Claiming the Enemy: Dustin (Porter Brothers Trilogy 3)

“You felt it, too?”

Greer nodded grimly. “Hard to miss.”

Knox came back out, giving them confused looks. “I didn’t see anything.”

“Somebody died in that room.”

As Holt, Asher, and the techs came around the corner, Knox had to grab Holt when he would have run into the empty room after hearing Greer’s assertion.

“My sister is not dead!” Holt snarled.

Knox let the techs through while taking Asher and Holt by the arm, forcibly moving them out of the way.

Dustin felt for them as the brothers tried to contain their emotions. He was having trouble with that himself.

“You can feel it.” Greer ducked when Asher swung his fist at him.

“Don’t spew your horseshit at my sister’s expense!” Asher tried to hit Greer again, but Dustin moved Greer to the other side of him.

“Listen to me! I know you’re upset, but if you try to hit Greer again, I’ll stomp your fucking ass. Greer and I felt this before. I don’t care if you believe it or not. Someone died in that room.”

Holt was able to gather himself quicker than Asher. “So, fucking tell me why you think someone died in there?”

“It’s ice cold,” Dustin tried to explain the unexplainable. “When someone dies, you can feel that death has come and gone. It’s a feeling. Greer and I felt it when our grandmother died. We wouldn’t sleep in our granny’s room for three years afterward.” Dustin took a deep breath, seeing they still didn’t believe him. “Even if you think it’s hogwash, I smelled bleach. Someone cleaned up in there. And I talked to Kaley. She said she was coming down the steps on Friday at the same time as Jessie, around nine thirty, and that she had gone around the corner.”

Asher scowled. “She could have been going to the office.”

“The office would have been closed at that time of day.”

Holt shrunk as if the air had been knocked out of him.

“Let’s wait to see what the techs say before we jump to conclusions. It’s a laundry room—the bleach can be explained, and the air conditioner could be on high because of the dryers.” Knox’s matter-of-fact demeanor calmed Holt and Asher.

“Greer,” he continued. “Ned’s here. He’s going to meet me at the office. I’ll be right back. I want to get that list of tenants. Can I trust you to keep everyone back until I return?”

“Go ahead. I’m not the one trying to pick a fight.” He shrugged.

Knox gave the Hayeses a warning look before leaving.

The four men stood mutely, staring at the closed laundry room door. No one made a move until Knox came back with a sheet of paper.

“Each of you check off the apartments you talked to. I’ve already circled Kaley’s number so the state police can interview her.”

Dustin went first, taking the paper and pen from Knox. When he was finished, he handed it to Greer.

Asher was checking his list off when one of techs came outside.

“Sheriff, can you come inside?”

Knox went in, closing the door behind him.

Holt looked like he was going to follow, but Greer stopped him. “Let’s wait.”

“You don’t know what it’s like—”

“Actually, I do. Remember when Rachel went missing? When Logan did?” Greer left it unspoken that they had considered them responsible for when Logan had gone missing.

Holt nearly lost his mind. Grabbing Greer by the front of his shirt, he shoved him against the wall. “If you hurt my sister because you still blame us for Logan getting lost, I’ll fucking kill every Porter breathing.”

Dustin pulled Holt away from Greer. “No Porter would harm a woman. I told you that when I came to your house to tell you that one of your puppies was used to lure Logan away into the woods. I told you that then, and I’m telling you now, I wouldn’t hurt a hair on Jessie’s head. I knew she would have killed you herself before she would let you jeopardize Logan’s safety. But if I ever find firm proof that you or Asher were responsible, I will kill you both.”

“The only thing you could kill are defenseless women and fucking raccoons,” Asher spat out.

Dustin threw Holt away from him, going for Asher. “I’m going to kill you where you’re standing if you ever say that again. You doubt me? Say it and see what happens.”

Knox came outside, turning their attention to his sudden appearance. “Asher and Holt, go stand by my car.”

“I’m not leaving until you tell me why they wanted to talk to you.” Holt jutted his jaw out stubbornly. From Knox’s anguished expression, he already knew it was going to be bad.

Knox relented. “They sprayed the room with luminol. It shows blood that isn’t visible to the naked eye.”

“So …?”

“The floor and walls show the presence of blood.”

“Show me.” Holt started to go around Knox, but Knox jerked him back.