by Tara Meyers
In response to the question, Delilah covered her face with her hands and made an odd moaning sound. Unsure of what to do, Ember just stood quietly and waited.
“I’m sorry. It’s all catching up to me, and…” Delilah looked up and fresh tears spilled down her cheeks. “Sheriff Walker just left. The preliminary exam is pointing to some sort of acute toxic ingestion. He figures it was maybe an accidental contamination with something at one of the farms he visited the day before on his sales route, but―but I don’t think so. Ben is trying to be kind, but I know I’m a suspect.” Covering her face again, she leaned back in the chair.
“But why?” Ember asked. “Because of the blueberries?”
“That’s the obvious part,” Delilah answered, her voice muffled by her fingers. “But there’s more. When I signed the witness statement and wrote out the date,” choking back a sob, she struggled to continue, “I realized that it was the seventeen-year anniversary of my husband’s death.” Sitting up straight, Delilah scooted forward to the edge of the seat, her eyes flashing. “He died the same day as my husband!”
****
Ember was stunned. She didn’t know what to say.
“I don’t believe in coincidences,” Delilah said evenly as she stood. She moved into the kitchen and began pouring coffee for them both.
“Yeah. Me either,” Ember agreed. Breaking her paralysis, she accepted the coffee and sat in the same chair she’d been in the night before. “What do you think it means? Didn’t your husband die of a heart attack?”
Delilah shot her a look, and Ember’s face grew hot.
“I asked my aunt about you last night after I stopped by. I swear I’m not a gossip, but I was curious about your history and what might have brought you back to Sanctuary. I myself recently returned after being gone for ten years.”
“Who’s your aunt?”
“Becky Stratton.” Ember figured Delilah was the sort of woman you didn’t dance around with but got straight to the point. Like her aunt.
Snorting, Delilah sat her cup down. “I should have figured. Not too many people around here with that red hair.”
Remembering their sordid history, Ember wondered briefly if she’d been mistaken in her judgment to be so candid.
Waving a hand, Delilah went back to her coffee. “That seems like a lifetime ago. What I wouldn’t give to do it over again. Do you ever wish you could go back and do things differently?”
“Sometimes,” Ember answered honestly. “I would have told my mom I loved her more often.”
A comfortable silence hung between them for a moment. “I married young. Oh, I wouldn’t change anything about that. I loved Doug something fierce. He was so good to me.” Her voice grew lighter as she remembered her husband. “We’d been married going on seven years, and he was finally giving in and considering having kids, when he died suddenly. His heart stopped. No cardiovascular disease, but the coroner determined it was some sort of bad rhythm. I panicked.”
Delilah turned to stare out the window over the kitchen sink. It overlooked the lake. The setting sun hit the frozen edges, making the ice sparkle like countless diamonds.
“I was so young. Without any other family to support me and give me any useful advice, the only thing I could think to do was run. Run away from Sanctuary, from the memories, from the whole situation. I couldn’t handle it, and I didn’t want to. Not without Doug.”
“Where did you go?” Ember asked when she paused in her story.
“Lots of places. Oh, I had money. Doug saw to that. But I was never really satisfied. I never married again. Never had kids. I thought coming back was the right thing to do. That I could finally stop running from the past and start building a real future for myself. No matter how far I went, there was a part of me that always felt that Sanctuary was still home. I knew that was what Doug would want for me.
“So, when I saw this place was for sale―I’d always loved these cabins. It used to be run as a resort way back when I was a little girl, and it seemed like the perfect homecoming.” Pausing again, Delilah closed the curtain on the twilight and faced Ember. “But maybe I was wrong. A man is dead now, and I can’t help but feel it’s my fault.”
“If you didn’t have anything to do with it, Delilah, why do you think it’s your fault?” Ember asked, having a hard time reading the other woman.
