Silver River Secrets

by Linda Hope Lee

  “No. Like I said, John’s in charge. Besides, there’s only one more shop on your list.”

  “I could come back tomorrow by myself.”

  He placed his hand over hers. “I want to do this with you. Don’t you get it yet?”

  She sighed and briefly closed her eyes. “All right. I do appreciate your help.”

  Lacey spoke the truth. Despite their upsetting visit to the house, without Rory by her side, today’s search would have been lonely indeed. Accepting his help had been a difficult decision, but so far, she was glad to have him by her side.

  The last pawnshop was in Milton, a town ten miles up the highway from Silver River. While the proprietor finished helping a man choose a guitar from a shelf of musical instruments, Lacey and Rory wandered around. Like all the other stores they’d visited, shelves lined the walls, filled with everything from cameras to musical instruments to computers and other electronic equipment. Glass cases displayed smaller items such as coins, watches and jewelry.

  At last, the customer left with a guitar slung over his shoulder and a big grin on his face.

  The proprietor approached Rory and Lacey. She looked to be in her fifties, with dyed red hair, dangling turquoise earrings and a ring on nearly every finger.

  “Howdy, folks. I’m Midge. What can I do you for today?”

  Her friendly tone encouraged Lacey, and she stepped up to the counter and launched into a speech that, having been given several times today, rolled readily off her tongue.

  Then she handed Midge the sketch of the necklace.

  Midge studied the drawing, tracing the outline with her forefinger.

  Lacy held her breath.

  Rory paced.

  Midge looked up. “I sure do remember this piece.”

  Expecting to hear the usual “no,” Lacey stared. “You do?”

  “You betcha. I’d never seen anything like it.”

  “Do you remember who brought it in?”

  Midge shook her head. “I wasn’t here that day. My father was here by himself. But when I came in the next day and saw this pretty thing, I knew I wanted it.”

  Hope flared in Lacey’s chest. “Do you have the necklace?”

  “Oh, no. Someone claimed it the day after that.”

  “The same person who brought it in?” Rory asked.

  “I don’t know. Again, I wasn’t here.”

  “Do you have records?” Lacey asked. “Or can we speak to your father?”

  “I wish.” Midge’s mouth turned down. “Dad died five years ago. I run the place by myself now, ’cept for my son, who helps out now and then. And no records, either. Not that far back.”

  “Is there anything else you can tell us about the necklace?” Rory asked. “Anything at all.”

  “Nothing I can think of at the moment.” Midge shook her head. “I’m sorry. I can understand why you’d like to have that beautiful necklace again.”

  “If you think of something, my number’s on the drawing.” Lacey pointed to the paper Midge held.

  “You betcha. I’ll call you first thing.”

  “So how do you feel now?” Rory asked Lacey when they were on their way back to Silver River.

  “That I’m on the right track. Just like I thought, the real murderer pawned the necklace.”

  “Okay, let’s say you’re right. If he—or she—pawned the necklace to get rid of it as evidence, why would they go back a couple days later and get it?”

  Lacey idly gazed at the mountains in the distance, where low clouds touched their peaks. “Maybe someone else reclaimed it.”

  “Wouldn’t they need to have the ticket?”

  “I’d think so.”

  “So, are two people involved? Or just one?” Rory braked for a stop sign at an intersection and then turned onto the highway. A couple cars in the fast lane whizzed by.

  “We don’t know.”

  They rode in silence the rest of the way to Sophie’s. Rory pulled into the parking lot and turned to Lacey. “It’s been quite a day.”

  “It has.” Lacey grasped her purse and prepared to get out of the truck. “And I do appreciate your help. But tell me, did being in the farmhouse change your mind about wanting to destroy it?”

  “No,” he said without hesitation. “If anything, I’m more determined than ever. And if you were honest with me—or with yourself—you’d admit that’s what you want, too.”

