Читать книгу Lethal Lawman - Carla Cassidy - Страница 13

Chapter 4

Frank, Steve Kincaid and Jimmy Carmani all sat in the small confines of chief of police Brad Krause’s office. Krause was a young man for his position. He wore his thick brown hair slightly shaggy, and Frank suspected nobody had been more surprised than Brad himself when he’d won the election two years ago.

He appeared young until you looked into his eyes...they were those of an old soul, and a startling green that shone with a keen intelligence. He was not only a leader in the squad room but was also a savvy politician when it came to dealing with the difficult, fiery, aptly named Ralph Storm, who served as mayor of the small burg.

Brad sat behind his desk as he eyed the three men before him. “I have a Storm chewing on my butt. The tourist season will soon be here and the mayor doesn’t like the fact that one of our own is missing, and I need an update on the Liz Marcoli case.”

“We have no update,” Jimmy said flatly.

“There’s nothing new to report,” Steve added.

Frank said nothing but felt the frustration he knew both of his partners felt.

“No movement on her finances?” Brad asked.

“None,” Frank replied, since he was the one monitoring Liz Marcoli’s bank account.

“And still no word on Ramona Marcoli?”

“She’s completely off the grid,” Frank said. “She apparently doesn’t own a car and doesn’t have a job, and I’ve been unable to track her down anywhere.”

“What do you think the odds are that Liz is with Ramona somewhere?”

“Zero,” Steve replied without hesitation. “If Liz was with Ramona she would have found a way to call Roxy or one of her sisters. There’s no way Liz would want those young women to suffer the unknown. They are like daughters to her.”

Brad sighed and stood from his desk. He moved over to the window, where he looked out on the alley between the police station and the local grocery store. He certainly hadn’t taken the job for the spectacular view from his office.

He turned back to look at them. “I know you were comparing the case of the missing Agnes Wilson to Liz’s hoping to find some intersection that might take you someplace closer to what happened to the two women. Anything come of that?”

“Nothing worthwhile yet,” Steve answered. “They both shopped in the same grocery store and both spent time at the Roadside Stop and Roxy’s restaurant, but that’s not unusual in a town this size. The two women’s lives intersected in dozens of ways.”

“We’re in the process of checking out everyone who works at those places.” Jimmy shifted his position on the hard-backed chair. “We also haven’t ruled out Edward Cardell as a person of interest in Liz’s disappearance.”

“We’re attempting to find out if Cardell was dating Agnes Wilson two years ago, but people have short memories and Agnes had no family members who might know about her love life at the time of her disappearance,” Frank said.

“So, what’s next? Give me something I can take back to the mayor.”

“Tell him we’re actively working the case,” Steve said as he raked a hand through his sun-streaked shaggy hair. “Tell him if he’s got any ideas we’re open to hearing them.” His voice held a slight edge of sarcasm.

“We checked out Edward Cardell’s cabin, but maybe it’s time we start checking out some of the others,” Jimmy suggested.

“There are hundreds of little abandoned or seasonal cabins in the mountains,” Steve protested.

“But any one of them might be a perfect place to keep a woman captive,” Brad replied. “I’ll assign three more men to help with the search of the cabins. I’ll give you Joe Jamison, Wade Peters and Richard Crossly. You all figure out the details, but I want a search of all those cabins started first thing tomorrow morning so I can let the mayor know we’re pulling out all the stops to solve this missing-persons case.”

He walked over and sat back down at his desk. “Maybe while you’re at it you could stumble across Agnes Wilson and close that case, as well. Now, get out of here and get to work.”

“I know you’re disappointed,” Frank said to Jimmy as they left the office.

Jimmy frowned. “Disappointed about what?”

“That Chelsea wasn’t assigned to work with us.”

Steve laughed as Jimmy delivered a karate chop to Frank’s arm. “Shut your mouth,” he said as a blush darkened his neck before creeping over his face.

Chelsea Loren wasn’t just a fellow officer; she was also a woman on a mission―a mission to find a husband. She’d first set her sights on Steve, but when he’d hooked up with Roxy, Chelsea had directed her charms at Jimmy, who had no interest in the striking blonde who was well-known for her penchant for cosmetic enhancements. At the moment she sported a pair of duck lips that she pursed and pouted whenever she didn’t get her way.

“I’m just hoping if I give her enough rejection she’ll focus her love addiction on you,” Jimmy said to Frank.

“She does smell like desperation,” Steve said. “And speaking of desperation, we need to get Wade, Joe and Richard in here and figure out a plan.”

The next couple of hours passed slowly as the six men used a conference room and a map of the area to draw up grids to be searched. It was agreed that Joe, Wade and Richard would work as a team, checking out each place together for safety purposes.

