Red Ochre Falls

by Kristen Gibson

  Garrett came up behind me. “I need to talk to you. Would you excuse us?” He told the group. Ethan nodded, and Nat didn’t say anything because her tongue was too busy wagging.

  Garrett whisked me away before I could say anything. He took me to a quiet corner, and positioned me with my back to the main entrance of the viewing room. Garrett’s expression was odd, something was wrong.

  “Is everything okay?”

  Jos found us before he had a chance to answer. She had a similarly strange look on her face. “Did you tell her?”

  “Just about to.”

  “Tell me what?” I scanned them both for an answer. Neither of their faces said anything other than something was definitely wrong. “What’s going on? Why are you two acting so weird?”

  “Maybe I should leave you two alone,” Jos said, like she wanted to be anywhere but here.

  “It’s Tess,” Garrett blurted out. Jos sounded unhappy with his answer.

  “What about Tess?”

  “She’s here.”

  “No way. Why would she be here?” It seemed odd that she’d come. Unless, maybe, Tess had a guilty conscience. Perhaps, she’d go straight to the front of the room, admit her egregious error, and explain to everyone that Chloe’s death was not self-inflicted. It wouldn’t bring back Chloe, but it might comfort the Ellis’s. If they didn’t have to listen to rumors and whispers, or answer questions about what could have driven their daughter to such a dreadful act, maybe they could make some sort of peace with all this.

  Jos waved her hand to get Garrett to come out with whatever he still hadn’t told me. Expecting him to explain, I was surprised when his expression turned hard. His eyes were trained on the doorway by the guest sign-in. I looked over there too.

  “Mattie,” he whispered by my ear. “That’s Ruggiano.”

  I shook my head. “No friggin’ way.” My eyes adjusted, but the image was the same. “This is NOT happening.”

  Garrett sensed my need to move forward, and placed a gentle but firm hand on my arm to stop me.

  Despite the Coroner’s report and some real evidence, I didn’t believe Chloe took her own life. The girl was smart, outgoing, and determined. She was driven to become a successful lawyer. Partly, because she wanted to help people, but also because she wanted to prove to her parents, mostly her father, she could do anything. I understood the need to help, and the need to stand out. Seeking parental approval was something we’d cried over many times. This was not the way she’d go out.

  On the other hand, Chloe did have problems. But part of the evidence Tess threw in my face showed Chloe was getting help. Going to therapy, breaking it off with Tab, and contacting friends. She wouldn’t have called me talking about a big case if she was severely depressed. I didn’t think so. By my account, she was close to an important breakthrough—not something she’d give up willingly. Chloe was murdered. Because of someone she knew, or the work she was doing.

  Now, a known mob boss was here. One tied to the doctor who prescribed Chloe’s anti-anxiety meds—the ones responsible for her overdose. I had to find out how he knew her, and if he knew something about her death.

  “Did I miss anything?” The voice was slightly Italian and the tone was completely annoying. He walked in and acted like he owned the place. Five-foot-seven, on a good day, wearing a shiny blue suit, slicked-back receding hair, and crazy gold rings that looked too cliché to be true. There he stood, plain as day—Rocco Ruggiano.

  Tess was next to him. I had no idea why, except maybe they had an “arrangement.” This did not sit well with me. Something about it felt wrong.

  They made their way to the casket. Even from where we stood, it wasn’t hard to hear Ruggiano. “Pretty girl. Such a shame, doing herself in like that.”

  The friggin’ nerve! Did he even know Chloe? The viewing room suddenly felt hot.

  I made a beeline for him. Knowing there was no way to stop me, Jos walked alongside me. Garrett was on my left, and tried a couple times to slow me down, but kept pace as I shook off his efforts.

  Tess looked at me with a slight nod. Then Ruggiano turned and saw me. “Well, hello. Yet another pretty thing.”

  What? Did he think we were all pretty things?

  “Hope you don’t have the same problem this one had,” Ruggiano looked at me then Chloe as he spoke. I wasn’t sure what he meant by problem, but he was about to have big problems of his own if he didn’t stop talking.

  “Frankly, I never touch drugs. They can do such terrible things to a person. Like your friend here.”

