by Laura Scott
“Like Shelton, Inc.,” Dana said.
“Yes. In order to get money from an insurance policy a formal report has to be turned in. But the rest of the data in here?” He lightly tapped Jeff’s file folder. “I have no idea how much is truth and how much is fiction.”
“I guess you’re right.” The doubt in her green eyes belied her words. “I just wish...” Her voice trailed off.
Spending time with Dana made him realize how wrong Janice had been for him. The two women were as different as oceans and mountains and he found himself unbelievably drawn to Dana in a way he hadn’t anticipated.
But she was a widow, grieving for a man he hadn’t been able to save. And even if she was beginning to come out of her shell, did he want to be the rebound guy?
This situation, being on the run, struggling to find who’d tried to hurt them, wasn’t what normal couples went through on a daily basis. Of course forced proximity heightened the senses, creating a false sense of intimacy, making them vulnerable.
Once things returned to normal, who knew if these—feelings shimmering between them would survive?
Besides, he wasn’t interested in getting his heart broken again.
“Okay, here’s the plan.” Mike stepped through the open doorway, tucking his phone in his pocket. “Noah and I are going to drive by Barton Beach to check things out. Give us about fifteen minutes before you head out and keep your disposable phone handy. We’ll call you if there’s anything amiss.”
“The beach is going to be packed on a summer day,” he pointed out. “Not sure how you’re going to see anything out of place.”
“You could be right, but it doesn’t hurt to be cautious.” Mike pulled out his car keys. “See you later.”
“You bet.” Mitch glanced at his watch, noting the time. Mike slid behind the wheel of his rental and took off, heading back into town.
“Do you think we should stay another day?” Dana asked.
“Mike thinks we should, but I don’t want to waste our money.” He didn’t add that there was no telling what might happen once they returned to Milwaukee. If he was arrested...
Best not to think the worst.
Dana looked disappointed and he knew being constantly on the move was emotionally draining.
“Let’s gather our stuff together,” he suggested. “We can always return later this evening.”
“Okay.” She disappeared between the connecting doors, returning a few minutes later with a small plastic bag of toiletries and the shoe box containing the Glock.
It didn’t take the full fifteen minutes to empty the motel room, but Mitch didn’t care. Now that he had a destination in mind, he was anxious to get going.
Traffic was light for a Friday. Then again, there were more cars heading out of the city, no doubt with people intending to spend the weekend at the lake. Thirty minutes later, he slowed down as he approached Lakeshore Drive.
“We’re supposed to wait for your brother to call,” Dana said, breaking the silence.
As if on cue his disposable phone rang. He handed the device to Dana. “Put it on speaker.”
She answered the phone. “Mike?”
“Yeah. Where are you guys?”
“Cruising down Lakeshore Drive,” Mitch answered. “See anything out of the ordinary?”
“No, although it’s crowded, even for a Friday. Where did you and Janice go on the beach?”
“There’s a secluded picnic area a hundred yards or so north of the main beach,” Mitch said. “There’s a path along the shoreline.”
“Find a place to park, and we’ll meet you there,” Mike said.
“Sounds like too many people around,” Dana said. “Even if that was the site of the murder, someone would have seen it by now.”
“You’re right, although it’s possible the lake water interfered with the crime scene. Best to check it off the list.”
He had to drive around for a bit to find a parking spot. Thanks to the mass of people enjoying the summer day, he and Dana easily blended in.
Mike and Noah were already at the picnic site by the time he and Dana arrived. “It’s clear,” Noah said. “No sign of a struggle or any other evidence of a crime.”
Mitch knew that meant no blood. He spent a few minutes checking the place out for himself, only to agree with their assessment.
“Langston Peak?” Mike asked.
His gut clenched, but he nodded. “It’s the most logical place. But you won’t know where to look.”
“There must be some kind of landmark,” Mike said.
“We used to take one of the lesser known trails, one that led to a large rock.” He shrugged. “I can’t explain it, but I’ll know it when I see it.”
Mike and Noah exchanged a glance. “Okay. But this time you really need to let us get up there first. If that’s truly the scene of the crime,” Noah said. “We’ll make sure there isn’t anyone lurking around.”
“Go, then.” He stood for a moment, looking out at Lake Michigan dotted with various boats, some with sails up, gliding with the wind, and others were large speedboats, skipping over the waves.
“You must miss her,” Dana said.
“No.” He turned to face her. “I miss what I thought we had, but it was nothing more than an illusion.” Desperate to change the subject, he spotted the concession stand. “Let’s get a soft drink for the road.”
Dana nodded and stepped in beside him. But they’d only taken a few steps toward the small building when he noticed the police officer.
“Never mind,” he said, sliding his arm around Dana’s shoulders and steering her toward the road. “We’ll hit a drive-through instead.”
Beads of sweat rolled down his temples and not because of the sun overhead. The breeze off the lake was cool enough, but he felt as if the cop’s gaze was boring into his back. He pressed a kiss to Dana’s forehead as a way to hide his face.