“I’ve always been bothered by the circumstances surrounding Doug’s death. I thought I was over it, but being back here…I started wondering about it again.” Delilah sat opposite Ember, her knuckles white from gripping the coffee cup. “I decided to get his medical records and try to once and for all put it to rest, but it wasn’t that easy. Anyway, one week after I start digging, a man dies at my resort on the same day as Doug.”
“Who knew about it?” Ember asked.
“Knew about what?”
“That you were trying to get the medical records,” Ember replied.
“Well, I went to the coroner’s office first and found out that Sanctuary doesn’t have one right now, so the office isn’t even staffed. There was a sign that said to check in with City Hall for any inquiries, so that’s what I did. Mayor Gomez herself took my request. But they had to send out to a microfiche company that stores it, so it will be a few more days before I get the documents.”
Ember closed her eyes and shook her head.
“What?” Delilah asked, her face pinched in worry. “You don’t think the mayor has something to do with it, do you?”
Ember nearly choked on her coffee. “No. Mayor Elly Gomez isn’t a killer, but if she knew you were digging around into the details of your husband’s death, then half of Sanctuary knew by the next day.”
“Great. More coffee?”
Ember glanced at the clock and then shook her head. Mel would already be waiting on her. She was surprised her phone hadn’t been buzzing from numerous text messages already. “I need to get home, but thank you. Oh! What was Cody Walker doing here? Is he working for you over Christmas break?”
Delilah gave her a sideways look and tilted her head slightly in question. “No, I’m hoping it’s a permanent position. Ember, will you let me know what the test results are for the berries Sweetheart threw up? I know that Ben can’t share too much with me about their investigation, but I figure since I’m paying for the tests, I should be able to know what’s going on with my own cat.” She smiled conspiratorially and looked hopeful.
Ember hesitated as all the pieces from their conversation slammed into place. Seventeen years ago, Delilah’s husband suddenly died a somewhat unexplained death. Now, a few months after returning to Sanctuary, a visitor to her resort died on the anniversary of that death. Not only that, but it looked to have been caused by some sort of poison in a pie she made that her own cat also got into. Ember swallowed. Was Delilah a suspect in the death? Should she even be talking to her?
Delilah must have seen the conflict on her face because she abruptly pushed away from the table and stood. “Never mind. I certainly don’t expect anyone from Sanctuary to treat me like a friend.”
Ember recoiled, remembering her own struggles just that past summer. She didn’t know what she would have done if it wasn’t for the support of her Aunt Becky, Mel, and Nathan.
She’d learned to trust her instincts more lately, and right then they were telling her that Delilah wasn’t the person she needed to fear. “Of course, I’ll tell you,” she said with sincerity. “But only if you promise to share what you find out from the medical records. I might be able to help you decipher them.”
Delilah looked as though she might cry again, but instead, she gave a quick jerk of her head and pressed her lips together. “Thank you, Ember.”
It was a simple statement, but it was the seal of a silent agreement. Ember had just committed to getting involved in something that could have wide-reaching consequences.
She hoped it wasn’t a mistake.
SEVEN
A drive through the rolling farmlands to the east of
Sanctuary was just what Ember needed. It was Monday morning and time for her monthly visit to the Ellsworth Stables.
Even though she grew up there, the landscape would often catch her off guard and take her breath away with its beauty. That morning was one of those moments. A particularly wicked cold snap had kept the moisture-laden clouds at bay for another day and turned any exposed surface into a work of icy art. The deceptively cold sun made those surfaces sparkle, making it appear as if Ember was driving through the imagined fairy kingdoms of her childhood.
Before her, just beyond the farms that were the main staple of Sanctuary in addition to tourism, the east border of the valley rose to extensive heights. The peaks were so high, in fact, that Ember couldn’t see the top from inside her truck. As she pulled onto the long private drive that led to the stables, the shadows of the mountains were just beginning to recede in response to the sun climbing higher in the sky above it.
