Secret is in the Bones (Paynes Creek Thriller Book 3)

by Heather Sunseri

  “I was surprised to hear from you,” Ethan said as I joined him outside.

  “I know. I was surprised to call you. I—”

  “Hey, hold on a minute. You’re shaking.”

  “I’m fine.”

  “Faith, stop. You’re soaking wet.” Ethan grabbed my arm and spun me around. “Tell me what’s wrong.” When he saw my frightened face, he quickly dropped his hands and took a step back.

  My reaction hurt him, I knew. “I’m sorry,” I said, then repeated it. “I’m sorry.”

  “It’s okay. Don’t be sorry.” He stood there staring at me with his hands to his side. “Why is a cop parked on your property?”

  I swallowed hard and shook my hands in an anxious fit, trying to shake off the bad things that were happening to me and people around me. “This was a bad idea,” I said softly. I must have lost my mind to ask Ethan here.

  “Look at me, Faith. Tell me what’s going on.”

  I squared my shoulders and lifted my eyes to meet his. I had called him here for a reason, but now that he was here, I was sure I’d made a mistake.

  No, I told myself. It was not a mistake. Ethan might have known me so well all those years ago, but I knew him, too. I pinned him with a look of determination. “Just tell me, Ethan. Are you doing these things to me?”

  His eyes narrowed on mine. “Doing what things?” We were right back where we were a year ago when someone kept placing candles inside my Airstream while I slept at night and lit bonfires in the front yard’s fire pit. I knew some of that had been my former sister-in-law trying to gaslight me, but the incidents continued to happen after I left Kentucky—in Florida and Colorado and places in between.

  Luke proved to me time and time again that Ethan had alibis, but I just couldn’t shake the feeling that Ethan had been near at times, or that he still wanted something from me.

  But if I wanted to live in Paynes Creek, and if Ethan was going to always be one town over, I needed to feel safe. “I know you loved me once. I know you hold me responsible for sending you to prison. Are you trying to punish me? Is that why you’re insisting on being near?”

  He stepped forward, and though the urge to step back in response was strong, I remained cemented where I was. “Faith, what in the world do you think I’m doing to you? Whatever it is, I can assure you it’s not me, but I need to know what you’re talking about. Does this have anything to do with Justice coming to see me?”

  My entire body stiffened when he said Luke’s name. “Luke came to see you? When?”

  “Sunday. Said he was investigating some murder that happened near the bar—at the motel behind the Spotted Cat.”

  Luke had told me that Ethan had an alibi for Friday night. He couldn’t have been involved in the murder that occurred at the motel behind his bar, nor could he have been responsible for what happened to Penelope and Steven. But I didn’t realize he had actually spoken with Ethan.

  “I’m not a murderer, Faith, if that’s what you’re getting at.”

  I didn’t remove my eyes from his. “I’m not suggesting...” I took in a breath and let it out slowly, trying to calm my racing heart. “I’m just going to ask you.”

  “I wish you would,” he said without hesitation. “I can’t defend myself unless I know what I’m answering to.”

  When I didn’t speak right away, he grabbed my hand and pulled me over to where I’d set a set of Adirondack chairs. Though they were mostly covered by the awning, they were damp. “We’re going to sit, and you’re going to tell me—” Before he could finish his sentence, Luke came racing down my long driveway, driving like a bat out of hell. Special Agent Donovan was right behind him.

  Luke had barely stopped or turned off the truck before he tore out of the driver’s seat. “What the hell are you doing here? If you—”

  “Luke, stop. I invited him here.” I walked quickly to him and placed a hand on his chest.

  Luke looked at me. “Why would you do that?”

  I closed my eyes. “I don’t know. I just wanted answers. I wanted to look into his eyes and have him tell me if he’d been following me around the country, or if he’d lit the fire outside my trailer in Key Largo. Or if he’d followed me to Colorado. I just thought—” I cut myself off.

