DIGGIN' UP THE DIRT

by Tonya Kappes

  “I called my dad because I thought maybe after he’d gotten back from the hunt club’s retreat with your dad.” He paused. His eyes opened liked he was finally noticing me. Not sheriff me, but his girlfriend. “Shut that off.” He waved the recorder away from him.

  “Okay.” I did as he’d asked and waited for him to make the next move. I was unsure of how to proceed. I’d never seen this side of him.

  “I’ve got something to tell you. It’s been eating at me all day and it’s why I’ve not called.” He ran his hands through his hair. “I know you gave me the day off, and I’m a jerk for not calling you.”

  “It’s fine.” All of the sudden I completely understood what he’d been saying about the difficulty of me being his boss and his girlfriend. A wave of forgiveness swept over me. I wanted him to be happy. He was a good man and a great cop. He deserved to be promoted. “You’re under a lot of stress.”

  “Aside from Mom.” He sucked in a deep breath and on the exhale, he said, “The sheriff in Clay’s Ferry has been fired and when I went to Clay’s Ferry to check out the reasons why they had let Rich Moss out of the state pen for good behavior, that’s when I found out. It wasn’t like I was going over there looking for a job. I was doing exactly what you’d asked me to do and I was just fine with that.” He started to pace back and forth as he talked.

  “Finn,” I said trying to stop him and let him off the hook.

  “Kenni, let me speak. I’ve got to get this off my chest.” He continued to look down at the ground. “Rich Moss had made some good friends while he was in prison, so much so the FBI made him an informant on an insider drug ring. In exchange for his information, they gave him witness protection. In the meantime, anything having to do with him had to be changed. That meant the will Woody Moss had and when I went to pick up the information from Wally Lamb, it all matched. I’ve got it in my drawer at the department.”

  “I...” I started again.

  “Please,” he begged with his hands jutted out to me. “Let me finish.”

  “Fine.” I put the tape recorder back in the bag that was sitting on the ground. I wrapped my arms around my body like a blanket of comfort. I knew what was coming and I truly wanted to be happy for him.

  “Woody changed his will, so any trace of Rich would be erased because he really didn’t understand the process. He was afraid for Rich’s life. Rich kept this all a secret for months as he worked with the FBI. During this time is when Woody had the knee replacement and things went south with the infection of his body rejecting the replacement.” This was all news to me and completely exonerated Rich Moss as a suspect. “The day of the funeral was when Rich was scheduled to go and give his last statement to the FBI. That’s why he left the funeral early. They let him go to the funeral with a plain clothed agent. They left, and he gave his last bit of information before he was whisked off to the program. He’s not the killer or the burglar because a FBI agent has been with him the entire time.”

  He stopped in his tracks, put one hand on each of my arms, guided me to the steps of the RV and sat me on the door jam. He bent down between my legs.

  “Kenni, I swear to you that what I’m about to tell you never even crossed my mind until they called me last night.” He pulled his lips together and let out a long breath through his nose. Whatever he wanted to tell me had been buried deep within him like he didn’t want to let it out. “Late last night when the interim sheriff called me to give me the final details about Sheriff Davis funneling drugs throughout the Kentucky highways and out of state lines.”

  My mind swirled in all different directions in disbelief.

  “They arrested him late last night, that’s when they called me. Rich was the narc that helped put him behind bars. It was a big fish. Rich was all in only if he was given immunity and put into witness protection program. All of this went down late last night and that’s why Lenora has been keeping her mouth shut.” He held up a finger. He was really struggling with this and I let him. “The interim sheriff asked me to think about interviewing for the job. Of course, I brushed him off since you and I’d just talked about it. Then this thing happened to my mom, I was partly out of my mind when I called him back. I went there this morning and they called me this afternoon. I was on my way here to pick up mom’s clothes and was hoping to catch you at home. If you weren’t here, I was going to call and find you so I could tell you in person.” His beautiful and strong brown eyes melted into the loving eyes I was used to seeing. He searched my face.

