by Anne Patrick
Gage did his best not to show any emotion. He'd never really believed the mild-mannered and mentally challenged Dwight Jennings killed James Riedel either. The then twenty-two-year old had the mind of a child about the age Gage and Jamie had been when the murder happened. On the many occasions Gage had been around him, as the man foraged through trash bins looking for aluminum cans, Dwight never once showed any signs he could be harmful. The only son of a widowed church secretary, Dwight never so much as raised his voice to anyone that Gage could remember. The whole town was shocked when he was arrested and later convicted for the murder.
"What makes you think that?"
She glanced down at the counter, hesitant.
Gage wasn't sure how to prove to her she could trust him, but then a memory from their childhood jumped out, bringing with it a warm and comforting sensation and drawing his lips into a smile. "Remember how we used to pinky swear?" He plopped his elbow on the table and stuck out his little finger. "You can still trust me, Jamie."
Her laughter warmed his soul. She'd always had the most joyful, uninhibited laugh. He pushed the pizza box aside and locked onto her gaze. "Tell me your suspicions. Why do you think Dwight was innocent?"
"It's going to sound crazy."
"Tell me anyway."
"Since Mom died, I've been having nightmares again. Before that, I hadn't had any in years. Anyway, since I found out about Jennings death, the dreams always end with the tearful plea he gave in court. He said he would never hurt anyone. Especially not Jamie."
Gage was curious as to how much she remembered about that night. It didn't seem right to ask, though. At least not yet.
"Was that the day you testified?"
"Yes. Grandma and I arrived the night before and flew out the morning after my testimony. I never had the chance to read or hear what evidence they had against Dwight. To be honest, I didn't really care until recently. I just wanted to forget it ever happened."
"That's understandable."
"I was a coward, Gage. And I was selfish."
"You're being too hard on yourself, Jamie. You were just a kid. You witnessed your father's murder and almost died yourself."
"Well, from what I've been able to learn on the Internet, Dwight took me to a cabin on Emerald Mountain. That's where he was arrested. But how did the police know where to find me?"
"An anonymous call was made to Chief Franklin's home. Most likely, to prevent it from being traced through 9-1-1. The caller reported a murder at Black Lake and said a girl had been taken from the campsite and suggested the chief should check out the old Jennings cabin."
"And no one thought that was odd, some mysterious caller with all that information?"
"I think all they cared about was the fact they found you in time. You'd lost a lot of blood. Another hour and you wouldn't be with us."
"Was there any evidence found in the cabin that incriminated him? What was he wearing when he was arrested?"
"I don't know. I just remember what I read in the paper."
"Is the current police chief the same one who was in charge back then?"
"No. Chief Franklin retired six years ago. Ken Brody is chief now."
"Do you think he would let me see the case file?"
"Since it's a closed case, I don't see why not. I'll check into it and will let you know. In the meantime, it's not a good idea for you to go traipsing through the woods by yourself."
"No worries there." She got up and poured them more tea.
He glanced at his watch. It was almost nine. He was in no hurry to leave, though. "Do you need any help carrying things up from the basement?"
"There are a couple of totes you could carry up for me. If you want."
"Sure." He followed her to the basement entrance located in the hallway.
She got the light for him. "They're at the bottom of the stairs there. That's as far as I could drag them."
Gage brought them up and placed the totes in the living room. "This is all you're keeping?"
"That's all there was left of mine or my dad's stuff. My mother threw out everything else."
Sadness laced her voice. He couldn't imagine how hard it was for her to be back in this house. All the memories it must spark. If he'd been in her shoes, he probably would have paid someone to just come in and bulldoze the house. But maybe this was something she felt she needed to do in order to come to terms with what happened, process she needed to go through to get her out of the funk she said she was in.
"Come take a look." She maneuvered the first tote over to the sofa and sat down.
Gage sat beside her and she handed him an opened book. He immediately recognized his second-grade school picture. His curly brown hair hung down over his ears and, instead of the contacts he wore now, he was wearing black-rimmed glasses. "Oh, good grief. Did you have to show me this?"
Jamie laughed so hard she nearly rolled off the sofa.
He quickly thumbed through the pages until he came to her picture then sighed in disappointment. The only awkward thing about her appearance was the braces she wore. She was almost as beautiful then as she was now.
"I'm sorry," she offered, with amusement still heavy in her voice.
He elbowed her in the side. "Do you remember when Davy Donaldson called me a four-eyed sheepdog and you belted him, giving him a bloody nose?"
"Yes. Principal Myers called my dad and I was grounded for two weeks."
"Well, I didn't fair much better. I was teased for letting a girl fight my battle."
"You took up for me plenty of times. I figured I owed you."
"We had some great times, didn't we?"
She linked her arm through his and leaned her head on his shoulder. "Coming here was the hardest thing I've ever had to do. I'm glad I did, though. I've missed you and Mallory so much."
They spent another hour reminiscing before Gage forced himself to say goodbye. "I'll give you a call tomorrow about coming in and having a look at your dad's case file."
On the drive home, he thought over their conversation about Jennings. He hoped they were both wrong. If Dwight was innocent, it meant the real killer was still out there.
