Grafted into Deceit (Intertwined Book 3)

by Sherri Wilson Johnson

  With her flashlight now somewhere on the floor, she trembled and stared into the darkness that surrounded her. Hopefully, Steven would come soon and peel her off the wall of the truck because she didn’t plan to move away from it any time soon.

  But how long would it take him to arrive? If he was on duty at the station, he could be thirty minutes away. She couldn’t stand here that long.

  She slid down the wall to a squat and fumbled in the darkness for her flashlight. It had to be close. The fifteen-foot truck’s interior wasn’t that big—maybe eight feet across. Using first her right hand and then her left, she panned out in both directions determined to find her light source. If she couldn’t find it, she’d slide to the opening and jump out. Maybe she didn’t need to verify what she she’d seen, after all.

  When her hand landed on the edge of the flashlight handle, she sighed. As comforting as having light would be, now she’d see again what she thought she’d seen before, confirm her suspicions even if she didn’t want to.

  Pulling up to a sitting position, sore from old wounds and new, she swept the beam along the truck’s interior. Then her scream split the air when it landed on Jason Burney’s bloodied and fly-peppered face.

  Everything in her shuddered, and she pasted her body further against the truck wall. Suspicions confirmed. She’d seen a dead body—Jason. Someone had hidden him, bloodied and bruised almost beyond recognition, behind a short stack of mulch bags for future disposal. Decay had begun, and insects had made him their host. No one, not even Mark, deserved this.

  No longer did she have to wonder. She had killed him.

  But why had someone taken his body, and why put him here in this truck on her property?

  She closed her eyes and held her breath. For whatever reason, Jason’s mangled body was here, and that had to mean somehow whatever he was involved in also involved her company. But was it all connected to what she’d discovered in Iris’s files?

  While she waited frozen to the truck wall and hoping Steven would come, she prayed. Finding Jason here didn’t look good. Her presumed innocence was drifting away from her with each occurrence. If things got worse and spiraled out of control, would she be able to prove she had nothing to do with any of these incidents?

  “Marina, are you okay?”

  Marina flinched at the sound of Steven’s voice. “Steven? You’re here!”

  “Of course. You hung up on me. I knew something was wrong.”

  “How did you know where to find me?”

  “You said you were checking the delivery truck. I came around to the loading dock when I heard your scream.” He hopped up into the back of the truck.

  She dropped the flashlight, scrambled over to him, and fell against his chest. While she sobbed, he allowed her to rest in the warmth of his embrace. “I found Jason!”

  Steven pushed her back. “Where?”

  She pointed in the direction of the most horrific scene she’d ever encountered. This was worse than seeing him sticking through her windshield. “He’s wrapped in a landscaper’s jute mesh blanket.” She waved her right hand in front of her face trying to get air and to keep from collapsing.

  Targeting his flashlight beam toward the direction Marina had pointed, Steven inched his way over to Jason’s remains. He didn’t touch anything and only stared down at the scene which would forever haunt Marina’s memories for a long time.

  “Why would someone … why would someone have done that to him? Why didn’t they …” she sobbed, “…leave him in my windshield? This is so inhumane.”

  Steven looked over his shoulder at her. “People are cruel and focused only on what’s in their best interest. He was probably thrown in here out of panic. Whoever chased him into the road didn’t count on you hitting him with your car. Didn’t count on there being a witness.” He refocused on the body and studied it for several minutes. Why didn’t he seem as affected as she was by the gruesome scene? “Did you compromise the scene in any way?”

  “No.” She shook her head and wiped her runny nose. “I bolted to the other side of the truck as soon as I saw him.”

  “Okay, good. I’m sorry you found him. Let’s get you to my car then I can call this in. You’ll have to come down to Headquarters this time.”

  “What about … my neighbor’s—my neighbor’s car?” Her voice skipped. “I—I need to get it back to her.”

