Deadly Dozen: 12 Mysteries/Thrillers (307 page)

“You know, when Chief Dooley checked the roster for that night, he said none of his boys were supposed to be in that area at that time. Figured the guy was a fake,” Carl continued, sounding out the evidence as he related it to Rob.

“Or a dirty cop,” Rob responded. He remembered the article Cory had written two years ago involving the Richmond Police Department. She’d received a lot of threats then, but nothing had come of it.

Carl cleared his throat. “It would have been easy for him to pick up the kid as he was leaving.” He hesitated, knowing that what he was about to say would impact the future of both of them forever. “Rob, you know if we find a connection, they’re going to remove us from this case.”

“Then I guess we aren’t going to find one, are we?” Rob looked at him then, the pale blue eyes determined, clear for the first time in weeks.

Carl nodded. “Guess we’re not.”

#

“Mommy!”

Sarah smiled, reaching down to pick up her daughter. Tears threatened at the corners of her eyes as she held her tight, feeling her warmth, hearing her tiny heartbeat. There had to be a way. She had to stop him. The loneliness inside threatened to overwhelm her, and she squeezed her daughter tighter.

“Mommy, you’re hugging too tight.” Nikki squirmed in her arms.

“Sorry, precious. I’m just so glad to see you.” Sarah sat her daughter down, capturing one tiny hand in her own as she entered the house. This was her home. The only home Nikki had ever known.

“Something smells good.” Sarah glanced fondly at her housekeeper and friend, Juanita Minguela.

“You’re late.”

“I know. Thank José for picking up Nikki for me. I don’t know what I’d do without you two.”

Sarah listened to her daughter’s chatter throughout dinner, hardly touching her food, as Juanita fussed around, scolding her for not sleeping enough, not eating enough, and spending too much time at the office.

“What you need is to find a good man. A woman needs a good man.”

Sarah grinned mischievously and winked at Nikki. They both knew this game.

“So, are you thinking of giving up José, Juanita? I mean, I might consider it, you know, if José were available.”

Not for the first time, Sarah was glad she didn’t speak Spanish, as Juanita flounced out of the room. She giggled with Nikki as they retired to the porch swing. Thank God for José and Juanita. They took care of her house and her daughter when she had to put in long hours at the office.

The squeaking of the old swing was a pleasant sound as Sarah’s thoughts drifted over the past five and a half years. She breathed in the cool night air, the wonderful smell of the honeysuckle vines. She loved it here. It was a perfect place to live, to raise her daughter. Or it had been.

A scowl crossed her face as her thoughts turned to her meeting with McAllister. She had been more shaken by the meeting than she wanted to admit. The sadness in his eyes had touched her, making her want to reach out and hold him, comfort him like she would Nikki. Her face warmed. No, not like she would Nikki.

Sarah knew she should leave now. It had to happen eventually. She’d always known they weren’t truly safe. She glanced at the sleeping child in her arms. They would never be safe.

Pulling Nikki closer, Sarah watched the dark clouds gathering overhead. McAllister was right about one thing—there were secrets worth killing for.

CHAPTER NINE

Gavin tossed and turned, his thoughts in chaos as images of Cory, Sarah and Nikki drifted through his mind. He didn’t want to sleep. Sleep brought the dreams, the demons that had chased him all his life. He could no longer pretend the demons belonged to Jacody Ives.

Tossing off the covers, he opened the laptop and pulled up a blank page. Placing his fingers on the keyboard he began to type.

The demons were back inside his head. Laughing at him. Mocking his inability to stop them. Jacody knew that this time it wasn’t a story. This time it was personal. Somewhere in the midst of this small farm town a killer lurked. Going about his daily life. Laughing, loving, following his dreams. He didn’t care about the dreams he’d destroyed.

Jacody had arrived in town amidst no fanfare. He’d only been here one day, and yet already the secrets had started to unravel. What had really happened to Johanna Nelson? Was she also a victim? Marisa thought so. And then there was the missing page from the register. Secrets. The whole town was full of secrets.

