Cold Case True Crime

by Denise N Wheatley

  “Hello?” the detective said after answering on the first ring. Samantha was surprised to hear that he sounded wide-awake.

  “Detective Har—I mean, Gregory?”

  “Yeah, hey. How ironic that you’d be calling me at this ungodly hour. I was actually just thinking about you.”

  “Were you?” Samantha asked, momentarily forgetting all about her home being vandalized. “What were you thinking about?”

  “I just finished reading your latest blog post about Jacob. This is great stuff, Sam. I mean, you did go in on Collin pretty hard, but you presented some solid evidence that backs up your claims. And I love the way you concluded the post. ‘Come on, people,’” he read. “‘Do the right thing. Come forward. Speak up. Be heard. Help bring justice to Jacob Jennings and his family. Because as we all know, someone knows something…’ That’s really awesome, the way you worded that ending.”

  “Thanks, Gregory. Unfortunately, the post really struck a nerve in a certain someone here in Gattenburg.”

  “What, did you receive some negative feedback on it?”

  “Worse. My house was just vandalized.”

  COLD CASE TRUE CRIME

  Denise N. Wheatley

  Denise N. Wheatley loves happy endings and the art of storytelling. Her novels run the romance gamut, and she strives to pen entertaining books that embody matters of the heart. She’s an RWA member and holds a BA in English from the University of Illinois. When Denise isn’t writing, she enjoys watching true crime TV and chatting with readers. Follow her on social media.

  Instagram: @Denise_Wheatley_Writer

  Twitter: @DeniseWheatley

  BookBub: @DeniseNWheatley

  Goodreads: Denise N. Wheatley

  Books by Denise N. Wheatley

  Harlequin Intrigue

  Cold Case True Crime

  Visit the Author Profile page at Harlequin.com.

  CAST OF CHARACTERS

  Samantha Vincent—A popular true-crime cold-case blogger who’s determined to uncover the truth behind an old friend’s murder.

  Gregory Harris—A devoted police detective who’s torn between joining forces with Samantha in the pursuit of justice and remaining loyal to his brothers in blue.

  Ava Jennings—Samantha’s friend who turns to the blogger for help in solving her brother’s mysterious death.

  Jacob Jennings—Ava’s dead brother, whose body was found near Westman’s Automotive Factory, where he worked as a team assembler.

  Collin Wentworth—A known troublemaker who was Jacob’s childhood friend. He currently manages Westman’s Automotive.

  Walter Wentworth—The chief of police in Gattenburg, Illinois, and Collin’s father.

  Kenzie Stevenson—Jacob’s coworker at Westman’s, Collin’s ex-girlfriend and an anonymous source for Samantha.

  Victor Elliot—Gattenburg’s well-respected mayor.

  Hudson Taylor—Another coworker of Jacob’s and an anonymous source for Samantha.

  Axel Guzman—A well-known member of the Midwest drug cartel.

  To my mother, who’s the most glamorous bookworm I know. Thank you for introducing me to the wonderful world of Harlequin all those years ago.

  Contents

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Excerpt from Safeguarding the Surrogate by Delores Fossen

  Chapter One

  Samantha Vincent flinched when the coffee shop door slammed shut behind her. She stared down the dark, vacant street in search of her car—she hadn’t realized she’d parked so far away.

  The temperature had dropped severely since she’d arrived at the café. There was now a stinging chill in the night air. She set out toward the sidewalk, tightening her houndstooth-patterned scarf in an effort to block the wind as it whistled eerily past her ears.

  Samantha had spent the day working on her popular true crime cold case blog, Someone Knows Something, and time had gotten away from her. By now, businesses were closed and most residents of small-town Gattenburg, Illinois, had retired for the evening.

  A frigid breeze whipped through her golden-brown bob and blew open Samantha’s black wool peacoat, sending unsettling shivers throughout her entire body. But it wasn’t just the icy climate that had unnerved her.

  She was still rattled by an email she’d received from Ava Jennings, an old high school friend whose family Samantha had grown close to after spending countless days at their home during her teenage years. In her message, Ava pleaded with Samantha to investigate her brother Jacob’s mysterious death, which police had just officially stated was cold with no leads.

  Tree branches scraped against dim streetlights that barely illuminated the road. Samantha glanced down at the ground, her lone shadow a stark reminder that she was unaccompanied in the unnerving darkness. Moments like these brought on paranoid thoughts of all the unsolved cases she worked so hard to crack. Many of those victims found themselves in her exact same position seconds before their demise—isolated and vulnerable.

  Samantha pushed those disturbing thoughts out of her mind and hurried along the pavement. Her feet ached in her high-heeled boots. But in spite of the pain, she clenched her jaw and fought through it, anxious to get off the desolate street and inside her car.

  Just when Samantha’s convertible appeared in the hazy distance, the sound of screeching tires pierced her eardrums.

  She stopped abruptly. The vehicle’s engine emitted a menacing roar.