  “You can call her from my vehicle and let her know you’ll return it later tonight. I’ll drive you back here after we get finished up at the station.”

  Steven hopped to the ground and held his hands up to her. She allowed him to lower her out of the truck. Her legs trembled, and she doubted she’d make it to his vehicle. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders and supported her while they walked. Once she was in the passenger’s seat, Steven went back to the truck to lower the roll up door.

  After climbing back inside the SUV, he directed his gaze at her. “I needed to preserve the crime scene.”

  She nodded. If only she could preserve her life as it had been before all of this happened—to hide like she’d done as a kid when she couldn’t handle the arguments between her parents and her older sister after she’d come home from the football games drunk. She’d climb out her window onto the roof of the sunroom and stare at the starry night sky. She’d forget about the fighting and the pain and wait for things to calm down. Why couldn’t she do that now?

  Steven grabbed his radio handset. “This is Detective Pennington. I’m out at Acres and Fields Nursery on Elm Grove Road. I need the coroner out here and Forensics.”

  “Yes, sir. Sending units now.”

  He returned the handset to its holder. “It will be okay, Marina. The missing body was a huge piece of the puzzle. Now we can find out how he was connected to the guys in the truck.”

  She crinkled her brow and rubbed the back of her head. “How does finding his body help with that? This only tells us I killed him. I’d hoped he’d be found somewhere in the tropics sipping margaritas and spending on greedy women the money he possibly swindled from Iris. Now we know he’s dead, and it’s because of me. And I don’t see how that brings us any closer to a connection.” She buried her head in her hands.

  “Marina, we don’t know he’s dead because of you. We won’t know until they do the autopsy. Don’t convict yourself of a crime you didn’t commit. Even if your car is responsible for his death, you did it by accident. Kemar Mejora and his accomplice chased him into that road.”

  “And you think having the body will help you figure out why that happened?”

  “Yes, ma’am, I sure do.”

  While they waited, Steven chewed on a pretzel rod, and Marina pushed back her cuticles with her thumbnails. She had to stop dwelling on the circumstances which had cost this man his life because she couldn’t do anything to change it. But how was she going to cope with it? “Is it helping?”

  “Is what helping?”

  Marina observed Steven’s hand. “Chewing on pretzels.”

  “A little, but it’ll be much better when I solve this case.”

  She began her response, but the forensics van pulled up beside them. Steven climbed out of the SUV and joined the investigators as they approached the van. He stood at the back of the delivery truck while the team climbed inside.

  Thirty minutes later, Marina stared without blinking as the gurney carried the black body bag containing Jason’s corpse to the van, and the coroner shut the door.

  Steven shook hands with him and headed back to the vehicle. He was accustomed to seeing dead bodies, but she wasn’t. And she didn’t want to be either. She’d seen her fair share of the criminal side of life since Friday night, and she’d be glad when she didn’t have to see it anymore.

  Steven rejoined her in the SUV but didn’t speak. He focused on the same thing she fixated on. The van which housed Jason’s body. When it drove away, they both let out heavy sighs. She twisted toward him in her seat. “What did they say? Did they find any clues? Do they ha
ve any ideas who put Jason in the truck?”

  Steven tapped his fingers on the steering wheel. “They said Jason was shot, but they don’t know if that’s the cause of death.”

  Her heart cartwheeled, and she grabbed his forearm. “You mean I may not have killed him?”

  He shrugged. “Possibly. But we won’t know until we get the autopsy results, so don’t get too excited yet.”

  An alternate cause of death was possible, and he asked her not to celebrate? Yeah, right. “Did they say anything else?”

  “Only that someone who works here may have disposed of his body.”

  “Excuse me?”

  “It doesn’t seem like a random thing that you found him here especially considering he was hit by your car while running from the property.”

  She didn’t want to admit it, but that theory made sense. Would they start looking at her as a suspect?