And what about the sheriff? Why would a beautiful young woman hide behind a badge? And what was she hiding?

Desire coursed through him as he remembered the flashing green eyes, heart-shaped face, and flaming red hair.

And then there was Nikki. His gut instincts told him the child was in danger. He could feel the darkness closing in around her. Was the secret surrounding Nikki? Was Nikki the one Cory wanted him to protect?

He was here to find a killer. Someone had killed to hide a secret.

He didn’t want to believe that Sarah was involved. It couldn’t be Sarah
.

Gavin closed the laptop, a sinking feeling starting in the pit of his stomach as he faced the truth. He didn’t have to write it. This wasn’t a story. This time he couldn’t pick and choose the bad guy. His fingers shook as he dialed the number. It was only five a.m., but Carl would be up. Carl was always up.

“Hello.”

“Carl, it’s Gavin. I need a favor.”

“Shit, Gavin, it’s five in the morning.”

“Were you asleep?” Gavin grinned as he heard the muttered cursing at the other end of the line, the sound of the cigarette lighter clicking.

“Don’t make no difference whether I was sleeping or not. The chief is already suspicious. You’re asking me to put my job on the line here, Gavin. Is it worth it? And dammit, you could get killed.”

Gavin ignored the last and answered the first question. “I think so. Just a few more days, Carl. That’s all I need. For Cory.” He listened as Carl took a deep drag off the cigarette he’d just lit.

“All right. What do you need?”

“A background check on Sheriff Sarah Burns. Anything you can find.”

“I’ll do it on one condition. You meet me at O’Patrick’s Friday night at six o’clock.”

Almost as an afterthought, Carl added, “Be careful. We think the guy doing this is impersonating a police officer. Or he really is a police officer. Thought we had a lead, but nothing panned out.”

“How’s Rob doing?” Gavin changed the subject. The silence told him more than he wanted to know.

“I told you I’d take care of Rob, and I will. Don’t you worry about him, you just be careful.”

“I’ll be careful.” Gavin hung up the phone. He knew Carl was worried, and it wasn’t about his job. He also knew that if Sarah Burns had a secret, Carl Jackson would find it.

The growling of his stomach reminded Gavin he hadn’t eaten since yesterday afternoon. The Lodge offered its occupants breakfast, but Gavin wanted to mix with the locals. One good thing about small towns, the people got up early. If he was lucky, the café would be open. He needed to let people see him, get them talking. Someone here had to have seen Cory arrive. And someone here knew what happened after she arrived.

Morning traffic had just reached its peak as Gavin stepped onto Main Street. Motorists slowed, honked and waved as he walked toward Leslie’s Café. He waved and smiled. Every small town had secrets, but it also had good people. He needed to remember that. It was sometimes hard to expose the guilty without hurting the innocent.

The sign in the window said, “Mom’s Home Cooking.”

“Mr. McAllister!”

Gavin turned to watch the elderly man quickly approaching.

“Clarence Archibald, sir. I was hoping to get a chance to meet you. Just finished your last novel,
Pool of Tears
. Would you let an old man buy your breakfast?”

Gavin waited for him to catch up.

“After you, Mr. Archibald.” He held the door open.

“Oh, please call me Clarence.”

“All right, but only if you agree to call me Gavin.”

“It’s a deal.”

Leslie’s Café could have been any small town café in America. Gavin smiled at the red-checkered tablecloths. It seemed that nothing much changed from town to town. The café was filling up with the breakfast crowd as he followed Clarence to a small booth near the windows.

“I hope you don’t mind my barging in, but I’ve been a fan of yours for years.”

“Well, I have to say Mr.—Clarence, you seem to be the only fan I’ve met since I arrived here.”

“Oh, they’re a good bunch. Little standoffish at first, but they’ll come around. I can heartily recommend the biscuits and gravy.”

Gavin felt his mouth watering from the delicious smells wafting in from the kitchen. Biscuits and gravy sounded good, along with bacon, sausage, eggs and lots of coffee.

