There was nothing but muted background voices for a moment. “It’s bad?”
“Bad as it gets.”
“No chance she’s still breathing?”
My gaze traveled to the pool of blood, the lack of color in the woman’s face, the blank eyes. “There’s no chance.”
“Where are you?”
“The gate at Ramsey’s property.”
Hayes muttered a curse. “You should call him, too. We’ll have to question all of you.”
I could only imagine his response and knew I should brace for it.
“Stay in your car. This could be a lure to get you out in the open.”
Hayes’ words had me scanning the forests around us, looking for any sign of movement. There was none. But that didn’t mean someone wasn’t out there.
Laiken shivered,and I pulled the blanket tighter around her shoulders, scooting in closer. The heat was on and the fire blazing, but I couldn’t seem to get her warm.
Hayes took a seat on the coffee table in front of us and handed Laiken a mug of tea. “Ev always says tea helps when nothing else does.”
Laiken’s lips fluttered as if she were trying to smile and couldn’t quite get her mouth to obey. “Ev speaks the truth.”
She wrapped her hands around the mug and held it close to her chest. Her eyes had a slightly glassy look, and her gaze was a bit unfocused. Shock. There was nothing I could do. I simply had to give her time and be there for her.
Ramsey stared out the window, watching the sheriff’s department officers crawl all over his property. “You need anything else from me, Easton? Or can I tend to my horses? Your people are making them edgy.”
Hayes glanced back at Ramsey, a muscle in his jaw tensing. “Sure. I’ll be in touch if we have any other questions.”
“I’m sure you will,” Ramsey muttered and stalked out the door.
Hayes shook his head. “That guy is a piece of work.”
“Did his security cameras show anything?” I asked.
Hayes slid his phone out of his pocket and read a message. “We got nothing. Whoever did this spray-painted them from a distance.”
I rubbed a hand up and down Laiken’s arm. “That has to be someone who knows the property, right?”
“Or someone who’s been watching,” Hayes said.
Laiken shivered again, and I tightened my hold on her. “So, we’re back to square one.”
Hayes’ eyes shifted a fraction. “Not exactly.”
Laiken straightened. “What did you find out?”
Hayes navigated to the notes app on his phone, seeming to scroll through whatever he had typed there. “A few things.” His thumb stopped moving. “Both Mitch and Lisbeth had high levels of narcotics in their systems when they died.”
Laiken set her tea down on the side table and took my hand, squeezing it. “The same kind?”
“Yes. Both had high levels of opiates.”
She swallowed, her eyes traveling to the officers working outside. “And you’ll test Marisa?”
“We will.”