Profile of Retribution: FBI Profiler Romantic Suspense (Profile Series #3) by Alexa Grace Page B

table when thrown.
    “How about starting at the beginning, Bradley.”
    “There’s not much to tell. Tisha and I were talking over dinner, when that rock crashed through the window. I got my gun and checked the front yard and driveway but didn’t see anyone.”
    “Have you had problems with vandalism in the past?”
    Frowning thoughtfully, Bradley slowly shook his head. “No. We’ve lived here close to twenty years and nothing like this has ever happened. One of the reasons we moved here is because it’s far enough outside of town to be private and peaceful. The nearest neighbors are at least a mile away.”
    Cameron glanced at Tisha who seemed complacent, letting Bradley speak for the both of them. This was not the outspoken Tisha Lucas he remembered.
    “Can you think of anyone who would want to do something like this?”
    “Not a soul,” Bradley said. “Can’t say I know anyone who’d get his jollies out of breaking my window. Maybe it’s a teenage prank, and the kids got the wrong house. There’s a math teacher who lives down the road. Maybe he flunked the wrong kids and they wanted payback.”
    “Maybe. Seems like someone went to a lot of trouble for a prank or getting back at a teacher.” He eyed the window again.
    “Were the drapes open or closed when it happened?” Cameron aimed his question at Tisha, who quickly averted her eyes and tightened her grip on the white hand towel she was holding. Odd behavior for such a simple question.
    After a moment, she answered. “Open. Just like they are now.”
    The window covered the entire front wall of the room. Cameron wondered how long the man or woman who threw the rock had stood outside the window, watching Bradley and Tisha. Whoever did this knew they were home and knew exactly where they were in the house when he or she threw the rock. Were they targets? If so, what was the motive? They were a quiet couple, so the only motive he could think of was unresolved anger about the murders their sons had committed. But that had been a year ago. If that was a motive, why not take action before now?
    Deputy Sawyer appeared in the doorway and motioned him to join her outside. “Follow me, I have something to show you.”
    With her flashlight illuminating the way, she led him to a small landscaped area of ornate bushes, flowers, and rocks. He nodded to Cheryl Davis, a crime scene technician, who was on her knees, photographing something in the grass.
    Finally Gail pointed to an indentation in the ground, marked by a yellow flag. “That’s where he got the rock.”
    “What about the blood?”
    “Come this way.” Gail led him to the area where Cheryl knelt. A pool of blood lay on the grass, seeping into the ground.
    Cameron ran his fingers through his hair. “So where did he get the blood?”
    “Don’t know. We’ll have to analyze it at the lab to see if it’s human. I’m thinking not.” Cheryl eased the camera from her face. “My theory is he brought the blood with him, maybe in a jar or something. He found the rock, dug it up, and carried it over here. Then he poured the blood on it. See how the yellow flags lead from here to the house. Each flag marks blood we found on plants and grass, which dripped from the rock as he made his way to the window.”
    Gail grasped his arm. “There’s more over here.” Leading him closer to the house, she stopped to the left of the living room window. She aimed her flashlight at the ground below where more yellow flags made a haphazard pattern. “See the footprints. They’re not very distinct, but there are several of them. The same footwear, maybe a work boot, but in different positions as if he shuffled his feet as he stood here. Cheryl said she’ll try to cast one, but didn’t have much hope. She did say she’d take soil samples to match when we get a suspect, if we are lucky enough to find the boots he wore tonight.”
    Standing next to her, Cameron could see the Lucas living room in its entirety through