“That would be his mother,” I said, when that familiar look of blind panic hit Bruyn’s face. “Not Claire’s mother. She was his half sister on his dad’s side.”

My composure cracked a bit then, thinking of Claire, dead, and now Michael, too. Their poor parents. Michael coming to solve his sister’s murder, then murdered himself and—

I took a deep breath. “Now, if you’re done with me, I’ll go back to my motel to rest.”

“Like hell you will.”

I fought to keep my voice steady. “You don’t have enough to hold me. Your officer can drive me back and can park outside my door, and you have my word that I won’t leave.”

Bruyn crossed his arms. “You’re not going anywhere. You killed a police detective.”

“No, she didn’t,” said a voice from the door.

Jesse strode in, the younger officer at his heels, protesting that he’d tried to stop him. Jesse planted himself in front of Bruyn.

“The doctor’s initial report found that Detective Kennedy seems to have died of a broken neck incurred in a fall. He was searching the warehouse, went to that second story, and fell backward off the edge.”

“Fell?” Bruyn said. “Or was pushed?”

“Fell. There’s only one way up. There’s also only one set of prints, which I pointed out to the sheriff’s department.”

“I saw two sets—”

“On the first few steps. Savannah’s prints, as I’m sure she’ll confirm. She went up three steps, turned, and came back down.” He glanced at me.

I nodded. “I heard a noise below. Turned out it was just a cat.”

“The sheriff’s department is holding the scene for their lab techs, but I’m sure when they arrive, they’ll confirm only one set of prints upstairs. Michael Kennedy’s. A tragic accident. But clearly an accident.”

The phone rang.

“That would be the sheriff’s department telling you to release Savannah,” Jesse said.

I heard enough to know that they confirmed Jesse’s story—one way up to the second floor and only one set of footprints. I still didn’t believe Michael had fallen. Couldn’t believe it. But I sure as hell wasn’t saying so.

When Bruyn got off the phone, he said, “You’re free to go. Just don’t leave town. We’ll be checking that second story, and if we find your prints up there ...”

“You won’t,” I said. “But I’m not leaving town anytime soon. I still have a case to solve.”

AS WE GOT into Jesse’s truck, I said, “Thank you.”

“No problem.”

“No, really. Thank you. You didn’t need to do all that, and I appreciate it.”