Where Truth Lies (20 page)
“M
att’s in jail!” Denise said the moment Grace opened the door.
Grace felt her jaw drop. “What do you mean, Matt’s in jail? What happened? What did he do?”
Denise walked past her, into the living room and sat down on the sofa. “Rob just called. Apparently, Cal Badger went after Matt at the police station and they had a free-for-all.”
“Is Matt hurt?”
“No, but Cal has a broken nose. That’s why Matt’s in jail.”
“For defending himself?”
“The reason doesn’t matter. Josh felt like throwing them both in jail and that’s what he did.”
Grace picked up her cell phone.
“If you’re planning on calling Matt, forget it. They took his phone away and won’t let him talk to anyone. He can’t even call a lawyer, not until Josh says it’s okay.”
“When will that be?”
Denise’s shoulders went up. “Whenever Josh feels like it.”
“But it will be tonight, right? It
has
to be tonight.”
Denise raised an eyebrow. “Why does it have to be tonight?”
Grace glanced at her watch. Seven-thirty. There was still plenty of time. “We have to get Matt out of jail.”
“You’re not listening, Grace. Josh locked him up. He’s been wanting to do that ever since Matt got into town. Now that he has, he’s not about to let him go. Not until he’s good and ready.”
Grace started to pace the room. “I have to find a way to get him out.”
“Okay, you’re starting to creep me out. What’s going on? Why can’t you wait until morning?”
“I can’t tell you.”
“You don’t trust me?”
“This has nothing to do with trust. It’s a very sensitive matter and I gave Matt my word that I wouldn’t tell anyone.” She turned around. “You’ve got to know someone who can help me. Think, Denise, please. I need someone with clout. Someone Josh will listen to.”
Denise jumped out of her chair. “George Renchaw! The mayor,” she added, when Grace gave her a blank look. “He’s a good friend of Matt’s. He has pull with Josh,
and,
” she added proudly, “he’s an attorney.”
“The mayor—of course! Why didn’t I think of it? I met him the other day when Matt took me out to lunch.” She picked up her red leather jacket. “Where do we find him?”
Denise glanced at her watch. “He could still be at city hall. He sometimes stays until late.”
Grace slipped into her jacket as she made a beeline for the door. “Let’s go.”
Two stops, one at city hall and another at George Renchaw’s law office, got them nowhere. The mayor had left his office at six o’clock to get ready for a production of
Mame
at the Bucks County Playhouse.
Grace glanced at her watch. Seven fifty-five. “Come on,” she told Denise as they rushed out of the building. “If we hurry, we can get him before the curtain goes up.”
Denise ran to keep up with her. “Won’t you please tell me what’s going on? I swear I won’t tell a soul.”
They jumped into Denise’s Toyota. “I’ll tell you later. Drive!”
Denise made a U-turn and headed down on South Main. “There it is.” She pointed at a red building across the canal. “It looks packed. Let’s hope I can find a parking space.”
After circling the parking lot twice, Denise gave up, went back on the street and found a space half a block away.
“My mother used to volunteer here as an attendant,” Denise said as they ran across the parking lot. “Maybe someone I know is on duty tonight.”
“Denise,” a gravelly voice said. “Is that you?”
Denise let out a sigh of relief as a short, rotund woman with short white hair approached them. “Sandra, thank God, you’re on duty. I have a small favor to ask.”
“Why are you out of breath?”
“It’s a long story.”
Taking her time, Sandra looked at Grace with a great deal of interest. Apparently, the urgency in Denise’s voice hadn’t affected her. “Are you Grace McKenzie?”
Grace gave her a nervous smile. “Yes.”
“I heard how you saved poor Bernie from that freezing river—”
“I don’t mean to be rude, Sandra,” Denise interrupted. “But I need to talk to Mayor Renchaw.”
“Right now?”
“Right now.”
“But the show has already started.”
“This is an emergency. Believe me, Sandra, if Mayor Renchaw knew that I tried to see him and couldn’t, he’d be very unhappy.”
“What kind of emergency?” She looked from Denise to Grace. “And why are
you
here and not someone from his staff?”
“Because it’s a private matter.” She dropped her voice. “A matter of life and death, Sandra.”
Sandra’s hand went to her breast. “Oh, my! Why didn’t you say so?” Apparently convinced, she nodded. “I’ll go get him, you wait here.”
“Thank you.”