Ellsworth Stables was the largest estate in Haven County. Not only did Morton Ellsworth raise and breed prize horses, but he also had the largest Angus herd that side of the mountains. In spite of what appeared to be a prosperous business, they’d recently been at risk of going under due to some poor management and sketchy decisions by the owner. Fortunately, his daughter, Sandy, had taken over the accounting end of things. She’d somehow managed to keep things afloat during her father’s legal dealings, and they appeared to be coming out the other side.
That was where Ember came in. Although an unlikely ally, she believed in second chances. There was something commanding about Morton Ellsworth. And while she wouldn’t go so far as to claim Sandy as a friend, they were working on it. It turned out that the two women were more alike than they knew, and Ember enjoyed the talks they had.
There was plenty of parking in front of the cow barn, and Ember eased into a spot, careful not to slide into a large hill of plowed snow. Turning in her seat, she gathered the supplies. In addition to her leather veterinarian bag, she also had a sizeable box to carry in.
Twice a month, she made the house call and administered a combination of vitamins and medications to the Angus herd. She was on a rotating schedule, and they had such a large herd that it took nearly six months to get through them all. Aside from an occasional ill animal or serious birthing issue, the bulk of the animal care was done by either Ellsworth himself or his main ranch hand. She was fairly certain they could also handle most of the care she provided, but she suspected the older man liked having his own veterinarian on the payroll.
With her arms full, Ember kicked her truck door shut and nearly fell in the slick snow. After stumbling through what she was sure was a rather comical display for anyone watching, she regained her footing and stopped for a moment to regroup. It wasn’t that far down the moderately plowed walkway. She’d be fine.
“At least I don’t have to corral Daenerys,” she muttered. The dog’s Achilles heel was horses. For some unknown reason, she went crazy around them. The only exception was the horse Ember adopted, Butterscotch. One of the reasons for the adoption was the unusual bond the two animals shared.
“Ember!”
Ember looked up to find Sandy Ellsworth coming out of the cow barn. She was adorned in the latest winter fashion, all white and furry and looking perfect. Typical. She reminded herself that jealousy wasn’t attractive and called out to the other woman. “Hi, Sandy!”
“Sorry, we haven’t caught up with the last snowfall yet. Let me help you.” Sandy pushed some long strands of blonde hair behind her ear before reaching for Ember’s bag. Her blue eyes were radiant in the cool air, and they flashed when she smiled. “What?”
Ember realized she was staring. “Sorry. Honestly, I was wondering how you manage to look so good coming out of a cow barn. If I wore white for even an hour at the clinic, I’d be a mess.” She figured being truthful was best with Sandy.
Surprisingly, Ember had discovered that while appearing and sometimes acting the snob, Sandy was really very down-to-earth and spoke her mind much in the same way Ember did.
Laughing loudly, Sandy tucked one arm through the handle of the bag and the other around Ember’s elbow. “You know I normally wear overalls in the barn! But you like my new outfit?” Glancing sideways at Ember as the two began trekking through the snow, she winked conspiratorially. “A new client is arriving soon to look over the studs. A single client who happens to also be thirty and very good-looking.”
Any client considering the extreme costs of an Ellsworth breeding horse had to be wealthy. Ember was thinking of an appropriate response to Sandy’s revelation when she was distracted by barking. Surprised, she turned to discover a young sheepdog running toward them. Morton Ellsworth had made it clear several times that he wasn’t a dog person.
“Rudy!” Sandy called, dropping Ember’s arm. “Where have you been? Wait! No! Don’t you dare jump on me!”
Squealing, Sandy tried to backpedal away from the excited dog, but Rudy was faster. He lunged just as her heels hit the thicker snow to the side of the path. She sat down hard and then held Ember’s leather bag in front of her face to ward off the Australian Shepherd’s large tongue.
“Help!” she wailed.
Ember slapped a gloved hand over her mouth to muffle the loud chortle she knew was bound to escape and nearly dropped the box. By the time she set it down and turned to help rescue Sandy, the other woman was already struggling back to her feet. Her once-pristine snow pants had large brown streaks across both thighs.
“Great,” Sandy moaned. Wiping at the mud, she only succeeded in spreading it around. “Oh well. If the guy doesn’t forgive a little mud, then he isn’t my type anyway. I should have known better.”
