Death and Her Devotion (Rogue Vows #1)(18)

“I hate that guy,” she said softly. “I’ve always hated him. Chase stuck with him because he got him his first big break, but that doesn’t make him pleasant to be around.”

“How was his relationship with Chase?” Stevie asked, pulling herself together. The agent’s audacity had stunned her into silence. Thankfully Zane had been able to find his voice.

“It was good as far as I know,” Jenny admitted. “Chase and I didn’t talk about him much. Aiden wanted to make Brandon public a few months ago. He said the network was talking about not renewing Chase’s show, and Aiden thought if we created some buzz around Chase, it might change their minds.”

“But his show is insanely popular!” Stevie was stunned.

“Sometimes that doesn’t matter. There are other factors that play into a show’s renewal.”

“I take it you refused to let Brandon be exposed?”

“Yes, neither Chase nor I wanted it.”

“How’d Aiden take it?”

“Like we’d destroyed Chase’s career and Aiden’s along with it. He’s a bit of a drama queen.”

“I noticed.” Should Aiden be on their suspect list? How could the murder of the famous TV star be of benefit to his agent? Her mind couldn’t see a logical answer. “Will Aiden benefit in some way from Chase’s death?” she asked Jenny.

The young woman frowned. “I don’t see how. There won’t be any future contracts for him to take his percentage from.”

“Right,” Stevie answered. “I just wondered if there was an angle I wasn’t aware of.”

“Oh. You’re wondering if Aiden should be a suspect.” Jenny nodded in understanding. “He’s slimy, but I don’t think he’d cut off that source of income. Something really big would have had to happen between the two of them for him to hurt Chase,” she said thoughtfully.

Stevie added asking Chase’s friends about Aiden to her mental to-do list. “Did you bring that receipt?”

Jenny dug in her bag and pulled out a slip of paper. Stevie studied it. It was a gas receipt from early yesterday morning in Portland. Jenny had gassed up before she headed south to Solitude.

“Thank you. Is it okay if I give you a copy and keep the original?”

Jenny nodded. “Anything to get that suspicious look out of your and Chief Duncan’s eyes every time one of you looks at me.”





CHAPTER SEVEN


Zane closed the door to his office, desperate for some quiet. Aiden Tierney was loud. Even when he wasn’t speaking, the man’s very presence projected his loud personality and an overload of energy. It was impossible to relax around him. Zane wondered what it was like to work in the same office as the agent. He sank into his chair with a sigh and closed his eyes for a few seconds.

Wedding.

Murder.

Mobs of people in his town.

When will it be over? The wedding was tomorrow. Was he doomed to spend his honeymoon searching for Chase’s killer? They had a Kauai hotel reservation starting Sunday.

Should I see if I can push out our reservation a week or two?

The thought of postponing his first vacation in over a year pissed him off. He’d been looking forward to getting away with his wife for months. Was it time to ask the Rogue County Sheriff’s Office for some extra manpower? He’d already sent evidence to its lab. Maybe he could ask for some more investigation support.

Can you guys find Chase Ryan’s killer while I lie on the beach with a mai tai?

His phone rang. “Duncan here.”

“Zane, it’s Hank. I just e-mailed you a prelim on the autopsy and thought I’d give you a quick call.”

Zane tucked the phone against his shoulder and opened his e-mail. Something in Hank’s voice had driven all thoughts of beaches and sunshine out of his head. “What’d you find?”

“Well, the primary reason I called is because the cause of death wasn’t that belt around Chase Ryan’s neck. It was a blow to his head.”

Zane wasn’t surprised. Hank had suggested at the scene that he didn’t think the COD would be the belt. “Any suggestions about what kind of weapon we’re looking for?”

“Something with a blunt tip. About a half inch wide by three inches long. It nailed him in the back of the head, lower down. Occipital lobe. Someone used a lot of force . . . it was deep.”

“How many times was he hit?”

“Just the one time. It was enough.”

“Could it be a hatchet or ax blade?” Zane asked, considering the types of tools available at a campsite.

“No arc to the depth of the break. He was hit with something with a flat end. I take it nothing like that was found at the scene?”

“No,” Zane said shortly. “I’ll check with everyone again, but there was nothing like that at the scene. Anything else?”

“His blood alcohol level was 0.24. His liver told me he likes to drink on a regular basis.”

“Any illegal substances?”

“A trace of marijuana. Not enough to affect his behavior. No other bruising or injuries. Someone smacked him in the back of his head and then cinched the belt around his neck. I don’t know why they would do that . . . maybe they weren’t certain he was dead.”