“I guess it’ll depend on what’s left in his account.” Chief Stackhouse paused to lean back in his chair. “Of course, we’ll have to find evidence he’s guilty first. I’ll get on that warrant right away.” With a creak of leather, he rose to his feet. “Thanks for bringing this to my attention. You can be sure I’ll take it from here and nail the little bas . . . uh, the suspect.”
Ryan stood, and pulled Leah up beside him. “Thank you, Chief. We appreciate your personal attention to the matter.”
“Have you confided in anyone else about this yet?” He rounded his desk and put a hand on Leah’s back to guide her toward the door.
“No, we just figured it out a short time ago and called Officer Long.”
“I’ll fill Chris in on the details, but you might not want to talk out of turn until we can get that warrant. This is a small community, and I don’t want anyone to tip off Dorsey.”
“We’ll keep quiet about it. I learned my lesson on that front already.”
The chief’s grip on her shoulder tightened. “How’s that?”
“I think my ex-husband knows what George has been doing. I had a conversation with Brock before the police tried to make an arrest up in Astoria.” Her voice broke. “I would never have said anything if—”
“You think Brock warned his buddy?”
Ryan nodded. “Yes.”
“I’ll look into that aspect of the situation, as well. You’ve both been very helpful.”
“I just want George brought to justice,” Leah said. “This whole nightmare can’t be over soon enough to suit me.”
“Agreed.” The chief walked them to the door and held it open. “I’ll be in touch.”
“Thank you.” Taking Leah’s hand, Ryan led the way through the dense fog to his Jeep and clicked the remote to unlock it. “Let’s go home.”
She leaned against the window as they drove through the night. Her stomach still ached with none of the relief she’d expected to feel after unburdening herself and hearing the chief’s promise of action. “Maybe we should have told him about the bone, too.”
“Huh?” Ryan glanced over as he slowed to turn into her driveway.
“My insides are all tied up in knots.”
“Yeah, mine, too.” He shifted to look over his shoulder when headlights shone in the rearview mirror. “I wonder who that is.”
“I don’t want to talk to anyone.” Leah’s voice cracked. “Not until I’ve had a chance to wrap my head around all this. Honestly, I feel like I might lose it completely.”
“Go inside, and I’ll deal with whoever’s back there.”
She bolted out of the car and practically ran through the carport to the kitchen door. Once inside, she switched on the light, then dropped onto a chair at the table and buried her face in her hands. When Barney poked his nose against her side and whined, she stroked his soft head with trembling fingers.
A few minutes later, the door opened, and Ryan sat down next to her. “You okay?”
“Yes. I’m being a baby to let everything bother me so much. First we solve the con man mystery, but then discover that horrible bone.” She shuddered. “It’s just one thing after another with no break.”
“It’ll be over tomorrow. I promise. I’ll give the femur to Stannard and be done with it, even if it means driving down to Coos Bay. None of this is our problem. Let the cops handle it.”
“If that’s how you feel, why didn’t you tell Chief Stackhouse?”
“Honestly, I was tempted. But when I opened my mouth, something made me stop. Probably an excess of caution, along with fear the news might spread to the wrong ears if that bone is in any way tied to the men in the pictures from the time capsule.”
“I guess better safe than sorry.” She turned to face him. “Who was outside?”
“It was Chris Long, following up after my call earlier. I gave him a brief rundown on George Dorsey and told him we’d talked to the chief.”
“Good.” She glanced at her watch. “It’s not even eight o’clock, and all I want to do is go to bed.”
Ryan tilted her chin to look into her eyes. “You’re not hungry? We didn’t eat dinner.”
She shook her head. “I couldn’t possibly, but go ahead and make yourself something.”
He stood and pulled her into his arms to gather her close. “Go upstairs and take a hot bath to relax. I’ll be with you shortly.”
She wound her arms around his neck and held tight. “Thank you.”
“For what?”
“Being here. Being you. For not letting me push you away. I love you so much, Ryan.”
