“I mean, I guess if someone was after him, they could have been hidden in the tree line while I saw to Josiah,” she said. “That could have been his good luck out of all of this. I showed up when I did and spooked whoever did that to him.”
Price nodded. He hadn’t told JJ about how they had found Josiah’s house. It was part of an ongoing investigation and, even though he had no quarrels with JJ, he didn’t see the need to inform her of it. She had already done more than enough.
“Seven Roads might be small, but our Detective Williams is mighty,” he said. “We’ll get this figured out in no time.”
JJ straightened her back. She nodded but didn’t respond past that. Instead, she pulled her cell phone from her pocket and read a text in silence. Price used that time to mark the area. When he was done, JJ looked apologetic.
“If there’s nothing else you need me for, could I go home?” She motioned to her clothes. “The scrubs are nice, but I wouldn’t mind a quick shower.”
Price felt bad he hadn’t suggested it first. He walked her back through the field, both minding to step on the path they had carefully made before, and stopped by the hood of her car.
“Just so you know, this isn’t exactly the natural speed of Seven Roads,” he said. “It’s usually a quiet place. Well, minus the gossip.”
He grinned.
JJ opened her car door and let her hand rest on the top of the door.
There was some dried blood near her wrist.
“Don’t worry, I’ve seen worse.” Her frown went deep. Then it swirled into a small smile of explanation. “I’ve lived in a few big cities before coming here. This place is silent compared to those.” She patted the top of the door. “Let me know if you need anything else from me. You have my number and know where I live. And, I guess, where I work too.”
Price confirmed he did.
Before she could slide into her seat though, he reached out to stop her. Their hands didn’t touch but it was enough to make JJ pause. She gave him a questioning look.
“Sorry,” he said, pulling back. “But do you think you could do me a favor? Could you not tell Winnie about any of this until I talk to her first? The news will probably still get to her before I can but just in case it’s slow today, I’d like to try.”
JJ smiled.
“Don’t worry. The most I’ll do today is text Corrie to reschedule. If she needs more, I’ll cite car trouble again. After that, I’m staying myself right on my couch.”
* * *
JJ broke intothe house in complete silence. No alarm beeps, no indoor chatter, no breaking glass or scraping metal. Nothing came before she slipped into the back door and nothing came after she closed it back up tight behind her.
The Alberts were on vacation and had never been a fan of digital security systems. They were from an older generation and had lived in Seven Roads since the seventies. If it wasn’t for their kids probably insisting they lock their doors, they seemed to believe that their neighbors should be trusted no matter what.
That was probably why they barely made an effort to hide their spare key beneath the mat on the back porch.
Good for them, better for JJ.
She made her way across the hardwood until she turned into what looked like a guest bedroom. It was easy to navigate with the light from outside peeking through the small gaps between the curtains.
It was even easier when JJ used a gloved hand to make a bigger gap in the opening.
There were two people still milling around Josiah’s house. Crime scene tape was on the front door and from her vantage point, she could see one of the uniformed men was making use of the back door. He wore gloves and, she bet, booties. One of the two also had a camera bag slung across his shoulder as he stood there.
So Josiah’s attack had most likely occurred in his house.
The same house she had been searching hours before.
Which was bad for two different reasons.
One, it meant that whoever had done the deed had missed her and Price. Which would explain why Price was so obviously invested in the case, despite being off duty.
He probably felt some kind of misplaced guilt for not being able to protect Josiah.
Because he most likely thought that the masked person he had tussled with that morning was the very same person who had landed Josiah in such a state.
