“No. Also, no phone calls or hang-ups, which would be common, I think.” Abigail looked across her living room to the cold fireplace. “I don’t think anybody can break into my house, and I haven’t noticed anything here. But my office at work . . . I’m not sure. One day I felt as if things had been rearranged. Or not.” She shrugged. “Again, I can’t be certain.”

Laurel couldn’t help but take another drink of the wine. “Think hard. Did you have any relationship with either Dr. Charlene Rox or Dr. Sharon Lamber?”

Abigail stretched her shoulders back. “We’re all doctors.” She swirled her wine in the glass. “I’ve never met Charlene Rox, but I have met Sharon Lamber. She cochairs the Tempest Youth Ranch charity auction every year with the mayor’s wife, and I’ve coordinated donations from Northern Washington Technical Institute. So, I’ve met her in passing but know Teri Bearing much better.”

Laurel frowned. “That doesn’t sound like you.”

Abigail rolled her eyes. “One of the faculty requirements at Tech is to work on two committees a year, and I’ve found the charitable committee takes up less of my time than the others. Universities are much more used to money flowing their way than the opposite, so it’s an easy gig. I assist with the charity auction and the holiday charity drive every year, and that’s it.”

Laurel sipped thoughtfully. “Have you met the mayor or his kids?”

Abigail shrugged. “Maybe during the setup for the auction last year. Also, Steven Bearing drew up the contracts for the Deep Green Grower’s Company for me and my partners. Well, now I just have one partner because, well, you know.”

“Yes. I know.” One of Abigail’s partners in the lucrative marijuana growing business was now dead; he’d been her half brother, and she’d shot him.

Abigail leaned toward her. “Why do you want to know? Please tell me the mayor is your serial killer. How delicious that would be. Politics and violence—they do go hand in hand.”

“Doubtful.” But she would need to check the mayor’s alibi once she received his sister-in-law’s phone records. Was it possible they had been having an affair? Even so, why would he also kill Dr. Rox? “You do need some protection, Abigail. More than the drive-bys by local patrol cars. You should let me put you in a safe house.”

Abigail shook her head. “I’m armed, and I can take care of myself. Unless you want to move in with me?”

“No.”

“Fine.” Abigail finished her wine. “I was wondering, since you’ve clearly stated you have no interest in Captain Rivers, would you mind if I asked him out?”

“Again?” The woman really was a narcissist. But what else was she?

Abigail smiled, her gaze intense. “Yes. Again. I do like his shoulders.”