Aaron nodded but bristled at the enforced wait.

  Sam clamped his hand on his shoulder and gave a squeeze. “You got this,” Sam said.

  The minutes seemed to crawl by, but finally, the VMP vessel came into sight and made it into the harbor. Not wasting time, Aaron strode purposely toward the docking vessel and immediately locked his gaze on Andy. Turning his attention to Ryan, he watched as the marine police officers climbed onto the dock carrying several large plastic evidence bags.

  “Please, tell me what you found,” he implored.

  The four detectives gathered on the dock, along with the marine officers, and they peered into the bags, anticipation thick in the air. As the contents were revealed, Aaron’s frustration surged. One bag contained a twenty-five-pound weight from a gym set with a rope tied through the center on one end and the other dangling.

  “They were throwing away gym equipment?” Aaron asked, incredulous.

  “Bro, here’s the other bag,” Andy said.

  As he stared down at the other plastic evidence bag, his chest depressed as the air rushed from his lungs. “Holy shit.” He barely registered the other curses coming from the detectives as they stared at the object in the bag. One brown, leather men’s shoe—the mate to the one found on William Gaston’s body when it washed up on the shore. His mind raced. With so many thoughts blending together, it was difficult to pull them apart and process each one.

  Sam’s voice cut through the haze of shock. “Those two men in the boat were dumping William Gaston’s body less than a mile from where he washed up. That means the murder of William Gaston is now tied into the attempted murder of Belinda.”

  Several hours later, Aaron thought he was going out of his mind. The shoe was conclusively a match to William Gaston. Cora declared the bruising around his ankle to be consistent with the type of rope that was on the weight. They were waiting on the enhanced photograph from the state lab. And now, they were postulating the possibilities.

  “Could’ve been someone local. They came across William, tried to rob him, ended up killing him, and then needed to get rid of the body. His wallet was missing, and that could uphold the theory of a robbery,” Brad said.

  “What about the timing?” Sam asked. “We know he stopped at the gas station at noon seven days ago. His car went across the CBBT that night at almost eleven p.m. Belinda’s Kiptopeke pictures were the next morning. Then one day later, his body washes up. Two days later, Belinda is shot. Two days later, her apartment is broken into. It may be desperation but with some forethought.”

  “Not drugrunner MO. They would kill and then leave the body dumped somewhere. Not row out into the bay and dump the body. That takes time and specific effort. And it’s not expeditious,” Hunter said. He speared the others with a hard look. “There were other ways someone could have disposed of the body.”

  Aaron nodded. “It’s one thing for a guy out in a boat to see a woman standing on the beach taking pictures. But how did he identify her? How did he know where she lived? This is not some local person unless they recognized her.”

  “How long was she at Kiptopeke Park?” Colt asked.

  “She got there before dawn,” he replied. I was running along the beach about an hour later. We met up, sat, and talked for at least an hour, and then I walked her back to her car. Even then, hers was the only car in the parking lot. She drove me to where I left my car.”

  “Someone could’ve had time to dock that boat anywhere in an inlet, drive to Kiptopeke, see her car in the parking lot, and assume it belonged to her. They could’ve even followed her back to her place,” Hunter said.

  “He may have wanted to kill her then but saw you with her,” Brad said.

  “Hell,” Aaron cursed under his breath, glaring at Brad.

  Brad winced. “Sorry, man. I’m not trying to be insensitive.”

  Aaron scrubbed his hand over his face. “No, I know you’re not. Everything is just too fuckin’ close to home.” He shot a look up to Colt and quickly added. “But I want this. This is tied into William’s murder.”

  “Have you completely ruled out the Malroneys having anything to do with this?” Hunter asked.

  He and Sam exchanged a look, and he had the grace to shrug. “As much as I want it to be someone we can get our hands on quickly, I can’t see how it was the Malroneys. They have a security camera outside the front of their house. William didn’t go to their house. We’ve checked their weapon. It doesn’t appear to have been fired in a long time, and when it was tested, it wasn’t a match for the bullet that hit him.”

