“We’ll have to ask him. Did you get any good prints?”

Riley’s gaze shifted back to him. “Yes. But we’re not sure if they belong to the homeowners or the suspect who got away.” She twisted her mouth. “They haven’t left much here to collect.”

“No weapons?”

“Just the father’s.”

“So right now, all we have to go with is break and enter with intent?”

“Yup.”

“And the million dollar question is why the hell did two people break into the house of our MP’s parents? Was it a robbery? Or was it something more?”

“Let’s not make it more complicated than it is, Ellis. My money is on theft, plain and simple.” They watched Dr. Guthro hurry out of the room, phone to his ear. “With unintended consequences.”

Ellis scanned the room. It was an ordinary house, in a middle-class neighborhood, occupied by two people who appeared to live very ordinary lives. It could be that intruders’ motive was uncomplicated.

But after spending years lurking on shadowy forums hunting for even more shadowy predators, his gut was telling him that the intent in this crime wasn’t as simple as it seemed.

He shrugged. “Maybe.”

Chapter 7

Chapter 7

2:41 a.m.

The dog barked.

Jesus Christ!

It had found him again. Aiden Boyne aka AggroBoy aka whatever-identity-was-convenient-for-the-situation pressed closer to the ground, shrinking his lanky form behind a shrub. The damp soaked into his work pants. He hoped that the dew would wash away his scent. That the K-9 team would not pick up his trail. He was terrified of getting caught. Especially by a dog. Those German Shepherds were trained to take him down. The thought of the dog’s teeth made him want to puke.

And now one was after him.

The speed with which they had zeroed in on him had scared the crap out of him. They almost got him in one of the backyards he’d been zigzagging through, but he’d managed to squeeze through a broken board in a fence and get to the other side. Once he’d cleared the railroad tracks, he had thought he’d shaken them.

But now the goddamned dog was barking.

He knew what that meant.

It had found his scent.

He didn’t have much time.

Or he would be serving time for the rest of his life.

And what the hell had happened in the Owen house?

It was supposed to be easy.

Instead, it turned into a fucking nightmare.

The old guy was screaming that he’d killed the old lady. He wished he’d just stuck the knife in Mel Owen’s heart and ended it right there. Goddamned bastard.

And Leah…