  Steven cranked the SUV and headed around the building to the gravel drive. “The accident was Friday night. The deliveries took place Saturday morning. Either his body was in there when the deliveries occurred and the driver knew about it, or he was placed there afterward by whoever wanted him to disappear.”

  “I need to find out the driver’s name?”

  Steven chuckled. “We’ll take care of that. All we need is your list of employees. It’s not safe for you to accuse anyone of hiding a body.”

  She sighed. He was right. She was no match for these criminals.

  After sending a text to Allison to let her know she’d encountered a glitch in her schedule and would return her car in a couple of hours, she relaxed into the leather passenger’s seat and let Steven take charge. “Could Jason have had something to do with the money Iris paid out without my authorization?”

  “I’m not sure if he’s connected to the money, or if the money is connected to the drugs I suspect, but I believe he’s the key to figuring it all out.” Steven turned on Elm Grove, and within a few minutes, they were back on Highway 41.

  Marina concentrated on the blurring lights of the businesses they passed on the way to Headquarters. She crossed her arms over her chest and rubbed her forearms. Would she ever be able to erase Jason’s bloodied face from her memory? “I’m beginning to believe you may be right.”

  ***

  Marina stepped into First Bank the next morning with Steven right behind her as they strode across the polished wood floors on their quest to find out who Blossom Marketing was and what it had to do with Acres and Fields. Although she hadn’t wanted Steven to come with her, after finding Jason’s body, her vulnerability had won. Now she walked a little taller knowing he was by her side. She was thankful he’d insisted on accompanying her.

  Last night after Steven followed her home from the station, she rehearsed what she’d say today and concluded she didn’t have to persuade the bank personnel to give her information about the recipient of the money since her signature was on the checks. Hopefully, she was right with that assumption.

  Steven sat across from her in one of the taupe leather chairs, which looked too formal for him although he wore a stylish black suit and gray necktie. She’d seen him in jeans and more recently in a jogging suit, and although he could gain entrance into any country club with his present ensemble, she could tell he much preferred the casual attire by the way he pulled at and adjusted his necktie every minute or two. Or maybe he was as apprehensive about their upcoming conversation with the banker as she was.

  The morning sun blazed in through the windows in the two-story lobby and created a spotlight on Steven’s head making it impossible to overlook him even if she tried. He tapped his fingers on the arms of the chair and shook his legs.

  She raised her gaze to judge his thoughts and found him already looking at her. Her face warmed, and her heart skipped a beat or two when he smiled. She lowered her gaze to her hands, which arranged and rearranged the files in her lap.

  Stay on track and don’t get distracted by those green eyes. Maybe she should pinch her leg where the coffee scalded it. That would distract her, for sure.

  “Ms. Acres, I’m Georgia Rutherford, the Financial Manager. You can come on back.”

  Clutching her files, she stood at the sound of the woman’s warm Southern voice. She adjusted her purse strap on her shoulder and pivoted toward Steven. “You coming?”

  He popped up from the chair like an eager little boy at an ice cream shop. “Absolutely.”

  The well-dressed, tall, and slender blonde’s sandalwood perfume wafted behind her and invited them to follow. “Please have a seat.” She motioned to the chairs across from her desk.

  Marina scooted into the chair closest to the wall. Steven sat beside her in the chair by the door. “Thank you for seeing me this morning.”

  Ms. Rutherford nodded and steepled her fingers. “My pleasure. How can I help?”

  Marina straightened her shoulders and sighed. “I own Acres and Fields Nursery and Landscape Design. We’ve banked with you for several years. This is Detective Pennington.” She motioned toward Steven, and he signaled a salute of sorts with two fingers to the banker.

  Ms. Rutherford arched an eyebrow. “Detective? Is this an official investigation?” She looked from Steven to Marina multiple times.

  “Yes, but we’re not sure if there’s a connection between what I’m trying to find out and his investigation.”

  Steven nodded. “I’d like to find out if there is.”

  “What exactly are you trying to find out, Ms. Acres?”

