She's My Kind of Rain (Sue Thomas FBEye)

Chapter Six

Myles was very proud of Morton's team. They had searched every inch of the barn like they'd been instructed to and Pete, a young recruit, had discovered the orange vest where Storm had hidden it.

The lab tech examined it right away and compared the blood to Matt's DNA in the autopsy report. Why the report contained his DNA profile, Myles could only guess, but it saved them from exhuming his body.

"The vest was hidden," Morton said, waiting with him for the results. "Don't you find it weird?"

The arrival of the tech stopped Myles from responding.

"Gentlemen, the blood on the vest matches Matt Tanner's DNA, and the location of the holes are consistent with the pictures showing the entry points of the three bullets. I could exhume the body, but it wouldn't change my findings. Your victim was wearing his orange vest when he was shot, but that's not all. I found gunpowder residue on the vest."

"You mean he was shot at close range?"

"About two feet, Agent Leland. If the shooter thought the victim was a wild animal, he needs to have his eyesight checked."

"Well, well," Morton said, rubbing his hands together. "It looks like we'll add murder to Garth's charges."

"Agree, but it also means that everyone else was lying," Myles pointed out. "Including the sheriff."

"I'll get the guys to round up the hunting party—the ones not already in custody. In the middle of the night, they should all be home, but how about the girl? The vest was found in her barn. You think she might be involved in her husband's death?"

"You get her in and question her again. She may know more than she let on. I'm going to take a nap in your office—let me know when she arrives."

***

It seemed Myles had just closed his eyes when Morton roused him.

"You look worse than my ex when she woke up to feed the babies."

"Don't you ever sleep?" Myles grumbled, envious of Morton's seemingly fresh appearance.

"Nothing like a cold shower in the middle of the night to refresh the senses. You should try it."

"I'll pass," Myles said, rubbing the sleep from his face.

Morton sat in front of him. "We have a problem."

The four words were far more efficient than a dozen cold showers. "What?"

"We've got the girl, but not her father. She's in interview room one."

"What about the other members of the hunting party?"

"All here, and not happy, especially the sheriff."

That would have been expected. "Let's start with Mrs. Tanner," said Myles. "See what she knows before we confront the other."

With Wesley home for the night, Morton took over the interrogation. Harsher than Wesley, he placed Storm on the defensive, not the approach Myles would have advocated.

"Listen," she said, not hidden her irritation. "After my husband died, I needed to understand, to...to see where he died. I roamed the area of the forest where they'd camped. I found Matt's bloody vest in a burrow. Only then did I learn they had lied to me."

"Did you know your husband was shot at point blank?"

"Point blank?" Color drained from her face, and Myles had to resist the temptation of rushing in there and wrapping his arms around her. "You mean they killed him in cold blood?"