Skeleton's Key (Delta Crossroads Trilogy, Book 2)

by Stacy Green

“Yeah, door handles get pretty hot in the summer,” Cage said. “Let me see it.” He took the sore hand, his fingertips brushing over her face and leaving a pleasant tingle in their wake.

  “Not too bad.” His hand closed around hers. “Put some vinegar on it. That will take the sting out.”

  “Really?”

  “Trick of my mom’s. Works better than any sunburn cream. Relief is worth the stink.” He smiled, the worry still etched in his eyes. Without thinking, she reached up and swept a lock of his hair off his forehead. His mouth parted at her touch, and he leaned into her hand.

  Her heart beat too fast. Her breath came in short bursts. She shook her head. “It’s hot. Get in the car for a minute.”

  She protected her fingers with the hem of her shirt this time, greedily sucking in the air after the car had finally started to cool down. They sat in silence, catching their breath. Dani wondered if Cage could hear the drumming of her heart. It certainly boomed in her own ears.

  “Someone stole those dog tags.” He spoke first.

  “When?”

  “I don’t know. I thought I’d misplaced them just after I moved into the carriage house. Thank God another officer remembers me talking about losing them, or I’d probably be sitting in a jail cell.”

  “What about the victims’ time of death? Doesn’t that clear you?”

  “Medical examiner is having a tough time with it. Right now it looks as though she is going to have to give the TOD a six-month window, which clearly keeps me in the hot seat, right where Landers wants me.”

  He twisted to face her. “Gina believes the men were probably exploring just like you said. But Landers thinks I killed them because I snapped. The way I see it, someone stole those dog tags right when I moved in, to frame me, and either planted them with the victims he knew were already there or had them as a measure of protection. Either way, it’s got to be someone with damned good knowledge of the grounds. And who knows what else they’ve planted against me?”

  An anchor suddenly dropped into her stomach. “Oh God.”

  “What?”

  “Ben.” She rubbed the blossoming ache in her temples. “Lee said that Ben had excellent knowledge of Ironwood, that he used to explore it as a kid, looking for the treasure. And that he always suspected Ben had broken into the house when he was a teenager.”

  “Sonofabitch.”

  Gooseflesh crept over her arms. “Is Ben capable?”

  “You know what he did.”

  “I still say that’s a far cry from murder. And what’s the motive? What does he care if someone is snooping around Ironwood?”

  “Maybe he and Martin had some kind of a deal that went wrong. Either way, I’m the only one in this town who’s connected to both Martin and Ironwood. Chew on that for a minute, and then tell me you’re still sure I’m innocent.”

  25

  He waited, letting the words sink in.

  “I’m sure you’re innocent.” Her cheeks puffed as she released a heavy sigh. “Keep talking.”

  “Ben knows that if Norton buys Ironwood, it’s demolished,” Cage said. “So he hired the guys to search the house for the cache, something he’s always believed existed. Something happens, he kills them, figures the basement is the perfect hiding spot. Didn’t expect it to be sold out from under him.”

  “You really think Ben would do this?”

  “People will do all sorts of things to protect themselves, Dani. If there is one thing I’ve learned since Lana’s murder, it’s that anyone is capable of killing with the right motive.”

  Her eyes widened. “Not really what you should be saying to me right now.”

  “I’m just being honest.”

  “What about the dog tags?”

  “Whoever did this stole them, either before or just after he killed the victims. But they were clenched in the man’s hand, so they had to be there close to death. Gives him the perfect scapegoat just in case. Me being a suspect is just icing on his revenge cake.”

  “Revenge?”

  This was the part he’d been dreading. “You know about the co-op to save the Semple farm?”

  She nodded. “You were part of it.”

  “Right.” The old anger built up. “I heard Ben was visiting his mother and stopped by Oak Lynn. Told them about what we were doing, and Grace of course wanted to help. Ben said he’d look into his portfolio, but he thought he could probably make something happen. Next thing we know, he’s back in town and closing the purchase on behalf of Norton Investments. I didn’t take it very well.”

  “What happened?”

