She disconnected the call and tossed the cell phone onto her desk. Nick waited until she turned around before he asked the obvious.

“Were you just talking to J. D. Dickey?”

“No, I wasn’t.”

“If you don’t bring him in, we will.”

“This is my jurisdiction.”

Nick asked her again if the coroner had given an approximate time of death for Professor MacKenna.

“I already answered the question. This is my jurisdiction and my case.” She folded her arms and began tapping her foot. “I want you to get out…”

“We are not going away,” Noah interjected.

“What was the cause of death?” Nick asked.

“My jurisdiction,” she repeated, dragging the word out.

And so it went. No matter what question was asked, jurisdiction was her answer.

Jordan felt as though she were watching a tennis match, her gaze bouncing back and forth between her brother and the chief.

Carrie touched her arm to get her attention. “How come I can’t get the printer to print?”

Jordan leaned over the desk and said, “Your printer isn’t hooked up to the computer.” Her attention returned to the ongoing argument.

Carrie distracted her again. “Can you fix it?” she pleaded.

“Yes, okay.”

“I found the manual for the computer,” she whispered. She was keeping her eye on the chief now, making sure she wasn’t listening. “But I haven’t read it. I told her I had but…you know. I got busy doing other stuff. I guess I should read it, huh?”

“That’s probably a good idea,” Jordan said. She walked around the desk and began hooking up the cable while Carrie continued to whisper.

“Your brother’s really good-looking, but he’s got that wedding ring on. It is a wedding ring, isn’t it?”

Jordan smiled. “Yes, it is.”

“Is his wife alive? I mean, some guys keep on wearing their wedding rings for years after their wives die.”

“Yes, his wife is alive, and yes, they’re happily married. In fact, he and Laurant are expecting their second child in three months.”

Carrie’s voice dropped lower. “Jaffee’s really nice-looking too. I mean, he’s losing his hair and all, but that makes him kind of sexy. I was walking past his restaurant on my break yesterday, and he and his friends were standing there talking to you. That rich rancher…you know who I mean…his name’s Whitaker…now, he’s really hot. He’s on the lean side, but I can tell he’s got muscles, and I like muscles. I bet he works out, don’t you think?”

Jordan didn’t answer, but Carrie didn’t seem to mind. “That one there though”—she nodded in Noah’s direction—“he’s got to be the sexiest man I’ve ever seen.”

Was there any man Carrie didn’t find appealing? Just how long had she been in prison? Jordan hoped the discussion had ended, but Carrie wasn’t going to let it go.

“I mean…don’t you think?”

“Yes, he is sexy,” Jordan replied.

“That’s what I thought.”

Jordan happened to glance up at Noah and realized he’d been watching her. Had he heard the conversation? She hoped not.

The chief was drawn away by another phone call, and Jordan seized the opportunity.

“Nick, what happens now?”

“We’re waiting for your attorney.”

“Who is he?” she asked.

“I haven’t met him, but he comes highly recommended.”

“Doctor Morganstern called him,” Noah told her.

Startled, she gasped and her hand went to her throat. “You told Doctor Morganstern about this? Why did you tell him?”

Dr. Morganstern was a brilliant man, and his opinion mattered to her. She didn’t want him to think less of her, or to think that she was somehow responsible for this mess.

“What’s the big deal?” Noah asked.

“You shouldn’t have bothered the doctor. He’s a busy man.”

Nick shook his head. “We work for him, remember? We can’t just take off without letting him know where we’re going. We had to tell him what we were doing and why.”

“Why does that bother you?” Noah asked.

“I just told you why. He’s a very busy man,” she said as she walked over to Noah and sat on the edge of the desk next to him. “It doesn’t really matter to me. I just didn’t want you to bother him. That’s all.”

He nudged her. “Yeah, it does bother you.” He leaned over and whispered, “You didn’t kill the guy, did you?”

“No, of course I didn’t,” she whispered back.

“Then you have nothing to worry about.”

“Tell that to the chief.”

“She isn’t your problem any longer.”

