Smoke in Mirrors

Rhodes got removed by his competition?”
    Ed squared his cap. “Drug trade’s a rough business. Folks involved in it get killed pretty regularly.”
    “Any idea why the killer would take the time to tear the place apart after shooting Rhodes?”
    “Sure. He was looking for Rhodes’s supply and maybe some cash or valuables. Those bastards are all opportunists. Scavenger sharks.” Ed shook his head. “Onlygood news is that whoever did this is probably halfway back to Seattle. With any luck he’s someone else’s problem now.”
    Deke made a disgusted sound. “Think so?”
    Ed exhaled heavily. “I’m going to need written statements from both of you in the morning. Want my advice?”
    “Not particularly,” Deke said.
    Ed ignored him. “Stick to the facts tomorrow. Don’t drag your personal conspiracy theories concerning Mrs. Walker’s death into this thing.”
    “Why not?” Deke squinted against the glare of the SUV’s lights. “Because it might raise some awkward questions about your investigation?”
    “No,” Ed said quietly. “Because it will raise some awkward questions about the state of your mental health.”
    “You think I give a shit about your opinion of my mental health, Stovall?”
    Thomas winced. “Take it easy, Deke.”
    Ed swung around abruptly to face both of them. “You two want to hear a really awkward question? Try this one: What the hell were you doing here tonight?”
    “I told you,” Thomas said, “we came here to confront Rhodes about that near miss out on Cliff Drive. I wanted to hear his excuses.”
    “You really think he tried to kill you?”
    “Yeah, Ed. I really do think he tried to kill me and Leonora Hutton.”
    “You’ve got nothing to back that up. Hell, you didn’t even file a complaint.”
    “Didn’t figure you’d pay any attention to another complaint from one of the Walker brothers,” Thomas said.
    Ed’s mouth tightened. The line of his jaw was rigid. “Should have filed a complaint.”
    “What good would that have done,” Deke shot back, “given your views of the situation?”

    “The death of your wife has nothing to do with this,” Ed said. But he said it in a surprisingly quiet voice. “It’s my job to deal with the facts and the facts are that this thing has all the hallmarks of a drug killing.”
    Deke looked at Thomas. “Anal-retentive, like you said.”
    “Take it easy,” Thomas said. “We need to get back to Leonora and Cassie. They’ll be worrying.”
    Deke combed his fingers through his beard. “You’re right. Talking to Stovall is always a waste of time. Let’s get out of here.”
    He turned on his heel and started toward the road, heading back to the old house where they had left the SUV.
    Thomas moved to follow.
    “Wait,” Stovall said in a low voice. “One thing before you two take off.”
    Thomas stopped and turned. Deke reluctantly did the same.
    “What?” Thomas said.
    “I’ve been doing some thinking.”
    “That’s gotta hurt,” Deke said.
    Ed ignored the barb. “Rhodes came to town a year ago. He was here when Bethany Walker died. If I can prove that he was in the drug business, and I don’t think that will be tough, I’ll take another look at Bethany Walker’s suicide. See if Rhodes might have had a hand in it. I’ll also contact the California authorities and request a copy of the report that was filed on Meredith Spooner’s accident. See if there’s any connection that might have been overlooked on that end.”
    Deke looked at him.
    “That’s all I can do,” Ed said.
    “Appreciate it, Ed,” Thomas said.
    Ed nodded. “No promises.”
    “That I can believe,” Deke grumbled.

    Leonora spotted Thomas and Deke first. Relief cascaded through her.
    “They’re here.” She slid toward the end of the booth and got to her feet.
    “About time.” Cassie put the half-finished bottle of water down on the table and followed her.
    Thomas and Deke forged a path through the crowd. Nobody dawdled in their way, Leonora noticed. When they got closer she understood why everyone was giving both men a wide berth. There was cold steel in both pairs of Walker eyes.
    She could feel the chill all the way across the room.
    “Something happened,” she said to Cassie.
    Cassie looked at Deke. “Dear God.”
    They both went forward, pushing past Kyle, who was returning from the bar with a tray containing a bottle of designer water and a fresh pot of tea.
    “Hey,” he said as they went unceremoniously past