Truth Is Found

by Morgan Kelley

  Julian agreed. “I’m not feeling him either.”

  “He was pimping her out,” Beau stated. “That’s not exactly warm fuzzy love.”

  “No,” Tori began, “but if he was pissed, it was because he lost his extra money maker. He’s cold, but he’s not a killer. He’d have to get his polo dirty, and he doesn’t come across as someone who likes to get messy.”

  Julian tended to agree with his wife on this one.

  “Okay, who’s next?” he asked.

  “What about the cheating wife? She could know that the meal ticket wasn’t going to run forever, so she needed a backup plan,” stated Tori. “We heard from Daniel that she’d get money if both of his heirs were gone. Maybe she’s trying to work her way through them.”

  Roman thought about it. “In all the stories that I’ve covered, women kill with more passion and less calculation. If she’s going to kill, it’s going to be over the top. Right?”

  Tori thought back to all the cases she’d worked with the FBI. Yes, there had been female serial killers, but he was right. They didn't drown one woman in a barrel of merlot. They poisoned them. They shot them.

  “Sheila doesn’t appear to be the kind of woman who likes to get her hands dirty either. She’s more a flirt who likes sex with a guy in his car. She’s bordering on slutty behavior, but not really a killer,” Roman stated.

  Tori opened her mouth, about to make a comment about what happened in the SUV, but Julian glared at her.

  “Victoria Rose, don’t do it.”

  She started laughing. “I was merely going to agree with him. I can’t picture her plunging a body into a vat of wine. It would have stained her precious claws.”

  Everyone stared curiously at Julian for his outburst. He actually flushed red. It looked like he outed himself on this one.

  Tori grabbed the autopsy report. “This is a single blow to the head. There wouldn’t be a lot of blood with one strike. Plus, the coroner found wine in her lungs.”

  “She was alive when she went into the barrel,” Julian stated. “So the person who hit her, likely hit me too.”

  “Yeah, and I can’t see her dragging you into the grapevines, can you?”

  They all shook their heads.

  At the mention of autopsy, Roman pulled out the one he’d absconded on the priest. “The kicker is, the weapon looks to be the same with the dead priest.”

  Tori looked at it. “He, too, was hit with a small, round headed object to the skull. The only difference is he took a tumble down a flight of stairs. Pearlie didn't, and neither did Julian. So, maybe the killer needed help with ending his life.”

  “Could be,” Julian offered, rubbing the bump on the head. “It had to be something hard. I only recall being hit once, and I went out like a light.”

  “A ball peen hammer would have that round end and enough force to knock you out,” Beau offered, as he sent Nyx a text. He wanted to make sure she was okay, and when she replied with ‘fine’, he knew she was anything but.

  Crap!

  Julian had just told him that fine never meant fine.

  He began panicking.

  “Yeah, it would,” Tori offered. “Good one, Beau.” She could tell he wasn’t really paying attention, and she didn't doubt why.

  “So the maintenance guy would have that kind of hammer,” stated Roman.

  Tori thought about it as she sipped her decaf. “Yeah, but he’s in his early twenties. The priest was killed nearly ten years ago. If he did it, he would have been fifteen. It had to be someone old enough to be here back then and still here now.”

  Julian agreed. “Then why don’t we use that one factor to eliminate the suspects. Let’s track their whereabouts ten years ago, until we get a baseline of a killer.”

  They could do that.

  “We should start with the people at Darkwood Monastery first,” Tori stated. “It’ll be easier to keep track.”

  Julian flipped his paper over. “Okay, let’s go.”

  Tori thought about it. “It won’t be Cordell Burdett. He may have been paying for Pearlie’s services, but he’s too young.”

  Roman went next. “The same is true with Richard. He’s the most likely, since he’s a sexual deviant, but he would have been a teen too.”

  Beau tried to focus. “What about Reid Ramsey? He’s too young, since he’s barely twenty five, right?”

  They agreed.

  Tori flipped through the papers Christina sent. “Plus, he’s originally from California. That’s where he got his sommelier training--which makes total sense. Cali is known for its wine.”

  Julian made notes.

  As Tori dug through the searches Christina did, she pulled out another person who couldn’t be involved. “You can cross off Kirby Andrews too. He was in school back East ten years ago. While he’s old enough, he wouldn’t have been here.”

  Julian did just that.

  Roman grabbed some of the papers. “You can eliminate Sheila too. She was in California trying to make it big as an actress. She was waitressing, and that’s how she met her husband.”

  Beau read over his shoulder. “Daniel was married to wife number one still, and they lived in California. I’m betting he wishes he never went into that restaurant.”

  Tori looked up. “That takes the list down considerably. How about we run AngelCake employees through that same process?” she asked.

  Julian waited for the next name.

  “You can remove Marcel and Angel Martin from the list,” Roman said. “According to this paper, they had bought the land, but they were in France studying the fine art of wine making. It wasn’t until two years later that they actually had the vineyard in production.”

  Julian made notes.

  “Maybe your researcher is wrong.” Roman liked to do his own searches.

