Dae's Christmas Past

by Joyce Lavene

  “Thanks. I’d like to hear what he has to say,” I said.

  “He’s more coherent today. We got him a change of clothes, and he took a shower. He even ate some breakfast. Just go down the hall there. The door isn’t locked.” She shrugged. “Where is he gonna go anyway?”

  Kevin and Mary Catherine accompanied me, though I wished I’d insisted on seeing him alone. I wasn’t worried about Mary Catherine so much as Kevin after their altercation at the Blue Whale.

  But Jake was Jake again. He was sitting in a ladder back chair tossing cards into a bucket as he waited for the sheriff. When he saw me, he got to his feet and offered me his chair. He pulled another up for Mary Catherine.

  “Boyfriend.” He nodded at Kevin as he always had.

  “Fiancé.” Kevin corrected and nodded back. “Cowboy. How’s it going?”

  “I’ve been better.” Jake’s gaze came back to me. “Miss Dae. I hope you’re well. I’d like to apologize again for what happened.”

  “You weren’t yourself,” I replied. “How are you feeling?”

  “Not too bad considering they say I killed my best friend.” His eyes narrowed. “Know anything about that? I hear you found him—no surprise.”

  “That’s about it. I’m sorry. The sheriff and Chief Michaels think you killed him because he started siding with the archeologists about you leaving your property.”

  He shook his head. “That’s just stupid. I’d never hurt Tom.”

  “I didn’t think you’d hurt Dae either,” Kevin gruffly remarked.

  “I wouldn’t—not knowingly. I was out of my head. I can’t describe it.”

  “Maybe you were out of your head when you killed Tom too.”

  I knew I had to end that discussion. “No one thinks you meant to do it, Jake. I think you were drugged. They did some blood work at the clinic.”

  “Why would someone drug me?” he asked. “That doesn’t make any sense.”

  “And according to the blood tests, it didn’t happen either.” Chief Palo knocked on the doorway, but she was already in the room with us. “Sorry. Sheriff Riley is here.”

  “Don’t I get a lawyer or something?” Jake asked tersely.

  “As a matter of fact,” Chief Palo said. “The Wild Horse Conservancy is hiring an attorney for you. They said he’d be there when you’re arraigned.”

  “Just don’t say anything until you talk to him,” I advised.

  Sheriff Riley and Dare County District Attorney Luke Helms joined us. After nodding to us, Sheriff Riley instructed one of his deputies to put handcuffs on Jake, and tell him his rights.

  “Good morning, Dae.” Luke smiled at me and shook hands with Kevin. “This seems like an odd place to find the mayor of Duck.”

  “Not so odd,” I told him. “Jake is a good friend. I can’t believe you’re arresting him for killing Tom.”

  “His blood work came back clean. He had motive and opportunity. Everyone knew he and Tom had been arguing over this thing with the horses. We found what we think is the crime scene at Jake’s house.”

  “In short, Mayor, it looks like your friend killed Tom Watts and dumped his body on Duck Road. He tried to convince everyone that he was crazy or drugged. I think we know better than that now.” Sheriff Riley hitched up his pants. “I hereby take custody of this man from you, Chief Palo. Have a nice day.”

  Jake was escorted from the room.

  “Don’t worry,” I told him. “We’ll figure out who really killed Tom.”

  “We will?” Kevin asked.

  “Yes. We will.”

  We waited to leave the police station until Jake was in the sheriff’s car, and they were backing out of the parking lot. An older woman with streaked gray and black hair walked into the police station. Her black suit was sharply creased, and her matching shoes and bag looked expensive.

  “Hello.” She held her hand out to us. “I’m Mayor Lisa Fitz. I don’t know if you voted for me, but I thought I should introduce myself to my constituents.”

  Chief Palo smiled. “This is Mayor Dae O’Donnell from Duck, ma’am. And her friends, Kevin Brickman, and Mary Catherine Roberts.”

  “All from Duck?” Mayor Fitz asked. “Is there a convention that I didn’t know about?”

