“It was dark, but I got some of him. He was like a ghost.”
On his cell, Jack showed her an image of Leif. “Was this the man in your home?”
Ruby shook her head. “No, that’s not him. Who is he?”
Her reply surprised him. Then again, he knew there was another shooter out there—Leif’s killer. Jack sent Nathan a warning look. He didn’t want to scare Ruby by sharing that the man who had entered her home was not the man who had died in her silo.
“I appreciate your help, Ruby,” Jack said. “Here’s my card. Please call me if you think of anything else.”
Nathan thanked her too, and they headed for the door. As Ruby opened the door for Nathan, Jack lingered at the mantel and looked at the family photographs again. Ruby came rushing over and was only too happy to tell him the names of her children. Three sons and a daughter. Twelve grandchildren. Quite a few pictures of the kids and their activities. Soccer. Football. Twirling. Running around in the backyard with dogs. The usual.
A photograph of a soldier standing next to a helicopter drew his attention, and Ruby was quick to notice.
“Oh, that’s my son. He died years ago when his helicopter crashed overseas.”
“I’m sorry to hear that.” He waited a few moments in case she would share more, but she seemed lost in thought.
“Well, thanks again, Ruby.” Jack joined Nathan, who’d been waiting on the porch.
Following Nathan down the steps, Jack stumbled on the last one but caught himself. Pain ignited in his arm.
“You okay?” Nathan asked.
“No.” Jack continued toward the vehicle and climbed into the passenger side.
Nathan hopped in the driver’s seat and started the vehicle. “You want to tell me what’s wrong?”
“I recognized her son who supposedly died.”
“What? No way.”
“Yes way. He looks much different now than he did years ago when that picture was taken, but there’s some resemblance. Ruby believes her son is dead, so she would never think that the man she saw standing in her house was him. Instead, she said he was like a ghost.”
“Well, come on, man, who is he?”
“Robert Vandine’s campaign manager. Marcus Briggs.”