Unlocking Lies

by Kennedy Layne

  “Here you are, hon.” Molly transferred everything on the tray to the table. She caught on to Shae’s line of vision, though she didn’t say a word about the rich kid trying to fit in with the regulars. “Let me know if either one of you would like dessert. Cassie just baked some apple, peach, and cherry pies.”

  Jimmy maintained his gaze on Shae as they both allowed Molly to leave without ordering a slice of homemade pie.

  “Everyone accounted for one another that night, Jimmy,” Shae reasoned, having gone over the statements of each individual multiple times over the years. “I realize they could have lied, but I would imagine a guilt like that would eventually rot a person from the inside out.”

  Shae had enough experience in her line of profession to know what that kind of mistake could do to a person psychologically. Now calculated murder? That was another exponential multiplier in and of itself several orders higher.

  Shae began mixing in the right amount of sugar with a dollop of milk. She continued to come up with questions as she stirred the contents round and round.

  “You mentioned that you were walking home from the Cavern.” Shae tapped her spoon on the rim before setting it down on the plate. “Did anyone else leave around the same time?”

  “No. There was only a handful of customers left. Jeremy Bell, of course.” Jimmy rattled off a few names, leaving Shae to believe he was telling the truth by saying that night continued to haunt him to this day. “Miles Schaeffer. Harlan and Chester. Calvin left earlier that evening so that he could take his fishing boat out before the sun rose over the water. Tiny, of course.”

  “What about Byron Warner?” Shae recalled Jace mentioning that Byron couldn’t drive into the city to provide Nick with a keg. It caused her to wonder why. “Was he at the bar that night?”

  “I believe he and his father stopped in to have a drink for the old man’s birthday, but they were out of Dodge well before midnight.” Jimmy drained the rest of his coffee. “I can’t tell you who is responsible, but I don’t doubt that someone we all know took your sister and those other girls. I don’t trust anyone in this town anymore, and neither should you.”

  Shae tried to stop Jimmy from reaching for his wallet, but it was of no use. He stood before tossing down a twenty and some additional ones to include a tip.

  “Thank you for talking with me, Jimmy,” Shae replied softly, wishing she had more questions and that he had some answers that made any kind of sense. Why had Emma gone back into the woods? Had she been meeting someone? “I do appreciate it.”

  “Anytime, Shae.” Jimmy looked down at the floor in what Shae assumed was some type of regret from his follow up statement. “I don’t speak to my nephews and niece, excluding the occasional greeting here or there. I know you and Jace are close. He’s a good man. A lot better man than I am, that is for certain.”

  Shae wasn’t sure what Jimmy was trying to say, and she never got the chance to ask. He lifted his ball cap from the side of his chair, adjusted it just so, and walked out the door. As if someone had let the air out of a balloon, everyone began talking at once. Not to Shae, but to each other in hushed tones.

  The reprieve allowed Shae to drink the rest of her tea while going back over everything she and Jimmy had talked about during their lunch. She’d learned nothing new, but that wasn’t unexpected. Jace had said weeks ago that Jimmy was drunk that night and couldn’t recall anything other than seeing someone walking down Seventh Street. The way the rumor mill had churned, Jimmy could have either been the guilty party or he’d completely fabricated seeing Emma that night just for the attention.

  After this lunch meeting, Shae didn’t doubt Jimmy’s honesty about what he believed he saw that night. Emma had emerged from the woods only to turn around and run back in.

  A jingle of the bell from above the door indicated someone entering the diner, and Shae wasn’t all that much surprised to see Lance. She had honestly expected someone from the Kendall clan to stop in long before this point.

  “You can tell Jace that I’m completely fine,” Shae said with a smile, lifting her tea cup in greeting. “Your uncle left a minute ago. You probably saw him on the street. I was going to stop at the bar to see Brynn before heading back to Jace’s house. Can I expect to see you there?”