  *

  IN HER ROOM at Sophie’s, Lacey kicked off her shoes and plopped down on her bed. She was exhausted, physically and emotionally. The events of the day, especially her and Rory’s trip to the farmhouse, had taken a toll. If anyone had told her she and Rory would ever visit the scene of the crime together, she would have declared him crazy. Rory’s continued determination to destroy the house disappointed her, though, and she still needed to protect Gram.

  Learning her mother’s necklace had been pawned, as she’d suspected, told her she was on the right track in proving her father’s innocence. All in all, the day had been successful.

  Perhaps most astonishing of all was Rory’s participation. Despite his wanting the house destroyed, she believed his offer to help her was sincere. And the emotion they’d shared made her feel close to him, much like the old days, when they were in love and planning to spend the rest of their lives together.

  Not that she expected them to ever be together again. No, that wasn’t possible.

  She opened her purse and took out the journal. She rifled through the pages, thinking of her mother and the hours she’d spent writing about her life. Discovering the journal had allowed Lacey to begin a quest she’d long dreamed about but had never until this trip believed was something she could actually do. “Thank you, Mom,” she whispered as she closed the book and laid it on the nightstand.

  Would her search lead to the outcome she hoped for? she wondered as she prepared for bed. Or would it lead only to disaster? And what was the next step to take?

  *

  “S-T-A-B-L-E.” GRAM PLACED each Scrabble tile on the board. “Stable. I’m out.” She high-fived her partner, Hal Jacobson.

  “All r-i-ght,” Hal said. “That makes us the winners.”

  Lacey and the other onlookers gathered in Riverview’s activity room cheered. The losing couple made mock sour faces. “We’ll win the next one,” the man said.

  While the crowd drifted away, Lacey stood and approached the game table. “Good job, you two.”

  “She’s quite a player.”

  A smile lit Hal’s round face. The sleeves of his white shirt were rolled up to the elbows, and suspenders held up his brown trousers. Lacey judged him to be near Gram’s age.

  Gram scooped up a handful of tiles and dropped them into a cloth bag. “I always thought bridge was my game, but now I’m beginning to wonder.”

  When the tiles and board were stowed away on a shelf with other games, Hal said, “How ’bout we all have a drink?” He nodded to the open doorway leading to the café, where residents enjoyed snacks and drinks between meals.

  Lacey had a mind to excuse herself and leave the two alone, but Hal’s invitation included her, and she was curious about him. Gram had mentioned Hal a few days ago, adding that he had asked her to be his Scrabble tournament partner.

  “A drink sounds like a good idea.” Lacey approached Gram’s wheelchair, intending to grasp the handles.

  Hal reached the chair first. “I can take her.”

  “Well…sure.” Lacey stepped away and let Hal take over.

  In the café, Hal settled them at one of the round, glass-topped tables and then went off to get their drinks. He soon returned with iced tea for Lacey and Gram and a cup of coffee for himself. They talked about the Scrabble game for a few minutes, and then Lacey turned to Hal. “Gram says you’re new here at Riverview, too.”

  Hal nodded. “I’m from Kettle Falls. I stayed in my house for a few months after my wife, Lucille, passed, but my kids, who’d moved here to Silver River, wanted me to live here, too
.”

  “How many children do you have?”

  “Two daughters and four grands. I don’t see ’em much, though. They’re a busy bunch.”

  “I didn’t see Lacey much, either,” Gram put in, “till I had my accident.”

  Hal laughed. “So that’s what it takes to get attention from your family.”

  “Well, I wouldn’t recommend it.” Gram sighed. “I’ll be sooo glad when I can walk again.”

  “You were stepping pretty lively this morning on your walker.”

  Gram widened her eyes. “You were watching?”

  “I happened down the hallway where you and your therapist were. You two were busy talking when I slipped by.”

  “Hmm, I’ll have to show off a little if I have an audience.”

  Hal put out a warning hand. “Now, now, Remy. No overdoing it. You’ll be walking soon enough.”

  After they finished their drinks and decided to leave, Hal insisted on wheeling Remy to her apartment. They said good-night at the door.