  I wasn’t telling the complete truth, but I wasn’t ready to confess to Luke everything I was feeling and thinking—that I wanted to make Paynes Creek my permanent home. To do that, I needed to be comfortable living less than twenty miles from where Ethan had started over.

  “Wait,” Ethan said. “I thought all that stuff ended when your sister-in-law was put away. Someone’s actually been inside your trailer again? I thought she was the one lighting the fires and sneaking inside your trailer. That came out in the trial, didn’t it?”

  “Some of it,” I said. “But it was physically impossible for her to have done all those things. And she certainly didn’t follow me down to Florida or out to Colorado. And she didn’t hang a welcome sign across my Airstream today.”

  Both Luke and Ethan turned toward the Airstream and saw where I had ripped down the banner and left it on the ground.

  Luke framed my face. “Where’s the rest? You said someone left a note?”

  “Inside,” I started to lead him to the trailer, but he pulled back on my hand. “No. You stay here. I want to take a look. Was your door unlocked?”

  I thought about that. “It was unlocked. I don’t think I left it that way. But I’ve been so worried about Penelope and everything that’s going on… Maybe I forgot to lock it.” I rubbed my temple. With everything going on, I couldn’t imagine forgetting to lock up.

  “Stay here.” Luke lifted his eyes and some unspoken message passed between him and Ethan—somewhere between a warning and a plea. Then, he shifted his eyes to the agent who had yet to say a word. “Check the perimeter.”

  “You got it.”

  Luke walked over, examined the outside of my door before he stepped up into my home. The agent who had been told to follow me around at a distance made his way along the outside of my home.

  “Faith, why did you call me?” Ethan asked behind me.

  I faced him and witnessed sadness on his face. “I hurt you today,” I said. “I’m sorry. That wasn’t my intention.”

  “You don’t trust me. I get that. But I’ve stayed away. For you.” He looked up at the clouds rolling overhead, then back at me. “I didn’t want to cause you any more pain, so I’ve stayed away,” he repeated. “I’ve told you before, and I’ll tell you again: I’m sorry for how I’ve hurt you.”

  I narrowed my gaze. “But you’re lying now. You say you’ve stayed away, but you called me Saturday.”

  He studied me. “No, I didn’t. Why would I call you?”

  “I got a phone call on Saturday, and someone yelled your name in the background.”

  “That wasn’t me,” he said. “Did the person say anything directly to you? Did someone pretend to be me?”

  “No,” I said, remembering the call. “What about the grass? Have you been having the farm mowed?” I gestured to the surrounding land. It seemed like a silly question, but still relevant.

  Again, he shook his head. “I have no idea what you’re talking about. Not that I wouldn’t have made sure it was done, if that was what you wanted, but I’ve purposely kept my distance from you. For your sake. Until Luke came to the bar the other night, I assumed you were still away from Kentucky.”

  I just studied Ethan’s expression, looking for a sign of whether he was telling the truth or not. I decided to tell him about the company behind the lawn care service. “Someone owning a company called EJG, LLC has been paying a service to mow this land for me.” I watched his expression for any reaction but saw nothing.

  “It’s not me, Faith.” He stuffed his hands in his pockets. “You have to believe me. If for no other reason but to start looking for who is doing these things.”

  “I want to believe you.” I ran a hand through my damp hair. “God, I just
want to move on with my life and feel safe living here.” I gestured to my land, then turned back and stared into Ethan’s eyes. “I want to build a house on this land, but so many things and people from my past keep haunting me. I asked you here to tell you that.”

  “You don’t owe me an explanation.”

  “I know I don’t. I think I just wanted to look you in the eye and tell you that if you’re doing these things, I’m not going to scare away easily. And I wanted you to know that if you are doing these things, I’ll find a way to stop you. I’m done running.”

  “I don’t know how many ways I can say this: I am not the one who is doing any of this. I never was. I just want you to be happy. That’s all I’ve ever wanted. And if rebuilding the house on this land is what will make you happy, I’m all for it.”

  Luke stepped out of the trailer carrying two clear plastic bags with the notecard in one and the envelope in the other, along with the bouquet of balloons and sparkling wine.

