He didn’t respond.
Bree had no time or patience for this bullshit. “Am I a suspect?”
He went quiet for a few seconds, then spoke in a highly reserved tone. “We just have some questions.”
Yep. She was a suspect.
Ash continued. “We’ve had a few calls from the media about the case already. People are talking. We want to get a jump on any rumors.”
Bree breathed. Rumors didn’t concern her. Her chief deputy was missing. “I’m about to serve a search warrant. I expect the ensuing property search will take up the rest of my night.”
“Tomorrow then.” Ash’s voice went tight with irritation, like a man who was accustomed to being obeyed. “First thing.”
Matt gestured with a throat-cutting motion and mouthed, “Call Morgan. Do not agree to this interview without her.”
Bree agreed, and she was in no mood to placate the investigator. “I’ll need to consult my attorney and see when she’s available.”
“Who’s your attorney?” Ash asked in a clipped, impatient voice.
“Morgan Dane.”
She thought she heard a muttered curse and smiled. Morgan had quite the reputation. Annoyed, Bree rubbed it in, just a little. “Do you know her? I believe she once worked at the prosecutor’s office in Albany.”
“I know her,” Ash grumbled. “But I’m surprised you’ve already engaged a defense attorney. Not great optics, in my opinion.”
Optics. There was that word again. Bree rolled her eyes. I didn’t ask your opinion.
She bit back the snarky response. He could bitch and moan all he wanted. She had every right to bring a lawyer with her. If he’d played nice and just asked her about the case, cop to cop, she would have talked freely about the investigation. But he’d decided to be political and play hardball.
You reap what you sow, pal.
On one hand, bringing Morgan might make her look guilty. Bree couldn’t change that. On the other, going into a formal BCI interview without representation, knowing she was a suspect, would be foolish. Bree would not be stupid. Ash was covering his ass with the press and the brass. Bree would not be the sacrifice that got him a promotion.
Fuck it.
Bree’s brain hurt from trying to sort out the political ramification of every sentence before she spoke. She had to find Todd. She’d deal with Ash and BCI tomorrow. As long as she found her chief deputy alive, she didn’t even care if they arrested her. But she hoped Morgan was as good as her reputation, because Ash had a burr up his butt regarding her.
“I’ll contact Ms. Dane and get back to you,” she said.
“When?” Ash snapped.
Bree worked to keep her voice even. “After I hear back from her.”
“I expect a phone call tomorrow.”
“You’ll get a callback within a reasonable length of time. Ms. Dane is a busy woman. Good night, Ash.” Bree ended the connection before he could respond.
“What a dick,” Matt muttered. “Seriously, he’s jonesing for you.”
“Why?” Bree wanted to throw her phone out the window. Instead, she sent Morgan a text.
“Sheriff is an elected office. You can’t be fired. Maybe he thinks you could be the leg up he needs to further his own career.”
“The governor appointed me. He can also remove me.”
“He’d need a damned good reason. Gossip wouldn’t cut it.”
“True.”
“You’ve been popular so far. But these deepfakes jeopardize your reputation. Until now, you’ve been shielded by the voters’ will, but if they turn on you . . .”
“I’m through and no longer an asset. Maybe Ash thinks he can take the credit for bringing me down.” She sighed.
“Exactly.”
Bree mulled that over. “I don’t care. Not tonight.” Her phone vibrated. She read the screen. “There’s our warrant. Let’s go.”
There was no way to sneak up on Dylan in their vehicles, not the way he’d set up his property. Bree motioned for her deputies to follow her in their vehicles. They parked in front of a bend in the long driveway, the last spot their vehicles wouldn’t be visible from the house.
Matt and Bree stepped out of the SUV. Matt opened the rear door. Impatient, Brody tried to jump down, but Matt stopped him with a command, then lifted him out of the vehicle.
Despite the coolness of the evening, sweat dripped down Bree’s back under her body armor. “He probably has cameras or an alarm of some sort. With all the surveillance on his house, I can’t imagine he would have left out the approach.”