  Samantha spun around, almost losing her footing. Bright yellow headlights blinded her squinted chestnut eyes. She inhaled sharply, watching while the black sedan crept toward her.

  She curled her hands into tight fists and took a step back, her lean legs quivering in the wind. Remembering the mini stun gun she’d slipped into her back pocket, Samantha pulled it out and contemplated making a run for her car. But she was too afraid to turn her back on the man she presumed was behind the wheel.

  Collin Wentworth...

  That’s the name Ava had mentioned several times throughout her email as she dissected the details of her brother’s murder.

  Collin and Jacob had been childhood friends who grew apart during their teenage years once Collin went rogue. The incident that officially ended their friendship occurred one night when Collin convinced Jacob to accompany him on a wild joyride in a stolen vehicle. After being apprehended by the police, Jacob received six months in a juvenile detention center while Collin was given probation. That’s when Jacob realized it was time for them to go their separate ways. But the pair remained cordial over the years, and Collin even hired Jacob to work for him at Westman’s Automotive Factory, where Jacob served as a team assembler building car engines and Collin acted as the facility’s general manager.

  The day Jacob’s body was found, he’d met with Collin to discuss the whereabouts of three fellow team assemblers who had gone missing. The official police report noted that Jacob had been seen walking out of the factory with Collin while having what appeared to be a heated conversation. After a brief exchange, they went their separate ways. Collin admitted
to police that he’d spoken with Jacob the day he went missing. But he refused to disclose the details of their conversation. Ava believed that Collin was the last person to see Jacob alive.

  Collin was a narcissist whose temper exploded when he drank. From bar fights to the destruction of property, public intoxication to reckless driving, his foul reputation certainly preceded him. But because Collin’s father was Walter Wentworth, Gattenburg’s chief of police, he usually got off with light warnings and slaps on the wrist.

  Ava was convinced that Collin was withholding information that could help solve the case.

  Beep, beep!

  Samantha jumped at the sound of the blaring horn. The looming car was getting closer. She couldn’t help but wonder whether Collin had seen her latest blog post, where she’d insisted that he could’ve been a huge help in Jacob’s death investigation had he simply cooperated with the police.

  News tended to spread quickly throughout Gattenburg, and Collin seemed to have undercover eyes and ears all over town.

  Samantha shoved her trembling fingers inside her handbag in search of her key fob. When sharp metal edges grazed her palm, she grabbed it and pounded the remote until her taillights blinked up ahead.

  Her calf muscles throbbed as she sprinted into the street. The second she grasped her door handle, screeching brakes brought the menacing car to a halt right next to her. She tightened the grip on her stun gun, watching through the corner of her eye as the tinted passenger window lowered.

  “I thought that was you...” a low voice boomed.

  Samantha’s heart thumped erratically at the thought of coming face-to-face with Collin. She bent down and peered inside the car.

  When she locked eyes with Gregory Harris, a handsome police detective who was new to Gattenburg, Samantha inhaled sharply.

  “Officer Harris!” she exclaimed, gripping her chest with relief. “Hello. Hi. I, uh—sorry. I thought you were someone else.”

  He chuckled softly, his full, sexy lips spreading into a crooked grin. “Really? Well, I hope you’re not too disappointed that it’s just me.”

  “No,” she murmured, reaching back and discreetly slipping her stun gun into her pocket. “Not at all.”

  A jolt of heat shot up Samantha’s spine. The detective had had that effect on her ever since she met him last month at Hannah’s Coffee Shop.

  He had just moved to Gattenburg from Chicago, where he’d worked on the police force for over ten years. Detective Harris claimed to have left in search of a slower, more peaceful lifestyle. But the bitterness behind his dark brown eyes told a different story when he spoke of his departure.

  The detective reached out and turned down the radio, his muscular arm bulging through his navy cashmere sweater. “I’m guessing you just left the coffee shop after working on your blog all day?”

  “You guessed right. I usually don’t stay this late, but I was on a roll.”

  “Wow. Your dedication to reporting on all those mysterious cold cases is admirable. That piece you wrote last week about the kidnapped student at the University of Illinois? Impressive.”

  Samantha’s skin tingled under his intense stare. “Why, thank you. I appreciate that.”

  “You’re welcome. So, what’s the latest post about?”

  She paused, her cheerful expression wilting into one of concern.

  “The death of an old high school friend.” Samantha’s voice quaked. She cleared her throat before continuing. “His name was Jacob Jennings. You may have heard of him. He died mysteriously months ago, and his body was found two blocks away from Westman’s Automotive Factory.”

  “Hmm,” the detective sighed, running his large hand over his freshly trimmed goatee. “That name doesn’t ring a bell.”

  Samantha dropped her head in disappointment. “Of course it doesn’t. The case went cold less than forty-eight hours into the investigation. The Gattenburg Police Department has done nothing to solve it. That’s why I’ve committed to helping Jacob’s sister get to the bottom of it. And I’ll be using Someone Knows Something to provide the community with updates on my progress. If I can stir up some sort of public outcry, maybe the police department will feel pressured to reopen the case.”

