“Kali insists she doesn’t have a clue about that. Says she didn’t see anyone in the woods before or after the shots started.”
“You believe her?” Leigh pressed.
This time Cash wasn’t so fast to answer. “Not sure. Plenty of people are good liars, and I don’t know if she’s one of them. But if she fired those shots, then the rifle is probably still somewhere in the woods, and the CSIs are out looking for it now.”
Leigh gathered her breath before she spoke again. “Did Kali agree to let you test for GSR?”
“She did. Nada. Then again, the EMTs had their hands all over her clothes when they examined her. She had a panic attack in the ambulance, and they had to restrain her.”
Cullen didn’t even bother to curse. Leigh had already known that the GSR would be a long shot.
“Unless I can prove Kali’s the shooter,” Cash went on, “I can’t charge her with anything other than a misdemeanor for wasting law enforcement resources. She didn’t make a false 911 call, and she admitted the ruse once I got her in interview. I can’t arrest her for wanting to worry her ex-boyfriend.”
No, but it did show how desperate and hurt Kali was. So desperate and so hurt that she might have killed Alexa. Especially if Alexa had taunted Kali about her affair with Austin.
Leigh finished her call with her brother, gulped down some more coffee and gave her shoulder harness an adjustment. “You should be able to go back to the Triple R sometime this morning,” she said, her gaze lifting to meet his. “But you’re welcome to stay here.”
That was an invitation Cullen had no intention of turning down. Not just because he wanted to be with Leigh but also because he wasn’t about to leave her alone as long as the killer was still gunning for them. Cullen would have told her that, too, but they got another call. This time, it was his phone.
“It’s Jamie,” he said, answering right away. He also put it on speaker. “Are you okay?” Cullen immediately asked him.
Jamie, however, didn’t give him an immediate answer. “I’m getting out of the hospital. Deputy Cecile Taggart is still here, and she’s going to drive me to the bunkhouse.”
Cullen was thankful Jamie would still have police protection, but something was wrong. He didn’t think he was mistaken about the worry he’d heard in Jamie’s voice.
“Did something happen?” Cullen came out and asked.
“Yeah. And that’s why I need to talk to the sheriff and you.” Again, Jamie hesitated, and he lowered his voice to a whisper. “The killer called me again.”
LEIGHRESISTEDSNATCHINGthe phone right out of Cullen’s hand, but she did hurry to get closer so that Jamie would have no trouble hearing her. “What did the killer say to you?” she demanded.
“I don’t want to get into it here over the phone,” Jamie said, still hesitating, still whispering. “Deputy Taggart and I will be at your house soon. I need to talk to you about going into protective custody or something. I can’t go on like this.”
Jamie hung up before she could demand again that he tell her about the phone call he’d gotten from the killer.
“I should go to the hospital,” Leigh grumbled.
“You could end up passing him and Cecile on the road,” Cullen quickly pointed out.
His voice was calm and reasonable. Too bad she wasn’t feeling either at the moment. She wanted to know about the killer, and Jamie might have key information. Information that could possibly stop another attack.
“Witness protection,” she repeated like profanity. “I’m guessing that means the killer threatened him again.” And that reminder sent some fresh alarm through her. “I should send Cecile backup.”
She whipped out her phone and called the deputy, and Cecile must have been expecting her call, because she answered on the first ring.
“Jamie’s fine,” Cecile said right off. “He’s just scared. We’re heading out of the hospital right now, and then I’ll drive him straight to your place.”
“Why is he scared? What did the killer tell him?” Leigh pressed.
“I don’t know. I didn’t hear any of the actual call, but he’s insisting on talking to you about it. I called your office and they said you were still home so I figured that’s where I’d bring him. I had Dawn come here to the hospital, too, so she’ll ride along with us.”
Some of the tightness eased in Leigh’s chest. She had good cops working for her, and this was proof of it. Cecile had arranged for backup on her own. Maybe it wouldn’t be necessary, but taking precautions was the right call.
“Come straight here,” Leigh instructed. “If we end up doing protective custody, I’ve got contacts with the marshals that I can bring in. That way, they could meet with Jamie here so he doesn’t have to go back out again.”
“Will do,” Cecile assured her. “We’re getting in the cruiser right now and will be there in just a couple of minutes,” she added before she ended the call.
“I can arrange for security at the ranch, too, if Jamie wants to go back to the bunkhouse,” Cullen offered. “Or if he wants to go to his folks’ place, I can send men there with him.”