Shannon lifted one shoulder. “We discussed that. But it didn’t feel right. We decided to legally separate things but we still . . . dated occasionally.” She pulled up a photo on her phone and showed him. “Our wedding day three years ago.”
Different strokes for different folks.
Evan tried to wrap his head around the facts that they still dated and that she carried their wedding photo. The photo showed a happy couple standing in the snow, a mountaintop sloping up behind them. She wore a dress in a loud Hawaiian print along with snow boots and held a bouquet of fir branches at her side, her mouth wide open in laughter. Ken was in jeans with his eyes trained on his new wife. They looked blissfully happy.
The image made Evan’s throat tight. “Again . . . I’m sorry for your loss. It’s great that you two were still close.”
“Ken was one of those people that never met a stranger,” Shannon said, wistfully eyeing the photo. “Everyone was immediately welcomed and made to feel special around him.” She looked at Evan. “You said there was no ID with him. How did you identify him?”
“I recognized someone in the photo on his cell phone’s lock screen. I went to her for identification.”
“Rowan,” Shannon said, nodding in understanding. “She was like a daughter to him. He was always concerned about her. He didn’t think it was healthy that she’d go looking for her brother.”
Evan was confused. “Looking for her brother?”
Shannon cocked her head, caution crossing her face. “How well do you know her?”
“Not that well, I guess,” said Evan, wondering what Shannon was holding back. “We’ve worked together on a few cases.”
The woman studied him. “It’s her story. Not mine to tell.”
“Of course.” Evan respected the woman’s protection of Rowan’s privacy. Clearly Shannon Steward wasn’t a gossip.
But I’m dying to know.
He shifted gears. “Juno had been picked up by animal control when I arrived at the scene, so I don’t know what she was like, but I had a hard time imagining that a dog would allow someone into her owner’s tent. Especially someone intent on violence.”
Shannon had started nodding vehemently during Evan’s statement. “I imagine most dogs wouldn’t. But Juno is the biggest sweetheart and absolutely loves everyone. Gets excited to meet every stranger. She probably welcomed him into the tent.” Fresh tears rolled down her cheeks. “Damned dog.”
“Not a watchdog,” Evan commented.
“Most definitely not. Even Ken joked that she’d probably give a robber the keys to his home.”
“I know this next question is going to be tough, but—”
“Do I know of anyone who would hurt him.”
“Yes.” Evan picked up the pencil next to his yellow pad. “Don’t let your feelings for him impact anything you want to say. Any help could point us in the right direction to start looking.”
“Start looking?” Shannon paled under her freckles. “You have no leads?”
“We’re still processing the evidence from the scene,” Evan said smoothly. “While waiting for that, we interview the people closest to him. There were no witnesses.”
“No leads,” Shannon stated. “Well, shit.” She looked out the window, twisting her lips as she thought. “Ken’s been rather quiet lately. We usually meet for drinks every Thursday, but he had to cancel last week. Didn’t say why, and I didn’t ask.”
“He doesn’t ever cancel?”
“Never,” she said emphatically. “He’s always been annoyingly reliable.” One side of her lips drew up in a half smile at her description, but sadness flashed in her eyes.
“Any arguments with his neighbors? Personality clashes with coworkers?”
Shannon exhaled as she thought, but after a long moment, she shook her head. “I’m trying to be objective, and I honestly can’t think of anything.”
“What did you mean when you said he’d been quiet?”
“I hadn’t heard from him as much. Usually we text every other day or so. A long phone call once a week.” She picked up her phone and scrolled. “I haven’t heard from him since he canceled last Thursday.”
“Was that a text?”
“Yes. And before that he hadn’t texted for six days.” Her eyebrows rose as she scrolled. “And then three days before that.” She shook her head. “I hadn’t really noticed until now.”