  He didn’t know me, but I’m pretty sure he recognized the daggers shooting from my eyes. My pulse raced and rage grew. It took all my energy to resist the urge to lunge at him. “Excuse me?”

  “Ah, I didn’t properly introduce myself. Rocco Ruggiano.” He stuck out his hand. When I refused it, he turned his hand over, checked out his manicure, and let the hand fall to his side. “I thought Garrett told you I was coming. Good to see you again Garrett.”

  “What?” I looked at Garrett.

  “I wanted to tell you,” he confessed. “But, he came in before I could.”

  “You should have led with him, not Tess,” I said noticing the look of insult on Tess’s face.

  “I understand you’re upset, Mattie,” Ruggiano said.

  “It’s a funeral, nearly everyone here is upset,” I sneered.

  Ruggiano laughed. “You’re different than Garrett’s other girls.” He inspected me as he said it.

  “How would you know anything about me? And how did you know the deceased?” I fired back, so much for a gentle approach to questioning.

  Garrett gave him a displeasing look. I wasn’t sure why he hadn’t told me about Ruggiano, but I suspected his reason was only going to piss me off more than I already was.

  “Tess here told me about you and Chloe.”

  Yet another reason to despise Tess. I narrowed my eyes at her.

  “Tess also tells me you ask a lot of questions.”

  “I have an inquisitive mind.” Absolutely true. “Mind sharing what Tess told you?”

  He chuckled again then looked me over like a wolf eyeing a Porterhouse. “What’s the saying?” He snapped his fingers at Tess for an answer, but she just shrugged. Either she didn’t know what he meant, or didn’t want to speak. “Oh yeah, curiosity killed the cat.”

  I was thinking how much I hate that phrase when his eyes hardened. They looked almost black, and truly frightening. As if drawing on some deep, dark power, his body drew in upon itself and his voice deepened.

  “Poking around isn’t going to bring your friend back. Reports say she was weak with addiction. Dosed herself into oblivion. Case closed. Don’t be the cat.”

  My blood boiled. I was mad at him, mad at Tess, and I’d had enough of this.

  “I don’t know what you two have got going here.” I moved my finger in a circle between Tess and Ruggiano. “But, I don’t believe a word of your stories. You might be able to convince the general population the reports of suicide are true, but I don't buy it. I’m not scared, and I’ll keep digging until I find something.” Actually, I was very scared. It would have been smarter to keep quiet, but my mouth wasn’t on the same page as my brain. Passive resistance be damned.

  I knew Chloe was murdered, and I knew someone was trying very hard to cover it up—someone powerful. Ruggiano fit the bill as much as anyone. This wasn’t the place to accuse him, not without proof, but he’d just made my short list of suspects. What was his motive? I hadn’t a clue. I’d look into it immediately after the funeral. We needed to finish this “discussion” before the Ellis’s got wind of it and intervened.

  “Now, now, Mattie. Take it easy. I didn’t mean to rub salt,” Ruggiano said. Of course he meant to rub salt. He wanted to rile me up, but why?

  “Tess pegged you for the smart type. Let’s not start something at a funeral. It’s not very smart. I’m sorry for your loss.” His sorry sounded hollow coming from his mouth. Ruggiano
turned to leave, but stopped, leaned in and whisper in my ear. “Be careful. There are a lot of bad people in the world. Would hate to see you, or someone else you love get hurt.”

  Was he threatening me? Or admitting some sort of guilt? Infuriated, my cheeks flushed, but I had no words. The weight of it all came crashing down. Hard. I stood silent for a minute too long. Ruggiano was gone.

  Jos had to break me out of my daze. She probably knew my catatonic state could reach total implosion, or explosion at any moment.

  “Let’s get some air.” Jos didn’t wait for my response. She snagged my arm and said in firm hushed tones as we exited the room and out the building. “Are you crazy? Talking to Ruggiano that way? We’ve got to get you out of here before he comes back with an Uzi, or something bigger.”

  Her statement brought me out of the trance. “He wouldn’t bring an Uzi to a funeral.” How ridiculous.