Ember was impressed with Sandy’s attitude. She’d certainly had a change in character since their high school days when Ember used to suffer at the other end of her cruel taunts in regard to her red hair. She kept waiting for a glimpse of the bully to resurface, but in spite of the numerous encounters they’d had, Sandy’s nature remained genuine.
Rudy turned his attention to Ember and began circling her legs.
“Who’s this guy?” she asked, kneeling down to pet his head. “I don’t remember seeing him before.”
“Nope! That’s because we just got him last Friday.” Sandy brushed the snow from Ember’s leather bag and then patted at her leg. “Come on, Rudy! To the barn!” The puppy ran in a circle before leaping into the deepest snow he could find, and then he took off in the opposite direction of the barn.
“Looks like he needs some more training.” Ember chuckled. “What’s with the change of heart? I thought your dad swore to never get a dog.”
The two women started toward the barn as they talked, the sun now directly overhead.
“It was a business decision,” Sandy explained. “With Dad implementing the fall calving schedule, we still have some pretty young guys in the herd. The coyotes have been very bold this year. He’d been debating about getting a dog for a while and had already found a good breeder, but when Carl Hathaway lost one of his calves Thursday night, he made up his mind.”
“The Hathaway’s lost a calf to coyotes?” Ember gasped. “I didn’t hear anything about that!”
“Does that surprise you?”
Ember considered Sandy’s comment and then nodded slowly in agreement. Carl and Bonnie Hathaway had the second-largest cattle farm in the county. Although they were your basic down-to-earth good country folk, Carl was known for his quick temper. Ember’s interaction with them earlier that summer hadn’t been very positive, but she came to understand that they were, by nature, a private couple that didn’t welcome outside interference.
“But if there was a coyote attack of that magnitude, they should have at least let Sheriff Walker or myself know,” Ember countered.
“Apparently, Carl isn’t convinced it was a coyote.”
Ember raised her eyebrows in question.
Sandy threw her free hand in the air. “I don’t know the details, only that he b
elieves the calf was stolen, not eaten. I doubt he reported it. Probably figures he can find who took it and dole out some Old Western vengeance.”
The sound of a large diesel pickup truck coming up the private road made them stop and turn. Sandy gave a little squeal when the expensive rig came into view.
“That’s got to be him! Here.” Sandy shoved the bag at Ember and then yanked the barn door open for her. “Dad’s inside sorting the herd for you. I’ll see ya later!”
“Wait!” Ember called out before Sandy could get too far. “Are you going to the Ladies of Sanctuary Christmas Dinner? I’d love to sit at the same table.”
Sandy scrunched her nose and pursed her lips in thought. “Is that on the twenty-fourth or twenty-fifth?”
“The twenty-fifth, Christmas day at three. It’s catered. We’ll have great food, a tree, music, and optional gift exchange.”
“You really want me to sit with you?”
Sandy appeared to be genuinely moved by the gesture, and Ember was glad she’d followed the impulse to invite her. “Of course I do! It’d be fun.”
Sandy cocked her head slightly in surprise and then flashed another brilliant smile. “Thanks, Ember. Save me a seat!”
Watching the young woman run in the direction of the parking truck, Ember wondered how she was going to break the news to Mel. She wasn’t as convinced as Ember was as to Sandy’s conversion to niceness.
Shrugging, Ember stepped into the dim barn. “’Tis the season,” she muttered, grinning at what was sure to be an entertaining evening. But her smile faded as the unmistakable stench of cows enveloped her. It reminded her of the news Sandy shared. A stolen cow? Ember wasn’t one to ignore or believe in coincidences.
It was time to take a closer look at the missing animals in Sanctuary.
EIGHT
Snow was falling again as Ember walked down Main Street. It started Monday night and hadn’t let up in the two days since. City crews had already plowed all the primary roads in town that morning, but the drifts they created made maneuvering the sidewalks hazardous.