his voice a deep grumble. “Murder investigation, you know?”
She sniffed and then held out a crumpled scrap of paper.
He took it and scanned the names of family members. “Worthen” was scrawled across the top. “What’s this?”
“A list we found in Lisa’s apartment.”
Anger tightening his shoulders, Sam shook his head. “You’ve been there? My team’s combing it now. You tamper with anything else?”
“We had her parents’ permission.” Cait shrugged. “We didn’t disturb a thing, other than taking this list and her day planner. We wanted a jump on the investigation, to get a head start finding her.”
He fisted his hands on his hips. “Why didn’t you tell me before?”
Her head lowered. Her scowl deepened. “Guess I’m out of practice telling you every damn thing I’m doing.”
Why was it always like this with them? Simple, calm conversation was impossible. Caitlyn O’Connell was one stubborn, hardheaded woman. How’d he forget that? He blew out an exasperated breath. “You called. Said you had a development. This it?” he asked, waving the paper.
The fine lines at the corners of her eyes deepened. “We found them. They’re a family buried at Edgemont.”
“And?” Sam shook his head. “You didn’t call me down here to say you found some graves. How long have they been dead?”
“Around a hundred fifty years.”
Jason and Cait shared a charged glance—she, aiming a glare and shaking her head. Jason’s eyes bugged as though telling her to spill.
Her shoulders fell, and she turned back to Sam. “It’s what happened when we got to their graves that was interesting.”
Interesting? He raised his eyebrows. “I didn’t drive all the way over here for you two to play Twenty Questions.”
Jason sat forward, excitement gleaming in his eyes. “Man, you should have been there.” His face turned a little red, like he knew how uncool he’d sounded. He shrugged and leaned lazily back. “We got chased through the cemetery by statues jumping off tombs and wraiths trying to freeze our asses.”
Sam forced himself not to react, although a tic began to pulse beside his eye. Part of him—the part that lived in the real world and wanted to ask what they’d both been smoking but had already seen more than he was comfortable processing—had him curling his lips. “Right.” He aimed a glare at Cait. “Does this mean another trip to your boyfriend?”
“He’s not my boyfriend.” Cait shoved both hands into her pockets. “I think it means we need to do some more old-fashioned investigation. The Worthens have been dead since the Civil War, but we don’t know how they’re connected to our case. Lisa’s parents said she was working on a dig. Jason and I looked up the archeology professor, Lisa’s dean, and we think he might help us connect the dots.”
Jason cleared his throat. “I’m gonna follow up with some of her friends from her Facebook page. You two should hit the university.”
Cait chewed her bottom lip. “We thought it would be a good idea—”
“We?” Jason drawled.
She wrinkled her nose. “OK, Jason thought it would be a good idea to keep you in the loop. Be more efficient. That way we won’t follow leads you’ve already determined are dead ends and vice versa.”
Sam nodded, eyeing them both and noting the hint of militancy in the hard set of Cait’s jaw. She wasn’t happy about it. He smiled. “Why don’t you give the professor a call and tell him we’re coming, Jason.”
Jason flashed him a grin. “On it. You two play nice.”
Sam narrowed his gaze. “Should I ask why you’re both covered in dirt?”
“Better you don’t.” Cait grimaced. “Not unless you want to know we spent time holed up in a crypt.”
“Yeah, not gonna touch that one.” He swept a hand toward the door. “Cait?”
She eased past him, and he closed the door behind them both. Then he reached out and brushed dust off her shoulders. “Maybe we should hit your
She sniffed and then held out a crumpled scrap of paper.
He took it and scanned the names of family members. “Worthen” was scrawled across the top. “What’s this?”
“A list we found in Lisa’s apartment.”
Anger tightening his shoulders, Sam shook his head. “You’ve been there? My team’s combing it now. You tamper with anything else?”
“We had her parents’ permission.” Cait shrugged. “We didn’t disturb a thing, other than taking this list and her day planner. We wanted a jump on the investigation, to get a head start finding her.”
He fisted his hands on his hips. “Why didn’t you tell me before?”
Her head lowered. Her scowl deepened. “Guess I’m out of practice telling you every damn thing I’m doing.”
Why was it always like this with them? Simple, calm conversation was impossible. Caitlyn O’Connell was one stubborn, hardheaded woman. How’d he forget that? He blew out an exasperated breath. “You called. Said you had a development. This it?” he asked, waving the paper.
The fine lines at the corners of her eyes deepened. “We found them. They’re a family buried at Edgemont.”
“And?” Sam shook his head. “You didn’t call me down here to say you found some graves. How long have they been dead?”
“Around a hundred fifty years.”
Jason and Cait shared a charged glance—she, aiming a glare and shaking her head. Jason’s eyes bugged as though telling her to spill.
Her shoulders fell, and she turned back to Sam. “It’s what happened when we got to their graves that was interesting.”
Interesting? He raised his eyebrows. “I didn’t drive all the way over here for you two to play Twenty Questions.”
Jason sat forward, excitement gleaming in his eyes. “Man, you should have been there.” His face turned a little red, like he knew how uncool he’d sounded. He shrugged and leaned lazily back. “We got chased through the cemetery by statues jumping off tombs and wraiths trying to freeze our asses.”
Sam forced himself not to react, although a tic began to pulse beside his eye. Part of him—the part that lived in the real world and wanted to ask what they’d both been smoking but had already seen more than he was comfortable processing—had him curling his lips. “Right.” He aimed a glare at Cait. “Does this mean another trip to your boyfriend?”
“He’s not my boyfriend.” Cait shoved both hands into her pockets. “I think it means we need to do some more old-fashioned investigation. The Worthens have been dead since the Civil War, but we don’t know how they’re connected to our case. Lisa’s parents said she was working on a dig. Jason and I looked up the archeology professor, Lisa’s dean, and we think he might help us connect the dots.”
Jason cleared his throat. “I’m gonna follow up with some of her friends from her Facebook page. You two should hit the university.”
Cait chewed her bottom lip. “We thought it would be a good idea—”
“We?” Jason drawled.
She wrinkled her nose. “OK, Jason thought it would be a good idea to keep you in the loop. Be more efficient. That way we won’t follow leads you’ve already determined are dead ends and vice versa.”
Sam nodded, eyeing them both and noting the hint of militancy in the hard set of Cait’s jaw. She wasn’t happy about it. He smiled. “Why don’t you give the professor a call and tell him we’re coming, Jason.”
Jason flashed him a grin. “On it. You two play nice.”
Sam narrowed his gaze. “Should I ask why you’re both covered in dirt?”
“Better you don’t.” Cait grimaced. “Not unless you want to know we spent time holed up in a crypt.”
“Yeah, not gonna touch that one.” He swept a hand toward the door. “Cait?”
She eased past him, and he closed the door behind them both. Then he reached out and brushed dust off her shoulders. “Maybe we should hit your
Similar Books