Although most of the cabins were marked on the map they worked from, they all knew that there were many lean-tos, sheds and small structures that were not on the map.

Frank spent much of the afternoon in the assessor’s office, pulling up the properties and finding out owner names, a tedious job that had him exhausted by the time he had enough information for the three searchers to begin the task the next morning.

“We’ll check off each cabin as we clear it and draw in any structures that aren’t on the map,” Joe said.

Frank was unsurprised that Joe had taken the lead of the three-man team. Well over six feet tall, with arms and legs the size of tree trunks, he was a big but gentle man who was widely liked and respected. He was also a born leader, sensitive to others and smart as a whip.

“You won’t have search warrants, so the cabins that are locked and obviously occupied will have to be checked out by peeking in windows or getting the owner’s permission,” Frank said as he handed over the list of the owners’ names he’d managed to get from city sources. “Try to contact the owners and get permission to get inside when possible. The buildings that are obviously abandoned shouldn’t be a problem.”

“If we find something suspicious, do we have the authority to call in Jed and his dogs?” Joe asked. Jed Wilson trained and worked both search-and-rescue and cadaver dogs, and the department had kept a light pink cardigan sweater that had been a favorite of Liz’s just for the purpose of giving the dogs a scent.

“Absolutely,” Steve replied and looked at the clock on the wall. “It’s after six. Why don’t we all get out of here so we can get an early start in the morning?”

Frank smiled inwardly. There had been a time when Steve preferred to burn the midnight oil instead of going home. Since his son had been returned to him and Roxy Marcoli had become a part of his life, Steve was the first one of them looking to head home each evening.

With the night crew already in place, there was really no reason for Frank to hang around, and yet always at this time of day, he dreaded the thought of going home.

For Steve, his missing son had transformed his gorgeous mountain home into an unwelcome place until Tommy had been returned and Roxy had added to his life.

For Frank it was the memory of his dead wife who seemed to haunt the house where he’d believed they’d been building a future together.

He shoved away thoughts of Grace as he got into his truck. He’d specifically driven it into work today so he could swing by the Roadside Stop and pick up the rocking chair he’d bought the night before.

The thought of seeing Marlene again sparked a new burst of energy through him despite the fact that it had been a long day. As he drove past Chang Li’s he thought about the fact that Marlene had told him she loved Chinese.

On an impulse he turned his truck around and drove into the restaurant parking lot. He was definitely taking a chance, stepping out of his comfort zone. But the truth was he hadn’t been inside a comfort zone for a very long time.

The past three years had been a haze of work and grief and more than a touch of anger and guilt, but the grief had lifted, and for the first time, the desire for a new life, for something different, stirred in his heart.

Twenty minutes later he left the restaurant with two large bags of a variety of dishes. The smell in the cab of the truck was heavenly as he drove on to the Roadside Stop. The scent of sweet-and-sour chicken mingled with beef broccoli stir-fry and egg drop soup.

He knew he was being presumptuous, understood that he ran the possibility of offending her with his little surprise. He only hoped that if his offering ticked her off, she’d at least allow him to grab his rocking chair before she kicked him out of the store.

* * *

Marlene was in the process of locking up the store when Frank’s pickup pulled up in front. She’d wondered as evening approached if he was going to make it here before she closed for the night.

Granted, it was still a few minutes before seven, but the day had been dismally slow and she’d finally decided to close out the register and shut the doors.

She unlocked the door once again and frowned upon seeing Frank’s approach, two large bags in his hands. As he walked in the door she instantly smelled Chang Li’s and she eyed him suspiciously.

“It’s dinner, but it’s not a date,” he said hurriedly. “I just thought I’d share a little Chang Li’s with you to thank you for helping me pick out a rocking chair for my dad.”

He stood just inside the door, looking surprisingly nervous as he waited for her response. She felt as if she should be offended, as if somehow she should be angry that he’d crossed over a boundary, but in truth she was more than a little bit charmed.

He seemed so uncertain, so unlike the take-charge detective she’d known before.

“I suppose it would be a shame for all that food to go to waste,” she replied, rewarded by the smile of relief that lit his features. “Why don’t you take it to the picnic table in the storage room and I’ll go ahead and relock the front door.”

“Great,” he replied and quickly headed for the storeroom as if afraid she might change her mind.

As Marlene relocked the door, she knew somehow that this was a mistake. Even though he’d said it was a simple thank-you for the rocking chair, she knew it was his intent to circumvent her rules about dating.

But the food smelled delicious and there was nothing remotely romantic about eating in the storage room, so she’d give him a pass this time.

