“Boverman,” he replied.
“That man. I’m going to report him for harassment.”
“He’s not alone this time.”
“Not alone? Edi?” Brooke asked, wincing as she stood.
Tyler moved to the door. Cool air rushed in as he opened it.
“Deputy Boverman.”
“Gillis.” Adam’s expression was flat, professional in a way that annoyed him. “We need to talk to you.”
“About what?”
“Can we come in?”
Tyler looked back at Brooke. Her face was pale, and her hands were clasped together. “Why are you here, Adam?” she asked.
“Brooke.” He nodded. “You should be resting.”
“I was. Until you showed up.”
Boverman looked back at Tyler. “I asked if we could come in.”
Tyler stepped aside, his heart pounding much too loudly. The three deputies entered, their boots heavy on Gina’s hardwood floor.
“What’s going on?” Brooke asked.
Adam’s eyes flicked to her, then back to Tyler. “There’s been another murder.”
The words hit hard. Tyler exhaled slowly, his chest tightening.
“What?” Brooke’s voice was small, barely more than a whisper.
“A woman was found this morning. There’s enough similarity to Sheila’s murder that we believe they’re connected.” Adam paused, his eyes locked on Tyler. “Another woman from Irma High School. Graduated the same year as Sheila. Her name was Monique Stanton.”
Tyler’s mind raced, scrambling through memories that felt fuzzy and distant.
“Monique?” Brooke repeated. “From the craft store?”
The craft store, the building kitty-corner from the auto shop. He and Brooke had been talking about her the other night. She was a friend of Sheila’s from high school.
“Edi said you knew her?” Adam asked.
Tyler lifted his hands, palms up. The gesture felt helpless. “It was a small school. Everyone kind of knew everyone.”
One of the other deputies spoke for the first time, his voice firm and official. “Deputy Reeves said Monique was one of the people Sheila mentioned. That you’d all go out together. Listen to music or whatever.”
“She might have,” Tyler said slowly. “She mentioned several names. Some I recognized, some I didn’t.”
“But you recognize the name Monique Stanton?”
“I guess. She went to school with us, but we weren’t friends. I haven’t talked to her in years.”
“Is that so?”
“Where is Edi?” Tyler asked, looking over Adam’s shoulder toward the patrol vehicles outside. The question came out sharper than he intended.