Before she could ask him to explain, Nick’s cell phone rang. He glanced at the number and told Noah, “Chaddick’s calling back.”

He flipped the phone open and said, “What have you got?”

Jordan tapped Noah’s arm. “Who’s Chaddick?”

“An FBI agent making some calls for us and checking some things out. He’ll come in on this if we need him.”

“I appreciate it,” Nick said into his phone. “Right. I’ll meet you there. I’ll give you a call when I’m leaving Serenity. You’re going to set it up? That’s great. Thanks again.”

Jordan and Noah looked at him expectantly when he ended the call.

“Strangulation,” Nick said without preamble.

“So it was up close and personal,” Noah remarked.

“A crime of passion,” Nick said. “Rope was used. Chaddick said some fibers were found imbedded in the skin.”

“It takes a lot of strength to strangle someone. I doubt Jordan has that kind of strength. Even coming up behind him, even with the element of surprise—”

“I didn’t strangle anyone.”

“Didn’t you notice his neck?” Nick asked. “Didn’t you see any bruising or discoloration?”

“No, I didn’t.”

“Were you wearing your contacts? Could you see—”

“Yes, I was wearing my contacts. I could see just fine.”

“Then how could you have missed—”

She cut him off. “Look,” she said, her irritation growing, “I was too busy noticing he was wrapped up like a sandwich. Oh, God, I’ll never eat anything from a Ziploc bag again.”

“Jordan, get a grip,” Nick said. “This isn’t the time to get all emotional. I know this is upsetting—”

“Upsetting?” She pushed off the desk and took a step toward him. “The way I feel goes way past upset.”

He put his hand up. “Calm down. I’m just trying to get as much information as possible before your attorney gets here. I wish your powers of observation—”

She took another step in his direction. “You know what I wish? I wish I’d called Theo.”

Noah grabbed hold of Jordan’s arm and pulled her back. “But you didn’t call Theo. You called Nick. Take a deep breath, okay?”

He made her sit back on the desk. “What do you suggest we do about her?” he asked, motioning to the chief of police. The woman was pacing in her tiny office while she talked on the phone. “I think we should lock her up and throw away the key.”

“Jordan?” Carrie whispered her name.

“Yes, Carrie?”

“You shouldn’t get mad at your brother. I wish I had a brother who could have helped me when I got into trouble. I do have a brother,” she explained earnestly. “He drove the getaway car. He didn’t get away though. They caught him too.”

Jordan didn’t know what to say and so she simply nodded.

“Since you helped me with this stupid computer, I want to help you. Did you know that Maggie…I mean Chief Haden…used to live with Sheriff Randy Dickey? Everyone in town thought they would get married. She thought so too, but he married someone else. And you know what else I heard? Sheriff Randy had a connection through his new wife with one of the town council people, and he got them to give the chief of police job to Maggie so she’d have to move over here to Serenity. I also heard she was going to get fired from her old job anyway.” She placed her hand to the side of her mouth as though to share a secret and spoke just above a whisper. “She was mean back then too, and she did a lot of favors for the Dickey brothers.” She gave a wink and went on. “She let them get away with a lot of stuff. At least that’s what I heard.”

“What about her deputy? What’s he like?”

“Oh, he’s nothing like her. He should have gotten the job of chief of police. He has a lot more experience, and he’s worked here longer. I heard he’s looking for a job outside of Serenity.”

“I don’t doubt that. It would be pretty awful working for her.”

“I could find him for you.”

“You could?”

“I’m sure I could. Deputy Davis is kind of hardnosed about stuff, but he’s honest, and as far as I know, the only person he’s sleeping with is his wife. He treats me like a real person.”

“Would you like Carrie to get on the phone and help you find the deputy?” Jordan asked Noah.

“That’d be real nice,” Noah said, smiling at the young woman.

Carrie didn’t move. She just sat there staring at Noah as though she was in a daze. Jordan tapped her on her shoulder.

“He said that would be nice.”

“What?”

“It would be nice if you would find Deputy Davis.”