Once she got to the back room, he’d unloaded the containers from the plastic bags. “My gosh, it looks like you bought one of everything on the menu,” she said.

“Not quite, but since I didn’t know exactly what you liked I got a little of this and a little of that.” He waited until she sat on the bench and then sat across from her at the wooden table.

“Chopsticks or plastic utensils?” he asked.

“Definitely plastic. As much as I love Chinese food, I’ve never gotten the hang of chopsticks.” She took a paper plate from him and then began to take servings from the waxed boxes in the center of the table. Once she’d filled her plate, he filled his, and then the silence descended.

It was definitely an awkward silence. Marlene had never been good at small talk and apparently Frank suffered from the same affliction.

“Busy day?” he finally asked.

“Unbelievably slow,” she replied. She pulled apart a crab rangoon to make it easier to eat. “Within a couple of weeks or so, the travelers will be out on the roads and tourists will start to pour in. Summer is always our busiest time.”

Once again silence prevailed, a tense, uncomfortable silence that Marlene didn’t know how to break. For too long it had been pounded into her head to speak only when spoken to, to have no opinions of her own. She was just supposed to look pretty and obey.

“We assigned a three-man team today to start searching all the cabins in the mountains to see if your aunt is being held in one of them,” he said.

“I’m sure she’s dead,” Marlene replied flatly. Frank looked at her in stunned surprise. “You’re the only person I’ve said that to. I know Roxy and Sheri still have hopes that she’ll be found alive, but I’m more of a realist than they are.” She gazed into his eyes. “Surely you aren’t going to placate me and tell me you believe she’s still alive after all this time?”

Frank shifted on the bench and dropped his gaze to his plate. “I could tell you that without a body there’s always hope, but the truth is I think you’re probably right.”

She nodded, pleased that he had been truthful with her. “I just know that if she was alive anywhere she would have managed to somehow contact one of us, and that hasn’t happened.”

“Maybe she’s being held in a place where she can’t get word to any of you, like an isolated mountain cabin,” he offered.

“Perhaps,” she admitted. “But it’s easier for me to believe she’s dead. I’m not one of those hopeless optimists who are too often disappointed. I leave that to Roxy and Sheri.”

“Roxy seems to be exceptionally optimistic about life these days.” Frank took another helping of sweet-and-sour chicken and placed it on his plate.

A whisper of a smile moved Marlene’s lips as she thought of her older sister. “She’s in love. Steve and little Tommy are good for her and I hope they’ll be very happy together.”

“I hear a touch of dubiousness in your voice. You don’t believe in happy marriages?”

“I haven’t had a lot of experiences with them.” It was difficult to think about marriage with him sitting in front of her, so handsome in his black slacks and white shirt and a lightweight black jacket that she knew hid his shoulder holster and gun.

It was so difficult not to feel a sensual pull toward him. The spicy scent of him was far too pleasant; the dark blue of his eyes threatened to pull her into places she didn’t want to go.

“I was raised by a widowed aunt, abandoned by a mother who, as far as I know, never married anyone, and my own marriage definitely left a bad taste in my mouth. I’m just not in a place to believe that it would work for me. What about you?” She much preferred that the topic of conversation be about him rather than her.

She’d also realized that despite the fact that they were seated at a picnic table in a storage room, there was a sense of intimacy that made her even more uncomfortable.

“I definitely believe in the institution of marriage for other people.” Shadows fell in his eyes. “But like you, I feel like I had my chance at it and it didn’t work out.”

“I heard that you’re a widower. Was your wife sick?”

“Yeah, she was.” His eyes shuttered completely, indicating that he wasn’t willing to speak about it anymore. He placed one of the empty cartons into one of the large bags he’d carried in.

“Looks like you’re going to have enough leftovers for another meal,” she said.

“You’re welcome to take whatever is left home with you,” he replied.

“That’s okay. You go ahead and take it.” It was lame that their conversation revolved around who took home the remaining Chinese food. She didn’t even know anymore how to have a casual conversation with a man, she thought with disgust. “You mentioned your dad’s retirement. What about your mother?” she asked, feeling desperate to talk about something while they finished the meal.

“Mom passed away five years ago from cancer.”

“I’m so sorry. It sounds like in the last five years you’ve had more than your share of heartache.”

His dark blue eyes appeared to grow darker. “I have. It’s been a rough patch, but lately I’m feeling like I’m crawling out and looking forward to life again.” He tilted his head and eyed her curiously. “Don’t you get lonely, Marlene?”

The question caught her by surprise. She pushed her plate to the side, her gaze not quite meeting his. “I don’t think about it much. I have the store and my sisters, and I guess that’s enough for me right now.”