  She hesitated, waiting to hear Gregory’s response. When he shifted in his seat and remained silent, she pressed on.

  “Hey, I’d love to get your take on the situation. The fact that you’re new to the Gattenburg PD is huge. You’d bring a fresh eye to the investigation. Plus you’ve got access to the file and critical inside information. If we join forces, I bet you and I could—”

  Detective Harris held up his hand. “Hold on, Samantha. First off, let me just say that I am very sorry to hear about the loss of your friend. With that being said, I’m new to this force, and there are certain protocols that I need to follow. I know I haven’t been in Gattenburg for very long, but judging from the upstanding reputation and track record of Chief Wentworth, I can’t imagine he didn’t do all that he could to ensure Jacob’s death was thoroughly investigated.”

  Despite the gust of cold air that swept past Samantha, she felt herself growing hot with frustration. She loosened her scarf and took a deep breath.

  “Detective Harris, there is so much more to this case than you know. And if I may be blunt, there are rumors that some of the men in blue working next to you aren’t as ethical as they may seem.”

  An uneasy silence filled the air. Samantha crossed her arms and tapped her foot rapidly against the asphalt. She knew she was being forward, but after hearing that a new detective would be joining the force, she’d hoped there would be renewed interest in the investigation, along with a fresh perspective.

  After several tense seconds, the detective finally spoke up.

  “Listen. The reason I’m no longer with the Chicago PD is because I refused to abide by the department’s shady code of silence. So if I suspected there was any corruption going on within Gattenburg’s law enforcement agency, believe me, I’d be the first one to call it out.”

  Samantha resisted the urge to slam her fist against the hood of his car. “Says the man who joined the force literally a month ago...”

  “Wow. Okay,” Gregory sighed, running his hand down his thick, closely cropped black hair. “Samantha, I understand that you and your friend are hurting. But please know that this force’s only objective is to do the right thing. I may be new, but I’ve had connections here in Gattenburg for years. And I don’t believe there are any cover-ups happening. So, with that being said, maybe we should end this conversation before it goes too far—”

  “Fine,” Samantha interrupted, taking a step back. “And with all due respect, Officer Harris, I think you’re being a bit naive. If nothing else, I do hope you’ll continue following my blog. It’ll open your eyes to the truth. And with that being said, have a good night.”

  Before the detective could respond, Samantha climbed inside her car and sped off.

  * * *

  GREGORY FELT A pull in his chest as he watched Samantha drive away. Bumping into her had been such a pleasant surprise. He’d barely been able to control the shudders of excitement in his gut during their conversation. But that buzz completely fizzled after their encounter ended in disaster.

  He drove somberly down the street before noticing Samantha stopped at a red light up ahead. The detective quickly maneuvered his car alongside hers and rolled down the window.

  When he glanced over, he noticed tears trickling down her cheeks.

  “Hey! Sam!” he called out, frantically waving his arms.

  She stared straight ahead. As soon as the light turned green, she jetted off.

  Gregory hit the accelerator and followed her. Before he knew it, he’d trailed her all the way home. When she noticed him parked in front of her house, she stormed over to his car.

  “Here we go...” he muttered, opening th
e door and stepping out.

  “What are you doing?” Samantha snapped. “Did you really just follow me home?”

  “I did. I, uh... I wanted to apologize for the way I responded to you.” He tried to ignore the rush of energy he felt at the sight of her curls blowing seductively across her delicate face.

  Focus, he thought, shoving his hands deep inside his pockets.

  “I know that losing a friend so tragically can’t be easy,” he continued, “and I hope I didn’t seem insensitive. I’m just very protective of my brothers in blue. But I should’ve been more sympathetic toward you.”

  “Humph,” Samantha huffed, tilting her head to the side and studying him closely. “Well...thank you for that. I accept your apology.”

  Gregory felt his taut muscles relax when he sensed that she had dropped her guard a bit.

  She shook her head and stared up at the sky. “This all just feels so surreal. I’m not used to covering cases that hit so close to home. And the fact that this one hasn’t been solved really hurts. It actually makes me wish I would’ve followed in my father’s footsteps and gone into law enforcement. But that didn’t end well.”

  “What do you mean?” he asked.

  “My dad was killed in the line of duty back in Chicago. The fire went out of my desire to join the force after that.”

  Gregory moved in closer and gently placed his hand on Samantha’s arm. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t realize your father died on the job.”

  “That’s what brought my mom and me here to Gattenburg. We needed a fresh start in what we thought would be a safe town. And now this. Which is why I can’t just stand by and do nothing. I went through that once with my dad’s killer. I refuse to go through it again.”

  “Wait, what do you mean? Your father’s murderer wasn’t apprehended?”

  “No.” Samantha sighed, dabbing her fingertips against the corners of her damp eyes. “The offender was a big-time drug dealer who’d been paying off several city officials. Apparently that dirty money meant more to them than justice for my father.”