Page 40 of Chilled
Brenna suddenly wanted to reach out and smooth the lines across his brow but resisted. “As you know, Victor’s wife accused him of going out every night and fooling around on her. However, she also complained of the occasional smacking around.”
“So, your friend likes to hit other women, not just you?” Nick asked.
Brenna frowned and started to say something.
But Nick went on, “Paul reported in twenty minutes ago. He said Victor didn’t go straight home last night, and he doesn’t have any witnesses who can vouch for him. Bears looking into. Who else?”
“Bart Olsen was not in the database, but he’s been locked up for the past twenty-four hours.”
“I think that rules him out. Our chemist’s disappearance last night puts Bart in the clear. He should be released.”
“Then there’s a young man, Jason Conlin. He knows Robin Rutledge. Seems he beat up on her once during college. I also had a run-in with him a couple of years ago when I pulled him over for DUI. Definitely another worth looking into.”
“I’ll have Paul and Melissa take Jason. You and I are going after Victor. Are you up to a little stakeout?”
“On Victor?” Brenna asked.
He nodded.
Victor, the lying sleaze-bag? “You betcha.”
CHAPTER 10
A champagne-coloredSuburban pulled up as Nick and Brenna stepped out into the police station’s parking lot. Nick moved in front of Brenna, his hand reaching for his gun in the shoulder holster beneath his jacket.
Brenna laid a hand on his arm and smiled. “I don’t think I’d shoot her. She’s the president of the PTA.”
The window slid down, and a woman with a mild resemblance to Brenna smiled and waved. “Brenna! I’m so glad I caught you.”
“Alice, what’s up?” Brenna stepped around Nick and stood by the vehicle.
“I should be asking you that.” Alice glanced over Brenna’s shoulder with raised eyebrows. “Who’s the hunk?”
Nick enjoyed Brenna’s visible discomfort at the woman’s comment and fought to keep a smile from lifting the corners of his mouth.
“This is Agent Nick Tarver.” She turned to Nick, her mouth twisted into a wry frown. “Agent Tarver, my sister, Alice Klaus.”
Alice reached through the window. “Nice to meet you, Agent Tarver.”
“It’s a pleasure, Ms. Klaus.” He took her hand briefly and then dropped it.
With a down-sweep of her long lashes, Alice grinned. “Now I see why you can’t take time out to come by.”
“I can’t come by because we’re trying to solve a murder and several kidnappings.” Brenna’s tone was flat.
Alice’s smile sank. “I know. Terrible, isn’t it? I was just trying to get your goat.”
With a twisted grin, Brenna shrugged. “Consider it gotten.”
“I dropped by to see if you’d like to come for dinner tomorrow night. Stan and I would love to have you over.”
Brenna shifted from one foot to the other, apparently unaware she stood in a rather large slushy puddle.
Nick couldn’t help wondering why her sister made her nervous.
“Maybe after we solve the case,” Brenna said.
Alice was undeterred. “You have to eat sometime, so why not at my house? You don’t have to stay long. I understand about the case and all.” Her face brightened. “Hey, Stan knows loads of people from all the business he does in town. Maybe he could help. I’ll even make sure he comes home on time, for once, so he’ll be there.”
