When She Dreams（Burning Cove #6）(74)

“Just making an observation.”

“Liar. But your observation is interesting.”

“Because it confirms your theory?” Maggie asked.

“No, because it makes me think the killer didn’t have time to do a lot of planning. A pistol would make too much noise, especially in the middle of the night. It would have awakened the three dream guides in their quarters. The hammer was probably convenient, and it was guaranteed to be a lot more quiet than a gun.”

“There must be a lot of tools stored here on the grounds of the Institute,” Maggie said. “A place this big and this old is in need of constant minor repairs.”

“There’s a toolshed behind the hotel, too,” Sam said. “Tools are expensive. Both sheds are probably locked at night. If the hammer that was used on Oxlade came from either of them—”

“It would indicate that whoever murdered Oxlade knows his way around the Institute and the hotel,” Maggie said.

“Right. Brandon will figure that out, just as we did.” Sam stopped talking because the detective was coming toward them. “Listen to me, Maggie. You will not volunteer your personal connection to Oxlade, and above all you will not tell Brandon you think the doctor once tried to poison you.”

“But—”

“If you breathe a word about how much you loathed Oxlade and why, you will go straight to the top of Brandon’s list of suspects.”

Startled, Maggie stared at him. “But I thought we agreed he’ll be looking for a male suspect.”

“Oxlade was a well-known figure in the world of dream research. His death is going to be big news, especially given the violence involved and the fact that it happened here at the Institute. That means Brandon will be under a lot of pressure to make an arrest. We don’t want to give him an excuse to put you in jail.”

“Okay, I get it,” Maggie said.

“Also, it wouldn’t look good for Sage Investigations if the firm’s first client gets arrested for murder. I’d be lucky to even get divorce work after that kind of press.”

Maggie sniffed. “Nice to know you’re putting your client’s interests first.”

“Don’t mention the Jennaway case, either. I’ll handle that.”

Brandon stopped in front of them. He nodded at Maggie and touched the brim of his beat-up fedora. “Miss Lodge.”

“Detective,” she said. “Sam told me the scene inside the villa is ghastly. I’m so sorry both of you had to see the body.”

Brandon went blank for a beat, evidently at a loss to figure out what to do with her sympathy.

He grunted. “Part of the job.”

“I understand,” she said gently. “But it must make for some terrible dreams.”

“Uh.” Brandon pulled himself together. “Everyone has bad dreams sometimes.”

“Yes,” Maggie said. “But there are ways—”

Sam shot her a stern look. She got the message and stopped talking. He turned to Brandon.

“Find anything useful besides the hammer?” he said.

“Nothing yet.” Brandon shoved his hat back on his head. “No decent prints in the blood. The killer used a towel to wipe down the floor.”

“There will be plenty of blood on the clothes of whoever used that hammer,” Sam said.

“Yeah, hard to get rid of a lot of bloodstained clothes,” Brandon agreed. He glanced at the Guilfoyles. “Theoretically I should eliminate those two as suspects. If you’re right about the drug connection, it looks like they just lost the goose that was supposed to lay the golden eggs for them here at the Institute.”

“I wouldn’t be too quick to cross them off the list,” Sam said. “Maggie witnessed a quarrel between Oxlade and Guilfoyle last night right after Guilfoyle gave a dream reading. Oxlade announced he was ending their business arrangement and stormed out.”

“Interesting,” Brandon said. He looked at Maggie. “You saw the two argue?”

“Yes,” she said. “Mr. Guilfoyle and I chatted for a few minutes after the reading. I more or less accused him of being a fraud, and he admitted it. Oxlade was backstage at the time and overheard the conversation. He was furious.”

“That explains the suitcases in the living room,” Brandon said. “So Oxlade was trying to leave town, and someone made sure he didn’t. Gotta say, that’s a relief.”

“Why?” Maggie asked.

Brandon exhaled a deep, weary sigh. “Points to a motive, which means I’m looking for a human suspect.”

Sam raised his brows. “Was there ever any doubt?”

“No, but my men tell me someone is spreading rumors about a psychic assassin who murders people in their dreams.”

“It should be obvious Oxlade was not murdered by supernatural forces,” Sam said.

“Sure,” Brandon said. “A ghost or a spirit wouldn’t need a hammer. But we both know that little fact won’t stop the rumors or the headlines.”

“True,” Maggie said.

“My men are checking to see if the hammer came from the toolshed here at the Institute or the one at the hotel,” Brandon said. “If that’s the case it would be a useful lead. The officers are looking for the bloody clothes, too.”