“It’s nothing really. I promised Dylan I wouldn’t overstep on this investigation. If he can’t go there, neither can I.”
Mackenzie’s assessing expression worried Drew. “Please don’t claim sister privilege again.”
“Sorry,” Teagan said. “I have to. So if you don’t have anything else from Nick, I need to talk to Dylan. Alone.”
Mackenzie continued to stare at them for an uncomfortable moment, then she grabbed the jacket she’d hung on the back of a chair and pulled out a packet of papers. “His official report with the address.”
“Thanks.” Teagan took it. “One more promise.”
“What?” Mackenzie’s tone had turned testy.
“Don’t go near this property.” Teagan locked gazes with her sister. “You could ruin things, and as we said, lives are at stake here.”
11
Shock of all shocks, Drew had gotten the warrant for Smiley’s property that morning. He shoved it in his pocket as he climbed out of his vehicle, while the sun crept over the trees at the back of the property. Teagan parked next to him and stepped out of her car too. Drew hadn’t expected Harris to agree to the warrant request, but she’d wanted to conclude the investigation on a win. The more wins she had in her column, the more likely she would get promoted up the ranks, the thing that drove her to be an overachiever.
She had a judge she knew who would see what they needed him to see. Not an unusual thing. Most law enforcement supervisors had favorite or go-to judges. With this one, Harris had emphasized the UC details and Rossi’s statement that Drew had directly overheard.
Could come back to bite them now that the warrant was granted. A lawyer could try to argue that the business was closed when Drew and Teagan overheard Rossi. Rossi had expected privacy and would make the overheard comment inadmissible. But then this was where the judge they chose that leaned in law enforcement’s direction was utilized. Also, since they believed Smiley to be deceased, who except the Contis or Rossi would bring in a lawyer? If Smiley had indeed been murdered, those guys wouldn’t want to connect themselves to potential murder charges being brought against them.
Drew slipped into his vest from the back of his vehicle and secured the Velcro. Teagan had already put hers on under a rain jacket. A light mist fell, and Drew clamped a ball cap over his head to ward off the rain and hopefully keep anyone from his UC world from recognizing him should they show up. Rain or not, he would let nothing irritate him when he might have the best lead of his investigation on this desolate property. He slipped into his worn leather jacket, tugged on the zipper, and looked at Teagan.
She tugged her jacket closed and pulled up her hood, not noticing his study of her. She looked straight ahead at the double-wide trailer with tall grasses and vines growing over dented and rusty sides.
She gave Drew a quick look before turning back to the property. “Place isn’t in great shape, but then I didn’t expect it would be. Especially after seeing the satellite pictures in Nick’s report.”
“He’s a great resource,” Drew said. “Nice to have a guy with his skills on the right side of the law.”
“Agreed.” She tugged the front of her hood lower. “I’ve seen and heard about him finding things many others have failed to locate. I’d hate to be on the wrong side of him.”
Drew nodded his agreement. “I don’t expect to find anything inside, but let’s start there while we wait for your forensic anthropologist to arrive with her GPR equipment.”
Drew was banking on the forensic anthropologist, Kelsey Dunbar, from the Veritas Center and her ground penetrating radar to locate Smiley’s remains.
Teagan started tromping over dried knee-high grass, mowing it down with her tactical boots that she’d paired with khaki tactical pants. He’d seen all sides of her now. Her corporate side, her casual side, and today, the law enforcement side. He didn’t know her well enough to know which he liked best, but he could see this woman tossing on his baseball cap and hanging with him and the guys.
She looked over her shoulder at him. “Actually, Kelsey first uses a drone to find bodies.”
He caught up to her. “You’re serious? She uses a drone.”
“Don’t ask me how it works. Kelsey can explain when she gets here.” Teagan marched straight for the door and pounded on it.
Drew lifted his jacket and clamped a hand on his sidearm as did Teagan. He doubted anyone would answer, but things could go sideways in a flash, and he always believed in being prepared.
She counted under her breath, her voice cool and calm, but he spotted the tension in her shoulders. The woman in front of him was not the woman he’d seen with her family yesterday. And what a family. He already liked them and hated lying to them through the rest of dinner.
She reached the count of fifty and glanced back at him. “We go in.”
“Roger that,” he said and wished he’d arrived first to breach the door.
He admired women in law enforcement and considered them equals, but losing his father at such a young age had made him overly protective of his mother, and that translated to other women. He didn’t want to see another woman ever go through the pain his mom had experienced.
And yet wives of male law enforcement officers lived with that risk every day. Which was why he would never marry. Never let a woman nearly suffer a breakdown over his loss like his mother experienced at the death of his father.
Teagan got out her Maglite, as did he, the beam shining bright in their paths. She wrenched the door open, the metal groaning as if giving up its life. She drew her weapon.
“Police!” She charged inside.