  “I’ll look for you at breakfast,” Hal said.

  When the door closed behind them, Lacey took over and wheeled Gram into the living room. “For a minute there, I thought he was going to insist on tucking you in,” she teased.

  “Lacey! Such talk.” Gram’s cheeks turned as pink as her blouse.

  “Seriously, he’s a very nice man. I’m glad you have him for a friend.”

  “Scrabble partner,” Remy corrected.

  “Mmm-hmm.” Lacey hid a smile.

  Later, when she was on her way to Sophie’s to settle in for the night, Lacey thought about Gram and her new friend. Hal appeared to be truly interested in her grandmother, and she seemed to return the interest. Lacey hoped their friendship would flourish and grow. At least they didn’t have a painful past to deal with, like she and Rory had.

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  LACEY STEPPED FROM the Sentinel office into the sunshine of another summer day, on her way to interview the woman who was organizing the Silver River Days’ children’s activities. She was almost finished with her interviews. One of her articles had already appeared in the newspaper, and the commemorative issue was well underway, too.

  As she headed down the sidewalk, she heard someone call her name. Turning, she saw Toni Young, her long ponytail swinging as she hurried toward her. Toni was an old high school classmate, one of the many she’d lost touch with after leaving town.

  Toni skidded to a stop and pressed a hand to her chest as she caught her breath. “Glad I ran into you, Lacey. I wanted to call, but don’t have your number.”

  “Nice to see you, Toni. You’re looking good.”

  Toni laughed and patted her stomach. “Thanks. Finally got my figure back after being pregnant again.”

  “You have two children now, right?”

  “Right. Loni’s our oldest. She’s seven. And Skylar’s three. Anyway, I heard you were staying in town longer this trip—seems I always miss you when you’re in and out so fast. Jim and I are having our annual barbecue this coming Saturday and would love for you to come.”

  “Why, I, ah, that’s really nice of you, but—”

  “It’s not all couples, if that’s what you’re worried about. Kris is coming and some other singles we know. It is a family occasion, too, though, and kids will be running around. But do come. It’ll be a good opportunity for you to catch up with some of the old high school gang.”

  Toni kept her gaze on Lacey, hardly giving her time to think. Finally, she said, “Well…okay, yes, I’ll come.”

  “Great!”

  Toni gave Lacey all the particulars before they parted company. Lacey continued on to her interview, her mind whirling. Although Toni’s invitation took her by surprise, she’d agreed because when she thought about it, she would like to see how her classmates had fared. Kris kept her up-to-date on important news, but secondhand was never as good as firsthand. And, maybe she and Kris could go to the party together.

  As the day wore on, though, Lacey began to have misgivings. Would everyone be as welcoming as Toni? Some of her classmates, especially those who were friends with Rory, had sided with him at the time of the murder. Would they have forgotten old loyalties by now?

  Thinking of Rory brought to mind the possibility that he would be at the party, too. He and Jim Young had been on the high school football team together, and according to Kris, their friendship had endured. Well, so what if he was? It wasn’t as though they weren’t speaking to each other. But what if he brought someone? How would she feel about seeing him with another woman? Perfectly fine, she told herself. Perfectly fine.

  That evening, settled for the night in her room at Sophie’s, Lacey picked up her phone intending to call Kris to see if they could ride together to the Youngs’ party. Before she could speed dial her friend’s number, she received an incoming call. Rory. What did he want? She was tempted to let it go to voice mail, but in the end answered it.

  “Heard you’re coming to the Youngs’ barbecue Saturday,” he said.

  “The news is out already? Wow.”

  He chuckled. “Jim and I played racquet ball at the health club after work today.”

  “Ah. Who won?”

  “I did, but I didn’t call to brag or to spread that news around. I called to say I’m going to the party, too, and I’ll pick you up on my way.”

  “What? You think I’m going to be out on the road hitchhiking?”

  “Noooo, I’m giving you door-to-door service. Be ready by five thirty. They’re early partiers.”