  “Why did Lenora need the money?” I asked.

  “That’s what you heard after all that?” he looked at me in shock.

  “No. I already knew about the sheriff’s job. I was in Clay’s Ferry this morning getting the dispatch paperwork between Lita and Avon when I saw you.” A big smile formed on my face. “As long as it’s not going to change us.”

  A sigh of relief escaped him and his face melted. He wrapped me into his big strong arms.

  “Oh. My. God!” Mama squealed from my driveway next to her car. She’d had on her pink pill hat, pink pant suit, and pink satchel. A sure sign she’d been to a Sweet Adeline meeting. “We’re having a wedding!”

  “Wedding?” Poppa popped back in. “There better not be a wedding.”

  “There’s not a wedding,” I muttered with closed eyes trying to regain my composure.

  “What is all this fuss about?” Mrs. Brown stood on her porch, her curlers still in her hair and her housedress still on.

  “Grab the champagne! Finn has proposed!” Mama threw her hands in the air.

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  “Mama don’t go and lose your mind,” I insisted while I took photos of the burglary scene. I had finally gotten her and Mrs. Brown to settle down.

  It was a little hard to get the photos with Mama shuffling around the RV with protective police slippers on her shoes and her phone right next to my eyes.

  Finn had already taken some of his parent’s prints off their coffee mugs and hair brushes for quick identification so when we did brush out the finger printing powder, we’d be able to see which ones weren’t theirs.

  “I’ve been saving all the wedding stuff on this new thing called Pinterest.” Mama used her finger to scroll through the wedding board she’d created just for me.

  “It’s not new and . . .” My mind rolled back to Avon’s computer. “Avon was on Pinterest.”

  “That dead girl?” Mama jerked back. “What on Earth does she have to do with your wedding?”

  “Mama.” I turned around. “Finn didn’t propose. He’s going to take the sheriff’s position in Clay’s Ferry.”

  “He’s w...wh…what?” Mama never stutters. She was shaken to her core. Probably even more than me.

  “The sheriff’s position is open in Clay’s Ferry. He went over to interview and they’ve offered him the job.” I knew that would stop Mama from carrying on about any sort of wedding.

  “He can’t do that,” she protested. “He lives here, and he serves Cottonwood. Did you tell him that?”

  “No. He’s a grown man that can make his own decisions,” I said under my breath when I heard him in the living space near us. It wasn’t my place to explain to Mama what was in Finn’s head and I didn’t want him to think I didn’t support him.

  Ultimately, I did think it would be very hard not to see him first thing in the morning and I sure was going to miss our afternoon rendezvous when we had the time.

  “He needs help. He’s obviously lost his mind.” Mama’s voice cracked. “I mean, stress with his own mama sick and all can do funny things.”

  “He’s not stressed.” I snapped a few more photos and continued to put fingerprinting powder over most of the things in the RV. It sure would help if I found Reagan’s prints in here. “He is too good to be a deputy all his life.”

  “Then you be the deputy and he can be sheriff. That�
�d make us all happy.” She never was able to give up a good jab.

  “I’m not going to stop him. That’s that.” My voice was stern enough to get her attention.

  She’d opened her mouth, shut it and then curled her lips together to keep from saying something.

  “How’s Shelby doing?” I asked. “I know you’ve already gone to see her.”

  I really didn’t know. But I knew Mama. Her Southern hospitality would never let someone be in the hospital without her checking on them first thing, especially since it was Finn’s mom.

  “According to Lulu’s contact, I heard they were going to let her go on home.” She nodded.

  “Not until I release this crime scene.” I looked around.

  “Crime scene?” Mama drew back.

  “Why do you think I made you put booties on your feet?” I stood there looking at her in shock.

  “I don’t know.” She willy-nilly waved her hand in the air. “I figured you and Finn were cleaning up after them. They are dirty people. You’d never know it by looking at her.”

