Obviously, Bowen had given this some thought, but it was still just a theory. One that might not have any proof to back it up.
“I’ll investigate this—” Leigh assured him.
“And you’ll lay off Cullen,” Bowen interrupted. “Don’t you think about arresting him because of what’s gone on between our families.”
Leigh heard the weariness in her own sigh. “At the moment I have no plans to arrest Cullen or anyone else for that matter because there’s no clear-cut evidence to point to who did this.”
Bowen released the breath he appeared to have been holding, and he gave a crisp nod before turning back to Cullen. “Call me if you need anything.”
So, she’d apparently appeased Bowen enough for him to get out of her face. Not Rocky though. Her deputy was aiming a questioning look at her. Probably because he believed there was indeed someevidence to point to who did this.
And Rocky no doubt thought the pointing should be at Cullen.
“Check with Dawn and make sure both crime scenes are secure,” she instructed Rocky, not only to remind him that she was the sheriff and was therefore in charge but also because it was something that needed to be done. “I’m going to the hospital to get an update on Jamie.” With some luck, she might even be able to question the ranch hand.
“I could go with you,” Rocky suggested.
“I need you here,” she insisted, and Leigh motioned for Cullen to follow her toward the front door. “Depending on how long I’m at the hospital or Jamie’s condition, I might be able to get your statement in the next hour or two. I suspect you’ll want a lawyer there for that.”
Cullen had already opened his mouth, but he seemed to change his mind as to what he’d been about to say. “I’m going to the hospital, too. Jamie works for me,” he added in a snap before she could protest.
She saw the weariness on his face. The worry. Not for his own situation but for Jamie. And that’s why Leigh didn’t tell him to stay put. Even though that would have been the smart thing to do. It’d keep Cullen out of her hair while she gathered evidence. Then again, it would keep him away from the crime scene, too. Cullen would no doubt be able to handle any flak that Rocky tried to dole out to him, but this would hopefully keep Rocky focused on his assigned duties so he wouldn’t be able to take jabs at Cullen.
“You can ride in the cruiser with me,” she offered, “but you’d have to find your own way back here once we’re done at the hospital and my office.”
Cullen didn’t object to that, so Leigh reached for the knob on the front door. However, before she could open it, Vance called out to her.
“Wait up,” the deputy said, hurrying through the great room toward them. “I think I found the murder weapon.” He took out his phone, showing her a picture. “I didn’t touch it. Figured I’d leave it where it is for the crime scene guys to collect.”
Itwas a bronze horse statue of Lobo.
“Where’d you find that?” Cullen demanded.
Vance waited until he got a nod from Leigh before he answered. “In some bushes on the patio off the master bedroom. I’m guessing the killer went out through the patio doors and tossed it there.”
That put a knot in Leigh’s stomach. Because anyone wanting to pin this on Cullen would point out that the weapon had been in Cullen’s bedroom and that Cullen would be the one to most likely have access to it.
But Cullen wasn’t stupid.
Only a stupid killer would have tossed the murder weapon so that it could be easily found. That meant it probably didn’t have anything on it that could be linked back to who’d used it to bash in Alexa’s head. Then again, maybe the killer had tossed it out of panic. Or because he or she had been in a hurry. Either way, this was going to put some pressure on her to arrest Cullen.
“If the CSIs aren’t here before the sleet starts, hold an umbrella over the statue so we don’t lose any prints or trace,” Leigh told Vance. “Once it’s been bagged and tagged, mark it priority and have a courier take it to the lab.”
Vance nodded, and as Rocky had done, he gave an uneasy glance at Cullen. “You heading somewhere?”
“Cullen and I are going to the hospital.”
Vance’s uneasiness seemed to go up a notch. “You okay with that?”
She heard the deputy’s underlying concern. That maybe she was about to get in the cruiser with a killer. It didn’t sting as much coming from Vance as it had with Rocky. That’s because Vance didn’t have the fierce loyalty to Jeb that Rocky did. Or the equally fierce hatred of the Brodies.
“I’m okay,” she assured Vance. “Call me if you find anything else. I need to know how Alexa got here tonight. And don’t forget to question the other ranch hands in the bunkhouse about Jamie. We need to find out how he ended up on the patio. Rocky can help you with that.”
Leigh stepped outside and could have sworn the temp had dropped even more. Worse, she heard the first pings of ice start to hit against the porch. She hoped that Vance would get the statue protected in time and considered going back in to make sure that happened. But her best bet at getting to the truth wasn’t a statue that had likely been planted to frame Cullen. Her best bet was to question Jamie.
“Before you say anything,” Leigh told Cullen as they headed down the steps. “I’m going to Mirandize you.”
Cullen didn’t curse, but the look he shot her was colder than the sleet needling against her face.