Less than thirty seconds later, the door reopened and George Renchaw walked out, looking annoyed. “My house better be on fire, Denise,” he said sharply. “Because that’s about the only emergency I would consider serious enough to make me miss the first act.”
Grace couldn’t let Denise get in trouble. “This is all my doing, Mr. Mayor. Denise came with me practically under duress.”
“Somehow I doubt that, but go ahead. What’s the emergency?”
“Matt is in jail and the chief won’t let him see an attorney, or make any phone calls. You’re the only person who can help.”
“What did Matt do?”
“Cal Badger stormed the police station and attacked him. Matt defended himself, and Josh threw both of them in jail.”
“Anybody hurt?”
“Cal has a broken nose. Will you call the chief, Mr. Mayor? Please? As I said, Matt was only defending himself.”
“Come on now, Ms. McKenzie. You know perfectly well that I can’t interfere with the chief’s decision. How do you think the voters would feel if they found out that I was doing favors for my friends?”
“Oh, for God’s sake, George,” Denise said. “Can’t you see that Josh is just being stubborn? If you’re so worried about the voters, you’d better think twice. The people of New Hope are already unhappy with Fred’s arrest. Now the chief arrests his son,
for no good reason,
and you’re supporting the decision?” She shook her head. “That’s not a smart move.”
The mayor seemed to weigh Denise’s words for a moment before giving a nod. “Normally, I wouldn’t intervene, but you’re right. The punishment doesn’t seem to fit the crime. And since it seems to mean so much to you, Ms. McKenzie, and this town owes you a favor, I’ll try to get Josh to reconsider, but I make no promise.”
“Thank you.”
He took out his cell phone and walked away.
The conversation lasted much longer than either Denise or Grace had expected. When the mayor returned he looked somber. “I’m sorry, ladies. I tried. Josh feels that both men need to cool off. He won’t release them until tomorrow morning.”
He slid his phone back into his suit jacket. “Now if you don’t mind, I’m going back to my play.” He inclined his head. “Denise, Ms. McKenzie. You have a good night.”
“What now?” Denise asked after the mayor had disappeared behind the door.
“I guess it’s all up to me.”
Denise’s expression turned suspicious. “What’s up to you?”
“To finish the job Matt started.”
“And what’s that?”
Grace took her arm and together they walked out into the cold night. “It’s up to me to catch two killers.”
T
rying not to be overly dramatic, Grace brought Denise up-to-date, stressing that Matt’s hunch was just that, a hunch, and that the next couple of hours would either prove him right and end this ordeal, or send him back to the drawing board.
The thought that her sister’s murderers were just within reach almost proved to be too much for Denise. She leaned against the stone wall bordering the canal and took a few deep breaths.
“Are you all right?” Grace asked when she saw her leaning over the water.
“Are you kidding? I’m ecstatic. This is what my parents and I have been waiting for all these years, so yes, I’m all right. I’m just fine.” She turned to Grace. “I want in.”
“What?”
“I want to help you catch those bastards.”
“Absolutely not.”
“Don’t be silly. You’re going to need help.”
“I will not put you in—”
“Do you know where Buzz’s farm is?”
“I’ll find it.”
“Do you know where to park the car so it won’t be seen from the road?”
“I’m not helpless.”
“Neither am I. And we make a good team, don’t we? Wouldn’t you rather wait with me at your side than all alone?”
“It could get risky.”
“You said it wasn’t dangerous at all, that all you had to do was wait until the killers start digging and call the police.”
“Yes, that’s the plan, but something could still go wrong.”
“You mean we could get captured, tied to a chair and tortured?” Denise laughed. “Come on, Grace. This is New Hope, Pennsylvania, not the set of
24.
”
“Well, you’re right about one thing. It would be more interesting with you along.”
Denise rubbed her hands together. “Good. Now, what’s the plan?”
“Matt didn’t go into a lot of details, but common sense tells me that we should arrive at Suddenly Farm early and be prepared for a long wait.”
“I’ll bring coffee and sandwiches. And a blanket.”
Grace’s adrenaline kicked in. “Flashlights. We’ll need flashlights. And batteries.”
“I’ve got plenty of both.”
“We probably should take my car. It’s smaller and not too many people will recognize it. How well do you know Buzz’s farm?”
“I haven’t been there in a while, but I know it well enough to get around.”
