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fraction and he thrust out his hand. "My name is Adam
Alderson." His breath puffed, freezing when it hit the cold air. "I own this
land development project."
    Jacob
had already guessed the answer to his question: Alderson's survey crew chief
had called him to complain about the delay. "What can I do for you?"
    Alderson's
smile was impatient. "I saw the hearse leave. That means the body is gone."
    "Correct."
    "Great.
When are the rest of you going to clear off my property? Right now I'm paying
my crews to stand around and drink coffee."
    "I
was just about to talk to them one last time and then send them home. Forensics
won't release the scene today, so your men can't work the area."
    Alderson
twisted his pinky ring. "But the body is gone."
    "There
could be evidence in the area, so it needs to be contained until we can
thoroughly search it." He kept emotion out of his voice.
    Alderson's
eyes reflected his frustration. He didn't like hearing no. "Tomorrow
then?"
    "I
can't say. I've ordered the patrolmen to thoroughly comb the area. And then the
autopsy might reveal something that would send us back. It could be days, or
weeks, depending on what they find."
    Alderson
shook his head. "Weeks! That is not acceptable,
Detective. The surveying has to be complete by the end of January so the site
plans can be finished. I need to break ground this summer if occupancy is going
to happen next spring."
    Jacob
didn't flinch. "We'll be done when we're done. At this time I won't commit to a
date."
    A
muscle in Alderson's jaw tensed. "Do you have any idea how much revenue this
development is going to bring into the county?"
    Ah,
money, it made the world go round. "A great deal, I'll bet."
    "A
great deal doesn't begin to cover it. I can assure you my development is worth
a hell of a lot more than solving the murder of some woman."
    The
casual dismissal pissed off Jacob. If he had his way, Alderson's people would
never set foot on this land until spring.
    Alderson
checked his watch and had the stones to look bored. "I need a release date,
Detective."
    A
woman was dead. She'd been held captive, could have been tortured, and this guy
looked bored.
    Jacob
had the urge to toss this guy off the property. "Where were you last night?"
    The
question caught Alderson off guard. "Me? Why the hell should that matter?"
    Jacob
mentally dug in his heels. No one dictated policy to him at his crime scene.
"It's a simple question."
    Alderson
rolled his eyes. "Oh, please."
    He'd
stand there all day if that's what it took. "She was found on your property."
    "I
had nothing to do with the woman's death."
    Jacob
stood a good six inches taller than the guy and he wasn't above using his
height to intimidate. "Then answer the question."
    Alderson's
lips flattened. "I was having dinner last night with my attorney, as a matter
of fact." He looked smug. "We were going over contracts for another property
I'm looking to buy." Alderson dug into the pocket of his coat and pulled out a
business card. "Here's his name and number. Feel free to call him."
    Jacob
studied the name but didn't recognize it. "I will. Your men report any strange
people on the land in the last couple of days?"
    He
shoved out a breath. "You spoke to them. What did they tell you?"
    "Just
tell me what they told you ." People lied to the cops all the time. He
was hoping Alderson's men might have given him a different story.
    "No
one has been on-site for days. The snow and ice storm has kept the job site
closed since Friday. Today was our first day back on the job. Which is why we can't afford any more delays. "
    "I
passed a gate when I came in. Is it always locked?"
    "Yes.
But you can see for yourself the fence doesn't extend
around the entire property. Anyone could have driven down the road and cut
through the woods and walked around."
    A
gust of wind blew off the river, slicing through Jacob's leather jacket. He
wondered if Alderson's high-end coat was any match for the cold.
    "What
about water access?"