  “I tracked him down at the county clerk’s office just after they’d filed the paperwork. Dressed him down in front of the county attorney and some other people. Would have come to blows had Lee not been there to pull me back. And speaking of Lee, he’s been moved pretty far down on the suspect list. He was gone for six weeks of the estimated timeline, and the dog tags put all the suspicion on me.”

  Cage leaned against the hot window. “But I just don’t think Lee did this. Ben on the other hand…” he trailed off and looked pointedly at Dani.

  “I don’t think Lee’s a killer. But I don’t think he’s being fully honest with us, either,” Dani said. “As for Ben, you humiliated him, and you think if he killed these men, he planned to frame you by stealing the dog tags?”

  Cage shrugged. “Keeps me on the cops’ radar, and now he’s got the added benefit of keeping me from Ironwood while he’s trying to slick it out from underneath you.”

  “That’s not going to happen.”

  “Tell that to him.”

  “I will if the subject comes up.” She shivered and turned the blasting air down. “So what now?”

  “I called Nick, told him to dig deeper into Ben. His private life, financials. Whatever he can. Maybe something will give us a clue. Meanwhile, you need to stay away from him.”

  She shook her head, tightening her small fists against her thighs. “I’m supposed to meet him at Oak Lynn for an early dinner tonight.”

  “Cancel it.”

  “No.” She faced forward in a show of determination, but he saw her eyes flickering toward him.

  Cage scrubbed his hand over his face. “Would you listen to me and not be such a stubborn,” he bit his lip against the last word, “female?”

  “Good save. And I hear you. Ben is a sneaky bastard. But we need to find out what he’s up to, and in order to do that, we’ve got to gain his trust. You’re already SOL on that, so it’s up to me.”

  Dani didn’t need to be wading into a mess of crap she had no idea how to handle. “He may well be more than a sneaky bastard, Dani. He may be a killer.”

  “I’ll be careful,” she said. “And Grace will be there.”

  “I don’t like it.”

  “Too bad.”

  “I don’t want to lose anyone else.” Cage didn’t know who was more shocked by his admission–he or Dani. “I mean…my sister…”

  “Jaymee.” Dani spoke to her lap, voice soft and shaky.

  “That’s the past. I’m over that.”

  She lifted her head, face flushed and eyes bright with a glow that sent Cage’s pulse into overdrive. “Are you really?”

  “Yes.” Pressure built in his lungs, the words demanding escape. “Jaymee and I grew up together, you know. Lana was older than us. She babysat us. But we were all friends. And then Lana left for school, and my parents could barely handle it.”

  “Really?”

  “They’re old fashioned, and she was their little girl. Came along after years of trying.” An unseen fist tightened around his throat. He refused to give in to the pending sob. “So she was always the superstar, and I was the late surprise. Which was fine. It’s just that after she left, they were both kind of lost. Especially my dad.”

  “Daddy’s little girl?”

  “Absolutely. When it came time for me to look at college, Lana had left home for good, and Dad had really started to rely on me. His health was de
clining, too.”

  “So you stayed here and became a cop.”

  He nodded. “And all that time, Jaymee was beside me. She was the only person I could bitch to without being considered an ungrateful son. Then Lana died. I just…latched on to her.” He looked down at his lap, raking his hand against the back of his heated neck. “I think what I felt for her was more of a safety net. And I tend to have a hard time letting go of an idea.”

  “I get that. Especially after losing your sister. You see Jaymee as your closest tie to your sister.”

  His head jerked up in surprise. “Huh. I never thought of it that way.”

  “Sometimes it takes a knock on the head.” Her tone was light, but worry still lit her eyes. “So you’re okay with that part of your past?”

  “I am.” His fingers itched to reach for her, pull her close. He dug his nails into his jeans. “I just want you to be safe. Someone’s already drawing you into this with the letter. If Ben left it for you, then he’s doing more than trying to verbally manipulate you.”

  A whisper of worry crossed her face. She breathed deeply and then nodded. “We don’t have a choice. I won’t let him frame you.”

  Heady tension filled the air. Cage’s left arm jerked toward Dani; he touched her face, just barely, and then pulled his hand back. “What’s your plan?”