  Tori laughed. “Yeah, Christina is never wrong. She’s like a computer. Ask her a question, and she’ll solve it.”

  That intrigued him. “Really?”

  Julian nodded. “She’s the super brain in the office. I think she’s got a higher IQ than all of us added up.”

  He found that interesting.

  “Well, you can cross Dorian off too,” Beau stated. “He may have worked for both vineyards and hated the ass grabbing, but he’s too young. He’s barely twenty-two. He would have been twelve when the priest bought it.”

  He had a point.

  “Jerrel Roderick is in the clear,” stated Tori. “At the time the priest died, he was living in California with his girlfriend. That’s how he got here. He met Daniel out there, and he moved here with them.”

  “Who’s left?” Julian asked.

  “Not many,” Roman stated. “We cleared everyone from the competition, and that sucks, because my money was on them.”

  Tori wasn’t taking the Martin’s off her list quite yet. For all they knew, the twosome could have flown in from France on a holiday and offed the priest.

  There was no way to check back far enough.

  “We have Isaiah Martel--also known as Mr. Disgruntled, and Reggie Zellers, the sales manager. Both had access to the winery, both wouldn’t be a threat to Pearlie, and they might not realize which barrel they were using. That’s something Kirby and Reid would know more about.”

  “I still think we have contenders with the Martins. Granted, they were in France, but they could have been here. They owned the land,” Tori stated.

  Beau was curious. “How do we figure out which of them is the guilty party?”

  “Ghosts,” stated Roman.

  They all looked over at him.

  “What?” Julian stated.

  “When Tori and Nyx were doing their thing last night, the priest stated that a parishioner took his life. He was the sinner. All we have to do is figure out who was here when he was killed, and who is still here.”

  Julian grinned. “Good one, Roman.”

  “I have my moments.”

  “You may actually give Christina a run for her money,” Tori
stated.

  He grinned. “If you give me the job, I’ll certainly try.”

  Julian didn't respond. If it were up to him, he would have hired him. They had to see what kind of man he really was, and all of that would eventually unfold.

  “Let’s get that church journal you have out, and let’s find us a killer,” stated Tori.

  Julian agreed.

  “I want to get the hell out of here. I’ve realized something,” he said.

  Tori glanced over.

  “What?”

  “There’s going to be a new rule in our business and life.”

  She didn't know where he was taking this.

  “And that would be?”

  “No more wine. It’s strictly prohibited.”

  Tori laughed.

  “The ghosts can stay. I actually like them more.”

  That was saying a lot.

  And they all knew it.

  * * * L i t t l e m o o n * * *

  Shopping for Fate

  Nyx hated being at the shop by herself. A part of her wanted to be back at the diner with the people Beau called family. While she was there, Nyx was at peace. She could be herself, knowing that they would always accept her.

  There was still a part of her that ached.

  Beau would be going.

  If she were to sit there, she’d hope they never solved the case. She didn't want to help them take Beau away sooner. Ultimately, she had to let him go, and that hurt.

  In fact, Nyx’s heart hurt.

  In her head, she could hear Trey trying to soothe her. She’d actually gotten accustomed to him being there. Now that he wasn’t screaming, she didn't mind him talking to her.

  It was kind of nice to have his company.

  She wasn’t so alone with him speaking.

  Nyx laughed.

  How pathetic was her life?

  Once more, she was slipping into that easy comfort of hiding inside herself. While she knew it was wrong, she couldn’t help it.

  Beau had become her beacon.

  Now he was going to be leaving.

  Nyx wanted to run back and hold on to him. She wanted to tell him that she couldn’t live without him.

  If she did, he’d surely stay.

  And then he’d miss out on a career, his family, and everything she couldn’t offer him.

  Yeah, Nyx couldn’t do that.

  Sniffing her shirt, she picked up the scent of him on it. That one little whiff both hurt and healed her.

  Oh, when he was gone, she was going to be miserable. Yeah, they’d say they’d see each other, but long distance relationships didn't last.

  Nyx knew that.

  Beau knew it.

  So, they’d eventually drift apart, and one day he’d meet someone who deserved him. She wouldn’t be broken, damaged, and so much work. He’d fall in love, she’d be forgotten, and he’d move on.

  Nyx wanted to cry.

  ‘He loves you.’

  “Thanks, Trey, but I have to let him go. We both know that.” Nyx had to stop talking to the voice in her head. If she did that in public, people were going to tell her that she was loopy.

  Maybe she was.

  As she moved around the shop, picking up all the things that had been upended, she didn't see the shadow in her window.

  When a knock sounded at her door, she jumped.

  Crossing the room, she looked out.

  It was someone familiar.

  She’d seen him before at the vineyard.

  Opening the door, she stood there. “I’m sorry, but we had a little issue at the shop. I’m cleaning up, and we won’t be open again until tomorrow.”

  He smiled. “Mr. Nelms sent me over to help you.”

  “Oh! That was nice of him,” Nyx said, backing out of the doorway. “Come in.”

  Trey started screaming in her head, warning her. When she looked over at the man, he locked the door.

  “What are you doing?”