He kissed her, then wiped away the tears that slid down her cheeks. “I won’t let anything come between us this time. Not your stubbornness or my stupidity. I’m sorry I was a jerk about the money.”
“I’m sorry, too. At least all this drama has shown me what’s important in life. You and me together. Nothing else matters more than that.”
“You’re right. Now go unwind while I make a sandwich. You look completely worn out.”
“I’m emotionally drained, that’s for sure.” She pressed a quick kiss to his lips then pulled away. “Don’t be too long.”
“I won’t.”
Barney followed Leah up the stairs and into her bedroom. He flopped down on the rug with a sigh while she stripped off her clothes and shrugged into a warm fleece robe. The idea of a bath had merit, but she settled for a hot shower to take away the deep-seated chill in her bones.
Minutes later, she stood beneath the stinging spray with her head hanging and let the water wash away her exhaustion. She’d had a few moments of weakness, but no more. Straightening, she squared her shoulders, shut off the water, and stepped out onto the mat. She was still drying her hair in the steamy bathroom when Ryan cracked open the door and poked his head through.
“Are you okay?”
She clicked off the blow dryer and laid it on the counter. “Yes. I’m over letting everything bother me. If George is a criminal, he deserves to be locked up. I already knew Brock has zero morals, so I’m not sure why I let another example of his tendency to make horrible decisions bother me. His problem, not mine.”
Ryan stepped farther into the room and slid his arms around her waist, taking care not to squeeze her still sore ribs. “You have an enviable strength. Don’t beat yourself up because you allowed yourself to be vulnerable for a change.”
“I’m sick of feeling like a victim. The scumbag who tried to steal back those pictures has hurt me for the last time. If that bone has any connection to whatever perverted ceremony was going on in those woods twenty years ago, then they all deserve to rot in hell.” She met his gaze in the mirror. “You were right to be cautious about turning over possible evidence. I want justice for the woman in those pictures. Maybe we’re no longer in any danger, but it’s our duty as responsible citizens to see that the crime committed that night is punished.”
“Agreed. I’ll call Detective Stannard first thing in the morning.”
She turned to face him and wrapped her arms around his neck. A fierce love filled her, along with a sense of righting old wrongs. “We’ll make those bastards pay.”
Ryan cupped her face in his hands and kissed her. “Time to let go of the past and focus on the future. We’ve got this, Leah.”
She smiled into his eyes. “Damn right.”
* * *
“Tell your idiot son to get the hell out of town. Now.”
Arnold Dorsey dropped his beer bottle on the card table, and foam spewed out of the top. He scooped up his cell before it could get soaked. “What the hell are you talking about?”
“Leah and Ryan Alexander just figured out the connection between your name and the game George was playing with those aliases, and reported it. I told you your kid was beyond stupid to think no one would catch on.”
“Shit. Can’t you do something to squash an investigation?” His hand shook as he righted the bottle and sopped up the mess with a wad of napkins. “You owe me that
much.”
“Unfortunately, a report has already been filed. The last thing I want is outsiders snooping around before tomorrow night, but your son left victims all over the state. Everyone and his brother will be looking into this.”
“Can’t you—”
“I’ll do everything possible to head off an official investigation until the Samhain is over, but I can’t promise more than that. Tell your kid to get on a plane to . . . wherever. I don’t want to know anything more about it.”
“Should we cancel tomorrow night’s ceremony? Seems a little risky at this juncture.” He met the terrified gaze of the other occupant of the room. “I can eliminate—”
“I’m not willing to do that. We’ll celebrate as planned. I trust our sacrifice is still secure?”
“Yes.” He rubbed his temple as the throbbing behind his eyes strengthened. “I’ll need more than a day to—”
“You aren’t going to get it. Tell George to cut his losses, take what cash he can, and get out now. Access to that report is widespread. The best I can do is use my resources to throw up a few roadblocks.”
Arnold slammed his fist down on the table with enough force to rattle the beer bottle. “Let me guess who’s responsible for the report. Chris Long, always the Boy Scout.”