“Oh…okay.” Without looking, Carrie picked up the receiver on the other side of the desk and put it to her ear. The cord was too short to reach, so the phone came flying across, knocking a can of soda and a large stack of files to the floor.

“Shoot!” she cried as she jumped up and rounded the desk to clean up the mess. “I’m so stupid.”

Noah leaned down to help her. “No, you’re not. Accidents happen to everyone.”

“Especially me,” she said. She grabbed the Kleenex box off the desk and wiped up the spilled drink. “I’m so embarrassed. I must look like a lobster. I can feel my face turning red.”

Noah straightened a pile of folders and handed them to her. “I think it’s a very pretty face.”

When he took her arm to help her stand up, the rosy blush on Carrie’s cheeks turned a deep crimson. “Thank you,” she said.

“Do you think you could find the list of town council members?” Nick asked her from across the room.

Carrie’s attention swung to him. “I know I could. They’re in my Rolodex. There’s only three.”

“Let’s get them in here,” Nick said to Noah. “They’ll have to officially replace her.”

“You’re replacing Chief Haden?” Carrie asked.

The chief had just finished her call, and there was a smug look on her face until she heard a snippet of the conversation.

“No one’s replacing me,” she said as she stepped out of her office. Her frown was directed at Jordan. “I knew I was right about you. I just had an interesting talk with Lloyd. Remember him?” Chief Haden asked Jordan.

How could she forget? “Of course I remember him. He worked on my car.”

“He says you threatened him.”

Jordan was taken aback. “He what?”

“You heard me. He says you scared him.”

“I did not threaten him.”

“He says you did. He says you told him you were going to hurt him.”

Uh-oh. Jordan remembered the conversation. “I might have—”

“No more,” Noah said. “Jordan, I don’t want you to say another word.” Turning to Haden, he said, “Get Lloyd in here. Now.”

“You’re not telling me what to do.” Chief Haden started walking toward Jordan, her hand resting on the gun at her hip.

When Noah blocked her, she raised her arm and jabbed her elbow into his chest.

“That’s it,” Noah said. He latched on to her arm and turned her toward the door that led to the cell. “Chief Haden, you have the right to remain silent…”

Haden’s eyes became slits. “Don’t you tell me my rights.”

“I’m required to,” he said. “This is an arrest.”

Haden tried to pull away. She grabbed the handcuffs sitting on her desk. “This is outrageous.” Her voice turned into a hiss. “You have no grounds.” She swung the cuffs and struck Noah on the shoulder.

He grabbed the cuffs out of her hand, took the gun from her holster, and pushed her ahead of him. “Obstructing a criminal investigation and assaulting a federal agent…I think that’s enough.”

“I know people!” Haden yelled as he nudged her inside the cell.

“I’ll bet you do,” he agreed.

“Powerful people.”

“Good for you.” He slammed the door shut in her face. “You’ll be staying here until arrangements can be made to transfer you to a federal facility for processing.”

“This is bogus,” she said.

“You’ll be needing a lawyer. I’d get a good one if I were you.”

It finally penetrated that he wasn’t bluffing. “Now hold on here. Hold on now. Okay, okay, I’ll cooperate.”

Carrie watched wide-eyed. She wanted to stand up and cheer, but she knew the action might come back to bite her. Her parole officer had told her that her poor impulse control had gotten her into jail, and, if she wanted to change her life, she was going to have to learn to think before she acted. Besides, the chief would eventually get out of jail, wouldn’t she?

As Noah walked past Nick, he said, “Nothing I hate worse than a crooked cop.” He glanced out the window. A late-model sedan pulled up to the curb. A man emerged from the driver’s seat carrying a briefcase in one hand and holding a cell phone to his ear with the other.

Noah turned to Jordan. “Your attorney’s here.”

Chapter Twelve

LOUIS MAXWELL GARCIA WAS THE EPITOME OF REFINEMENT. HE oozed confidence and charm. His smile was warm and somewhat sincere, and his manners were as polished as alabaster. Neither his designer suit nor his starched pinstriped shirt had a wrinkle anywhere.