CHAPTER FOUR
Jamie looked at her reflection in the mirror. The four-inch scar on her left abdomen lay hidden underneath a tattoo of a dove. A symbol of new life she had chosen years ago to prevent her from remembering the worse day of her life. It hadn't worked as well as she had hoped, but up until eight months ago, the nightmares had pretty much lain dormant. Now that they were back, Jamie knew she had to finally face her past. In order to do that, she had to find out exactly what happened at Black Lake.
Her morning devotions had been on grace. The apostle Paul had often spoken of a thorn in his side. But in whatever turmoil he faced, God's grace was always sufficient.
"Lord, I believe You led me here at this time, knowing I would find the answers that will set me free of the pain and discord that night brought. Please give me the strength and courage to seek those answers so I can once and for all put it all behind me and move on. Thank You for bringing Gage and Mallory back into my life. Bless them for their kind hearts and willingness to help."
Jamie finished dressing and put on her wig. Mallory had called last night after Gage left, inviting her to a picnic lunch in the park. She was looking forward to it. Afterwards, she wanted to run over to Greensburg and pick up some paint and carpet swatches. She was still trying to decide how much effort she should put into fixing the place up. Since she didn't need the money her mother had left in her account, a total renovation seemed the more practical way to go. Once the property sold, the money would be donated to charity. And she would at last be rid of it and all the memories that went with it.
Kennison Park was across the street from the courthouse, a beautifully landscaped block of gorgeous shrubs, trees, and flowers. In the center was a stage where, during the summers, the community band, and other musicians would put on free concerts, and the townspeople would bring their lawn
chairs and coolers and make a day of it. A couple of times Jamie had come with her parents, but usually she attended with the Hansen family.
Since it was a workday and school hadn't let out yet, the park was almost empty. Jamie spotted Mallory at one of the picnic tables near the spring-fed creek, which ran through the park. Jamie crossed the wooden bridge and removed her sunglasses. "Sorry I'm late. I had to wait for the cable guy to hook up my service. Not so much for the TV, but for Wi-Fi."
Mallory smiled. "Not a problem. I don't have an afternoon class until 1:30." She opened a wicker basket and took out two diet colas. "I got us chef salads and turkey on rye sandwiches from Deb's."
"Sounds delicious." Jamie sat across from her on the wooden bench. "Great idea by the way."
"I thought so." She took a bite of her turkey sandwich and washed it down with some soda. "So how is the cleanup going?"
"Slow. I've come to the conclusion my mother did hate me, otherwise, she wouldn't have left me such a wonderful inheritance."
Mallory laughed at her sarcasm. "You could look at it this way, she did leave you something."
"True, and there was enough in her account to cover the renovation."
"Were you surprised when you learned she'd left you the property?"
"Very much so."
"Have you found any letters or anything she left for you?"
"You mean like an apology or an explanation as to why she hated me? No." Jamie tried not to sound bitter but it was hard. "And I don't expect to."
"Did you even know she was sick?"
"Mallory, we hadn't spoken since the day I left. Grandma used to tell me I was better off without her, and eventually, I started to believe it. I mean, if I hadn't moved to California, I probably wouldn't be where I'm at right now in my career. Grandma was amazing. She always supported my dreams. She even mortgaged her house to help send me to college. I worked part-time, too, but I couldn't have pulled it off on my own."
"I read in an article you were discovered by your agent while performing in a community play, is that true?"
"Yes; my first year of college. Tommy's wife had come to the play the previous night and she talked him into coming back with her. After the show, he approached me and gave me his card. The following week, he took me out to dinner and offered to represent me. Hands down, it was the best decision of my life. He's been my rock since Grandma died five years ago."
"Don't you just love it when God puts the right people in our lives who guide us on our journeys?"
"Well, not all the people He has put in my path have been good for me. But I figure those are my mistakes, not His."
"Are you speaking of anyone in particular?" Mallory asked with raised brows.
"No." Jamie laughed when her friend's curiosity turned to a frown. "You're not getting any gossip out of me, so you can forget it."
"Fine." Mallory gathered her trash, along with Jamie's and threw it in a nearby trash bin. "I will be so glad when Friday is over with." She sank back onto the bench. "I love my kids, but I am so ready for a vacation."
"Does this mean you're backing out of your offer to help me on the house?"
"Absolutely not. Have you chosen the colors yet?"
"I'm going to Greensburg later to pick up some swatches. You can help me choose."
"If you can wait until 3:30, I can ride over with you," Mallory offered. "When we get done at the hardware place, we can check out the new clothing store in the mall. I'd love your advice on a new outfit."
"That'll be fun," Jamie agreed, wondering if the new outfit was for a special occasion.
***
Gage left the courthouse in route to the police department. He caught sight of Mallory and Jamie leaving the park and was headed that way when Ed Bryer came out of the coffee shop midway down the block. He'd been searching for the guy since yesterday. "Hey, Bryer, wait up."
The burly, bearded man continued down the block as if he hadn't heard Gage.
Gage sprinted after him and grabbed his shoulder, directly in front of the drugstore. "Either you need hearing aids or you want to add obstruction to your record."