  * * *

  The sun was leaving a blazing trail of orange across the horizon when she pulled into Oak Lynn. Her stomach growled from hunger. Agreeing to have dinner with Ben and his mother suddenly seemed like a bad idea.

  Cage didn’t like her plan. Neither did she. But they didn’t have a choice. Or she was a fool, and Cage was strumming her like a Gibson guitar. Either way, it was too late to back out now.

  Cage had stopped by Magnolia House on his way to work that evening, so striking in his uniform Dani had nearly gotten out of breath. He’d pleaded with her once more to back off. Again she’d told him no. And again he’d touched her, this time on her arm, gentle, yet firm, his hands warm. She thought he might actually kiss her, but he’d told her to call as soon as she left Oak Lynn and then headed to the police station.

  She wondered if everyone at ACPD knew about the dog tags. Probably. And Cage would have to work under a blanket of suspicion until his name was cleared.

  Unless Cage… No. Every ounce of instinct she possessed told her he was innocent. And there was no going back now.

  Ben waited on Oak Lynn’s impressive wraparound porch, resting against a pillar. Wearing pressed dress pants and a light-colored shirt that made his skin appear even more tan. He waved, flashing her a brilliant smile. It was easy to picture Ben in another time, standing proudly at Oak Lynn’s entrance, dressed in the finest clothes planter money could buy while a house slave offered him a drink. Scotch, Dani guessed. Rich amber liquid in a gleaming crystal tumbler. Southern aristocracy at its finest.

  Dani shut off the engine, checked her reflection, and wished she’d put her hair up. The humidity left it hanging limp against her shoulders. Too late now. Walking up the cobbled path, she returned Ben’s smile with a friendliness she didn’t feel.

  “You look lovely.” Ben took her hand, helping her up the stairs.

  “Thank you.”

  “Mom is entertaining guests, so you and I will be eating privately in the breakfasting room.”

  “Sounds wonderful.” She plastered a smile, but her palms started to sweat. She’d expected Grace to join them.

  They passed the large formal dining room where chattering bed and breakfast guests were being treated to a delicious smelling meal. Grace sat at the head of the table, lovely in a sky-blue dress and in her element as she told stories of the history of Oak Lynn and Roselea. She waved at Dani as she and Ben passed.

  He took her elbow. “She’ll join us when she can. Here’s the breakfast room.”

  Catty-corner from the dining hall, the breakfast room was small and intimate, with a simple table for four that was set up for a couple, complete with sterling silver cutlery, crystal champagne glasses, and antique china. A set of tapered candles gave the room a soft glow.

  “Wow.” Dani’s fingers fluttered to her neck. “It’s beautiful. But you didn’t have to go to all this trouble.”

  “I wanted to. You need to see that Roselea is more than just Sallie’s Diner and old houses with horrible secrets.”

  She took the seat he pulled out for her. “I half expect a house servant to bring in a four-course meal.”

  Ben laughed. “No. Mom does most of the cooking, but she’s got help tonight, and they’re handling the guests. But I kept some food aside for us.” He picked up the bottle of Dom Pérignon Rose. “Can I pour you a drink?”

  “I hate to say yes,” Dani said. “That’s expensive stuff.” And she needed to stay sober and on her game.

  “That’s a yes.” Ben filled her glass and then his own before sitting down. “So, when I called you this morning, I was so nervous about inviting you over I don’t remember all the details, so forgive my questions. You talked about a letter that may have been written by John James, and he mentions a key. Did you get anything verified?”

  Dani wished she’d kept her mouth shut. Then again, Ben struck her as the type of person who wouldn’t volunteer the information she needed unless he felt like he was in the loop.

  “I think so. There were a couple of documents with his signature. Looks like a match.”

  “Extraordinary.” Ben gazed at her with soft, unblinking eyes. A perfect mask of concern. “Where’s the letter been hiding all this time, and more importantly, who left it?”

  “I have no idea.”

  He took a long sip of the Pérignon. “And yesterday, at Ironwood. Did they find anything upstairs?”