  Sam added, “No one else in the area had any dealings with William that we can find. We’ve looked at his emails and phone and text records.”

  “The Malroneys don’t fit the profile,” Hunter insisted, shaking his head.

  Colt nodded but added, “Keep looking, even at them. Not everyone is what they seem.”

  “Bergstrom,” Colby called out. “We’ve got your man!”

  Aaron lifted his head and looked at Colby as a lance of adrenaline hit his chest. “Bellini?”

  Colby nodded, a wide grin on his face. “Just got a call from a deputy on traffic patrol. Tried to pull over a speeder, but he took off.”

  “Shit, did he evade them?”

  “The sergeant radioed back that the car was now stopped, and two deputy cruisers had him pinned in. They ran his tags and Maryland license and up popped James Bellini. I’ve already told them to bring him in for questioning.”

  Hunter twisted around. “I want his vehicle searched.”

  Colby nodded and picked up his phone to give instructions.

  As soon as James Bellini was brought in, Aaron headed down the hall with Sam at his side. “Go slow. Colby and Sheila have turned it over to Hunter and Brad. They’ll take the lead in case this does have anything to do with the attempt on Belinda’s life. Don’t mess up the county prosecutor’s case.”

  Aaron forced his feet to slow, allowing Hunter and Brad to move ahead, but his blood fired as soon as he landed his gaze on the man. Dark hair. Dark eyes. Dark hoodie. “He looks a helluva lot like the man in the boat staring at Belinda,” he growled.

  “Yeah,” Sam muttered, his voice hard.

  The man protested but he was arrested for speeding and evading the police. It was the perfect charge to get him into the station. Walking up to the deputy, Aaron offered a clap on the back. “Good work, Marcus.”

  “Car is registered to him. Name is James Bellini from Baltimore. I knew you were looking for him, and his lead foot brought him right to us.”

  James was processed and put into a holding cell while the detectives checked his information.

  Hunter looked at Sam. “We need to get George Haskins in. I want to see if he can identify this is the guy who shot at Belinda.”

  Aaron called out to Marcus and his partner, Elizabeth. “Go pick up George Haskins. If he’s not sober, bring him in and start dumping coffee down him. If we’re lucky, he’ll be sober! I want to see if he can identify this guy.”

  “You got it,” Elizabeth called out, and she and Marcus headed out the door.

  Hunter, with the patience of a man who’d worked undercover for over a year, waited calmly while Aaron paced the halls. Brad and Sam looked at him with sympathy but managed to pull off a steady demeanor.

  Just when he thought he would lose any semblance of professionalism, Elizabeth popped her head into the room. “We’ve got George Haskins with us, and you’re in luck. He’s sober.”

  The other detectives chuckled, but Aaron simply let out a heavy sigh of relief. Standing, he looked at Colt. “I know, I know. I can’t even be behind the glass where George is.”

  Hunter clapped him on the back. “Don’t worry. Sam will take care of him while Brad and I have a little chat with Bellini.”

  Fifteen minutes later, while Hunter sat with James Bellini, who belligerently stayed silent until his attorney arrived, George stood behind the two-way mirror and nodded. “Yep, that’s the man. That’s the man I saw out in the boat. The one who fired his rifle into the wedding crowd.”

  Aaron felt the air rush from his lungs as he watched on video from a camera in the room. Now they had Bellini… but who the hell hired him?

  38

  “Ms. Crowder?”

  “Yes, this is Belinda Crowder.” Belinda hadn’t recognized the number calling but answered her phone anyway. She couldn’t afford not to be available for potential clients just because she was laid up at the moment.

  “My name is Carol Winters. I stopped into the cute bakery that I believe is run by your sister. I saw your name in an advertisement and wondered if I could set up an appointment with you for photographs.”

  “Perhaps you can look at the gallery I have on my website, and then we can talk about your needs so that I can work up an estimate.”