"What do you want, Hansen? I haven't done anything." At six-four and close to three hundred pounds, he had a good four inches and several pounds on Gage, and he used that advantage as he glared down at him.
Gage wasn't intimidated. "Didn't Janessa tell you I wanted to talk to you?"
"Yeah, she told me. Like I told her, I didn't have anything to do with those thefts. I worked a fourteen-hour shift yesterday at the salvage yard."
Gage didn't believe the man for a minute. Bryer was also his main suspect on an earlier break-in of an automotive store. "Both Roger and Jack said they saw you snooping around their places a few days ago. And seeing as how you own the salvage yard and don't have anyone working for you, you don't really have an alibi, now do you?"
"Unless you've got video of me stealing those parts or an actual eye witness, I don't need an alibi."
"Then you won't mind if I come out and have a look around?" Gage bluffed. Searching for the missing car parts at the salvage yard would be pretty much hopeless. He'd probably sold them by now anyway.
"Sure thing, Hansen. Just as soon as you show me a search warrant."
"One of these days you're going to mess up, Bryer, and when you do, I'm going to be the one to bring you in."
Bryer gave a hearty chuckle. "Bring it on, Hansen." He waved to Gage over his shoulder before disappearing around the corner.
Gage blew out a long breath, dispelling his anger. When he turned to cross the street, he found both Jamie and Mallory watching him. Great.
"What was all that about?" Mallory was quick to ask.
He shook his head, hoping she wouldn't press it. "Nothing. Where are you two headed?"
"Nowhere right now. We just had lunch," Mallory said. "When I get off, we're running over to Greensburg to do some shopping."
"I'll see you in a little bit," Jamie hollered before walking toward her vehicle.
"Hang on, Jamie." Gage followed. "I talked to the chief and he said it'd be fine for you to have a look at your dad's case file. I have court today and tomorrow. Would Friday be okay?"
"That'd be fine. Thanks."
Jamie drove off and he started back across the street. His sister blocked his path, though.
She crossed her arms and stared at him. "What was the shouting match about?"
"It was official business. No concern of yours."
"Are you sure about that? I mean, it looked more personal. You're not still hung up on Janessa, are you?"
"Of course not. But I don't want anything bad to happen to her either. The guy's got a bad temper, and sooner or later, she's going to pay the price because of it."
"Just don't forget what she did to you."
"That's not likely to happen." Having your heart ripped out isn't something a guy forgets.
***
After picking up several paint and carpet swatches, Jamie followed Mallory's directions to the mall. Jamie grabbed the first parking spot she saw, turned the engine off and grabbed her purse from the back floorboard. She then checked her appearance in the rearview mirror. Parked behind her in the next row of cars, was a grey truck. The driver, wearing a ball cap and sunglasses, stared directly at her as if he could see her. The windows in the Tahoe were tinted so she knew he couldn't, but it still gave her the willies.
"Don't worry, I doubt you'll blow your cover. You look like your typical twenty-something, just out for a casual day of shopping."
Jamie had added a tan straw sunhat with a black band to her ensemble of stonewashed capris and a black and white blouse. "So, are you going to tell me what special occasion requires a new outfit?"
Mallory beamed. "I have a date Friday night with a co-worker."
"Really. Have you gone out with him before?"
"No, it's our first date. It took Brian all year to get up the courage to ask."
"The shy type. You've gotta watch them," Jam
ie teased. She checked the mirror again. The truck was still there, but its occupant was gone. You're just being paranoid.
At the second dress shop they went to, Mallory found a pair of jeans and a blouse she liked and asked Jamie's opinion.
"It depends on where he's taking you."
"A dinner theater in Cheyenne."
"Those are cute, but wouldn't you rather wear a dress?"
"Okay, let's look at some."
Jamie laughed at her lack of enthusiasm. She had a hunch her friend was still a bit of a tomboy.
They looked through a couple of racks. Every dress Jamie suggested, Mallory shot down for one reason or another. Despite her obstinacy, Jamie couldn't remember the last time she had more fun just shopping with a friend. She was excited for Mallory, and maybe even a little envious. She missed being in a relationship. Having someone special in her life. "So, is Gage dating anyone?"
Mallory shot Jamie a curious look and Jamie immediately regretted the question. She didn't have a clue why she'd asked. Sure, she enjoyed spending time with him, but why start something when she was only going to be in Jackson Ridge a short time?
"As far as I know, he hasn't dated anyone since his divorce."
"Gage was married?" Not that it should surprise her. He was handsome, had a good job, and a kind heart. Any woman would be lucky to have him.
"To Janessa Bixby. You remember her? She went to church camp with us the summer before you left. She got caught sneaking into the boys' cabin and they called her parents to come and get her."
Jamie had a vague recollection of her. "Blonde. Pretty."
"And she knew it. Anyway, they got married after college and divorced two years ago, after Gage found out she was cheating on him. He hasn't dated another woman since."
"That's too bad."
"That guy we saw him talking to earlier . . . he's the one she had the affair with. They're married now."
That explained why Gage looked like he was ready to tear the guy apart. Jamie continued browsing through the racks. A backless lavender dress caught her eye. "How about this one?"