“I see.” He scooped up some red rice onto his fork. “And how did you make out on your journey?”
“Not very well, I’m afraid.” Stefanie sliced her knife into the Cha Gio. “Before I could make any headway at all with Jasmine—the one who gave me the flyer at the park—Kenneth Braison cut that short. He had a muscular man named Juan escort me off the premises. I don’t think it was something I said. Or maybe I didn’t say enough to be considered worthy of being a potential member of the Family.”
“It was likely neither of those,” Campbell told her frankly, forking up a piece of chicken. “I’m guessing that Braison, as the cult leader, is being extra cautious as to who he lets in, while having to look over his shoulder as we investigate the death of Mia O’Dell.”
Stefanie angled her face. “So, you still think he may have something to do with it?”
“I certainly can’t rule it out at this stage, even if theman can apparently account for his whereabouts when she died.” Campbell sat back, pensive. “Wouldn’t be the first time a Braison has been at the center of a mystery surrounding a woman found dead in Reston Hills Park on Founder’s Day.”
Stefanie sipped her wine thoughtfully and said, “Bella mentioned something to me about that. But she didn’t provide any details. Are you saying that Wendell Braison, Kenneth’s father, was suspected of killing another cult member?”
“Yeah,” Campbell said matter-of-factly. “Twenty years ago, a forty-one-year-old waitress and Braison Family member named Lynda Boxleitner was left in the nude at the park, after ingesting a lethal amount of a poison called thallium sulfate. Wendell Braison, who was thought to be romantically involved with Lynda—his initials, WB, were tattooed on her arm—was the chief suspect in her death. But it was never proven. The case has remained in limbo ever since. Though Braison has been dead himself for years now, this story has continued to haunt Reston Hills like a curse.”
Stefanie peered at him. “You seem to know a lot about the case…”
Campbell nodded while holding his wineglass. “My father, Mason Sawyer, was the lead detective in the investigation,” he told her. “He also happened to have been acquainted with the victim, having dated Lynda years earlier when they were both in high school.” Campbell tasted the wine. “Dad did everything he could to find out who killed her and why, but came up short. It was probably the one unsolved case that has stuck with him to this day.”
Stefanie took a breath. “If the Braison Family was behindboth deaths, do you think it could have been part of a generational ritual?” She had read about this type of thing with other cults and devil worshippers—often involving animals as sacrifices. Could they have taken it much further here, with humans being targeted as sacrificial lambs?
“The thought has crossed my mind,” Campbell answered. “But given the twenty years between the deaths, it’s more likely that they are linked either by kinship—making the killings personal in nature—or possibly a copycat killer emulating a decades-old murder to carry out another today. At this point, all options are on the table.”
“I expected as much,” Stefanie said, feeling she may have gotten carried away in her theorizing as a layperson. She dabbed a napkin at the corners of her mouth. She only wanted to see Mia’s death solved. If Campbell could solve his father’s case as well, then two birds could be killed with one stone, to both of their satisfactions. “Speaking of the table, are you ready for dessert? I made taro rice pudding.”
He grinned. “Yes, I’ve saved enough room in my stomach to take on your pudding. Have at it. I’ll help clear the table and refill the wineglasses.”
“Okay.” She was starting to like him more with each passing moment and wondered what else might be in store for them.
* * *
CAMPBELL HAD TOadmit that he could get used to having dinner and dessert with Stefanie in a hurry. Sure beat eating alone, as he’d been doing way too often since returning to Reston Hills. The fact that she was a greatcook made it that much more enjoyable. To say nothing of just how lovely she was to be around. He liked Stefanie’s finicky cat, too, as she’d seemed to take to him just as quickly.
They took their wine goblets with them while sitting on a blue chenille upholstered sofa in the living room.
“So, have you dated much since living in Reston Hills?” Campbell had to ask, even if for selfish reasons.
Stefanie tasted her wine. “Haven’t dated at all since moving here,” she admitted. “Too busy with other things and lack of interest, I guess.” She gazed at him. “Unless you call this a date?”
He didn’t hesitate to do just that. “I hope we can call this a date. I’d like that to be the case.”
She grinned. “So would I.”
“Then that’s that.” Campbell grinned back at her, seeing this as a positive step in getting to know one another.
Stefanie regarded him. “You mentioned having a failed relationship when you were living in Boise. What happened there?” she probed curiously.
Campbell considered this. He didn’t want to keep anything bottled up inside him that could take away from a readiness to move on. “Her name is Naomi Espelita,” he said levelly. “Naomi had a lot going for her, including a career as a successful classical musician. Unfortunately, we weren’t right for each other. Too little common ground and not enough willingness to meet each other halfway. I wish nothing but the best for her—just not with me.”
“Okay.” Stefanie let that sink in for a moment. “Do you ever want to get married—if the right person comes along? And have children?”
“Yes, to both,” Campbell answered without hesitation.“I’m a big believer in marriage, kids, the whole nine yards. If that right person comes along, I’m there—all the way…”
Her teeth shone. “Nice to know.”
“What about you?” Figured he might as well satisfy his own curiosity while they were at it. “Could you see yourself marrying again? And starting a family?”
Stefanie took a sip of wine and met his gaze squarely. “Yes, absolutely. I never asked to be a young widow—but it happened. If a second chance comes along to be a wife again and a mother, I would certainly take it and hope things would work out.”
“Okay.” Campbell nodded. He wanted to kiss her so badly in that moment but instead talked about what they enjoyed doing outside work. While he mentioned working out at the gym, traveling, reading and riding horses, her hobbies included swimming, watching reality television shows and surfing social media sites. They both liked to jog and hike.
