‘Tell me again what Hal found on the parents.’

‘Mister was born wealthy and inherited money from his parents. That, coupled with his being a very specialized heart surgeon – whatever that means – gives them a very bloated financial statement. Like Angela said, the missus was an interior decorator/designer before marrying, and according to some social article in Albuquerque, The Magazine, the two met when he hired her to decorate his home in the foothills. And then they moved here.’

A crackling sound startled Alyssa until she realized it was coming from a cleverly hidden speaker nestled inside the hedge outside the gate.

‘Can I help you?’ a disembodied voice asked.

‘Detectives Wyatt and Roberts with the Albuquerque Police Department. We need to speak to Mr. and Mrs. Otis.’ Alyssa tapped her fingers on the steering wheel when there was no response. With each passing second, her tapping became harder and more insistent until Cord reached over and placed a hand over hers to stop the incessant noise.

‘Impatient, much?’ He removed his hand. ‘Patience really isn’t your strong suit, is it?’

‘And after five years of being my partner, this surprises you how?’

Five long minutes later, just as Alyssa was reaching out to jab the intercom button, the voice returned. ‘Please pull in.’ Before she could thank the invisible person, the gate rolled open, and she drove through.

Weeping willows, cottonwoods, and maple trees lined what appeared to be a private forest on either side of the winding driveway. The Otises lived in luxury most people only dreamed of. Surrounded by such lush greenery, Alyssa had to remind herself they were still in the metropolitan area. ‘It must take a small army to keep this yard up.’ As they neared the house, a maze of hydrangeas hugging a monstrous marble birdbath arose, shielding nothing of what had to be a ten-thousand-square-foot house – which didn’t include the attached six-car garage. ‘I could fit almost five of my house into this one,’ Alyssa muttered just as another thought occurred to her. ‘If they have all this money, why is their daughter attending a local, public university?’

Cord shrugged. ‘Good question. You should ask.’

She’d barely turned the ignition off when a heavy oak door opened to reveal a woman wearing tailored blue slacks and a matching silk blouse, large diamonds dangling from her ears, and a pearl necklace draped around her neck. Behind her and slightly to the left stood a man who maybe wasn’t quite as impeccably dressed, but his clothes still shouted expensive. The expression on his face could’ve been either boredom or irritation, Alyssa couldn’t tell which, or maybe it was a little of both, at this unexpected visit.

‘What? No butler?’ Alyssa mumbled as she opened her car door, only half kidding.

Cord chuckled. ‘Must be his day off.’

As soon as their feet hit the paved drive, they both patted their pants to make sure their gold shields were still clipped to their clothes and visible to the people they were approaching. When they were close enough, Alyssa extended her arm and introduced herself. ‘Detective Wyatt. This is my partner, Detective Roberts. Mr. and Mrs. Otis?’