  “Girl, for you he might reconsider. You got in his face but good.”

  When we got to the office, I had to sit down and put my head between my knees.

  I’d screwed up. If the rumors and online stories were true, Ruggiano was mean and deadly. There probably weren’t a lot of people who looked directly at him, and I’d just mouthed off like I was invincible. Jos might be right about Ruggiano bringing an Uzi to take me out. Although, he could probably have any one of his thugs rub me out any way he wanted. The thought made my head throb. I leaned over, rested my elbows on my knees and rubbed my temples. Searching for an upside to our confrontation, I found none. What had I done?

  I had to think of a way to calm down, and get answers, and figure this thing out. Presently, I was getting nowhere. More questions swirled, and more anxiety over the questions gave me heart palpitations.

  “Take it easy.”

  “Sorry, Jos.”

  “Why are you apologizing to me? You’re the one hyperventilating.”

  “I mean sorry for this mess.”

  “You may have just pissed off a mob boss, but you didn’t hurt me.”

  “I shouldn’t have done it. I wasn’t thinking.”

  “Give yourself a break, Mattie. This whole thing is strange. I mean, who would have thought we’d be here talking about Chloe’s death, or murder, or whatever? You’re upset. I get it. But don’t worry about me, worry about yourself. I am,” her eyebrows were scrunched up in concern.

  “I can’t accept that she’d commit suicide.”

  “This is hard for all of us. I don’t think she could have done it either. But, we have to accept that it’s possible she did.”

  “Why?” I was exasperated. Why was anyone considering it possible?

  “She had her share of trouble. Neither one of us kept in touch with her. She was on anti-anxiety meds, and you told me she called needing help. Maybe she really needed help.”

  “I swear it just sounded like she wanted advice on a case.” My mind raced thinking of different ways I could have carved out twenty minutes to talk with Chloe sooner. Had I really been too busy to call back the first time she reached out? Maybe I was concerned she’d just break down in tears over Tab, or something I thought she should have under control. Things in her life might have actually been worse than they sounded.

  “Mattie, you’ve been protecting us since we were kids—standing up to school bullies and taking on crazy relatives. She stood up for you, and maybe you thought you owed her, but you have to let this go.”

  “It’s too hard to process. She did stand up for me. She could have left me at Tab’s mercy, but she didn’t. You know better than anyone, people don’t do that enough these days. I can’t stand to think she hurt herself because she felt alone. If I’d called sooner, maybe I could have saved her. And if she was killed…Jos, I have to find out what happened!”

  We heard the door hinges squeak as it opened.

  “Hey. Mind if we talk?” Garrett indicated he wanted to talk with Jos, not me. I wondered if Garrett heard our conversation. Great, I’d probably upset him too. I just hoped he wouldn’t tell his grandpa about Ruggiano.

  “Sure,” Jos answered. I sunk into my chair when they left the room.

  What if he told Grandpa Stanley? It wouldn’t go well. Stanley being set in his ways, despised disruptions to the business. Like the time we accidentally set off the fire alarm during a viewing. He looked at us sideways for over a week, all because we overheated some oil trying to cook dinner one night.

  The longer I had to think about, and replay today’s altercations, the worse I felt about everything. And if Ruggiano complained and Stanley found out? Catastrophic. Mom and I could be out by sunset. My chances for a plea deal were slim to none, and mom wasn’t here to defend us.

  I kicked my shoes under the desk and curled up in the chair as much as possible trying to hide myself. My dress stretched over my knees and feet. It didn’t help me think any better, but it gave me the illusion of disappearing, which was exactly what I wanted to do.

  After twenty minutes or so, my legs started to cramp. I uncurled and decided a drink, or a cookie would help. I stepped back into my shoes, and walked to the doorway. When I peeked out of the office, I noticed a group chatting near the viewing door, but no one devouring sweets at the mourning table. After one step toward the cookies, a man came up and grabbed my arm.

  “Ack!”

  “Shh! I’m a friend of Chloe’s,” he whispered. My heart pounded at the surprise. “We need to talk privately.” As if he knew his way around the place, he lead me back into the office and to a corner desk.