His answer was a grunt.
“We have leverage to use against him.”
“I won’t threaten a brother. Your son dug his own grave. Now deal with it.”
The phone went dead.
Arnold stared at the young woman, bound and gagged on a mattress in the corner. She stared back at him in stark horror.
“I’ll deal, all right.” His lips curled. “Count on it.”
Chapter Twenty-eight
“Why the heck can’t Stannard meet with you?”
Leah tightened her grip on her cell and lowered her voice as Sloan approached from across the playground. Between them, costume-clad kids ran screaming, all hyped up on sugar and holiday excitement. “He has something more important than buried human remains to keep him busy?”
“He promised to drive up here, but not until early evening,” Ryan answered. “They’re dealing with a reported hate crime, and he can’t get away any sooner.”
“Well, that sucks.” She shivered in her hippy costume as a cold wind fluttered the fringe on her suede vest. “What now?”
“I still want to hike up to the clearing to see what else is buried near that rock.”
Leah forced a smile when Sloan joined her. “If you can wait a couple hours, I’ll go with you. I should be finished here by three.”
“I guess there’s no rush. I’ll pick you up after school lets out.”
“Okay. Bye, Ryan.” She clicked off her phone and stuffed it in the pocket of her flowered bell-bottom pants.
“Do you and Ryan have plans for this evening? I’ve heard there are quite a few parties, despite the fact it’s a work night.” Sloan rolled his eyes. “My invitations must have gotten lost in the mail.”
“No, this is . . . something else.” She shot him a quick smile. “Maybe if your go-to costume wasn’t a nerd you’d be more popular.”
“Hey, dressing up is easy when I can simply pull my regular clothes out of the closet, add a little tape to my glasses, and voilà, instant geek.”
She smoothed the fringe. “Maybe that’s why I usually dress as a flower child . . . it’s not much of a stretch.” When the bell rang, she clapped her hands. “Line up, kids. Lunch is over.”
“We should just send them home now. It’s not like they’re going to learn anything this afternoon.”
“Don’t be such a pessimist. You never know when someone will surprise you.”
Two hours later, Leah’s enthusiasm for trying to teach had disappeared completely. When the final bell rang, she cheered nearly as loudly as her students. “Make sure you have all the pieces to your costumes.” She raised her voice to be heard over the clamor of excited voices. “Have fun trick-or-treating tonight, and remember the safety rules we talked about.” When the last fairy princess and devil disappeared through the classroom doorway, she slumped in her chair. “Oh, thank God.”
“Rough day?”
She glanced up as Ryan entered the room, and her fatigue evaporated. “They were understandably unruly.”
“I’ll say. I was nearly trampled by a stampede of skeletons and witches on my way down the hall.”
“You’re here ahead of schedule.” She stood and walked around her desk to meet him halfway. “I need to clean up the party mess before I can leave.”
“I came early to help.” Pulling her into his arms, he dropped a kiss on her upturned lips . . . then a second and a third lingering caress involving tongue. His voice was slightly hoarse when he finally turned her loose. “Put me to work.”
She blinked and took a deep breath. “Sure, work.”
They straightened the room in record time and had just finished cramming used paper plates and black and orange crepe paper into a garbage bag when Edgar pushed a wheeled trash container through the doorway.
Leah held up the bulging plastic bag. “Tada! It’s all yours.” She lobbed it into the bin.
He glanced around the room and nodded at Ryan. “You win the prize for quickest clean-up today.”
“That’s because I had help.”
Edgar dipped his mop up and down in a bucket of cleaning solution strong enough to burn the inside of her nose. “My shoes are sticking to the floor. How many cups of punch did the kids spill?” he asked.
“I lost count. You deserve hazard pay for a day like this.”
“Tell that to the schoolboard. Go on home, Leah.” His gaze shifted to Ryan. “I imagine you two have somewhere better than this to be.”