  “I don’t know.” Dani tried not to speak too quickly. “I stayed out of the way.”

  “And you couldn’t tell me if they had. My apologies.” His silky voice was even, controlled. “So, this letter someone left you. What do you think about it?”

  Dani almost asked which letter Ben meant before catching herself. “I think someone wants me digging into the house’s history.”

  The slightest flinch of Ben’s eyes. A tightening around the edges. “Well, clearly. But what about the key? Don’t you think it’s interesting the letter mentions it?”

  It was Dani’s turn to drink. “Yes. Maybe the person who left it knew there was a master key to the house at one time. But I doubt it still exists.”

  Two days ago, she would have meant that statement. Now, she was no longer sure. Even if the passage she hadn’t been able to find was accessible from the outside of Ironwood, a key would likely still be needed to open it. Is that what someone wanted her to realize?

  She took another long drink, draining her glass. She rarely drank, and she hadn’t eaten much today. Already her body–and her mind–felt more relaxed.

  “Cage thinks the person who left the letter might also be the killer.” She watched Ben’s sculpted face for his reaction.

  “Quite possibly. After all, whoever killed those men knew more about Ironwood than many people. Stands to reason he knows where the cache is and took the letter from it.”

  “Why do you think the letter was from the cache? Maybe some renter or old owner found it, and it’s been passed down.”

  “True. But I think you need to be cautious. I hate to think of you staying at Magnolia House with just Jaymee Ballard right now.” He moved to refill her glass, but she covered it.

  “One is enough for me. I have to drive, you know.”

  “Of course.” He set his own glass down, fingertips tracing the rim. He licked his lips and then caught the corner of his mouth with his impossibly white teeth.

  “Something you want to say?”

  “It’s just…Cage. He’s a suspect.”

  Her nerves grew taut as bowstrings. “Technically. But there is evidence to the contrary.”

  “Perhaps, but he’s not been cleared, has he?”

  “Why do yo
u ask?”

  “I’m just concerned about you,” Ben said smoothly. “If Cage has done this, you don’t want to get too close.” He spoke the last words somberly, as though they were condolences.

  “Surely you don’t think Cage killed those men?”

  “I think grief makes people do terrible things. And Cage certainly has a temper. I’ve witnessed it.”

  So he was bringing up the Semple farm. Nice play. “I heard about that.”

  “From Cage and Lee Walker, no doubt. But you haven’t heard my side of the story.”

  “I’m all ears.”

  “Before my mother or I invested any money into the co-op Cage and his partners had formed, I wanted to find out the bank’s opinion.”

  “And they told you? That seems a little unorthodox.”

  “This is a small town. And I have my contacts. The bank had no intention of selling to the co-op. They didn’t believe the co-op would be able to keep the farm up and keep it out of foreclosure.”

  “Still, bringing in an investor to demolish the property–”

  “It hurt, Dani,” Ben said. “I love history, too. Last thing I wanted was to see the Semple farm dismantled. But it was business, and the sale will bring a lot of revenue into Adams County. Sometimes we have to make hard choices.”

  “Cage doesn’t see it that way.”

  “As I said, he’s been through a lot these past few years. I’m not sure he’s capable of taking rejection or loss anymore. First his sister and then the woman the entire town knew he’d been in love with since high school. And to make matters worse, the woman chose Cage’s brother-in-law over him.”

  Anxiety rippled through Dani. Cage hadn’t mentioned that fact. Neither had Jaymee. Then again, it really wasn’t any of her business.

  “I don’t mean to speak badly of him,” Ben continued. He lowered his voice again, the dulcet tone just above a whisper. “I’m just speaking as a concerned observer. I’m sure the police will investigate, and if Cage didn’t do anything, he’ll be cleared. Until then, be careful.”

  “I will be.” She almost asked for more alcohol. The expensive drink might be the only way she could make it through the rest of the night. Perhaps her mind had been clouded by everyone else’s bias, but it was impossible not to regard Ben as a charming manipulator. His past history and timing of his current arrival were suspicious. Dani had no doubt he would be asking about future plans for Ironwood soon.