  “No, ma’am. They were here visiting the prisoner Sheriff Riley just picked up,” Chief Palo explained.

  “Sheriff Riley? Isn’t he from another county too?”

  “Yes, ma’am. It was his prisoner. The murder was committed in Duck, but the suspect was from Corolla. We were holding him until the sheriff could get him.”

  Mayor Fitz glanced around the police station. “Well, next time, let’s try to have a prisoner of our own, shall we, Chief Palo?” She vaguely glanced our way and then left.

  Chief Palo apologized. “She’s new. Only lived here the necessary ninety days to file for public office. She’ll get used to things.”

  “Thanks for your help and understanding.” I shook hands with her. “We’re headed over to the excavation. I don’t know exactly what we’re looking for, but I want to take a look out there.”

  “If you don’t mind, Dae, I’ll ride over there too. I haven’t been out there since Tom died. I’d like to see who’s taken over and such.”

  “Sure.” I glanced at Mary Catherine and Kevin. “We’ll meet you over there.”

  Two Corolla police officers came into the station. They were talking about the dozens of calls they’d received during the night. “It’s crazy out there,” one of them told Chief Palo. “Everyone thinks we’re being attacked by horses. No one has seen any horses, but they keep saying they hear them.”

  “I know.” Chief Palo put on her hat and jacket. “Mrs. Evans called again to say that horses ruined her statue garden. I don’t know what’s wrong with everyone.”

  “Whatever it is must be contagious,” I said. “We’re having the same problem in Duck. I’ve seen the hoof prints—some of them burned right into the pavement. There’s been some property destruction our way too.”

  We discussed the situation for a few minutes. The stories sounded the same from both towns. I didn’t mention having heard the horses or feeling their presence. Things were strange enough as it was.

  “Bobby, go out to the wild horse trailer and ask them if they know what’s happening,” Chief Palo said to her officer.

  “I’ll do that, ma’am,” he replied. “But I’m telling you no horses—wild or otherwise—are out jumping on porches and smashing statues. That’s just plain crazy.”

  I noticed he glanced my way when he said it. Maybe he knew me. Maybe it was just the weirdness of the situation.

  Kevin, Mary Catherine, and I left the police station with Chief Palo following behind us in a squad car. It couldn’t hurt to have her with us. Dr. Sheffield had invited me to take a look, but that had been before Tom’s murder. He might have had a change of heart.

  “I guess that answers the question about the horses in Corolla too,” Kevin said. “I had a feeling that would be the case. I’m sure it’s the same coming up through Sanderling too. They just rely on the sheriff taking care of their issues.”

  “I don’t like the way this is going,” Mary Catherine fretted. “It’s no wonder the horses are worried. I’m worried too. You know it doesn’t take much for something like this to blow up into an event everyone will regret. We can’t let that happen.”

  Chapter Sixteen

  I’d been to Jake’s horse ranch several times since I’d met him. It wasn’t much—just a few acres with an old barn and house on it surrounding by fencing. Now there was a large red sign at the long drive that proclaimed the spot a historic dig.

  There were no horses in the pasture now. Jake had to give up taking care of them while the excavation was going on. Too many people were going in and out to make sure the injured animals weren’t in danger. It had been a difficult decision for him because caring for the wild horses was his life—as it had been Tom’s.

  That was why the two of
them were such great friends. Tom had probably endorsed the excavation because he thought it would be a good thing to prove how long the horses had been on the island. He’d probably hoped it would bring in more publicity and donations to take care of them.

  Jake had thought that too, at least in the beginning. He’d wanted to know more about the bits and pieces he’d found on his own. But his curiosity had put him in a position that was impossible for him.

  I could see covered areas with signs all around the property. The first area that Jake had begun digging had yielded the large stone horse. I was surprised to see it completely out in the open. The horse was exactly like it had been in my vision. The red-brown stone was carved with the same intricate markings I’d seen in the vision. The area around it even appeared like the square dimensions of its underground tomb that I had visited.

