The Silence (Columbia River #2)(61)

“No cash withdrawals of more than sixty dollars in the last six months.”

“The ATF robbery was only a couple months ago.” Mason tried to think of other ways Kaden could have purchased the weapons. “Maybe he traded something for them. He would have paid way more than sixty dollars for those five guns.”

“Maybe they weren’t his weapons,” Nora said quietly.

“Maybe they were Reuben’s . . . Maybe he stole them from Reuben . . . Could he have gone in the house after Reuben was killed and taken the weapons?”

“I don’t think the window between Reuben’s death and the arrival of the local police was long enough. There’s a good chance Gillian scared off the killer when she banged on the back door.”

“That’s right.” An icy thought occurred to him. “Would Tony kill his own son?” he asked quietly.

Nora was silent for a long moment. “We’ve seen it happen.”

An image of Jake roughhousing with Bingo popped in his head. I could never . . .

“Where do you want to start?” Nora asked.

“I think we need to go back to the beginning. Reuben Braswell’s home.” Mason had a sinking feeling he’d missed something very important. “Then cross the street to the Schroeders’. Tell the lab to compare Tony Schroeder’s prints to ones found in Reuben’s home.”

Nora nodded as she tapped out an email on her phone. “How’s Ava holding up?”

“She’s getting by. We’ll definitely be ready for a couple weeks in Italy after the wedding.”

“I’m still jealous.” Nora had seen their plans to visit Florence, Capri, and Positano. “I’m sorry about the death of her father.”

“It was a shock. A confusing event for her to process.” Mason knew Ava still hadn’t forgiven herself for not getting to know her father better.

“Ready to go?”

Mason stood and put on his hat.



Ava sighed as she eyed the unknown caller message on her screen. She never ignored the anonymous calls but always wanted to. She set her coffee cup in the kitchen sink and answered.

“Agent McLane.”

“Ava?”

She caught her breath. “Jayne?” She’s alive. “Where in the hell are you?”

“I don’t know.” Her sister sobbed as the connection cut in and out.

Every cell in Ava’s body focused on the call. “What’s wrong?”

“It’s so awful! I didn’t mean for this to happen,” her sister wailed.

Ava pressed her cell tight to her ear as if that would improve the phone call’s poor quality. “Where are you?” she repeated. “Are you safe?”

How many times have I promised myself to not get caught up in her problems?

Hang up.

She’s pregnant.

“I don’t know,” Jayne moaned between sobs. “He wouldn’t let me see when we drove here, and now I don’t know what to do!”

“Who? Who’s with you?”

“Quiet!” Jayne whispered loudly. Rustling sounded, as if Jayne was placing the phone under something.

Anger tightened Ava’s grip on her cell. It was so typical. Jayne would call with a horrible emergency, begging for Ava’s help, and then it would turn out to be nothing.

Hang up.

I don’t need this right now.

“He’s back,” Jayne whispered between wet gasps. “I need to go.”

“Who is back?” If she doesn’t give me a clear answer, I am done.

“You’ve got to help me, Ava.” Jayne was barely audible. “He killed David.”

Ava couldn’t breathe.

Did she say . . .

“He’ll kill me next if I don’t do what he says.”

“Who?”

Jayne didn’t answer, and Ava looked at her screen. The call had ended.

Icy shock raced through her.

He’ll kill Jayne?

Jayne knows who murdered David?

Her hands shook as she called Zander. She needed to see Jayne’s motel video again.

It has to be the man in the video.





24

Ava watched as Zander slowed down the video when the man came into view at the motel. They sat at her kitchen table, intently focused on Zander’s laptop. He’d arrived fifteen minutes after she’d called, deep concern on his face.

Their original morning plan had been to return to the church where the weapon had been found and talk to Pat Arthur again, but Jayne’s call had delayed that.

“We need to send this to the Clatsop County sheriff,” Zander said, his gaze glued to the screen. “Maybe they’ll recognize this guy.”

“From his back?”

“Worth a try.”

“They’ve gotten nowhere on my father’s murder,” Ava said. “The lead detective has emailed me status updates, and from the looks of things, they’re being thorough, but nothing is panning out.”

“Maybe the video will help.”

Ava stared at the screen. It gave a clear shot of Jayne’s pregnancy bulge. “She didn’t say anything about being pregnant when she called.”

“Sounds like she didn’t have time.”