Clarence laughed heartily as Gavin gave his order to the waitress. “Been a while since you ate, son?”

Gavin grinned, “Been a while since I wanted to. Everything here smells delicious.”

Gavin studied the man in front of him. Late sixties, possibly early seventies. He’d felt the strength in his grip and wasn’t fooled by the gleam in the vivid blue eyes. This man had been places, seen things. A keen intelligence lay behind the twinkle, and Gavin wondered who would be picking whose brain over breakfast.

“So, Clarence, how long have you been here?”

“Oh, I’ve only been here about three months. Bought the flower shop down on Main. Decided there was enough ugliness in the world and wanted to spend my remaining days creating something beautiful. You’ll have to drop by, see my butterfly garden.”

Gavin nodded, lost in his own thoughts. He knew all about ugliness in the world. That’s why he was here.

“How about you, son? What brings you to Glade Springs?”

Clarence hadn’t wasted any time getting right down to the real issues.

“Sheriff put you up to asking me that question?” Gavin’s voice turned cold.

Clarence looked offended. “I wouldn’t have asked it if she had. Don’t take kindly to people asking me to nose into other people’s business. Just making small talk. Forget I asked.”

“In that case, I apologize.”

“Accepted.” Clarence returned to his biscuits and gravy, and the two sat in silence as they enjoyed their meals.

“You said you’d just finished
Pool of Tears
. What did you think?”

“Not your best work, but still a good novel.
Sacred Secrets
was my favorite.”

Gavin smiled.
Sacred Secrets
had also been his favorite.

“Tell me, do you really dig up people’s secrets the way they say you do?”

This time Gavin laughed out loud. “Are you hiding something, Clarence?”

“Me? I’m an open book.” The dancing lights glimmering in the blue eyes told a different story.

Gavin laughed again. He was beginning to like the old man. He felt good for the first time in days. There was always something refreshing about honesty.

“Do you promise not to tell? I mean, if the truth got out, it could ruin my reputation.”

“Scout’s honor.” Clarence grinned at him conspiratorially, eyes twinkling.

Gavin was about to reply when he felt a hand on his shoulder. He looked up to see a middle aged woman standing by his chair. Her face was haggard, dark circles rimmed the violet eyes. Eyes that held a sadness he’d seen too recently reflected in his own mirror. A sadness he still saw each time he looked at Rob. This woman had recently lost someone she loved.

“Mr. McAllister?”

“Yes, I’m Gavin McAllister.”

“My name is Morgana Nelson. My daughter was recently killed.”

“I heard about Johanna’s accident, Mrs. Nelson. I’m sorry.” Gavin knew the words would bring her no comfort.

“Then you’ll help me?”

Gavin frowned. “I’m sorry, Mrs. Nelson, I don’t know what I could do.”

“I want you to find out who killed my daughter.” The words were spoken softly, but the grip of the hand on his shoulder became increasingly painful.

Gavin searched the face of the woman beside him. This was the second time in less than a day that someone had suggested that Johanna Nelson’s death was not an accident.

“Let’s go, honey, you can’t be bothering Mr. McAllister.” Gavin met the tortured gaze of the man who’d approached them, as he gently removed the clutching hand from Gavin’s shoulder and pulled the distraught woman safely into his embrace. “I’m sorry, Mr. McAllister. Johanna was our only child. It’s been really tough.”

Gavin nodded, unable to find words. He watched as the husband led the sobbing woman from the café. Tough was an understatement. He met Clarence’s eyes across the small table, seeing the understanding and compassion there.

“Get a lot of that when you visit a new town?”

“Yeah.”

They finished their meal in silence, both lost in their own thoughts.

#

“You look like crap, Sarah.”

“Thanks, Joshua, just what every woman wants to hear when she walks into the office. Where’s Ella Mae?”

“Called in sick. Said she fell last night and woke up stiff and sore this morning. I may run out there later on, see how she’s doing.”