Deadly Secrets

by Margaret Daley

  DEADLY SECRETS

  Strong Women, Extraordinary Situations Series Book Ten

  Margaret Daley

  Deadly Secrets

  Copyright © 2017 by Margaret Daley

  Smashwords Edition

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the author, except by a reviewer, who may quote brief passages in a review.

  All texts contained within this document are a work of fiction. Any resemblance to actual events, locales or persons (living or dead), is entirely coincidental.

  Strong Women, Extraordinary Situations Series

  Deadly Hunt, Book 1

  Deadly Intent, Book 2

  Deadly Holiday, Book 3

  Deadly Countdown, Book 4

  Deadly Noel, Book 5

  Deadly Dose, Book 6

  Deadly Legacy, Book 7

  Deadly Night, Silent Night, Book 8

  Deadly Fires, Book 9

  Deadly Secrets, Book 10

  Chapter One

  Heart pounding, Sarah St. John crawled her way to alertness and sat straight up in her bed. Bright lights leaked through the slits in the curtains, illuminating an unfamiliar room. For a few seconds, her heartbeat increased. She shook her head, slowly figuring out where she was.

  Her sister’s house in Cimarron City—a town she’d vowed she would never return to.

  She inhaled a deep, calming breath then exhaled it bit by bit. She hadn’t had the nightmare in ten years, but she shouldn’t be surprised it had returned her first night back in her hometown. Her only niece was getting married today, and Sarah wasn’t going to let memories ruin it for her. She’d always had a special place for Alicia. Every summer she’d come visit Sarah in Maryland for a week or two, and she’d take vacation time to be with Alicia. Those pleasant remembrances replaced the haunting dreams.

  Sarah swung her legs off the side of the bed and rose. She’d miss those lazy days spent with her niece, exploring new places and learning to do something they hadn’t done before. When she crossed to the window and pulled the curtains open, sunshine flooded the room, chasing away the last remnants of a chilly October night. Her attention latched onto her father’s house across the street. She’d have to see her dad this morning after she talked with Alicia. It wasn’t a visit she would look forward to. He’d never forgiven her for leaving Hunter Davis at the altar fifteen years ago.

  The scent of brewing coffee drifted to Sarah, enticing her to throw on some clothes and leave the bedroom. She hoped Alicia was up. Yesterday, Sarah’s delayed flight into Baltimore and then a mess up at the rental place at the Tulsa airport prevented her from arriving in Cimarron City before her niece went out with her girlfriends.

  She opened the door and headed for the kitchen. Her older sister, Rebecca, could barely hold her eyes open last night when Sarah finally appeared, so she wanted to catch some time with her before the day became busy with the wedding.

  When she entered the room, she walked straight for the coffeepot next to the stove and poured a large mug of the caffeine-laden brew. Rebecca stood at the bay window that overlooked the backyard, sipping her drink.

  Her sister turned toward Sarah. “It’s a glorious day for a wedding. I want everything to be perfect for Alicia and Ben.”

  “So do I. When I met Ben in Washington, I knew he was perfect for Alicia. You can tell how much they love each other by the looks they exchange.” That was how she’d felt about Hunter, but her love fell apart with one night of recklessness.

  Rebecca sat at the kitchen table. “I’m glad they’re going to be living in Cimarron City. With my son in the army, I never know when I’ll get to see him. He thought he was going to be able to come home for his sister’s wedding, but something came up, and he couldn’t.”

  “What?” Sarah took the chair across from her sister.

  “He couldn’t tell me, which only makes me worry even more.”

  Sarah took a long drink, studying the circles under Rebecca’s eyes. “Is that all you’re worried about? Where’s Mark?”

  Her sister studied the coffee in her mug. “Probably at the police station working. He didn’t come home until after we went to sleep last night, and he was up and gone before I woke. I wish he’d never taken the police chief job after Dad retired. Since then, I don’t see him nearly enough. We spent too much time apart when he was just a detective.”

  “Is something going on?”

  “A woman went missing ten days ago, and so far, there’s little to no evidence to go on.”

  Sarah cupped her mug, relishing the warmth emanating from it. “Take it from me. It’s hard not to get immersed in a case to the point everything else is forgotten.”

  “It’s his only daughter’s wedding day.”

  “Sometimes a case can get into your head and take over. It becomes all you think about.”

  “Your work is different. You’re an FBI profiler. You investigate evil criminals. The parents insist she was taken, but there’s little evidence pointing to that.”

  “How old is the female?”

  “Twenty-two. The parents are Richard and Nora Bennett.”

  “The ones who own the grocery store chain?”

  Rebecca shoved her chair back and rose then covered the distance to the counter and refilled her coffee. When she swept around, her lips thinned into a frown. “Yes. I love my husband, but I think he’s catering to the Bennetts because they’re rich.”

  “You think it’s more likely she left town without telling her parents?”

  “Yes.”

  “Without telling her friends?”