  “Mama, they were robbed last night.” My mind went right back to Reagan. “And so was Lita Brumfield.”

  “Were Herb and Reagan working things out? Did they kill Avon? What about Reagan’s job? How would that help them? Then there were the break-ins. Were they working together?” Poppa ghosted in and started to ask me questions like I was just going to start playing our little “what if” game.

  All great questions, but my lips were zipped.

  My heart stopped. Poppa did make a lot of sense. Who all knew Herb was having an affair with Avon?

  “Well, I better get out of here then.” Mama scurried towards the door.

  The day was getting much hotter than yesterday. A sure sign it was full blown summer. Even some of the neighborhood kids were riding their bikes up and down Free Row.

  “Let me get this clear.” Mama stopped shy of the door. “Finn didn’t ask you to marry him, so I can’t tell anyone what I saw.”

  “No, Mama.” I wanted to make sure she heard me loud and clear. “Finn did not ask me to marry him.”

  “Then I’ll see you at the town council meeting tonight.” She switched her purse to the other arm, nestling it in the crook of her elbow before she left the RV.

  “Any luck?” I asked Finn when he walked up behind me.

  “Nope. None. It’s like they had on gloves.” Finn inhaled.

  “Gloves as in medical gloves,” Poppa gasped. “Reagan has access to those too.”

  “It looks more and more like Reagan’s behind these and Avon’s murder.” When Finn gave me a strange look, I realized he had no idea what I’d uncovered at the bank from Vernon.

  “You can bring her in on suspicion of murder,” Finn said after I’d told him everything.

  “I just might after I meet with her at the rehab here in a few.” I looked at the time on my phone.

  The day had gone by so fast and I still wasn’t sure I was any closer to solving this murder. But I knew with all the information I’d gathered, I was on the right track.

  “It would be perfect timing to get someone in custody not only before tonight, but before Avon’s funeral tomorrow.” I curled my lip under my teeth as I thought of the Meyers and wondered how they were doing.

  “We need to talk about my departure.” Finn put his warm, strong hand on my shoulder. “I need to give my resignation to you and tell the town council tonight.”

  All I could do was nod my head because the tears were filling my eyes.

  “Are you going to be okay? If not, I won’t take it.” He had the puppy eyes going.

  “How can I not let you fulfill your dreams? We’ll be just fine,” I told him even though my heart was breaking and I wasn’t sure we would be. “Now.” I got my act together. “Let’s get this crime solved.”

  “I’ll finish up here since it only appears they took the money. Then I’m heading over to see Mom. I think they’re going to release her to go to her doctor. Dad said he can drive home faster than a plane ride.” He was right.

  Chicago was only about a five-hour trip from Cottonwood and I was sure Shelby would be more comfortable in the RV than an airplane.

  “I love you, Kenni.” He pulled me into his arms, bending his chin down to kiss me.

  Right as I was getting back into the Wagoneer, leaving Finn to finish processing the scene and release it back to his parents, Scott called my cell phone.

  “Sheriff, I’ve got an update on the Brumfield break-in,” he informed me.

  “Was anything of value taken?” I asked thinking that if Reagan and Herb were behind this, they would try and throw us off by making it appear as if his own mother’s house had been broken into.

  Some people might think that was far-fetched, but when people are desperate, they’ll do just about anything to get the heat off of them.

  “They took a TV and the police scanner.”

  “That’s it?” I asked to make sure. “TV and police scanner?”

  “Those are the two main things pawn shop owners have told me are big sellers right now. So I think this person is trying to collect as much money as they can.” He continued, “Also the background check on Reagan came back. She does have a Ruger SP10. Its bullets are an exact match as the bullet that killed Avon.”

  “Go to the judge right now and get a warrant to search her house.” This was the break we needed. There was enough circumstantial evidence to at least hold her until we did a sweep of her house, fingerprints and checked on her alibi. If she had one.

  “How do we tie this to Herb?” I asked him and started up the Wagoneer, going towards Main Street. I wasn’t convinced Reagan’d done this on her own. Especially after seeing her and Herb together at the bank. It was a little too suspicious to me.

