Echoes of Murder (Till Death do us Part Book 2) by Cheryl Bradshaw Page A
Authors: Cheryl Bradshaw
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be doused in pepper spray, you’ll stop right there.”
Alex roared with laughter. “You really think that scrawny keychain concerns me?”
“Not one more step. I’m not afraid to use it.”
“Maybe someone needs to teach you a lesson about making threats.”
Maybe they did.
But today, it would be Alex who learned a lasting one.
CHAPTER 17
“What is wrong with you?!” Dustin stepped out of a black Toyota Tacoma, slamming the door closed behind him. “You mind telling me why you maced Alex McMasters in the face?”
“How did you know I was there?” Reagan asked.
“His girlfriend says you were harassing him.”
“I wasn’t harassing anyone. We were just talking.”
“Why did you feel compelled to mace him then?”
“I asked him not to come any closer to me, and he did. He’s a criminal, Dustin. I wasn’t taking any chances.”
“You can’t go around pepper-spraying people in the face. He could press charges.”
She shrugged. “It was a small amount of spray. He’s a big guy. He needs to suck it up and get over it.”
“The way you used it, it could still be considered a crime.”
She shrugged. “Self-defense.”
“Why were you there?”
“Nathan saw a man matching his description enter Evan’s room the night Dakota was murdered.”
“And? Who is he? What makes you think he’s the same guy Nathan saw?”
Reagan paused, thought about the promise she made to Evan. “I can’t tell you that right now.”
“You can’t tell me?”
“If I could, I would. I’m not trying to keep anything from you.”
“If you weren’t, you would have told me about the connection between Alex and Isla.”
It looked like she wasn’t the only one who had been snooping. Except if he had pried into Alex’s criminal background, Isla wouldn’t have been in it. Not if what Evan said was true. Isla never pressed charges. There was no police report. Nothing to link the two together.
“How do you know Alex McMasters knew Isla?” Reagan asked.
“How else? Your brother told me.”
“It was a private matter. He wasn’t supposed to say anything.”
“She’s not around anymore, Reagan. There’s no privacy to protect. Your brother told me because he knew you wouldn’t leave it alone. And he was right.”
“I didn’t get much out of him, so it doesn’t matter. The girl Alex is with told me he was working the night Isla was killed. I called there, verified it with his manager.”
“That’s not your job. You need to stay away from this.”
“Why?” she asked. “So you can ignore the fact that you have a witness who saw him in Evan’s room? So you can pin everything on Evan?”
“If this Alex guy is guilty, we’ll arrest him. And if Evan’s innocent, he has nothing to worry about.”
“Have you released him yet?”
Dustin remained quiet.
“Didn’t think so,” Reagan added. “You’re blocking my car. I just stopped home to grab something. I’m headed back out.”
“Where? Who are you going after now?”
“No one.”
“I don’t believe you.”
“I don’t care. Are you going to let me out of the driveway or not?”
Disgusted, he slid back into the truck and rolled out of the driveway before speeding down the street. Reagan waited until he was gone and then entered the house. In truth, she’d decided to retire for the night and pick things back up in the morning. The last thing she needed was Dustin hanging around.
CHAPTER 18
On the day both bodies were discovered, Reagan had spotted police officers examining a silver Jetta parked in a lot across from the hotel. Marking stands were placed inside the car in various areas. Pictures were taken. Among them, a photo of a brown bumper sticker affixed to the right side of the back bumper. On the sticker was a whimsical white graphic of a cup of coffee with swirled lines coming out the top to depict steam. Next to that it said:
Rise & Grind & Drink Coffee
The Piping Bean
St. George,
Alex roared with laughter. “You really think that scrawny keychain concerns me?”
“Not one more step. I’m not afraid to use it.”
“Maybe someone needs to teach you a lesson about making threats.”
Maybe they did.
But today, it would be Alex who learned a lasting one.
CHAPTER 17
“What is wrong with you?!” Dustin stepped out of a black Toyota Tacoma, slamming the door closed behind him. “You mind telling me why you maced Alex McMasters in the face?”
“How did you know I was there?” Reagan asked.
“His girlfriend says you were harassing him.”
“I wasn’t harassing anyone. We were just talking.”
“Why did you feel compelled to mace him then?”
“I asked him not to come any closer to me, and he did. He’s a criminal, Dustin. I wasn’t taking any chances.”
“You can’t go around pepper-spraying people in the face. He could press charges.”
She shrugged. “It was a small amount of spray. He’s a big guy. He needs to suck it up and get over it.”
“The way you used it, it could still be considered a crime.”
She shrugged. “Self-defense.”
“Why were you there?”
“Nathan saw a man matching his description enter Evan’s room the night Dakota was murdered.”
“And? Who is he? What makes you think he’s the same guy Nathan saw?”
Reagan paused, thought about the promise she made to Evan. “I can’t tell you that right now.”
“You can’t tell me?”
“If I could, I would. I’m not trying to keep anything from you.”
“If you weren’t, you would have told me about the connection between Alex and Isla.”
It looked like she wasn’t the only one who had been snooping. Except if he had pried into Alex’s criminal background, Isla wouldn’t have been in it. Not if what Evan said was true. Isla never pressed charges. There was no police report. Nothing to link the two together.
“How do you know Alex McMasters knew Isla?” Reagan asked.
“How else? Your brother told me.”
“It was a private matter. He wasn’t supposed to say anything.”
“She’s not around anymore, Reagan. There’s no privacy to protect. Your brother told me because he knew you wouldn’t leave it alone. And he was right.”
“I didn’t get much out of him, so it doesn’t matter. The girl Alex is with told me he was working the night Isla was killed. I called there, verified it with his manager.”
“That’s not your job. You need to stay away from this.”
“Why?” she asked. “So you can ignore the fact that you have a witness who saw him in Evan’s room? So you can pin everything on Evan?”
“If this Alex guy is guilty, we’ll arrest him. And if Evan’s innocent, he has nothing to worry about.”
“Have you released him yet?”
Dustin remained quiet.
“Didn’t think so,” Reagan added. “You’re blocking my car. I just stopped home to grab something. I’m headed back out.”
“Where? Who are you going after now?”
“No one.”
“I don’t believe you.”
“I don’t care. Are you going to let me out of the driveway or not?”
Disgusted, he slid back into the truck and rolled out of the driveway before speeding down the street. Reagan waited until he was gone and then entered the house. In truth, she’d decided to retire for the night and pick things back up in the morning. The last thing she needed was Dustin hanging around.
CHAPTER 18
On the day both bodies were discovered, Reagan had spotted police officers examining a silver Jetta parked in a lot across from the hotel. Marking stands were placed inside the car in various areas. Pictures were taken. Among them, a photo of a brown bumper sticker affixed to the right side of the back bumper. On the sticker was a whimsical white graphic of a cup of coffee with swirled lines coming out the top to depict steam. Next to that it said:
Rise & Grind & Drink Coffee
The Piping Bean
St. George,
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