“But I’m sure you’re going to see less of Roxy now that she’s involved with Steve, and eventually Sheri will fall in love and get married or whatever and when that happens that doesn’t leave you with much.”

She raised an eyebrow as she gazed at him once again, this time with a hint of suspicion. “Is this some sort of a ploy of yours to get me to agree to a date? Point out how lonely I’ll be when my sisters are married and I’m all alone?”

He laughed, the sound a low rumble that echoed warmth through her. “Actually, it wasn’t a conscious ploy, but now that you mention it, it sounds pretty good to me.”

There was no way Marlene would tell him that even through her two-year marriage there had been a core of loneliness inside her, one that had only grown deeper, more intense since her return to Wolf Creek.

But it was a hole inside her that she knew nothing would fill, one that she deserved. “I think maybe it’s time we load that rocking chair so I can get home,” she replied. She began to pack up the last of the food and place it in the bag so he could take it with him.

She had always thought of him as a distant, slightly stern man, but the person she’d just eaten with had a nice sense of humor and if she spent any more time with him she might decide a date with him wouldn’t be a terrible thing. Definitely time to send him packing.

He tore off a piece of one of the empty container lids and scribbled something on it. “Here, it’s my phone number. Just in case you change your mind. I’m just looking for a little companionship, Marlene, nothing more.”

He held out the piece of cardboard toward her and she hesitated, but then took it and tucked it into her pants pocket. She would toss it away when she got home. She had no intention of allowing Frank to get close to her on any personal level. She didn’t intend to allow anyone to make his way into a heart that no longer existed.

As they returned to the front of the store, he stripped off his suit jacket to expose a short-sleeved white shirt and his holster and gun. When he lifted the chair to carry it to the front door, it wasn’t the gun in the holster that captured her attention, but rather the big guns his biceps sported.

An unexpected warmth pooled in the pit of her stomach as she found herself wondering what those muscles would feel like wrapped around her. She mentally shook herself. That was the last thing she wanted, and even the fantasy of wanting to be held by Frank felt fraught with the aura of danger.

Just like the night before, he insisted he see her to her car after she’d locked up the store. Driving home, she couldn’t get him or his final question out of her head.

Was she lonely? Absolutely. But her isolation was her own doing. She’d come home from Pittsburgh with such a wealth of guilt, a Pandora’s box of secrets that forced her to keep people at bay.

She wore a mask and feared that if anyone got a peek beneath it they’d see the monster she was, the sins she’d committed that had made her unfit for anyone.

Frank was not just a hot, handsome man—he also seemed like a nice man, and if he was ready to begin life anew, he deserved somebody better than her. He deserved a whole woman, and she would never, ever be whole again.

By the time she arrived home she was unusually exhausted, haunted by thoughts of her past and faintly depressed as she contemplated her future.

Maybe in the morning she’d drive over to her aunt’s house and bake several things. There was both pain and pleasure at the thought—the pain of Aunt Liz’s absence and the pleasure of creating something delicious that she could take to the store for customers to enjoy.

Although she often baked in her tiny apartment, if she wanted to do more than one goodie she usually headed to her aunt’s place, where Liz had the best equipment to create culinary magic. Surely working on some special cupcakes and maybe cinnamon rolls would take her mind off Frank Delaney. Just a little companionship—he’d said that was all he was looking for—but she knew companionship could quickly change to something deeper and she just wasn’t willing to open herself up ever again.

The sight of the new solid door at the top of her stairs gave her a sense of welcome relief as she fit her key first into the doorknob lock, and then the dead bolt lock.

She opened the door and walked inside, a white envelope sliding in beneath her feet. It must have been on her threshold and she’d kicked it in when she’d entered.

She stared down at it. What now? Maybe it was a note from Minnie, she told herself as she leaned down to pick it up. There was no writing on the front, nothing to indicate where it had come from, although it was sealed tight.

Her heart began to thud a rapid rhythm as she slid her thumbnail under the seal. She wasn’t sure why, but even before she got the envelope open she felt an overwhelming, inexplicable sense of dread.

Inside the envelope was a single sheet of white paper, neatly folded. She pulled it out and opened it, then gasped and allowed it to drop from her fingers.

Stumbling backward, she fumbled in her pocket and pulled out the small piece of cardboard Frank had given her. She fumbled her cell phone from her purse and punched in the number. “Frank, could you come over here? I think I have another problem,” she said when he answered.

Before he could reply she hung up and stepped over the note to relock both locks on her door. She then stood in the center of the room, waiting for Frank to come and make sense of the note that sent chills racing up and down her spine.