  “First, Jace is only looking out for your safety.” Lance took the seat Jimmy had just vacated, holding up a hand toward Molly. He must have ordered takeout as a way to cover for his presence. “Second, Brynn is up at the lake visiting Rose. She wanted a second opinion on the paint picked out for those cottages she’s having renovated.”

  The topic of the recent renovations up at the lake had Shae looking over Lance’s shoulder toward the Schaeffers. It was a shame that Clayton had to go and ruin such a big contract. He’d panicked and made some poor decisions, all because he’d assumed Detective Kendrick might wrongly believe he was responsible for killing Whitney Bell.

  “Every choice has a consequence.” Lance had apparently swept the diner to see who was in the vicinity. He didn’t appear the least bit empathetic to what the Schaeffers were going through. “It wouldn’t surprise me if Clayton and Wes are losing quite a lot of business because of his recent arrest.”

  “You think they’ll be asking Miles to take them back into the family business?”

  “Maybe.” Lance was holding out some cash for Molly as she handed him a bag with two Styrofoam containers. “It won’t be easy, and they’ll have to abide by his rules or hit the road. I know for certain that Noah won’t take any crap from any of them.”

  If it was one thing about a small town, it was that everyone’s dirty laundry was strewn all over for all to see. Shae didn’t envy the Schaeffers the stigma of such family drama being the grist for the rumor mill.

  “Like I said,” Shae repeated, knowing full well that Lance would call Jace and let him know that she was safe and sound. “Jimmy and I had an interesting conversation, and now I’m going to hit the ladies room before heading home.”

  Shae cringed when she said that last word she’d sworn she would use in the proper manner. Jace’s house wasn’t her home.

  “Drive safe, Doc.”

  Shae grabbed her purse off the back of her chair and headed toward the restroom. She utilized the facilities and was washing her hands when she could hear the telltale beep of her phone, letting her know that she received a text.

  Taking the time to dry the water droplets from her hands, she eventually dug into her purse to find that she’d missed a call from her parents. The text was from Brynn.

  Meet me up at the lake near Cabin Nine. I found some old photos that might be of interest.

  Shae’s breath hitched in her throat at the significance of the message, though she did try to contain her excitement. Nothing ever seemed to pan out for her when it came to finding new information pertaining to her sister’s disappearance.

  She quickly pressed the phone button that would initiate the call. Lance had mentioned that Brynn was up at the lake, but what kind of photos had she found while visiting Rose? While the line continued to ring, Shae tossed the paper towel in the garbage can and slung her purse back over her shoulder in her haste to hurry out of the diner.

  Lance must have grabbed his order to go, because he was no longer sitting at the table. It was also interesting to note that most of the customers had paid their bills and left as well, especially seeing as they no longer had a conversation to listen to in order to gain some dirt.

  “You’ve reached Brynn. Leave a message or you know where to find me.”

  Shae lifted a hand in parting to Molly, who was cleaning the used dishes off the counter. She used her left hand to open the glass door and stepped outside, instantly wincing at the light drizzle of rain that had come from the grey clouds above.

  Great.

  She left a brief message after the predictable beep, letting Brynn know that she was on her way. Shae dropped her phone into her purse so that it wouldn’t get wet, exchanging one item for anoth
er. She quickly pressed the unlock button on the key fob and opened the driver’s side door.

  Old pictures. That could mean nearly anything.

  Shae shouldn’t get her hopes up, but a tinge of excitement ran through her as she turned the key in the ignition. There had been speculation lately that the summer camp was a connection between the victims, especially given that Sophia’s body was found here in Blyth Lake.

  What if there was something in those pictures that proved that theory right?

  Would Shae finally get answers to the questions that had haunted her for the past twelve years?

  CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

  Jace slowly drove down his driveway, scanning the house and property line for anything out of the ordinary through the wipers swiping away the drizzling rain. It was only a matter of time before the skies opened up, but all seemed relatively peaceful and quiet.

