Framed For Murder. Mary Alford

Where did you go afterward?” he asked because they needed to create a timeline before he could her to rule her out as a suspect.

      “I left around two. Then I ran some errands and went for a long walk.”

      All things that couldn’t be accounted for unless she’d purchased something along the way.

      “What type of errands?” he pushed and couldn’t keep the urgency from his tone.

      “Aaron, you’re scaring me,” she breathed the words out.

      His heart went out to her but he needed answers now. “I know and I’m sorry.” He shook his head. “Answer the question, Liz.”

      She struggled to bring her thoughts together. “As I said, I left Michael’s house around two because he insisted. I didn’t want to leave him, but he told me he was tired and wanted to rest. He promised me he’d be okay. He told me he’d call me when he woke up.”

      “What did you do first after you left Michael?” he prompted and he watched as she swallowed visibly.

      “I went for a drive to clear my head then I stopped by the library in town. After that, I got coffee. Hung out a while, and then drove to the trailhead at the base of Painted Rock Mountain. The view there is beautiful and I go there to think. I was there until late. Then...” She hesitated long enough to capture his full attention. “Then when I didn’t hear from Michael, I went to his house. And you know the rest.”

      None of her earlier moves could be documented fully, which meant she could have had time to murder Sam and then Michael. It didn’t look good and he needed to conduct the investigation by the book. He’d have the library and the coffee shop checked. Maybe someone would remember her being there.

      “Liz, I need you to go home. Now. You know you can’t be part of this.”

      There was no mistaking the hurt written on her face. “Aaron...”

      “Like it or not, you’re a suspect because of the passkey and you were the last person to see Michael alive,” he said gently. “Take my SUV. Go home and don’t talk to anyone until you hear from me.” He dug in his pocket and handed her the keys and then walked outside with her.

      It was hard to associate the lost expression on her face with the competent agent he knew Liz to be.

      “Aaron, you believe me, don’t you?” she asked with a hint of desperation in her tone.

      He stopped next to the SUV, squeezed her shoulder and tried his best to assure her. “Of course I do. We’ll get to the bottom of this. There has to be another explanation we’re missing. I’m calling the team in and I’ll have Reyna get here as soon as she’s finished at Michael’s. In the meantime, go home. I’ll call you the minute I know anything.”

      Aaron waited as she reluctantly left the prison. Then he went back inside and called Alex Booth.

      “Reyna just left. We’re wrapping up here. I called in the local police department as you asked. They’re canvassing the area now,” Alex said, assuming the reason for Aaron’s call.

      “Let Gavin finish there. We have a much bigger problem,” Aaron said, his tone brittle. He stared down at the lifeless body of the man who had caused so much pain. “Sam’s dead.” He briefly explained the crime scene.

      Stunned, Alex audibly sucked in a breath. “I’m on my way.”

      “Good. I’ll see you soon.” Aaron disconnected the call. He knew how bad this looked for Liz, but what he couldn’t understand was why she of all people was being targeted.

      Agent Alex Booth arrived within minutes of the call. “Reyna’s right behind me.”

      Reyna Bradford was the wife of the base commander, Jase Bradford. As a doctor, Reyna had willingly agreed to head up the medical team for the Scorpions. Reyna was highly skilled and had proven to be a huge asset.

      “How did someone get into this secured prison in the first place?” Alex asked in disbelief. When Aaron didn’t answer right away, he prompted, “There’s more.”

      “Yes,” Aaron said. “It appears someone used Liz’s passkey. I’ve been unable to determine their identity, as the person was covered from head to toe. Whoever did this had a working knowledge of our security system. They must have hacked their way into it.”

      “Unbelievable. Where is Liz?” Alex asked without thinking.

      “I sent her home. She can’t be part of the investigation.”

      Alex shook his head. “I can’t see Liz mixed up in this.”

      Aaron certainly didn’t either. “No, but we can’t afford to dismiss the evidence in front of us. We need to do this by the book, Alex. Call in the crime scene unit. We need something else to go on other than Liz’s passkey. Without Sam’s help, we may never know where the missing weapons disappeared to or what the plan was for them. An attack could be imminent.”

      When Reyna arrived she went straight in to examine the body. It didn’t take her long to come to the same conclusion as Aaron. “I have to agree with you, this was obviously something fast acting. The murderer would want to ensure Sam was dead before he left and he couldn’t stick around long. I’ll know more once I have the body at the lab, but I’m guessing he was killed before Michael.”

      The killer had somehow gotten Liz’s passkey, then come here to murder Sam. From the video surveillance tape, it appeared Sam had been sleeping when the person entered his cell. When the needle was injected into his arm, he’d woken up, attempted to get up, but was too disoriented. It didn’t take long for the poison to do its job. Sam never had a chance.

      There was no evidence that anyone had been there with the killer. It was obvious they’d wanted the team to witness the murder. But for what end? Aaron had studied the footage carefully hoping for clarity. The killer was tall and slim built. It certainly could be a woman. He leaned in closer—even though the tape was grainy, he was just able to make out the color of the perpetrator’s eyes. They appeared green...like Liz’s. He quickly shoved that thought aside.

      “Thanks, Reyna,” Aaron said with appreciation. Reyna had been an amazing contribution to the team and she and her husband, Jase Bradford, were good friends to Aaron.

      Once the crime scene unit arrived, Aaron knew what he had to do even though he dreaded it. Still, it would be best if it came from him. After the director found out about Sam’s murder it wouldn’t be long before he pulled the case from the team entirely. Aaron couldn’t let that happen. They needed answers and they needed them now.

      He took Alex aside. “Let me know the minute you have anything. I need to go speak with Liz.” Just saying the words made him feel as if he’d betrayed her.

      Alex patted his shoulder. “I know this is hard, but we’ll find out what’s really going on. It’s only a matter of time.”

      Aaron forced a smile. He sure hoped Alex was right. They needed something, anything that would help clear Liz’s name, because he wasn’t about to let someone he cared about get framed for a crime she didn’t commit.

       TWO

      The moment she opened the door, Liz knew someone had been in her cabin.

      Liz reached for her weapon and eased inside. At first glance, nothing appeared out of place. The quiet of the cabin settled around her. A quick search yielded nothing to back up the feeling.

      She glanced down at the envelope in her hand.

      For Your Eyes Only!

      The sense of someone watching her permeated every molecule of her body. Was she simply being paranoid?

      Liz blew out a shaky breath, killed the lights and parted the living room curtains. Nothing moved in the early morning world outside.

      You’re