  “I much prefer to deal with people face-to-face. That’s so much more telling, isn’t it? And so much more personal.”

  “That would be fine, but I’m… well, I’m recovering from an injury at the moment and⁠—”

  “I’d be more than happy to meet you at your home if that’s convenient. I’ll be leaving the area tomorrow, so this will be the only chance I have.”

  Belinda hesitated, not wanting to meet a stranger at Aaron’s apartment. She glanced across the room at his dad, her mind racing with how to meet the woman. Maybe it would be okay with Arthur here. No, that’s not fair to him. And I don’t want anyone to know Aaron’s address. “Let me check on something, please.” She muted her phone and looked up. “Arthur, would you be willing to drive me to Bess’s Bakery for a short meeting with a client?”

  He nodded, then added, “As long as you clear it with Aaron first.”

  She agreed, then said, “I should be able to meet you at my sister’s bakery. We will have to keep the meeting short, and I need to check on the logistics first. May I call you back at this number in a few minutes?”

  “Absolutely. I look forward to hearing from you.”

  Disconnecting, she dialed Aaron, wondering if she was interrupting him for something trivial. Just as she was ready to hang up, he answered.

  “Hey, sweetheart, what’s up?”

  “I got a call from a potential client, and she wants to meet. This is the one who saw my advertisement in the bakery and had talked to Bess. I thought that your dad could drive me to the bakery, and I could meet her there. I promise I’ll keep it short and not tire myself out. Would that be okay?”

  “I’d rather be there also, but we’ve got a break in the case. It looks like we have your shooter in custody, but we’re busy with the investigation.”

  “Oh, thank God, Aaron! Who was it?” She wanted to know, yet a stone sat in her stomach with the emotional toll that had weighed her down.

  “Some small-time mobster from Baltimore.”

  She blinked in surprise, unable to understand what someone from Baltimore was doing down here or why they were after her. Forcing her mind to the reason she called, she asked, “Then we should be able to meet the woman with no problem, right?”

  “I want Dad with you the whole time. And I’m sending a deputy to drive by the bakery and to stay close by.”

  “That’s perfect,” she gushed. “I’ll see you when you get in. Love you!” As soon as she disconnected, the words she’d so easily tossed out hit her. “Oh my God,” she breathed under her breath. They sounded like a throwaway… something she might say to Bess or a friend. Her heart raced… they weren’t a throwaway. I’m in love with Aaron Bergstrom. She glanced over at Arthur, glad to see he was still looking down at the book he was reading. Oh, God, what did Aaron think when he heard the words?

  “What did he say?” Arthur asked, looking up.

  Her face flushed hot. “What? About what?”

  “About going to the bakery to meet the client?”

  “Oh, that,” she rushed. “Yeah. Yes. It’s fine. It’s all fine… good. Um, they have the shooter, they think. So yeah, we’re all good.”

  “Are you okay, Belinda?” he asked, concern filling his eyes.

  She swallowed deeply and nodded. “I guess I’m just excited about going out.”

  “Well, we won’t overdo it. Just to the bakery and back, right?”

  She nodded while calling Ms. Winters back. Once the arrangements were made, she made quick work of fixing her face and hair, then chose a simple outfit that made it easy to strap her shoulder sling on. Walking out of the bedroom, she spied Arthur standing by the door.

  “I hope it’s okay, but I invited Sally to meet us there.”

  “That’s lovely!” Belinda stepped outside, breathing easier than she had in days with the sunshine on her face. It’s going to be a wonderful day!

  Aaron’s gaze moved over the words in the multitude of reports, searching for the one thing that would jump out at him. James was back in a cell, and now that they had tied him to Belinda’s shooting and the real possibility of him dumping William Gaston’s body into the bay as well as possibly being the one who killed him, all the detectives were digging deep to find the missing pieces.