  He’d spoken to Lance earlier, who had done the favor of stopping in at the diner. He’d mentioned Shae had caught onto the reason for the to-go order, but that she seemed amused by his welfare check.

  Jace had spent the long drive home thinking about who Shae had spoken to that first night who might have panicked at her presence. She’d been to the diner where Harlan, Chester, and their wives were having dinner. She’d mentioned days later that she’d already run into Jack and Calvin on the day she’d arrived, along with whoever might have been in the bar that night.

  There was truly no way to know who became rattled due to Shae being back in town.

  According to Lance, Uncle Jimmy had already left the diner by the time his brother had arrived. All seemed good on the safety front, and now they could spend the rest of the afternoon and evening enjoying each other’s company.

  Jace pulled up to the garage, though he made sure to park a little more to the left so that Shae would be able to pull out of the stall without a problem should she need to leave the house before him. He’d taken to having her use the garage for safety purposes.

  He shut off the engine and then grabbed the samples of the lumber he’d chosen, wanting Shae’s opinion on the color. It was more of a burnt red than the standard color used by most ranches. He pushed aside the fact that she wouldn’t be here to see the finished product. There was no room for wishing the future could be different. He would play out the hand he was dealt, and not waste a second of precious time that he was being granted.

  Jace got out of his Range Rover and jogged toward the porch in an effort to stay dry, making him wonder how much rain the northern part of Michigan got during the fall season. Lake effect must account for a lot of rainfall.

  It had crossed his mind to see if they could initiate some type of long-distance relationship. He sure as hell wasn’t ready for what they had to come to an end. Would she go for something like that? The more serious question was would he be willing to move to Michigan, thereby leaving his family—the same family he’d climbed mountains to get back to during his years in the service.

  It wasn’t something that needed answered now, especially considering they still had a week left. A lot could change in the course of seven days. Would it make a difference to Shae if Emma’s abductor was found and answers to her disappearance finally solved? Would she be able to then come home…her true home here in Blyth Lake?

  Jace slid his house key into the slot, twisting it until the deadbolt slid out from its lock. He pressed his thumb down on the lever and pushed open the door.

  Instantly, he sensed the stillness in the way he’d done when entering an empty building over in Kandahar. There was a loneliness that hung in the air that was unmistakable. The incessant beeping of the security system also told him that no one was inside.

  “Shae?”

  Jace called out to her anyway. He didn’t immediately react in a negative manner when she didn’t answer. Shae had told him countless of times that she wouldn’t forget to take the necessary precautions when it came to her safety. Besides, Lance had spoken to her at the diner. Jimmy had already left, confirmed by Lance watching their uncle’s truck driving out of town in the opposite direction of Jace’s property.

  He punched the correct sequence of numbers into the panel before continuing into the kitchen, gently setting down the wood samples he’d brought home. Shae could have run into someone when she’d left the diner or simply chosen to drop in on someone for a brief visit. There was an easy way to find out.

  Jace reached into the front pocket of his jeans and pulled out his phone, using his thumbprint to unlock the screen. Within seconds, he’d brought up Shae’s name and initiated the call.

  Only to have it ring four times and go straight to voicemail.

  Jace didn’t hesitate to call his baby brother.

  “Lance, did Shae stop in at the bar to talk to Brynn?”

  “No, though she’d planned to until I told her that Brynn was up at the lake,” Lance responded, the shrill sound of a saw cutting over the line signifying that he was in the shop with their dad. “Shae said she was heading home. Why?”

  “She’s not here.” Jace walked back through the house, having never set his keys down. He reset the alarm, locked the door behind him, and quickly took the porch steps, heading toward his vehicle. “She’s also not answering her phone. I’m heading back to town. I’m sure she’s fine, but we all know it’s better to be safe than sorry.”

  “I’ll give Brynn a call. She should be back at the Cavern by now. Maybe Shae went to the bar and waited for her there.”