  I wasn’t sure I believed Ethan. But I had no choice but to let investigators—including Luke—do their jobs, while I concentrated on getting my own life in order.

  “I’m going to take these things to the lab when we’re done here,” Luke said.

  Special Agent Donovan appeared from the back of the Airstream. “I didn’t see anything out of the ordinary behind the trailer. Including no tracks or footprints.”

  “Thanks, Donovan. You good to stay here for now?”

  “Of course. I’m here until the next agent takes over.”

  Special Agent Donovan returned to his car, turned around and headed, I assumed, back to park at the end of my driveway.

  I massaged my temples, the stress clearly getting to me. “Maybe I forgot to lock up. I don’t know how I would, but maybe I did.”

  Luke turned to Ethan. “Want to tell me again why you’re here?”

  “I told you,” I answered instead. “I asked him to come. I think I’m going crazy.”

  Luke squeezed my arm. “You are not going crazy, but you’ve spent the past year convinced that Ethan was the one who followed you to Florida. So, you calling him doesn’t make sense.”

  Ethan sighed, walked away from us, then whipped back around. “Look, I don’t know what all is going on here. That’s clear. But I’m tired. I’m tired of you punishing me for something that happened more than a decade ago. I’ve apologized so many times. I’ve tried to make amends. I even served time for a crime I didn’t commit. I want nothing but the best for you, Faith. But enough is enough.” Throwing his hands in the air, Ethan turned and headed for his car.

  I looked at Luke for help. I didn’t know what to do. Ethan was right. He had spent twelve years in prison thanks to my testimony in court, more than he would have if he’d been tried and convicted of the crime he had actually committed. He reached his car when I yelled, “Ethan, wait!” I jogged over to him. “I’m sorry I called you here.”

  “I’m not. It was good to see you, Faith. I hope Special Agent Justice figures out who broke into your trailer.” The torture that pained his face was evident. “I wish I had better answers for you.”

  TWENTY-SIX

  J.P.

  J.P. waited until Ethan was back inside his vehicle and driving away from Faith and the FBI asshole before calling his cell.

  “John Paul,” Ethan said when he answered the phone. J.P. immediately noticed the hesitation in Ethan’s voice.

  “Hi, Ethan.”

  “Where are you?” he asked.

  Was Ethan asking for J.P.’s whereabouts because he was curious or because he suspected something? Had the FBI agent said anything to Ethan about J.P.?

  J.P. forced himself to take several deep, calming breaths. Clearly, he was getting paranoid. “I’m just crossing over the border into Tennessee. Thought I needed a road trip.”

  “Cut the bullshit. I know you’re still in Kentucky. Tell me where you are.”

  “Why?”

  “I want to see you again.” Was that a lie in Ethan’s voice? It was getting harder to recognize.

  Through his binoculars from a spot in the wooded area near Faith’s trailer, J.P. watched Special Agent Justice wrap his arms around Faith, then kiss her on the lips before he climbed into his oversized SUV and drove off. “Really?” he asked Ethan. “It hasn’t been that long. I saw you last weekend.”

  “Yeah, but I don’t like the way we left things on Sunday. You and I have unfinished business.”

  If that other fed wasn’t keeping watch over Faith, he would march over and take possession of Faith right now, now that Ethan and Justice were gone. However, that would ruin the plan.

  When J.P. didn’t answer Ethan, Ethan said, “Why don’t you come by the bar tonight. I’ll try to get off early.”

  Faith disappeared inside her trailer, and J.P. lowered the binoculars and focused on Ethan. “You made it pretty clear over the weekend you wanted nothing to do with me.”

  “I was just surprised to see you,” Ethan said. “That’s all.”

  “That’s all, huh? Seemed to me that you sent me away because you knew I was on the Bad News List, and you didn’t want Mills to know you didn’t carry through on orders to off me.”

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about. Come on, John Paul. Let’s get together and talk.”

