Deadly Silence (Blood Brothers #1)(52)

It was a nice place. A three-story chandelier cast light all around them while a living room with a stunning view of the faraway mountains awaited.

Pentley was seated on a couch, wearing slippers, thick gray sweats, and a matching T-shirt, his hair mussed and scruff covering his jaw. He looked up and focused bloodshot eyes. “What the hell?”

Brock hurried around a leather chair to sit next to Pentley. “This is Ryker, our investigator. He’s the best, Jay. Finds leads where nobody else can, and he’s able to keep quiet when necessary. We need him on this.”

Ryker kept amusement off his face.

Jay absently rubbed the left side of his rib cage, which no doubt still smarted. “Not a chance.”

A man, around forty or so, sat in an overflowing leather chair beside Pentley’s, a blue ski jacket over his broad frame, a notebook in his hand. Shrewd brown eyes studied them all. He rubbed a hand through his thick brown hair. “Now that your lawyer, your paralegal, and your investigator are here, Mayor Pentley, you need to answer my questions.”

Pentley glared at Zara and then Ryker before turning to Brock. “I said no.”

Brock frowned. “Why not?”

Pentley opened his mouth and then shut it again, his gaze on the detective’s tapping pen. “I didn’t have anything to do with Julie’s death, and I won’t act like I did.”

“Yet you won’t talk to me without your attorney present,” the detective said quietly.

Jay clasped his hands together in his lap. “Because I’m not stupid.”

“That remains to be seen,” the detective replied.

Ryker fought a grin. The cop really didn’t like the mayor, now, did he? “In or out, Mayor? I will find out what happened to your wife.” Yeah, it may have sounded like a threat, but if Jay caught the undercurrent not to mess with Zara, it was worth it. Either way, Ryker was investigating the issue.

Pentley cut him a harsh look, obviously ready to tell his attorney everything about their skirmish. But if he did, he’d have to go into what a wife-beating scum he was, and, boy, would that make him look guilty. Finally, he snarled. “Fine. I’ll hire your little firm to investigate Julie’s death, but I’m telling you, I have no clue who would’ve wanted her dead.” He flashed his political smile. “Except for Zara here. I mean, Julie broke us up. Right, sweetheart?”

Irritation clawed through Ryker, and he lifted his chin.

The detective studied Zara. “Is that true?”

She rolled her eyes. “No. Jay and I briefly dated, and we broke up long before Julie ended up dating the egomaniac. Which, considering they’re in the middle of a contentious divorce, didn’t turn out very well.”

“Contentious?” the detective asked.

Brock shot Zara a hard look. “Julie was mentally unstable and addicted to drugs, and Jay was trying to get her help. It’s that simple.”

“Nothing is ever that simple,” the detective countered.

Brock turned his attention on the cop. “Detective Norton, I hope you keep your personal opinions to yourself and work this case with an open mind.”

Detective Norton lifted an eyebrow. “My mind is wide open. Now, where were you yesterday afternoon between noon and three, Mayor?”

Zara stiffened next to Ryker. He kept his gaze on the cop, but his mind ran through the day before. Exactly when had Zara visited Julie at the motel? Had Zara just missed the murderer? Time slowed down, and his system went on full alert. God, what if she had been there? His muscles involuntarily bunched like an attack dog’s. He forced himself not to look at her and to keep the concern off his face.

She dug a notepad out of her pocket and began taking notes, her hand visibly shaking, as she leaned against the wall. Her teeth bit into her lower lip.

As soon as he got her alone, he had to question her about her timeline. Had she left any evidence? Or had anybody seen her? The murder took on a personal hue. Panic coated his throat. For a second he felt powerless, and then his mind took over. In the worst-case scenario, he could get her out of town and to a safe place to live, but what about her grandmother, who was still on vacation?

Vans screeched to a stop outside.

Pentley craned his neck to look out the window next to the door. “The press is here.”

Ryker took a step back and out of the line of sight from the door. The absolute last thing he needed was to be caught in a photo or on video.

The detective cleared his throat. “Mayor? My question?”

Pentley placed both manicured hands on his sweats. “Yesterday during that time I was working in my office.” He jerked his head toward Brock. “In fact, I was on the phone with my attorney several times, because we were working on answering discovery requests for the divorce. I made several copies of insurance policies, land deeds, and vehicle titles to fax to Brock.”

The detective looked from Pentley to Brock and back. “Can anybody besides your attorney corroborate your alibi?”

Jay glanced at Ryker. “Not right now, but I’m sure my new private investigator will be able to round somebody up. Right, buddy?”

The detective narrowed his gaze and looked from the mayor to Ryker. “Do you two know each other?”

“No,” Ryker said easily, “but I’m about to know everything about the mayor.”

Jay’s lips tightened.