  Fear flooded her. She’d been hurt before, and that same sick feeling was back.

  “I actually came here for something I need.”

  Nyx tried to back up, but she was against the counter.

  “What’s that?” she asked, wishing she’d never left the diner. There was a sick feeling brewing in the pit of her stomach, and she didn't think she was going to survive this.

  Beau was going to find her.

  Only, she’d be dead.

  “I seem to need you and your particular gift. It’s been brought to my attention that you can speak to the dead.”

  “You’ve heard wrong.”

  With that, he swung out, striking her so hard she slammed into the wall and slid to the floor.

  As the darkness took her, she could hear Trey telling her to get up and fight.

  Only, she couldn’t.

  Her head hurt.

  The room was spinning.

  As the blackness swallowed her, she whispered back to him. ‘Get help. Find Beau.’

  And then her world went black.

  CHAPTER twenty-four

  Flipping through the papers, they dug into the lives of the past parish members. If the ghost said that someone there had been guilty of his death, they had to find it. As to date, the dead had been their best asset when it came to solving cases, and they weren’t going to give up on it.

  They couldn’t.

  There was too much on the line.

  As Roman kept reading, they were able to eliminate more people from the list.

  “We can definitely remove the Martins. There’s no one on the list by that name,” he offered. “I went back quite a few years.”

  Julian put a line through their names.

  “Who else do you not have?” Tori asked.

  He glanced up and over the top of his glasses. “There’s no Isaiah Martel, and no family with any similarity to that last name. You can probably remove him too.”

  Julian was getting excited.

  He loved this part of the job. It was where they were able to find the bad guy, using only their brains. PI work was a lot of research, and once more, it was coming through for them.

  He was proud of his team.

  “Please tell me you have a Reggie Zellers,” Tori said. “If not, we’re screwed.”

  “I do have the Zeller’s family. They used to attend the church for a few generations.”

  Tori glanced over at her husband. “He has to be the one. He’s the only person here who fits the crime. He regularly attended the services here, he knew about the gold, he took out the priest, and now he’s trying to get rich.”

  Julian had to go with what Roman dug up.

  They had nothing else. By process of elimination, they had their man.

  Beau was staring down at his phone.

  “Are you with us?” Tori asked, touching his hand.

  “She’s not replying to my texts,” he said.

  Even Roman looked over. “She said she was cleaning. Maybe she’s got the music on, and her mind set on getting it done.”

  He shrugged. Maybe the man was right. He was likely getting worked up for nothing, and Beau had to get it under control. He wasn’t accustomed to feeling this out of control over a woman.

  This was scary and new.

  “I’m sorry, let’s get back to work.”

  Tori dug through the papers that Christina sent over. There she found information on their main suspect. “He is thirty six now, so he fits the age criteria.”

  “School?” Julian asked. “If he went for his masters, or doctorate out of the area, he’s eliminated.”

  Tori flipped. “He did his undergraduate here.”

  That was good enough for them.

  He was the only person they’d run across during the investigation who could fill the role of killer, most likely to sabotage the Nelms, and all around asshole.

  “We got him,” Tori said. “We can pass this off to the sheriff, and he can bring him in.”

  Julian grinned. “I can happily say
that we’ve done our duty here, team. Congrats on a job well done.”

  Tori gave her husband a kiss. “Here’s another one for the history book, Jules. Team Littlemoon has won again.”

  Roman held up his hand. “Wait. Before you break out the sparkling grape juice, we have a situation.”

  They all looked over.

  “What?” Julian asked. “Please tell me you didn't find a way to eliminate him.”

  “No. I found something else.”

  “What?” Tori asked.

  “I think I just stumbled into something. We locked down Reggie Zellers, but what if he wasn’t the one who killed those girls.”

  They almost forgot about them. It would have been easy to drop it in Zeller’s lap too, and move on.

  “Zellers likely killed the priest and Pearlie. He took a shot at me. Maybe he did kill the girls.”

  Tori thought about it. “If you have something else, give it to us. We can’t walk away until this is done. I don’t want an entourage following me home,” she said, reminding them of the dead ghosts they needed to help.

  “We have a Kendrick on the list, don’t we?”

  Julian flipped his paper over. “Yeah, we certainly do. He’s the guy at AngelCake, who was serving wine, the day we visited, isn't he?” Julian asked his wife.

  “Yeah, Kendrick Hanlon. He didn't come up on any of our searches with a background to alert us, why?”

  Roman began earning that position with Littlemoon Inc. If they wanted him to show them what he could do, here it was. He was going to dazzle them with his investigative skills.

  “Kendrick is a pretty unusual name, right?”

  “Yeah, I’ve never met another before,” Tori said. “Why? Did you find him on the parishioner list?”

  He shook his head. “I have a Kendrick Helmsley.”

  They weren’t getting it.

  “Can we search him?” he asked. “Maybe get a better check on him. My gut is screaming.”

  That was good enough for them.

  They had time.

  It wasn’t as if the killer was going anywhere.

  “We can,” Tori said, pulling out her tablet. As she typed in the name on the list, she waited for the search.