“None of that is King’s fault.” Morgan faced him, putting her hands on his shoulders. “This is not a good idea. I know Sheriff King is a pain in the ass, but he’s smart, and he’s been right behind us every step of this investigation.”

“If we involve him, he’ll put us off the case. Considering King doesn’t follow the rule of law, it’s totally hypocritical on his part.”

“Remember last time we kept the sheriff out of our plans? We almost died.” Morgan shivered, thinking about that night in the woods.

“Maybe it would be best if you didn’t come with me.”

His words stung, but she could see the rage pacing through him, as frustrated and pent up as a big cat in a cage.

“I’m coming with you,” Morgan said, afraid he’d leave her behind. God only knew what he’d do without her to temper him. “We are a team.”

Lance met her gaze, his eyes softening for just a second. “OK.”

He jabbed at the elevator button again.

“What about your mother?” she asked.

Lance glanced back at the closed doors of the ICU. “Brody and Stella are here. More cops are coming. She’s as safe as she can be for now. But here’s the thing. Brody and Stella and the forensic team will be at the hospital most of tonight. The hospital environment will create challenges for the investigation and the collection of forensic evidence. The ICU staff won’t allow patient care to be compromised. But as soon as the investigation team leaves, how will anyone protect her? We can’t post a lab outside her door and test every drug she needs right before it’s administered. Whoever is trying to kill her is smart and flexible. He has no MO. He’s killing for self-preservation, and he doesn’t care how he gets the job done or how many people become collateral damage along the way. That old man in the next room did nothing, but I am going to bet that he was murdered just to create a diversion so the killer could get to my mother.”

The elevator doors opened, and Lance stalked inside. Morgan followed him. She briefly considered messaging the sheriff in secret, but loyalty warred with caution. Lance would take it as a betrayal. It would be a betrayal. He was already hurting beyond comprehension. His mother was his only family. How could she ask him to let someone else handle this threat to her life?

Lance was right. The sheriff would order them away from Stan, and Sheriff King was hampered by the law. Which was the same reason Morgan and Lance had ended up in trouble last time. The entire situation felt too much like déjà vu for Morgan’s comfort.

But this time, she would make sure they exercised proper caution. They were both armed, and they weren’t alone in the woods in the dark.

The elevator descended, and the doors opened.

“We’re only going to talk to Stan,” she said as they stepped out.

“Right.”

The cold air hit them halfway across the tiled lobby as the door slid open to admit visitors. They passed a young couple. A colorful bunch of Get Well Soon balloons floated behind them. Outside, the night smelled like snow. Morgan buttoned her coat in a rush. They hustled across the parking lot to the Jeep. Morgan plucked the keys from Lance’s hand. She didn’t trust him behind the wheel, and she wanted some control over their movements. He let her have the keys.

Morgan opened the vehicle door and spoke over the roof. “We have to let Sharp know where we’re going. Someone needs to keep tabs on us.”

“Fair enough.”

“And we will take every other reasonable precaution. One step at a time tonight, OK?” She would ask him to proceed carefully, but she wouldn’t demand he walk away. If it was her family at risk, she would be unstoppable too.

A defeated sigh hissed from him. “OK.”

“We’re not going to do anything dangerous.” But she recognized the words as ridiculous even as they tumbled from her cold lips. “I love you.”

They were on their way to question a potential killer.

Chapter Forty

Lance sent messages to Brody and Sharp.

“Are you all right?” Morgan reached across the console and offered her hand.

He took it. In a world of uncertainty, filled with lies and betrayal, what she offered him was pure. He’d been a crazy man to even think about turning away her love.

She loves me.

When this was all over, he was going to process that. For now, he had to keep swimming forward so he didn’t sink.

“No. Yes. I don’t know,” he said honestly.

“You look angry.”

“I am angry.” His jaw was so tight, he could crack walnuts in his molars. “My father went missing, and everyone was so concerned for themselves, they lied to the police and possibly hindered the investigation.”

“I know,” Morgan said. “But you won’t get any information out of Stan if you’re too confrontational.”

“How about I hold him out a window by his ankles? That might convince him to cooperate.”

Morgan squeezed his fingers. “Let’s make that Plan B. Plan A is to get him to talk without violence.”

But if Stan had anything to do with his father’s disappearance or the attempt to kill his mother . . .

“I won’t drag you into anything dangerous,” he said. “I love your girls too much to risk their mother’s life. Call Stan and get him to meet us somewhere public.”

A public location would also keep Lance from beating the man into a pulp on the spot.

Morgan called Stan’s cell. She put him on speakerphone. “Hello, Mr. Adams. Lance Kruger and I have a few follow-up questions for you. Do you have some time this evening?”

“Not really,” Stan said, his words clipped. Other voices and background activity came over the line. “The firm is dealing with an issue tonight. Can it wait until morning?”

“I’m sorry,” Morgan said. “It’s important.”

“Fine,” Stan said. “But you’ll have to come to my office.” He disconnected without saying goodbye.

Morgan drove out of the hospital parking lot. Her phone went off. She handed it to Lance. “It’s a message from Stella. Can you read it?”

He entered her passcode and read the message. “Stella says, WHERE ARE YOU? Do you want to answer her?”

“No.” Morgan sighed. “You told Brody what my grandfather found. She’ll figure out where we’re going.”

A few minutes later, the phone beeped with an incoming call.

Lance read the display on Morgan’s phone. “It’s your sister.”

“Don’t answer it,” Morgan said. “With her and Brody working your mother’s case, she has the power to order us away from Stan.”

He lowered her phone. “I’m sorry if this will cause tension between you and your sister.”

“It won’t be the first time.” Morgan turned left onto the main road. “You told Sharp where we were going?”

“Sent him a detailed message.”

“As long as someone knows.”

The accounting firm was located in a five-story office building, practically a high-rise in this rural community. Lance and Morgan went into the lobby and took the elevator to the fourth floor. The firm was small, two senior accountants, two juniors, and a handful of administrative staff, but their offices took up the entire fourth floor. Large silver letters spelled out ADAMS & BOOKER on the wall opposite the elevator bank.