a few times, he had more action than he could handle and had no wish to end her life. Nor did he believe any other Family member would dare to do something without his permission that would damage its reputation. Much less, put themunder the microscope again in a criminal investigation of that magnitude.
But then, even with his powerful position as the undisputed leader of the Braison Family, did that truly mean that someone hadn’t decided to supply Mia with a life-ending drug? And if so, had her death been accidental? Or was there a reason why someone would have wanted her dead?
He headed to his residence for a moment or two of further contemplation, knowing he would need to gather everyone to share the unfortunate news of the unexpected passing of one of their own.
Chapter Four
Campbell was only too happy to invite Stefanie Nguyen for coffee at Harriette’s Café after she called him for an update on the investigation. He would have preferred that she was calling with anything she may have remembered or learned regarding the death of Mia O’Dell. But if truth be told, he was willing to meet Stefanie under any circumstances to get to know her better.
Fortunately, she accepted his invitation. A good sign, perhaps. The fact that it happened to be an off day for Sarah Huffstetler was even better. Though Stefanie had absolutely nothing to worry about insofar as his being interested in Sarah, beyond their one date, he’d just as soon not have her serving them and suggesting there was something between them for Stefanie to chew on.
When she came into the café, he waved her over to the booth by the window, thinking that she was definitely a sight for sore eyes.
Standing, he grinned in greeting her. “Hey.”
“Hi.” Stefanie smiled back.
“Thanks for coming.”
“No problem, Detective Sawyer,” she said politely. “I had some free time, so…”
“Sit,” Campbell told her, and watched as she slid intoone side of the booth, then he sat across from her. “Feel free to call me Campbell,” he said, not wanting this to be formal, like an interrogation.
“Okay.” She smiled. “So long as you call me Stefanie.”
“I will.” He smiled back, hoping he would get to use the name often.
Almost as if on cue, a short fortysomething waitress with a red shag haircut and round glasses came over with a pot of coffee, filling the two cups at their request.
After she left, Stefanie lifted her cup, took a sip and cut right to the chase, “So, where do things stand in the investigation—if I may ask? Did you find out who the woman is…?”
Campbell tasted his own coffee, having added cream, and responded, knowing it was all about to break, “Her name is Mia O’Dell. She was a local and twenty-eight. An autopsy revealed that she died as a result of fentanyl poisoning.”
Stefanie’s mouth opened, rueful. “That’s awful.”
“I know,” he concurred. “Unfortunately, the drug epidemic in this country is very real. Even in a small town like Reston Hills, fentanyl use and abuse is a problem. In this case, the victim’s fatal overdose, who gave her the fentanyl and how she wound up naked in the park are still under investigation.” He didn’t want to get too ahead of himself, but he felt that Stefanie, having discovered the body, deserved to be kept in the loop, at least to some extent. “Mia was a member of a local cult when she died…”
Stefanie lifted a brow. “You mean the Braison Family?”
Campbell looked at her with surprise. “You know about them?”
“Only what I’ve heard, which hasn’t been much, really,”she replied. “At the park yesterday, a member handed me a flyer while doing her best to prop up the group.” She met his eyes. “You think they may have had something to do with her death?”