  We parked by the old barn. The three of us waited for Chief Palo before going any further. There had been no guards or anyone stopping us from going into the site, but as we got out of the truck, Dr. Sheffield appeared.

  He was dressed in jeans, a long-sleeved blue shirt, and a Corolla baseball cap. He was a long, lean, no-nonsense kind of person. His assistant, Duran, was at his side, as always. I was beginning to think the two were permanently linked together.

  “Mayor O’Donnell.” Dr. Sheffield hurried to my side. “Mr. Brickman. What a pleasant surprise. I believe we met at the election party, Mrs. Roberts. Welcome, all.”

  He was in an effusive mood. I had to wonder how much of his giddiness was directly attributed to losing his longtime critic to a murder investigation.

  “Dr. Sheffield.” I shook his hand, my most friendly mayor’s smile on my face. “It’s good to see you, even in these difficult circumstances.”

  He hung his head. “I know what you mean. I can’t believe that Tom is dead or that Jake killed him.”

  “That’s yet to be seen,” Kevin said, surprising me.

  “Is there some new evidence that shows someone else is responsible for Tom’s death?” Duran voice was heavily laced with sarcasm. “We heard that the murder scene is right in his house. Am I mistaken?”

  “No.” Chief Palo stepped in. “That’s the latest on the investigation, sir.”

  “It’s just so sad,” Duran added. “The two of them were so close—until Jake lost it. He’s been getting scary for a while now. He actually tried to collapse the dig around the big horse. Can you imagine?”

  “I don’t understand why Tom turned against him,” I said. “I know they disagreed as to how much good the dig could do for the wild horses. I didn’t realize it had become more than that.”

  “Jake threatened Tom with a shotgun a few weeks ago,” Dr. Sheffield explained. “They’d been arguing again. Jake told him to get off his property. When Tom didn’t leave right away, Jake escorted him off.”

  Duran shivered. “There were a bunch of us there that day. It was frightening.”

  It was the first I’d heard of the incident, but since I’d been busy with my own problems, it wasn’t surprising that I hadn’t known. It was still hard to believe, even with the audience of archeologists willing to testify to the event. Jake just wasn’t the type to pick up a gun to solve his problems. But I acknowledged that Jake had not been himself.

  “Was there something in particular that became the last straw?” I asked.

  “It had something to do with digging up the big horse,” Dr. Sheffield said. “I actually think he wanted to re-bury it after all the work it’s taken to dig it up.”

  “As soon as he saw it out in the open, he freaked out,” Duran continued. “He couldn’t even look at it. He kept saying it was evil.”

  Chief Palo nodded as she glanced around the property. Small groups of people were working everywhere with brown tents covering the spots where they were digging. We stood there as I wondered what to ask or look for that could make some difference.

  It seemed even more possible that Jake was feeling the emanations from the horses that I’d felt and they had overwhelmed him. He might not be psychic, but he could be sensitive.

  “I’d like to take a peek at the rest of the site,” Mary Catherine said. “I might not be out this way again, and it’s not every day that one visits a place that could predate most of the historical spots in our country.”

  “I’d like that too,” Chief Palo said. “I’m new to the area. I thought the horses came from the Spanish treasure ships.”

  “Good God!” Dr. Sheffield eyes widened as Baylor stretched around Mary Catherine’s shoulders. “What is that?”

  She patted her cat’s neck. “This is Baylor. He often travels with me. You don’t have to worry. He won’t get down and bother a thing. Shall we go?”

  Immediately on seeing her delicate shoes, Dr. Sheffield had a few of his workers create a walkway with wood slats to the individual worksites. So that was why she didn’t have to worry about wearing boots. She was very good at getting her own way.

  We went to see the big horse first. It was definitely Sheffield’s pride and joy. I could feel the terrible evil coming from it long before I was looking up at it. It was even worse in person than it had been in the vision. But at least here I could get away from it.

  Osisko was there too, pointing toward Jake’s house.

  “I’m sorry. I’m not feeling very well. I think I’ll go back and sit in the truck for a few minutes. If you have to move on, that’s okay.” I didn’t have to feign illness. Staring at the statue had made me queasy.