  “Yesterday, I found a key to a safety deposit box here at the bank in my business partner’s office. I’d like to find out what’s in the box.”

  Ms. Rutherford shook her head and gave Marina a regretful look. “I’m sorry, unless you co-own the box with her or your name is on the authorization list, I wouldn’t be able to let you access the box.”

  Frustration tightened its grip on Marina’s heart. She should’ve faked ownership of the box. Why had she told the lady it belonged to Iris? Her compulsion for being honest was why. Besides, she wouldn’t have successfully gone through whatever identification steps there were to get into the box anyway. She sighed. “Okay, well, I doubt Iris would have given me access, but can you check for me?”

  “Yes. Let me see the key, please.”

  Marina handed Ms. Rutherford the key, and after a few minutes of examination and poking through files on her slow computer, she turned her attention back to Marina. “It appears only Ms. Fields has access to this box.”

  “Okay, thanks. May I have the key back, so I can return it to Iris’s desk?”

  “I believe it’s best if I hold it here for Ms. Fields. You can let her know we have it.”

  Marina turned toward Steven, and he shrugged. How was she going to get herself out of this mess now? There was no way she could avoid a confrontation with Iris if Iris went looking for the key. She sighed again and regrouped. “I have photos of canceled checks, and I need help gathering information on the payee.”

  Ms. Rutherford pursed her lips and blinked several times. “I’d be glad to help with that if I can. Has there been a problem with the funds or some other matter?”

  Marina opened the folder onto the desktop exposing the copies of her photos Steven had printed for her at the station then raised her attention to Ms. Rutherford. “The checks were written to a company called Blossom Marketing. They have my signature on them, but I didn’t write or sign these checks. I have no idea who Blossom Marketing is.”

  “I’m not sure I can help you unless we have an account holder by that name. Let me look at the checks.” Ms. Rutherford reached for the folder, and Marina relaxed her shoulders. Maybe she’d be able to bring light to this situation.

  Steven tapped his fingers on the arms of the chair but stopped when Marina gave him a sharp look. “Sorry,” he whispered. He folded his hands onto his lap and straightened in his chair.

  Marina smiled an apology. She hadn’t meant to chastise him, but situations like these made
her ultra-nervous, and she didn’t need him adding to the tension.

  Ms. Rutherford looked up at her and then over to Steven. Judging by the look on her face, their lack of professionalism had made her doubt their motives for digging into the transactions of the account.

  “Can you help me find out who Blossom Marketing is?”

  “Let me look in our system and see if we have an account holder by that name. I can’t give you private information if we do, but I can give you basic info.”

  Marina squeezed her hands together. “Thank you.”

  Ms. Rutherford then raised her dark gaze from the computer screen and studied Marina. “Well, actually, I should’ve asked for this when you first came in. I need to see your I.D., Ms. Acres. And I need to see yours as well, Detective. It’s standard whenever we have someone inquiring about account information.”

  “Even though it’s my account?”

  “Yes, well, I need to verify you’re who you say you are.”

  Marina sighed and took her driver’s license out of her purse.

  Steven pulled his badge off his belt and his I.D. out of his pocket and handed them to Ms. Rutherford, who examined each piece of identification and nodded.

  She returned his badge and I.D. to him with care and Marina’s license to her. After flipping through Marina’s photos of the checks, she said, “Okay, they are stamped and not signed.”

  Marina placed her license in her purse. “Right, I noticed that too. I was hoping there was an actual signature, so I could trace a name.”

  Ms. Rutherford entered the information into the bank’s database and waited. She tapped her pen on the desk and smiled. “The system is extra slow today. Mondays.” She cupped her mouth with her left hand.

  Marina chuckled. “They’re the worst.”

  Steven sighed and shifted in his seat.

  “Okay, here we go. Blossom Marketing has a Lewistown P.O. Box. I don’t have a physical address or website listed for them, though.”