  “Could be.” Jace was in the driver’s seat and doing a quick turnaround when he thought about something Shae said last night. He wiped away the drops of rain from his face. “She did mention she wanted to see Annie Osburn before she went back to Michigan. Maybe she’s there. Listen, give me a call if she’s at the Cavern. I’ll stop at Annie’s on the way into town.”

  “You know that she’s not going to appreciate you traipsing all over town like she’s an underage teenage girl who stayed out past her curfew,” Lance said wryly, the quiet in the background telling Jace that his father was now listening to every word.

  “True,” Jace acknowledged, not concerned about Shae’s reaction in the least. After all, she was a psychiatrist. It was for his own peace of mind that he have proof she was okay after the event three weeks ago. What professional could argue that sentiment? “I have a rational reason for that, though. Now go touch base with Brynn and call me back.”

  Jace disconnected the phone, waiting a moment for it to connect to the Bluetooth in the radio. The moment everything synced, he once more tried to reach Shae.

  Four rings and voicemail.

  An uneasy sensation ran down his back, similar to those times when he was in combat and the shit was about to hit the fan.

  “Shae, call me back immediately when you get this message.”

  He resisted the urge to call Mitch, knowing his older brother had his hands full out at Raymond Dixon’s ranch. Reaching out to Detective Kendrick was certainly an overreach, considering Shae was most likely visiting an old friend and that there was no cause for worry. That left Jace with driving through town and hitting up the residences where Shae would have gone to visit, such as Annie Osburn or even Jeremy Bell.

  Jace stepped on the gas pedal, taking one of back roads a little too fast given the wet conditions. Even the thought of Jeremy Bell losing his daughter to the same son of a bitch that took Emma had all his crazy thoughts spinning out of control.

  He did his best to quell the fear that was trying to rise up inside of him, having only one goal in mind—reaching Shae.

  *

  Shae parked by the cabin Brynn had mentioned in her text, squinting through the rain being swept away by the windshield wipers. It was raining harder than when she’d left the diner, making her wish she’d brought a light jacket. She’d certainly be drenched by the time she made it to the cabin.

  Thankfully, Brynn held open the door so that Shae wouldn’t be standing outside getting soaked while waiting for her to
answer. She technically couldn’t make out her friend’s figure due to the rain and shadows from inside the cabin, but at least this signified she’d driven up to the right one. Cabins nine and ten were right next to one another and the plaques were rather aged through weather and time.

  Shae suppressed a groan when she opened the car door, using her shoulder as leverage. She’d have to make a run for it. She palmed her keys and quickly shut the door behind her, not even bothering to take her purse. There was no use in getting the leather bag wet from the cold rain.

  Splatters of raindrops hit her hair and shoulders first, instantly soaking through the material of her red blouse. The fabric was clinging to her skin by the time she’d made it inside. She laughed as she shook off the water, even pushing her hair back from her face.

  “This weather is just awful.” Shae wasn’t surprised to see that the furniture in the cabin had been removed for the renovations Rose had scheduled to have done to the older cottages. Her first thought was that Brynn had been in here to help with the choosing of paint colors and had inadvertently found more old photographs in one of the cabinets. “So, what did you—”

  The jarring pain that sliced into the back of her head stopped her from finishing her inquiry. She tried to turn around to tell Brynn that something was wrong, that maybe she was having a stroke or maybe symptoms of an aneurysm, but she couldn’t get her voice to work.

  Help me.

  The outer edges of her vision began to blacken as she tried to focus on something, anything that would keep her grounded. Something told her that if she succumbed to the darkness, she’d never see the light again.

  That’s when a pair of brown boots came into view, indicating to her that she was looking down at the floor.

  Why was Brynn wearing work boots?

  Right before the blackness swallowed her whole, the answer materialized in her mind and consuming fear flooded her senses. Brynn wasn’t in this cabin.