Page 117 of Hell Hath No Fury

Fergusson gave him the slightest of smiles. “Exactly. I noticed that before we discovered the letter. There’s no blood on the desk or beneath the chair.”

Lukan scowled. “I have to admit, that definitely doesn’t fit the suicide scenario.”

Matthias longed to get closer but knew better than to ask. He wasn’t on the case. This wasn’t his jurisdiction. The last thing they—or he—wanted was to contaminate evidence. There were already more than enough people trampling the crime scene. He needed to be satisfied with his current perspective.

He couldn’t see Neidermeyer’s face, only that it was turned to the right. “Tell me about the GSW.”

“We’re waiting for the coroner to move the body,” Fergusson said, “but from what I’ve seen, there are two.”

“Two gunshot wounds?” Matthias asked, stunned. “She shot herself twice?”

Fergusson smirked. “If we were to keep believing the suicide story, yes. One to the gut. Another in the face, which was definitely the fatal shot. I don’t have to wait for the coroner to confirm that.”

Matthias shook his head. “We’re supposed to believe she accidentally shot herself in the abdomen first?”

“Then blew a hole in her face. You know as well as I do… women don’t generally do that.”

Matthias surveyed the room, finally seeing what he was looking for. “There.” He pointed to a pool of crimson, difficult to see on the similarly colored rug.

“Yep. That’s where she was shot. My guess?” Fergusson gestured in the same direction. “The gunman shot Neidermeyer there. She went down but wasn’t mortally wounded. Or was, but either way, she was still alive. The assailant approached her, put the gun to her head, right between her eyes, and…” Fergusson mimed pulling the trigger. “He moved her to the chair. You can’t really see from here, but there are drag marks. Then he staged the suicide and typed and printed the note.”

“Not the brightest criminal,” Matthias said. “The blood evidence supports your story. No way was this a self-inflicted GSW.”

“TwoGSWs,” Lukan added.

Matthias turned away from the room and mused, “Which leaves the big question. Who wanted Jones, Winslow, and now Tina Neidermeyer dead?”

“I know who my money’s on,” Fergusson said. “What about you?”

Matthias met his gaze. “Fran Goodwin.”

“We’re in agreement.” Fergusson studied Matthias for several long moments. “I can’t believe I’m saying this, but you’ve had several encounters with the woman and have seen how she acts. Do you care to join us as we pay her a visit?”

ChapterThirty-Five

Nell sat propped up in bed, anxiously jiggling her good foot. “Where’s my wheelchair?”

Emma and Eric had claimed the recliner and the guest chair. Nell’s roommate had no company today, and the woman was snoring softly through the background noise her television provided.

Emma felt as edgy as Nell but pretended otherwise. “We have to be patient.”

“I’m not a patient patient,” Nell snapped, then grinned at her play on words. “I’m just so ready to move on to this next phase of my life.”

“And eat some real food,” Eric added.

“That, too.” Nell reached over to the brochure on her tray table and opened it for the sixth time since Emma arrived. “This place looks so much nicer than the last one.”

Emma had gone over the brochure a few times and agreed. The rehab facility was going to take all of Emma’s meager savings and then some, but it would be worth it. Nell appeared optimistic for the first time Emma could remember. Possibly since before their parents died. She was making plans to return to teaching yoga, and she wanted to go back to school; to add physical therapy to her skillset. She hadn’t nailed down where any of this would take place, but the rehab facility offered an excellent career guidance department.

But what did Nell’s newfound goals mean for Emma’s life? Guilt sank its fangs into her gut. How dare she put her own hopes and desires ahead of Nell’s? Emma was coming to realize what she wanted was a life with Matthias. Or at least time and space to figure out if they were truly meant to be. Accomplishing that meant leaving her sister behind. Again. But if Emma chose to be here for Nell, it would mean Matthias returning to Erie without her. Was their bond strong enough to endure a long-distance relationship for a little while? She hoped like hell it was, because leaving her only living family at this crucial point in her recovery didn’t feel like a viable option.

Emma decided her own long-term plans would have to stay on hold for the next few months until Nell sorted out her dreams and desires. For now, Emma needed to take life one day at a time and pray her future with Matthias survived.

Nell closed the brochure and waved it at Emma. “Didn’t you say Sonny’s wife was using?”

Emma thought of Ashley, wrapped in her pink hoodie, pale and sweaty. “I never saw her take anything, but she definitely shows all the signs.”

“And she has a little girl?”