Page 54 of No Bed Of Roses
Marcus studied her. “I’m glad you’re reconnecting with your father. Do you think he’ll be able to handle a conversation with Hicks without giving away what we suspect?”
“I hope so. I don’t know him all that well, but if he’s run a successful company for decades, I assume he’ll be able to keep his composure.”
Marcus nodded. “Good point. Do you think Hicks is likely to switch his focus from you to your father?”
“What?” That hadn’t occurred to her at all. “You think he might try to hurt my dad?”
Marcus shrugged. “It’s a possibility, and I like to be aware of all the possibilities. If he believes the will cites him as the primary beneficiary, eliminating your father gives him all the money.”
Oh no. She hadn’t thought of that. A peek at the clock showed it was too late to contact her dad. He’d already be boarding the plane. “I shouldn’t have agreed to let him come here. I’ll call him and tell him to stay in Burlington or to fly home. I can’t be putting someone else in danger.”
Sean sighed dramatically and leaned forward on the table to stare at her. “Stop believing that shit. This isn’t your fault. You have nothing to feel guilty about. The greedy assholes are the problem, not you. Guilty vibes screw up the thinking, and you need your brain clear.”
Levi chuckled and put his arm on the back of her chair. He’d been saying similar things for days. But how was she supposed to not feel guilty?
Troy laughed, too. “It’s easy to get caught up in the guilt cycle, but it really isn’t your fault. Once you believe that, it gets easier. Time for Marcus to share his discovery.”
Marcus nodded. “The keys we found appear to have been dropped recently. Possibly today, but there’s no way to prove that. I called Graham, and he called a friend of his. The key likely belongs to a Ford Escape.”
She hadn’t known they could determine that with fobs instead of old-fashioned keys.
Marcus continued. “The other key on the loop is a door lock, but without a lock to test against, it’s useless. The car key, however, could be more helpful. If we find an unidentified car in the vicinity, it’ll be easy to check if the key works. I also have someone checking on the cars belonging to both Hicks and Pringle. Hicks doesn’t own any Fords legally, and I’m waiting on information on Pringle.”
His phone beeped, and he grinned. “Okay, this is my guy.” His eyes lit up with satisfaction. “Ed Pringle owns a Ford Escape. I have the plate number.”
Levi squeezed her shoulder. “And now he’s lost his keys. Unless he brought a second set with him, this should help us find him. He would have left the car somewhere near the creek if he was the one in the boat.”
Troy nodded. “The creek mostly runs along the back edge of the farms. It’s part of the same water system Piper wants to use in the park in town. Not all of it is wide enough for a boat to get through. Probably a canoe or a kayak. Do you know if he was into either of those, Isla?”
She shook her head. “I really don’t know him. He worked in the building, but we didn’t work together. When I didn’t succumb to his charms on my first day, he rarely spoke to me again.”
Beside her, Levi growled softly and squeezed her again. “More proof the guy is an idiot. So, where are the most likely places for him to park if he wanted to access the waterway?”
Troy and Marcus looked at each other. Troy had grown up in Phail, and Marcus had been here since their team had left the Army. Troy nodded. “There are probably a dozen places with easy access, but I think I know just where to start.”
Levi wanted to insist Isla stay in the cottage where it was safe. Better still, she could stay at the police station. But Marcus would be with them, and Levi didn’t trust anyone but himself and his friends to protect her. Which was all moot as she refused to stay behind.
He supposed they could have stayed behind together, but that wasn’t what either of them wanted. Instead, they would head into the search and hope like hell the guy hadn’t taken up shooting practice in the last few hours. At least Marcus had talked her into wearing a bulletproof vest under her sweater.
To avoid attracting attention with a parade of vehicles, they all squeezed into Sean’s SUV, with Marcus in the front riding shotgun. In the back, Isla squished between him and Troy. With the tinted windows in the back seat, their presence, or at least their identities, would be hidden from casual view.
They checked out three locations but found no signs of a Ford Escape or anyone using the area at all.
When they climbed back into the SUV, Troy suggested heading out to Stan’s farmhouse. “There are a few empty farmhouses in the area. And there are some old cabins and shacks at the far end of Stan’s property. They’re along the creek with access to both the road and the water.”
Marcus nodded. “Good idea. Just last month, I chased another couple of tourists out of the cabins. They figured they could save on accommodations by breaking and entering.”
Troy laughed. “I bet they had to spend more on the fine than it would have cost them to stay at the B&B.”
Marcus grinned. “I added a business card for the B&B to their paperwork. Maybe next time.”
That was just like Arrow. “Should we stop at Stan’s first? See if he’s seen anything on the road?”
Isla nodded. “We need to make sure he knows Ed might be dangerous.”
Troy grinned. “Stan regards all strangers with a healthy dose of suspicion. Unless you’re from Phail or a friend of someone from Phail, he assumes you’re up to no good.”
That made Levi laugh. “He, Mo, and Paddy were amazing. I learned a ton from them.”