The walk to their parked car seemed to take forever, but they finally made it without being stopped. Mitch didn’t waste any time. He opened Dana’s door for her and the minute she was situated, he closed her door and then ran behind the SUV to get behind the wheel. It wasn’t until he’d gone several miles that he relaxed.
“Maybe we should head back to The Sandpiper,” Dana said in a low voice. “Mike and Noah can look for the crime scene.”
“They might not be able to find it. There are dozens of trails up there.”
There was a sign for a fast-food place up ahead, so he used the drive-through as promised.
“I’ll have a lemonade,” Dana said.
He ordered two, then eased up to the next window to pay. He decided to use less-traveled highways until he reached the city limits. From there, they made good time on the interstate.
A mile from the entrance to the state park, he gestured to Dana. “Call Mike, let him know we’re close.”
Dana did as he asked, putting the call on speaker again so they could both hear. “So far it looks good,” Mike said. “We’re in the parking area and haven’t seen anything unusual.”
“Good.” He was relieved to hear it. “We’ll be there in a few minutes.”
After paying the nominal fee to get into the state park and putting the tag on his dashboard in view as directed, he spied Mike and Noah’s vehicles parked near the back of the lot. There was an obvious empty space between them, so that was where he pulled in.
“Which way?” Mike asked, obviously anxious to get to work.
“To the left.” He waited for Dana, then headed off on the trail he and Janice used to hike. At one point, he thought he’d propose to her there, on that rock overlooking the bowl of the glacier, but of course that was before he’d found her with Simon.
He shook off the memories, scanning the area to make sure he was headed the correct way. It had been over a year since he�
��d been here, and for some strange reason it looked different.
After five minutes down one trail, he stopped abruptly. “Sorry, this isn’t it.”
Once again, Mike and Noah exchanged a questioning glance.
“Give me a break, it’s been a while.” He retraced his steps and took another path.
Ten yards in, he wondered if he was losing his mind, when a glimpse of a small brown circle at the edge of a green leaf caught his eye.
He stopped so abruptly, Mike bumped into him from behind.
“Are you lost again?”
“No. Look at this.” Mitch dropped to one knee to get a better look and Mike joined him. “We should have brought evidence bags.”
“I have a few.” Noah pulled one from the back pocket of his jeans. “What is it?”
“I’m not sure.” Mitch gingerly picked up the stained leaf and dropped it into the evidence bag. “Let’s keep going.”
Two steps later, there was another dark round circle. Then another.
“Is that blood?” Dana asked in a hoarse whisper.
He was very much afraid it was. Quickening his pace, he kept going along the trail until he reached a part where the bloodstains made a small puddle.
“This is definitely blood,” Mike said in a grim tone. “We’ll need to take samples to be sure, but I’m betting that whoever killed Janice came this way.”
Mitch’s chest was so tight he couldn’t speak. The rock overlooking the glacier basin was mostly hidden by the thick brush. He eased the branches out of the way to get a better look.
The rock was covered in old, dried blood.
He turned back and looked again at the small puddle of blood safely away from his brother’s feet and the subsequent drops of blood leading away from the area.
It was easy enough to imagine the killer had used a fireman’s carry to get Janice’s body out of there. Most firefighters kept themselves physically fit.
Yet another reason for the police to believe he was the primary suspect.
ELEVEN
Seeing the rock surface stained with blood and Mitch’s pale expression, Dana stepped forward to place a reassuring hand on his arm. He must have been completely lost in his thoughts, as he didn’t react in any way.
“Listen, Mitch, we need to call this in.” Noah pulled his phone out of his pocket. “You and Dana should hit the road, so that you’re far away before the authorities arrive.”
“No, I disagree.” Mike put out his hand to cover the phone, so his brother-in-law couldn’t use it. “The cops will suspect right away that Mitch pointed us to this area, because who else would know that this was a spot he and Janice came to on a regular basis? Better if we left an anonymous tip, from a phone that can’t be traced.”
“I’ll do it.” Mitch’s voice was flat and dull. “We can use Dana’s disposable phone.”
Dana frowned. “I don’t get it. Why do we have to make the call at all? We came out here to prove Mitch was being framed by someone who knew these types of personal details about him. So now we feel certain that this is the scene of Janice’s murder. But shouldn’t we be looking for clues pointing toward the real murderer?”
“She’s right,” Noah agreed. “But without forensics, there’s no way to know if the real murderer left any blood and/or trace evidence behind. Which is why we need to call it in, before the scene degrades any further. What if it rains?”
“Wait. How was she transported?” Mitch abruptly asked. “I used my personal truck to go to the warehouse that night. There for sure wasn’t any blood inside, other than maybe my own from my neck wound.”
Mike nodded thoughtfully. “Where is your personal truck now?”
“Probably still in the hospital parking structure, right?” Dana said, looking at Mitch, who nodded in agreement.
“Unless it’s been towed,” Mike muttered.
She shrugged. “It might eventually get towed, but I doubt that’s happened yet. Trust me, patients drive themselves to the ER all the time and then end up admitted to the hospital. I’ve heard of cars staying for weeks.”