  The Bellini family was exactly what Detective Marley said they were—they ran a legitimate transporting company that was probably used to launder other money. They had a reputation for being loan sharks and enforcers in the area. Not exactly as small-time as Aaron had supposed but it was only marginally tied to the eastern Italian mob presence. It seemed that most of the family worked for their company as he ran through the names of James’s relatives.

  As his finger ran down the list, it snagged at one that was more unusual. One he’d seen recently. One he’d talked to. Turning the information over in his head, he suddenly remembered what Colt had said earlier. Not everyone is what they seem. Doing a little more digging, he suddenly stared at the screen and leaned back in his seat as the air left his lungs.

  Sam looked over, his brows lifting. “Got something?”

  “We need to get to the Malroneys. And we’ll need backup.”

  39

  “What are you doing?” the man asked.

  “I’m taking care of things the way they should have been in the first place.” The woman swiped lipstick on and straightened her pale pink sweater and cardigan, making sure her string of pearls was straight. “I have an appointment with her. I’ve texted James, but he hasn’t texted back.” She held up a tiny vial of liquid and gave it a little shake. “No matter. I’ll use the backup plan. A few drops into her coffee, and it’ll be taken care of.”

  “I don’t see why this is necessary.”

  She huffed. “Because the photographer is a loose end. James fucked up, and I don’t even know why that surprises me. Uncle Ricardo always relied too heavily on James even though I think my cousin is an idiot.”

  “Just do it and get back. I’ll take care of things here.”

  As he stomped away, she looked around at the large house and sighed. “Why is it that we women always have to take care of everything?”

  40

  Standing on the stoop, Aaron rang the doorbell, the adrenaline of pieces starting to fall into place running through his body. Sam was standing right next to his side, with Hunter and Brad just behind.

  As soon as the door opened, Harry’s eyes narrowed. “What do you want now?”

  “Is your wife at home, Mr. Malroney?”

  His face scrunched, and he opened his mouth, but before he could speak, Ruthanne appeared by Harry’s side. Her hand rested lightly on his waist, and she smiled out to the group.

  “Detectives! How nice to see you again. What can we do for you?”

  “We have a few questions for you and your husband.”

  “Of course, please come in.”

  The four detectives stepped inside the roomy entry foyer.

  “There’s a whole lot of you coming in now,” Harry grumbled. “Do I need to call my attorney?”

  Ignoring Harry’s question, Aaron introduced, “This is Detective Simmons and Detective Stowe. We’re investigating two separate crimes that now appear to be tied together.”

  “Oh, how interesting,” Ruthanne said, her gaze moving between the four detectives.

  Harry’s eyes narrowed, and his arm snaked around Ruthanne’s waist, but he remained silent.

  Continuing, Aaron asked, “Mr. Malroney, I know that you have security cameras on this house, and we know you mentioned all your rentals have cameras. Do you have the ability to see, record, or go back to view from those cameras?”

  “What kind of damn fool question is that? Of course I do. In case you’re wondering, I also have security cameras inside all the homes. I’m not having wild parties, smoking dope, and destruction of property going on! God knows, renters will try to bring in their pets and then claim the goddamn urine smell was there before they arrived!”

  Ruthanne quickly jumped in. “There are no security cameras in bedrooms or bathrooms, just to be clear. We’re not voyeurs!”

  “Voyeurs?” Harry shouted, then looked down at his wife, his eyes wide. “Don’t give these men any ideas, or they’ll come after us for all kinds of perverted claims!”

  “Now, dear, I’m sure you’re exaggerating.” Ruthanne turned toward Aaron. “You also said you had a question for me?”

  “Yes, ma’am. You mentioned the last time we were here that you didn’t like living right on the beach, and you moved. Where was your previous house?”

  “It was just down the lane a little way, but was right on the beachfront, and I remember telling you that Harry didn’t like people just being able to walk right up to the back door.”

  “People have no sense of private property! We had people actually walk up to the house and peer into the windows!” Harry continued to grouse.

  Ignoring him, Aaron continued, “And which house was that?”

  “We used to live in the house that we now rent. The house that the Mathersons are staying in.”