She pointed at the bucket. “We’re off on a hike. A little fresh air and exercise to clear the fumes out of my head will be welcome. You should try it.”
His lips curved in a quick smile. “I might just do that.”
Ryan handed over her denim jacket. “On that note, let’s get out of here. Have a nice evening, Edgar.”
Leah pulled her tote bag out of her bottom desk drawer, slung the strap over her shoulder, then glanced up when Sloan entered the room. “Ryan and I were just leaving. Do you need something?”
“Just a minute of Edgar’s time. I’ll talk to you tomorrow, Leah.” He nodded as they passed. “Good to see you, Ryan.”
“Likewise.” Slipping an arm around Leah’s shoulders, he guided her from the room. “I want to get moving. It’ll be dark in a couple of hours, and we won’t be able to see squat.”
“We can take a couple of heavy-duty flashlights with us, just in case.” She waved to the office staff as they headed toward the front doors. “Any word from Detective Stannard?”
“I told him we intend to hike up to that clearing. Since he wants to take a look around, he offered to meet us there. Apparently he lived in Siren Cove when he was a kid and is familiar with the trail.”
“Good.” Leah shivered as a cold breeze hit her the minute Ryan held open the door. “Brrr. It’s going to be a chilly hike.”
An hour later she had warmed considerably as they set a fast pace up the trail, carrying packs loaded with flashlights, snacks, water bottles, and a shovel with a folding handle. Barney ran ahead but returned when she called him.
Leah glanced over at Ryan. “Maybe we should have left him at home. I don’t want my dog chewing any more suspicious-looking bones.”
“There may not be any bones to find, but if that femur is part of a larger stash, Barney will sniff it out. Why not take what help we can get?”
“I suppose.” She let out a sigh. “God, I hope we don’t discover anything too horribly gruesome.”
“Me, too.” Ryan nodded toward the shifting shadows crisscrossing the trail as tree branches waved in the wind. “At least there’s no fog this afternoon, but we probably don’t have much more than another hour of daylight left.”
“I hurried as fast as I could.�
�� She stubbed her toe on a protruding root and winced. “Oh, I forgot to tell you Chief Stackhouse left a message on my cell earlier that there was a glitch in getting the warrant to search George Dorsey’s financial records, something about Judge Reardon being indisposed. He expects to have his signature by tomorrow. If the evidence is there, the chief will make an arrest.”
“I sure hope so. Did you talk to your grandma?”
Leah shook her head, huffing a little as they hiked up the last steep incline. “I didn’t tell her because I don’t want to get her hopes up too soon. Since her packing isn’t finished yet, we did ask the management company for a week extension on the apartment. They don’t have her unit rented until December, so they were happy to oblige.”
“Maybe she’ll be able to stay, after all.”
“I’m not sure she’ll want to, even if the police do recover her money. Gram seems pretty happy about moving in with Magnus.”
“Whatever makes Evie happy, right?”
“Absolutely.” Leah waved a hand as they reached the top of the climb. “We’ve arrived. Barney, get over here right now.”
The dog cast a guilty look back at her before bolting through the bushes.
“Damn it, Barney.”
“I’ll get him.” Ryan pushed through the manzanita in pursuit of the dog, with Leah following. “What the hell?”
She jerked free of a prickly branch snagged on her jacket, stepped into the clearing, and drew in a sharp breath. Dead wood was heaped in a tall pile near the mammoth stone, apparently waiting only for a match to turn the pyre into a flaming beacon. A white cloth covered the rock’s flat surface. A black star inside a circle stood out in stark relief.
“What is that thing?”
“A pentagram.”
Leah stared at the satanic symbol as fear crawled up her spine. “Let’s get out of here.”
“Too late for that, I’m afraid. I was told you’d be hiking up here.” A man in a hooded gray cloak stepped out of the trees. His face was hidden in the gathering twilight, but the muzzle of an ugly black revolver protruded from the sleeve of his garment.
Barney stopped sniffing the heap of branches and growled as the fur stood up along his back.
Buried Truth Page 27