“Still, we should get it out of there ASAP,” Mike said.
She couldn’t disagree.
“Which brings up another point. Mitch, don’t you have access to a work vehicle?” Noah asked.
Mitch’s expression turned grim. “Yeah, I do. I used it earlier in the day on Wednesday, same day I was directed to meet Rick at the warehouse. Only I left it parked in the lot of the Public Safety Administration building, downtown.”
There was a tense moment of silence as the implication sunk in. “I don’t like to admit it, but I’m thinking that it was used to move Janice’s body from here to the warehouse where she was found,” Mike said.
“Let’s go.” Mitch’s expression turned hard as stone. “If someone else used the vehicle, there’s a good chance that trace evidence from the killer was also left behind.”
“We aren’t going anywhere,” Noah said, putting up his hand. “You and Dana are going to return to the motel. Leave the rest of this to me and Mike.”
“No way. We only have two vehicles but I know where I left the one I used. Could be the killer wasn’t smart enough to return it in the exact same spot. Like it or not, I’m coming with you.”
Dana wanted to protest. In her opinion, Mitch should stay far away from the admin building. What if it was a trap? Yet she wasn’t about to be left behind, either. If he went, she was going, too. She bit her lip and waited to see if Mike and Noah would continue to press their argument.
The two men exchanged a resigned look. “Okay. If you want to come, that’s fine, but we need to figure out a way to keep you out of sight.”
“Wouldn’t it be better to wait until nighttime?” Dana asked. “Less people around.”
“I don’t think so,” Mitch countered. “In my opinion, we’d have a better chance of blending in during business hours.”
“Popping the trunk to see if there’s blood inside might attract some attention,” Mike drawled. “But I agree, the more cars in the lot and on the street, the easier to blend in.”
“Okay, let’s go.” Mitch took her hand. “We’ll meet you downtown. We’ll also call in an anonymous tip related to this crime scene here, on the way.”
“Hold off on that,” Mike suggested. “I know you’re worried about losing trace evidence, but maybe we can point them toward the vehicle instead. There’s a higher likelihood of finding something in a car that’s been protected from the elements compared to anything that may have been left out here.”
Noah grimaced, obviously not thrilled with the idea of not calling in a crime scene.
Mitch looked at Dana, as if interested in her opinion. She shrugged. “I agree with Mike on this one. If blood is found in the car, then any tip that’s called in should include both areas. It’s the best chance of finding the identity of the real killer.”
Mitch nodded. “Okay, then we’ll wait.” He glanced back toward the rock hidden behind the trees. “It’s not as if another couple of hours will make a difference.”
Noah didn’t say anything, but she sensed he’d go along with Mitch’s plan.
She and Mitch fell into step behind Noah and Mike on the path that would lead them back to the parking lot.
“Are you okay?” she asked, breaking the prolonged silence.
He shook his head. “I hate knowing that two people died over money and greed. It’s not right.”
“Of course it’s not right.” She tightened her fingers around his. “Desperate people do desperate things. I see it all the time in the emergency department.” She thought for a minute about Kent’s family and their wealth. How would they cope if they suddenly lost everything? She suspected they wouldn’t handle it well at all. “In my opinion, money can be as addictive as a drug. Often people aren’t satisfied with what t
hey have. They constantly want more. To the point that nothing else matters, not even someone’s life.”
“That’s a really interesting analogy,” Mitch said. He looked thoughtful for a moment, then quoted, “‘Better the little that the righteous have than the wealth of many wicked.’”
“Is that from the Bible?” she guessed.
“Psalm 37:16. Seemed appropriate.”
She hadn’t read the Bible outside of what was preached in church, but she’d always enjoyed quotes from the Book of Psalms. “I like it, too.”
“Stop,” Mike hissed in a low voice.
She and Mitch froze. “What?” Mitch whispered.
“There’s a Department of Natural Resources vehicle parked right beside my car,” Noah said. “Could be a coincidence, but you and Dana need to stay back while we check things out.”
Mitch immediately took several steps backward, moving deeper into the surrounding foliage. She stayed close at his side, gripping his hand nervously.
Her fears of this being a possible trap for Mitch didn’t seem too far off the mark. The best-case scenario was that Mitch would be arrested for a double homicide.
The worst case? That she and Mitch would both be silenced, permanently.
* * *
Mitch drew Dana off the trail, into the woods. “Walk as quietly as possible,” he whispered near her ear.
She nodded, clutching his hand as if it was a lifeline.
He was fortunate to know this entire area so well—or maybe it was too well, since Janice had been murdered here. The woods grew dense to the west, so that was the direction he took.
Scanning the area, he searched his memory. He knew there was a grove of thick pine trees that might offer some protection.
There!
He adjusted their trajectory, stepping carefully over rocks and branches while avoiding the thorn bushes. Once he reached the pine trees, he drew Dana close to his side so he could whisper, “This is a decent hiding spot, so stay here. I’ll be back shortly.”
“Where are you going?”
He knew she wasn’t going to like it. “I want to see who is in the parking lot, see if it’s anyone I recognize.”