  Rebecca’s forehead wrinkled. “That’s the only thing that doesn’t fit. She confides a lot in her best friend, but Anna didn’t know anything about plans to leave Cimarron City. But when the police searched Terri’s apartment, clothes, personal items, and a piece of luggage were gone. Her parents still insist something happened to her.” She massaged her temples. “Trying to get everything just right for Alicia has me exhausted. I’d hoped that Mark could help a little this week, but he hasn’t been able to, which has made me irritable.”

  “What about Dad helping? He’s retired.”

  “He’s been taking care of Nana, who came in early for the wedding. With her vision problems, I’ve been filling in when I can. You know Dad. He doesn’t have the patience needed sometimes with Nana.”

  Their grandmother had been the only one who knew Sarah’s secret for many years until she finally shared it with Rebecca and part of it with Alicia. Sarah had always spent several times a year with Nana over long weekends and her vacation with Alicia. She’d tried to get her to move to Maryland, but Nana loved the warmer weather in Florida. “I can go get her and help you in any way you need.”

  “That’ll be great. But first, can you rouse Alicia? Her appointment at the beauty shop is in an hour, and it takes her forever to wake up. I still have a few last-minute calls to make.”

  Sarah took several sips of her coffee then pushed to her feet. “It’ll give me some time to talk to her before she’s swept up in the preparation for her wedding today.”

  She headed downstairs to the split-level’s bottom floor, which had a separate entrance. Besides Alicia’s bedroom, there was a laundry and rec room. Sarah knocked on the door, but when Alicia didn’t say anything or come to the entrance, Sarah turned the knob and entered. There had been many times she’d had to practically drag her niece out of the bed in the morning.

  A flash of memory pulled her back into the past—of the morning of her own wedding. The tears. The agonizing decision she’d faced. She stopped, closing her eyes and quickly composing herself
before she shook Alicia awake. Sarah approached the pile of covers. The pillow was empty. Alicia sometimes burrowed under her blankets when she stayed with Sarah. She grasped the comforter and yanked it back.

  Alicia wasn’t in the bed.

  * * *

  Detective Hunter Davis stood over the tortured body of Terri Bennett, hidden in the woods near Cimarron City Lake. He’d hoped the young woman had left town without telling anyone, but in his gut, he’d known she hadn’t. There had been no reason for her to leave. She had a good job working for her father, lots of friends, and a close relationship with her family.

  For the Bennetts’ sake, he was glad a hiker found her. She couldn’t have been dead longer than a few hours. Her body, yet to be ravished by animals or insects, might tell him who did this. He prayed it gave them clues to follow because he’d exhausted what little he’d had with her disappearance.

  As Officers Quinn and Martin finished stringing the yellow tape, Hunter glanced up at the sound of footsteps approaching the area. Chief Kimmel and another police officer came into view through the dense vegetation. He didn’t want anyone—even his boss—to disturb the crime scene until he had combed the surroundings for any evidence.

  Hunter carefully picked his way through the weeds and met Mark at the edge of the roped-off forest. “It’s Terri Bennett. She had multiple lacerations, but a gunshot to the heart is most likely what killed her. The cuts don’t look deep enough to cause her death. The hiker found her a couple of hours after her death.”

  “Is she clothed?”

  “Yes, haphazardly. The medical examiner will have to tell us if she was raped. I’ve taken all the photos of the body, but I haven’t had time to search the rest of the area.”

  “The ME is on his way. Have the two officers help you with processing the crime scene.”

  “Do you want me to notify the family?”

  “No, I need to. Was she killed here?” the police chief asked.

  “Not where she was found. Not enough blood.”

  “I’ll assign more officers to scour the forest around the crime scene. Find evidence to bring in the killer. That’s a priority.”

  “I agree.” Hunter left the police chief, glad he would break the news to the family. He’d gone to school with the oldest Bennett sibling and hadn’t wanted to be the one to inform a good friend his sister had been savagely murdered.

  Hunter told the two officers what he wanted them to do then made his way back to Terri Bennett. Squatting by the body, he glanced around to check what Quinn and Martin were doing. Before returning his focus on the corpse, Hunter watched the police chief trudging toward his car. What a day for Mark with his daughter’s wedding later.

  * * *

  Sarah hurried from room to room in the lower level of her sister’s house, searching for Alicia. At the bottom of the staircase, she spied the back door that led to the lower deck and crossed to it. As she approached, her pulse rate accelerated. But when her gaze riveted to the slightly ajar door, relief swept through her. Her niece must have stepped outside.

  Sarah exited the house and inhaled a deep breath of the crisp air with a hint of the scent of roses that were still blooming along one side of the deck. Their bright red color—like nature’s last hurrah before winter—drew a person’s attention.

  She scanned the lower deck then ascended the steps to the upper one. Empty. She headed for the railing to search for Alicia in the yard. There was a pond at the back of the property where a few ducks and geese made their home.

  But Alicia wasn’t there.

  Sarah retraced her steps to double-check Alicia wasn’t around then climbed the staircase to the first floor. Could Alicia have already gone to the beauty salon without saying anything to Rebecca or Sarah?