“Then you’ll drive. We’ll go to your house to get what we need, then we’ll drive to the cottage to pick up my car.”
Within moments, they were on their way.
They gathered everything they needed in record time and shoved it all into a large beach bag. Music filtered through from one of the upstairs bedrooms.
“Lucy,” Denise said when Grace glanced up at the staircase.
“Shouldn’t you tell her that you’re going out? To a movie or something?”
“She doesn’t like to be disturbed when she’s studying. We said good-night to each other earlier. She’ll just assume that I went to bed early.”
At the cottage, they transferred the bag into the trunk of the Taurus and waited until a car had driven by before backing out of the driveway.
Denise drove expertly, accelerating as she turned onto Route 232 but respecting the speed limit.
“How much farther?” Grace asked.
“A few miles. We can’t miss it. Buzz has a big sign on the side of the road.” She glanced at Grace. “Nervous?”
“My mouth is a little dry.”
“Me, too. I have to keep telling myself that this crazy caper could get Fred out of jail.”
“
If
Matt’s theory is right.”
“There it is!” Denise pointed at a sign for Suddenly Farm. She left the main road and turned onto an unpaved, rocky path barely wide enough for Grace’s Taurus. “Do you see another car?” she asked.
Grace’s gaze swept across the heavily wooded area and its surrounding. “No. It’s too early.”
The car rocked back and forth as Denise slowed down. “This is a good place to stop,” she said. “The vegetation is high and thick. The car will be well hidden.” She brought the Taurus to a stop and turned off the ignition.
“Where do we go from here?” Grace asked as they both got out of the car.
Denise pointed up. “That crest up there will make a perfect lookout.”
“It’s a little bare. Won’t they see us?”
“I don’t know. We’ll find out when we get up there.” She looked up toward the sky. “Full moon. We might not even need those flashlights. Here, take the blanket. I’ll carry the bag.”
The climb took only a few minutes. The area Denise had selected wasn’t as bare as Grace had thought, but surrounded by shrubbery high enough to hide a sitting person. In the distance, the farmhouse was all lit up, and looked inviting.
“This should be fine,” Denise said, stopping behind a wild holly. She spread out the blanket and looked around her. “When do you think they’ll show up?”
Grace crossed her legs and sat down, yoga style. “They can’t afford to wait too long. They’ll need time to locate the exact spot, otherwise they could be digging all night.”
Quietly, Denise poured them each a cup of coffee.
“This isn’t going to be easy for you,” Grace said, looking at her friend. “Are you sure you’re going to be all right?”
“I admit that I have mixed feelings. A part of me dreads what’s going to happen, while another feels almost relieved.”
A flash caught Grace’s gaze. “Showtime,” she whispered.
“Are they here? I don’t see anything.”
“They just turned their lights off.” She pointed at a dark form moving along the winding, rocky road.
“I see it, thanks to that moon.”
“Do you recognize the car?”
“No.”
A cloud drifted over the moon just as the car came to a stop. Two men came out and looked around. After a few seconds, they walked around the car, opened the trunk and took out two shovels.
“One is a little taller than the other,” Grace remarked. When Denise raised her head above the holly bush, she yanked her down. “What are you doing? They’ll see you.”
“We have to know who they are.”
“We’ll know soon enough.”
To calm herself down, Denise began biting her nails. “For God’s sake, what are they doing? Why are they standing there like two zombies?”
“They’re trying to remember the exact spot.” The moon reappeared, large, yellow, a perfect harvest moon.
Suddenly, the shorter man pointed at the house. Grace followed his gaze. At the farmhouse, the lights were being turned off, one by one.
“Is Buzz supposed to do anything?” Denise asked. “Is he part of this?”
“No. Matt didn’t want to risk the chance of him getting hurt. I don’t believe he even knows that Matt was planning this ambush tonight.”
Another ten minutes went by, then the two men swung their shovels over their shoulders and started walking deep into the woods. Thanks to the moonlight, Grace could follow their progress, step by step.
Her heart was beating like a drum. It wouldn’t be long now.
Next to her, Denise let out a small cry.
Grace started to shush her, then stopped when she saw the look on her friend’s face. “What is it?”
“Oh, my God,” Denise whispered. “Oh my God, oh my God, oh, my God!”
“Denise, for heaven’s sake—”
She shook a frantic finger toward one of the figures.
“It’s George! It’s the mayor!”