  My heart was finding it’s way back to normal speed, but I remained wary of him.

  “I’m Tom. Tom Clark.” Judging by his slightly doughy six-foot-plus frame, and straggling brown hairs—part of a receding hairline—he must have been in his late thirties. He put his hand out. I stood dumbfounded shaking hands with this guy I’d never met. He seemed nervous because the hearty handshake went on and on, until he pulled his hand back.

  “Oh, sorry. I used to work with Chloe. We worked on the Oxley case. She might have told you about it, about me? We were together the night her ex- came over.”

  Oh. Oh! He was with Chloe when she and Tab fought. For one of the first times all day, I stayed quiet and listened.

  “We were doing research on a case. Tab showed up, and went nuts. Thought she was screwing around on him. With me. She told him we were just working, and it wasn’t his business because they were over. He got so mad. He ripped into her. When I tried to help explain, he laid into me.”

  “Oh my gosh. I heard about it. Tab’s unstable.” And an addict, and possibly a killer.

  “Anyway,” Tom continued. “I’m okay now. That’s not why I wanted to talk to you. It’s about Chloe. The night we were meeting, we discussed a land deal.

  Chloe met a young man named Walter Sigo, on one of her trips north. Walter explained he was in some legal trouble, and Chloe offered to help. She took him to meet Oxley. Oxley asked lots of questions and took notes, but then assigned me to help.” Tom shifted nervously and checked the doorway twice during the time it took him to get the first part of the story out.

  “At first blush, it looked like someone wanted the Sigo family’s land. Walter said they refused, and pressure came from everywhere—the buyer, a local politician, and even tribe members—to accept a revised deal.

  Chloe really wanted to help the Sigo’s. She told me it wasn’t fair they were being bullied. Walter Sigo told her a lawman came to evict them, stating the land belonged to the government, but he had no paperwork, so Walter’s brother was able to talk him into leaving.

  Chloe became obsessed. She set up camp in Michigan to sift through old court documents and conduct interviews, all to strengthen the Sigo family’s position.”

  It’s funny, I thought of Chloe as he spoke. Imagining her going after cases to gain law experience. It must have been exciting to help people, and chase down leads. Lord knows, I’d thought a lot about being a lawyer to help people when I was younger. But, life bl
ew up, so my plans changed.

  “A couple weeks ago,” Tom continued. “Chloe called me excited, but anxious. She’d uncovered information that would help Walter Sigo’s family. We scheduled a meeting to review in person, because she said it wasn’t safe to talk on the phone.

  The night we met, she started to tell me about a deal between Ruggiano and some politician. Chloe had proof something illegal was going on—”

  I heard Garrett and Jos coming up the back hall. Tom got so nervous, sweat beaded up on his forehead. “I should leave. I can’t afford to get caught. Take this.”

  Tom handed me a small paper and a LEGO keychain. Dangling from the chain was one silver key. It looked like a hundred other keys I’ve seen that unlock various doors. His gaze shifted to the entrances and back again.

  “This will get you into Chloe’s place.” Tom shifted nervously. “She found something big, and wanted to loop you in for some reason. We didn’t get to that part before I was carted off in an ambulance because Tab used me as a punching bag. Last time we spoke, she told me she’d been threatened. Chloe hid her files. The next I knew, she was killed.”

  It was the first I’d heard someone confidently say Chloe was killed, not that she had killed herself. Confused, sad, and happy, I stood wondering if I should hug him or hide him. The poor guy looked shaken.

  “The information you need is in her files. Maybe it’ll help. I’d look for it myself, but they threatened me.”

  “Who threatened you?” I asked, but he just went pale.

  “I can’t take any chances.” Tom grabbed my arms, and stared at me with desperate intensity. “I’ve got a kid on the way. Chloe was a nice person. She didn’t deserve this. Please, get help and find out who killed her. But make sure the people you trust, are people you’d trust with your life.”

  The door swung open and he let go of my arms. My eyes turned to see Jos and Garrett walk in the room. By the time I looked back, Tom was gone. Poof!

  I glanced at the clues in my hands then closed them up tight. I wasn’t going to let them get away.

  CHAPTER 17