Page 36 of Texas Cold Case Murder

“I’m so sorry.” Nina couldn’t help feeling guilty. They hadn’t been entirely honest with Ellen. The poor woman didn’t know her mother had been murdered. “Go back inside. The police will be here soon.”

“Why was someone shooting?” Ellen’s voice rose in agitation. “I don’t understand.”

Nina glanced at Jackson, then stepped closer. “It’s my fault. I didn’t explain that my mother was murdered twenty-eight years ago.”

“Murdered?” Ellen shrieked. “Why were they here, though?”

The accusatory glare Ellen sent her hit hard. “I’m sorry,” she repeated. “They’re after me. I didn’t realize…”

Ellen’s lips thinned, then she stepped back and slammed the door. Nina winced but didn’t blame her.

Three police cars pulled up in front of the house. Apparently, reports of gunfire warranted a big response. Jackson moved forward to meet them, holding up his ranger badge. Nina hung back, her thoughts whirling.

Despite her guilt over putting Ellen Carter in danger, they’d learned key information about Douglas Tillman, the man who was mostly likely her biological father. Her fingers itched to dig into his background. She had to believe that maybe her father was responsible for these attacks. It hurt to realize he might have killed her mother twenty-eight years ago, and now wanted to silence her.

If that was the case, until that could be proven and Tillman brought to justice, what she needed was to find a way to assure Tillman she wasn’t a threat. That she didn’t think he’d killed her mother. That she didn’t care about him or whatever money he might have. If he was still wealthy, the way his parents had been when her mother had been hired as their house cleaner.

No, that wouldn’t work, she realized. It was too late. The violence had gone too far. Her Uncle Mark had been murdered, and the gunmen had gone over the deep end, shooting up the SUV, the Sunset Motel and now here outside Ellen Carter’s home.

The more she thought about it, the more she knew it was far too late to try to call off the attacks. If her biological father was responsible, then she and Jackson needed to find the evidence they needed to put him in jail where he belonged.

The gunmen, too. As they were the ones directly responsible.

Feeling sick to her stomach, she headed over to join Jackson and the officers.

“This is Nina Dobson. Nina, Officers Frelich, Tanner and Jones.”

She nodded. “We appreciate your quick response.”

“Don’t get many calls for gunfire in this neighborhood,” Jones drawled. “We need to get your statement on record.”

She glanced at Jackson, trying to gauge how much she should reveal. Then again, holding back key details from Ellen Carter had backfired in a big way.

“Ms. Ellen Carter is a high school friend of my mother’s,” she began. “We’ve been looking into my mother’s cold case murder and wanted to ask a few questions. We were leaving when the black truck pulled up and the passenger opened fire.”

“Same make and model as the black truck used in the attack on us earlier,” Jackson added. “As I told you, we’re investigating several angles. One including a drug kingpin’s trial that is set to start on Monday.”

Frelich shook his head. “Sounds complicated. Either this is related to an old case or the new trial. I don’t see how it can be both.”

“We don’t know if they are connected yet.” Jackson’s tone wasn’t long on patience. “That’s why we’re investigating all possibilities.”

“Will you please make sure there are additional patrols to this neighborhood?” Nina asked. “I’m concerned Ellen Carter is in danger.”

The officers exchanged a glance. “We’ll do that, yes. But what else can you tell us about the vehicle?”

“It was a black Ford pickup truck, no license plates,” Jackson said. “I wish I could be more specific.”

Officer Jones made a note. “What about the shooter?”

“Dressed in black. Hat low on his forehead, making it hard to get a clear look at his face.” Jackson looked pointedly at his watch. “I hate to be pushy, but we really need a ride to the closest rental care agency. The sooner we can go back to working this case, the better.”

“I’ll take you.” Officer Tanner appeared to be the youngest of the trio. “There’s a rental agency two miles from here.”

“Great.” Jackson looked relieved to be getting out of there. “Thanks.”

Nina glanced one more time over her shoulder at Ellen Carter’s bullet-riddled garage door. The main house had been spared; the damage was centered on their SUV and the garage door behind it.

“I’m worried they might come back,” she said in a low voice.