Jayden Roe Mystery 02-The Final Lie Lily Campbell (i read books txt) 📖

breath leave him in a gust as if Hector had just punched him, but forced the honest answer out. “Yes. Everything certainly seems to be pointing to that.”

“Then do me a favor, no, do her a favor. If you find her in time, let her go.”

“Am I meant to walk alone forever just because my job rubs some people the wrong way?”

Hector scowled, and Natalie finally piped in. “Your message said you needed forensic help?”

Jay turned to her. “Yes. I found something, or rather, it was left for me. I don’t know who handled the box besides myself. Chances are, it was quite a few people, but the bracelet inside should have only been handled by Stella and the person who took it from her.”

Hector’s complexion paled slightly behind his wife as Jay removed the antique box carefully from his backpack. It was already neatly packed inside another large handbag.

Natalie took the hand bag carefully, but didn’t even open it. She may appear nothing more than a small town forensic analyst to outsiders, but he knew she had stayed there by choice. She could have had a post as one of the leading forensic specialists in the country, but money and fame would never have been enough to take her from Hector’s side.

“Thank you.”

Hector’s eyes flashed up, and he smirked. “The great Jayden Roe is being humble. Alert the media.”

Dave chuckled under his breath, and Jay smiled for a moment before it faded. “I have asked a friend to keep an eye out for you guys, okay? Just in case whoever is trying to lead gets annoyed when I stop playing ball.”

The others all shifted uncomfortably at his words, and he half turned to Dave. “You can back out if you want. We’re right back here in your hometown after all.”

Dave raised his eyebrows, more in challenge than in surprise. “Not a chance, Jay. Do you think a bullet is enough to scare me away?”

Jay gave another smile and turned to the rest. “Take care of yourselves.”

“You too,” Hector said as Jay shouldered his pack once more and left.

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

Jay pulled into the hotel in Carthage and breathed out a silent sigh. Quite apart from the tiredness caused by a total of six hours behind the wheel, he was glad to be able to put a little distance between himself and Dave.

He glanced out of the corner of his eye as Dave also got out of the car and took in their surroundings. The start of the drive from Shreveport had begun with Dave launching almost immediately back to his ideas revolving around Ruby and Goldstein.

“She’s got a good knowledge of you,” Dave had said, ignoring Jay’s request to drop the subject. “And she’d obviously have a good reason for hating you.”

“I said enough, Dave. Ruby is not a suspect. She is not involved in this, end of story. So just drop it, okay?”

“No,” Dave had said stubbornly after a pause. “I can’t, because you won’t share or explain any of your reasons with me.”

“My reasons don’t need explaining. I know her. You don’t. I say she’s not mixed up in this, you trust me.”

“Or what? Leave?”

Jay had turned a cold glance on him, taking his eyes off the road for longer than was wise. “Yes.”

After that, the mood in the car had dissolved into a sullen, tense thing pushing between them. Jay drew in a deep breath, hoping things could turn around by morning.

“Let’s go,” Jay called, opening the trunk and pulling out both of their bags.

“Thanks,” Dave murmured, seeming unable to quite meet his eyes.

Jay sighed inwardly then rested a hand on Dave’s shoulder. “Listen, I understand where you are coming from, but this whole situation feels a step away from chaos. I need you to trust me. That line of investigation is already closed. You agreed to join me as my apprentice, remember? Well, sometimes that means following orders without having all the facts.”

Dave held his gaze for a long moment then nodded. “You’re right, but surely my actions since then have heightened my standing. Or am I never to draw level with you?”

Jay half smiled, a little surprised at the ambition. “Even then, I am the investigator, you have no real qualifications yet. I am still the boss.”

Dave glanced away then turned to pull his bag and started heading in the direction of the hotel. “So what’s the plan for the few hours of daylight that we have left?”

He really is a lot like I was back at the beginning. Almost ruthless in my desire to prove myself worthy. But I had Goldstein. I wonder what his ultimate goal is? Could it really be as simple as a life that doesn’t feel stagnant?

Jay caught up, locking his car with the touch of a button. “In your case, exercises and updating our files with our progress in Shreveport and any new leads coming out of Salisbury.”

A muscle jumped in Dave’s jaw, and Jay sighed. “I’m going to drop in on Gary. See if I can convince him to play nice. It is an attack better handled alone. If it doesn’t work, you and I will both be hitting the streets tomorrow.”

Dave frowned. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

Jay tilted his head, then had to hold his response while he booked a double room. “Is one okay? I can get two separate…”

“No. That’ll make this harder. One is fine.”

As the request was processed, Jay fought down a wave of nostalgia. Back before he had used all he had to take down Goldstein, he would have simply been able to purchase a house here in Carthage for the duration of his stay. Now, instead, he was looking at a prolonged hotel stay, with a time limit given that his