Cord pointed. ‘Isn’t that Grace’s car?’

‘Sure is. This ought to be fun.’ Predicting the volatility of what was to come, considering why they were here, as well as the contentious relationship between the siblings, Alyssa’s voice dripped with sarcasm.

Steps away from the front door, she could already hear Grace and Mack shouting over one another, adding credence to her prediction. Stilling Cord’s hand when he lifted it to knock, she shook her head, openly eavesdropping.

‘I mean it, Mack! I want to know what the hell you thought you were doing going over to Gabe’s office?’ Grace growled.

‘I already told you I didn’t take anything.’ In contrast with Grace’s heated tone, Mack’s voice was cold and calm.

‘A technicality based on the virtue of the search warrant served. What right did you have?’

In Grace’s most passionate discourses during trials, Alyssa had never heard such venom and frustration from the district attorney.

‘I don’t owe you any kind of explanation, sister. And please, allow me to point out the obvious – Gabe and I were real brothers. You were just a toss-in to the family.’

‘Ouch. That was brutal,’ Alyssa murmured at the same time Sandra gasped. ‘I think it’s time to announce our presence before we witness a crime ourselves.’

Cord rang the bell.

Steam was practically spiraling from Mack when he flung the door open. But it was the hope mingling with fear dancing across Grace’s face when she saw them that Alyssa zeroed in on.

‘Addis? Emerson?’

‘Not yet.’ Two words, but guilt burrowed deep inside her as devastated helplessness stretched from Grace’s mouth to her eyes. Alyssa shifted her attention to Mack. ‘Mr. Kensington, something’s come to our attention, and we’re hoping you’ll be able to clear things up.’

Mack crossed his arms across his chest and curled his lips into a sneer. Remaining silent, he arched one brow and waited.

Cord kicked the questioning off with a statement. ‘You were in town Thursday when your brother and his wife were murdered.’

‘I already told you that.’ Slowly, Mack lifted his glare from Alyssa to Cord with a brief pause on Sandra hovering behind them.

‘When did you get to town, and where did you have dinner that night?’

A split second of confusion marred Mack’s good looks before he realized where this impromptu interview was headed. He leveled a narrow glower at Cord. ‘Are you seriously insinuating that I had something to do with my brother’s murder simply because your department is incapable of doing its damned job?’