  “I know what time the party starts, but I don’t think our going together is a good idea. Thanks, though.” Her tone turned serious.

  “Wait. Why not?”

  “Because people might think—”

  “We’re together again? It’s already out that we’ve been seen together. They’ll think it strange if I don’t bring you.”

  “But—”

  “It’s just a ride, Lacey. Once we get there, you can ignore me for the rest of the evening.”

  Yeah, like that would happen.

  She thought about telling him she’d already arranged to go with Kris, but that wouldn’t be true, and she wasn’t in the habit of lying, even little white ones.

  “I’ll look for you on Sophie’s front porch, five thirty.”

  “I might not be there.”

  “You will be.”

  She ended the call, not knowing whether to be furious or amused. Maybe a little of both. Next, she called Kris and explained the situation. “I’d rather go with you,” she added.

  “I’m not going, after all. I got my dates mixed up, and Lucas has a birthday party to go to that night. But you and Rory will do fine. You’ll have a good time. I’m glad you’re going.”

  “Thanks. Wish I had your enthusiasm, but I’ll give it my best.”

  *

  LYING ON HIS back on the trolley on wheels, better known as “the creeper,” Rory rolled out from underneath the Honda, where he’d been installing new brake pads. He stood and, with one foot, pushed the creeper out of the way and then rubbed the back of his neck, working out the kinks.

  Hearing the sound of a car’s engine, he looked around to see Sam’s truck pull to a stop in the driveway. Sam got out and came into the garage.

  “Hey, buddy,” Rory said. “I think you spend more time here than you do in your office. What’s the matter? Out of court cases to try?”

  “Huh. Not likely. Just checking up on you, see how you’re doing. You look like you’re in pain. Back bothering you again?”

  Rory arched his back. “Nah. I just get a little stiff, sometimes.”

  Sam grinned. “I’ve got a remedy for that.” He went to the open shelves lining the back wall and grabbed a football. “Here you go.” He lobbed the ball over the Honda’s hood.

  Rory jumped back and raised his arms for the catch, but not fast enough. The ball hit him in the stomach and dropped to the floor. It bounced a few times before he scooped it up
.

  “You’re out of practice,” Sam said. “C’mon, let’s hit the field.”

  “Like that will solve all my problems.”

  Sam shrugged. “Can’t hurt.”

  “Okay, okay.” Rory turned toward the office, where John stood behind the counter. “Catch the phone, will you, John? I’m out back, if you need me.”

  “No problem.” John gave a salute.

  Rory followed Sam around the corner of the building to the backyard. The breeze coming off the mountains stirred the sun-dried grass and the leaves on the trees. He took a deep breath, feeling better already.

  They spread out, facing each other, and Sam tossed him the ball. This time, Rory caught it, fingers spread, gripping the ball the way he’d learned when he was on the Silver River High team.

  The ball felt good in his hands. And for a second he didn’t want to let it go. But Sam waited to receive the pass. Rory lobbed him the ball. Sam caught it and tossed it back. For the next few minutes, Rory concentrated on catching and returning Sam’s passes.

  Finally, Sam cupped his hands around his mouth and yelled, “Time out.”

  Holding the ball against his chest, Rory jogged to the picnic table. “Who’s out of condition now?” he teased as he flopped down on the bench.

  Sam sank onto the bench beside him. He pulled out a handkerchief and wiped his forehead. “Not me. It’s you I’m worried about.”

  They sat there for a few minutes catching their breaths, and then Rory said, “Remember the time we played Milton High and the score was tied right up to the last five seconds?”

  “How could I forget the highlight of my career?” Sam laughed. “’Course I had a little help from my friends in making that touchdown.”

  “The crowd went wild.” Rory leaned back and propped his elbows on the table.

  “And the party afterward was awesome.”

  They lapsed into silence. Finally, Rory said, “It seemed so simple then.”

  Sam snorted. “Simple? Winning a game?”

  “No. Our futures. Me and Lacey. You and Kristal. Jax and Sharone. What happened?”