This Fallen Prey (Rockton 3)

"Young, female, attractive . . . yep, they'd notice."

"Female's enough for this town."

I chuckle. "True. If the sniper was the pilot, why steal our gun? She'd have access to her own."

"But framing us would still help. Set us chasing our tails looking for a shooter internally."

"This is why you aren't Watson. You come up with good ideas."

Dalton rises. "Pretty sure Watson had some good ideas. Coffee?"

"Yet another good one." I watch him start the fire to heat water. "Does Tyrone have military experience?"

"Ty Cypher?"

I sit up, crossing my legs. "Sorry. Mental jump there. Thinking about the pilot made me wonder who in town has military experience. That's just Will and Sam, right?"

"Kenny was in Air Cadets."

"Which is a youth group. I don't think they train snipers. At least not in Canada. And Sam served in the navy."

"That's the one with water."

"It is."

"Any snipers?"

"The Canadian Navy has one destroyer, which is on its last legs. Lots of tugboats, though."

"Uh-huh."

"I think Sam was in peacekeeping."

"So . . . snipers?"

"That's one way to keep peace. But no. Not usually. I don't think a military connection is the answer. Marksmanship doesn't need that, though. Not by a long shot, pardon the pun. I'd like a list of our best shooters."

"That'd be Will."

I shake my head. "Good thing he was on the scene then. Otherwise, he'd be our key suspect, which is just awkward."

"After him? The best shooter is you."

"Even more awkward. Let me guess, you come after me?"

He taps his sling. "I am definitely out of the running. So that's top three. Next is the militia."

"Our boys like their target practice."

"As do Jen and Nicki."

"True enough. Are any of them good enough to make that shot, though?"

"Depends on what 'that shot' is," he says. "I hate giving Phil credit, but there's no way to say for sure that the bullet would have hit Brady."

"Are you thinking maybe he wasn't the target?"

"Who the fuck knows at this point? It seemed aimed at him. No one else was standing there until I got in the way. But would it have killed him if I didn't interfere?" Dalton throws up his hand.