  “I’ll come with you,” Kevin offered.

  “That’s okay.” I squeezed his hand. “I’ll be fine. Probably just some bug going around. You know how it is at this time of year.”

  Dr. Sheffield was gracious about me leaving the tour. “I hope you feel better, Dae. You’re always welcome here.”

  “I could make you some mint tea,” Duran offered.

  “I think I’ll just close my eyes for a few minutes.” I started walking back toward the truck, hoping none of them would feel so bad that they needed to follow me.

  Osisko moved with me toward the house after I’d left the group. He used his bone to point to the front window.

  I knew I was going to have to go inside and look around. It was a crime scene, and Gramps would have killed me if he’d known I’d crossed the yellow tape. But I thought someone might have missed something small that could clear Jake’s name from the case the police were building against him.

  I waited until the side of the barn was between the tour and Kevin’s pickup before I made a sharp right to get into Jake’s house. There was crime scene tape across the kitchen door, but not the front door that faced the highway. I started thinking that I could say I needed to use the bathroom if anyone found me. It seemed a rational excuse.

  There were always gloves in my bag. I needed them when I went to auctions and visited antique dealers. I slipped on a pair as soon as I walked into the house. Kevin had taught me that. I only needed to touch what was necessary—not everything. I didn’t want to risk passing out.

  There had been a scuffle in Jake’s house. He didn’t have a lot of clutter, more the type to only have what he needed. But now everything that had been on the sofa, the mantel, and the table, was on the floor. Papers had been ripped to shreds and thrown everywhere. I noticed the outline of what I assumed was Tom’s body on the hardwood floor. There was still a blood stain where his head had been. I moved closer, and squatted down beside it.

  “I knew I’d find you here,” Kevin said.

  I jumped and almost fell into the blood stain. “What?”

  He laughed. “What are you looking for?”

  “Something that proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that Jake didn’t kill Tom. You asked.”

  “That seems unlikely. The best thing would be a good alibi. You could always say you were with him when Tom died.”

  “Gramps would kill me if I lied for you, much less Jake. Short of that, there must be something else.”

 
; Kevin crouched down on the other side of the outline. “Look at the hoof print.”

  I noticed the bloody mark that was clearly a hoof print. “Were the horses in here too?”

  “Doubtful. And there’s just the one print. A horse couldn’t come in here, gallop over Tom, and leave no hoof prints but this one before it took Tom to Duck Road.”

  “So Jake couldn’t have done it. He wouldn’t have done anything that might be bad for the horses.”

  “I didn’t say that, and the police won’t take that as proof that Jake didn’t kill Tom,” Kevin corrected. “Someone tried to make it look like a horse did it, but that could have been Jake.”

  “Or Dr. Sheffield killed Tom to pin it on Jake so he could take his land.”

  He shrugged. “It’s possible. It’s not the weirdest thing I’ve ever heard.” He bent down close to the wood floor.

  “What are you looking at?”

  “See if you can find some tweezers,” he said. “There’s something wedged between the floorboards. I don’t think I can get it out with my fingers.”

  I got the tweezers I’d seen on Jake’s desk near the fireplace. Kevin maneuvered them between the cracks in the old wood. He came up with a thin slice of white plastic.

  “That could be anything.” I wasn’t very impressed.

  “It could be something important.” He studied it as he held it between the tweezers. “It looks like the edge of a name badge.”

  “Everyone out here has one.” I sulked. “How is that going to help anyway, even if it is a name badge?”

  “I know someone who can touch things and see who they belong to,” he reminded me. “Want to give it a try?”

  “I’m scared to do it after yesterday. What if I pass out again?”

  He didn’t hesitate. “I’ll take you to the pickup, and they’ll know you were really sick.”

  “That’s not a great plan.”

  “Got a better one? It’s not old. I don’t think it could harbor much evil in a slice this small.”

  “No. Let me have it.” I took off my gloves and grabbed the piece of plastic from him.