Jennifer smiled. She asked Ash to bag and sign the evidence bag, then grabbed it from him. She walked down the hall and back to the study. “We’ll be leaving now, we found what we came for.” She held up the knife.

Harrison stared at it in shock. Faith stared at it in disbelief.

“It tested positive for blood,” Jennifer added. “Under the hilt. Very hard to clean no matter how many times you wash it.”

“Out of my house,” Faith said.

“I’ll give you a receipt.”

Jennifer walked to the kitchen and gave the knife back to Ash. Faith was hot on her heels. “Please give Mrs. Monroe a receipt for the knife that we’re taking.”

“Of course,” Ash said nervously, signing a slip and holding it out to Parker. She didn’t take it. He put it on the counter and left with the evidence, followed by the remaining officers. Jennifer and Lucy trailed behind.

In the entry, Jennifer said to Faith, “Remember what I said. No travel.”

“You’ll be hearing from my lawyer,”

“I look forward to it.”

Lucy felt the hair on the back of her neck rise. She knew that feeling.

Someone was watching them.

As the sensation washed over her, a loud report echoed at the same time as Faith staggered back into the house. Blood spread across her chest.

“Down!” Jennifer screamed as she and Lucy took cover inside the house. She reported on her radio that shots were fired.

“It’s a sniper,” Lucy said. She shut the door.

Harrison ran to the foyer. He stared at his wife, who was struggling to breathe. Lucy started to administer first aid.

But it was too late.

Jennifer was talking in her radio. “Find him!”

To Lucy she said, “There’s a sniper in a tree. Someone said it’s Carl Chavez.”

Harrison stared at her. He didn’t say anything, but it was clear from his expression that he knew who Carl Chavez was and he was shocked that the man had just shot and killed his wife.

A bullet came through the front window, then another and another.

“Get down!” Lucy shouted at Harrison.

He stared at her again, as if frozen.

Lucy rushed Harrison and tackled him to the floor. “Stay here!” she ordered. She went back and checked Faith’s pulse. Nothing.

Lucy shook her head to Jennifer to indicate that Faith was gone, then she had her gun around and positioned herself next to Jennifer.

“What about our people outside?” Lucy said.

Jennifer put her finger up. She was listening to her earpiece.

“Everyone has cover, though it’s tight. They’re working on a plan now.”

“Did she really kill Victoria?”

Lucy turned to where Harrison was on the floor, his back against a wall, in the hall off the foyer. He was staring at Faith’s body, expressionless.

“Yes, Harrison, she really did,” Lucy said.