  As that question popped into her mind, more sinister ones followed. Alicia wouldn’t do that without waking up Sarah first. Her niece had been so excited when she told her she’d arranged time off to come to her wedding. As she grew older, even knowing part of Sarah’s secret, Alicia hadn’t been able to understand why Sarah wouldn’t returned to Cimarron City. And she couldn’t tell her. She couldn’t tell anyone. That part of her life was locked away and would stay that way.

  By the time she reentered the kitchen, all the years she’d been working at the FBI as an agent and now a profiler set off alarm bells. But she fought to keep her fears to herself. She had to be wrong, and she wasn’t going to ruin this day for Rebecca.

  “Alicia isn’t downstairs. Did she go to the salon already?”

  Her sister crunched her forehead. “Her appointment isn’t for another forty-five minutes, but I guess she could have run a few errands beforehand.” Rebecca walked through the utility room and opened the door to the garage.

  As Sarah approached, her sister stiffened then slowly turned toward Sarah. “Her car is still here?”

  Rebecca nodded. “She must be up here somewhere. Maybe my bedroom. That’s where her wedding dress is. Yes, that’s it.” She rushed out of the kitchen.

  Sarah quickly covered the distance to her niece’s car and checked its interior then popped the trunk. Nothing. She hated the idea she would think that foul play could be involved, but her job had given her a different perspective on life.

  Hurrying toward her sister’s bedroom, Sarah fought that sinking feeling threatening to take over. Even if Alicia wasn’t here, panicking wouldn’t help the situation. Alicia was twenty years old and very independent. Down the hallway, Rebecca disappeared into the room across from the one Sarah was staying in. She rushed after Rebecca.

  Her sister checked the walk-in closet and the connected master bathroom then returned and sank onto the king-sized bed. “You don’t think anything happened—”

  Before her sister went down that path, Sarah said, “She might be visiting Nana at Dad’s. She’s always enjoyed going to Nana’s house in Florida.”

  Rebecca snapped her fingers. “That’s it. Alicia’s been so busy working ahead in her classes since she’ll be on her honeymoon that she hasn’t gotten to spend as much time with Nana as she wanted.” She released a long breath. “I guess I’m on edge after our conversation about Terri Bennett earlier.”

  “You continue doing what you need to do for the wedding. I’ll go over to Dad’s and bring Nana and Alicia here.”

  “Not Dad?” Rebecca asked as she stepped into the hallway.

  “We talk a few times a year on the phone. I think I can manage to be in the same room with him but only for a short time.”

  “You two need to forgive and forget what happened fifteen years ago.”

  Sarah entered her bedroom to get dressed. “I’m not the one who got so angry when I left Hunter at the altar.”

  “In case she isn’t there, I’ll try her friends to see if one of them picked her up.” Rebecca left the bedroom.

  After throwing on jeans and a long-sleeved shirt, she left her sister’s and crossed the street to her father’s house. She would never be able to forget what happened fifteen years ago or her dad’s part in it. But Rebecca was right. She needed to find a way to forgive him. He might not have known what occurred to make her call off her wedding, but he should have supported her and seen the pain she’d been in.

  As she neared the front porch, her heartbeat thudded against her chest with each step. She concentrated on seeing Nana and Alicia to get her through the next few minutes. No two people could be dearer to her than her grandmother and niece.

  The familiar chimes echoed through her childhood home when she punched the button. The door swung open, and her dad filled the entrance. He’d gained ten or fifteen pounds. His hair was graying and thinning. Otherwise, he was as she remembered. A frown deepened the tanned lines on his face. His blue eyes narrowed, and his mouth pressed into a thin slash.

  “I’m here to bring Nana and Alicia back to Rebecca’s.”

  He pushed open the door to allow her inside. “While Nana has been ready for an hour, I haven’t seen Alicia since yesterday afternoo
n. Why do you think she’s here?”

  “Because she isn’t at her house. Rebecca thought she might have come here. Her car is still in the garage, so wherever she went, someone picked her up or she’s on foot.” Sarah stepped into her childhood home and faced her father.

  “Do you think she got cold feet like you did?”

  Her dad was still able to hurt her. He’d never forgive her or forget. She thrust her shoulders back and lifted her chin. “No. Where’s Nana?”

  “Right here, Sarah.” Her grandmother came into the entry hall, using a cane to help her since she was legally blind but could see shadows. She swept it from side to side in front of her. “I’m ready to go.”

  After Sarah assisted Nana out onto the porch, she glanced over her shoulder at her father. “If you see or hear from Alicia, please let us know.”

  He stepped outside and pulled the door closed. “I’m coming with you.”

  She wanted to ask him why, but from the worried expression on his face, he was as concerned as she was about Alicia. She didn’t want her grandmother upset in case the knot in Sarah’s stomach was caused by her overreaction to the situation.

  When they arrived at Rebecca’s, Sarah reached for the knob at the same time her sister opened the door. One look at her pale features prompted Sarah to say, “Let’s get Nana settled inside. Then I’ll help you in the kitchen.”

  Her grandmother took a couple of steps into the house and came to a stop. “Whatever is going on can be discussed in my presence, or I’ll follow you two into the kitchen.”