  “If he and Reagan did this, maybe they are trying to get out of town because she’d lost her job.” I wondered how much time she had until it was taken, unless they gave her an extension now that Avon was gone.

  If Avon was her replacement.

  The images of Avon’s lifeless body haunted me every time I passed Rock Fence Park. My heart ached, but it told me what I had to do. Bring Reagan in on suspicion of murder.

  It was perfect timing too. Just as I was pulling into the parking lot of the Cottonwood Acre Rehab, Reagan Quinlan was getting out of her car.

  “Scott, I’ve got to go. Reagan is pulling in to meet me and I’m going to bring her on in.” I hit the gas to catch up to her before she even had a chance to step foot in the building. “Good work.”

  Reagan put her hands out in front of her like I was going to hit her.

  “Are you crazy?” She smacked the hood of the Jeep. “You’re nuts.”

  “Don’t hit my car. This is an official sheriff’s car and that’s ground for arrest.” I jerked my handcuffs off my utility belt.

  “What do you think you’re going to do with those?” She spat.

  “Reagan Quinlan, I’m taking you in for questioning on the murder of Avon Meyers.” I grabbed her by the arm and did a quick behind her back move, clipping the cuffs on her wrists.

  I loved when that move went exactly like it was taught in class.

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  “I’m telling you I didn’t kill her.” Reagan was sitting in the chair in front of my desk.

  I was in the process of fingerprinting her and she wasn’t being very forthcoming.

  “You’re telling me that you don’t hold malice towards Avon Meyers for stealing your husband away from you?” I asked.

  Of course I had the tape recorder on the whole time.

  “Ask her how Avon and Jerk Head met.” Poppa ghosted himself in the seat next to her giving her the stare down.

  “When did you find out about Avon and Herb?” I asked.

  “He told me.” Her sho
ulders relaxed and she sat back in the chair. “He said they met during an argument with Lita. Which Lita would argue with a butterfly.” She expelled a quick laugh, shaking her head. “He was telling his mother he was going over there to talk her into selling so we could buy the house, when in reality, they were talking about how they were going to move him in and me out.”

  “Not only was he cheating on you with your employee, but she was also getting your job. The job which you let the classes slip that you needed to keep your management position.” I watched her body language.

  “Don’t forget about the burglaries,” Poppa chirped.

  “It’s true that I let the classes slip. I was going through my divorce. I wasn’t in the right frame of mind and somehow, I thought I had until the end of the year. In reality, my year was summer-to-summer, not calendar.” Her eyes filled with tears. One dropped out and down her cheek. “But I didn’t kill her over it.”

  “Right.” I winked at her. “Herb and you decided to get back together. You two have been robbing people who’ve come into the rehab, leaving their houses wide open.”

  “Elderly abuse,” Betty muttered under her breath. “Seen it on one of them TV shows. It’s a real thing.”

  “We did no such thing,” Reagan insisted. “You’re reaching now, Sheriff.”

  “Am I? Woody Moss, Lita Brumfield, Shelby Vincent’s RV?” I held up three fingers. “All three were admitted while you were in charge and I was there when Shelby told you and Finn that she couldn’t leave the RV open.” I kept throwing questions at her as she sat there sobbing. “You only took things that could bring you instant money at a pawn shop.”

  “Admit it and let’s just get this over with!” I planted my hands on the desk and leaned over. “Give Carey and Wesley Meyers the decency they deserve before they put their innocent daughter in the ground!”

  “No! No!” She screamed back at me. “I didn’t do this,” she said through her tears.

  “You didn’t decide to meet her before work, where she knew that none of your write-ups could affect her since she was up for the job?” The meeting scenario I was accusing her of played in my head the way the evidence was laid out. “You needed her to help you. When she didn’t agree to go along with her plan, you shot her. According to your background check, you own a gun. Where’s the gun you killed Avon with?”