  “Not today. I’ll be in touch.” He ended the call with a smile. He knew the reason Ethan hadn’t gotten rid of him over the weekend was because they still had an unbreakable bond.

  TWENTY-SEVEN

  LUKE

  Another round of storms kicked up just as I arrived at Aunt Leah’s that evening.

  I slipped inside, and I immediately heard the sound of Oliver cooing, maybe even laughing. As I turned the corner, Faith was flying a bite of cereal into his mouth while making airplane sounds. The way Oliver lit up in front of Faith squeezed my heart in a way I hadn’t thought possible.

  How was I not able to convince this woman yet that she and I were meant to be together? Why was it taking so fucking long to think she was even ready to consider the possibility?

  She turned when she heard me enter the room, then feigned surprise to Oliver with a huge smile. “Look who’s here!” Even with everything that had happened since she returned to Paynes Creek… Even with everything that led to Oliver sitting in a highchair in the middle of his great aunt’s kitchen—a great aunt by marriage and not by blood…

  Faith and Oliver both looked happy in that moment, and I wanted to freeze the three of us forever—like a normal family.

  When I reached her, I grabbed her hand and pulled her to her feet. Despite the spoon in her hand carrying mushy cereal, she returned the hug when I wrapped my arms around her and took her lips in a soft, sensuous kiss.

  “Wow! Hello to you, too,” she said when I released her. “Should I cover Oliver’s eyes?”

  “I think I can wait for the rest until after he’s asleep and I get you back to my place.”

  “Your place, huh? Feeling a bit saucy tonight.”

  “Nothing wrong with that.” No matter how hard I tried to keep the air light between us, I couldn’t keep up the ruse.

  “Uh-oh. What is it?” She sat and spooned another bite into Oliver’s mouth as I took a seat beside them at the kitchen table.

  “I took the items I collected at your place to the state lab. They’ll do a DNA test on the envelope, and in light of everything that’s happened, they’ll move it ahead of other tests.”

  “Okay…” she said, drawing out the word. “That sounds like decent news. Is there something else?”

  “I don’t want you staying alone until… Until I don’t know when.”

  “By the look on your face, you know more than you did yesterday.” She knew I had met with other investigators earlier today, including Detective Fish, but she hadn’t pressed for more information.

  She set the empty bowl aside, and after wiping Oliver’s mouth with a soft rag, she handed him a colorful spider with various patterns of textured f
abric and fillings that yielded a variety of touches and sounds.

  I grabbed her hand and interlocked our fingers. “After today, I’ve never been more certain that someone is targeting you.” Again, I added in my head.

  “Well, after talking to Ethan, I don’t think it’s him. And I don’t believe you do either.” She nodded. “Any idea who this person might be?” She swallowed hard, exhaustion enveloping her at the thought.

  “No, but I hope some of the forensic testing will come back soon.”

  “Can you tell me what kinds of tests are being done?”

  “We think our perpetrator may have made a huge mistake and left DNA at the Champagne house.”

  She drew back in surprise. “I knew something caused them to back off of Penelope as a suspect. Yet, detectives are keeping tabs on her around the clock.” When I started to say something, she lifted a finger. “Do not tell me that’s for her safety. If it was for her safety, it would be a couple of rookie officers. The two I spotted at the funeral were seasoned detectives.”

  “I won’t tell you that. But let’s assume it’s for both safety and in case something happens that might help with the case.”

  I studied how her hand felt in mine. We’d already faced one challenge when I first came to Paynes Creek to investigate a serial arsonist last year. And I nearly lost her when that turned out to be her sister-in-law and Oliver’s mother.

  “There’s something you’re not telling me.” As I weighed what additional information I could reveal to her, she continued. “You can’t protect me… Hell, I can’t protect myself if I don’t know what I need protection from.”

  “You’re right,” I said, meeting her gaze. “Someone masturbated outside of Penelope’s living room window. We have to assume it happened the night Steven was killed because it had rained the day and evening before. And they discovered the… DNA… when they examined the perimeter the next day.”