Truth is in the Darkness (Paynes Creek Thriller Book 2)

by Heather Sunseri

  Unfortunately, my news did nothing to improve her mood.

  “What do you mean, you’re going back to New York?” Bryn asked. “Before Grammy has even moved?”

  Winn and I had worked with Jake through lunch, discussing setting up a limited liability company for my new pen name. According to Jake, that would give me the flexibility to explore other publishers or to even run my own publishing company under the new name, while keeping my birth name secret from potential new fans. Winn had even set up an appointment for me to talk to a publisher about my newest children’s series idea.

  This was perfect timing, if you asked me. I had brought trouble to Paynes Creek and the people I loved, and it was my responsibility to take it away again—by leading it with me back to New York.

  “I have to go, Bryn. I can’t help but feel I’m responsible for bringing all this… awfulness down on the town.”

  “Oh, honey.” She touched my arm. “You’re not. And you have people who can watch out for you here. Coop and Sheriff Daniels will find out who’s doing this.”

  It wasn’t that I doubted the local law enforcement’s abilities, and I knew Coop especially would do everything he could to keep me safe. But the police never did catch the man who’d kidnapped me twelve years ago, so I knew firsthand that sometimes criminals get away with it, no matter how hard the police work to bring them to justice.

  I reached for another crystal glass. “I was always going back to New York,” I said softly. “You knew that.”

  “I know,” she sighed. “I just thought you’d get down here, see how much things had changed and maybe decide to stay.”

  “You thought I would learn that Coop was back and decide to uproot my entire life for him.”

  “That man loves you, Lily.”

  “He loves what we used to be.”

  “You’re wrong,” she said. She turned and picked up another piece of crystal. “And besides that, I miss you. And you aren’t happy in New York. You could use a change.”

  She wasn’t wrong. I just wasn’t sure Paynes Creek was the right change.

  “I was going through a rough time when you saw me in December,” I admitted. “But Winn and I have worked through some things.”

  “Wait.” She walked around the dining table to stand in front of me. “Are the two of you back together?”

  “Of course not. But he’s helping me get my life together and to come up with a plan to launch my next series. That’s what I’m concentrating on now. I’ve got to take control of my career—if only to make sure I still have one.” I couldn’t just stop working because of a stalker. I had a life to lead.

  “Your books aren’t going to make you happy long-term. As amazing as they are, that’s just a job. You need more.”

  “Are you seriously going to stand there and tell me I need a man in order to be happy?”

  “What?” She jerked backwards. “Did you forget who you were talking to? No, what I’m telling you is that you need friends, and a life outside of work.”

  I sighed. “You’re right. I know. But right now, I need to concentrate on the parts of my life that I can control—which means my work and my art. And the people who can help me with those things are in New York, not here in Paynes Creek.”

  “We do have actual professionals here, you know. It’s not all farms and horses. Like Jake—I’m sure he would be happy to give you legal help any time you need it.”

  “Actually, he already did. Winn and I stopped by his office before I came out here.”

  “Really?” She smiled.

  It was good to see Bryn happy. If Jake was responsible for that, then I was grateful to him, even if he had broken her heart too many times in the past. People do change and grow up, I supposed.

  “Really. He’s drawing up all the forms I need.”

  “See? You’ve got contacts here in Paynes Creek too,” Bryn said, still smiling. “And you can travel to New York any time you need to.” She didn’t press the issue, and for a while we just went back to silently wrapping crystal.

  When the next box of glassware was full, I closed it, then stacked it with the other boxes. “I can’t believe Grammy is going through with this move.”

  “It’ll be good for her,” Bryn said. “She needs a smaller place. Less upkeep so she can travel and whatnot.”

  “I suppose.”

  A door slammed in the distance, and Grammy yelled from the other room. “Why’s there a cop parked in the turnaround of my drive?”

  “That’s Coop’s doing, Grammy,” I called.

  Grammy appeared in the doorway to the dining room. “Well, good. At least someone is watching out for you, because God knows you’re not watching out for yourself.” Anger seeped into her voice. “Have you even eaten today?”

  I looked to Bryn, who shrugged, then I turned my full body to Grammy. “Is something bothering you, Grammy? Besides my lack of self-care?”

  “Oh, honey, I’m sorry.” She waved a hand. “I’m just so worked up over this murder. Stoker told his wife that he’s worried it might be tied to whoever’s been vandalizing my house.”

  “You mean to whoever’s been threatening me,” I said.

  Grammy’s face fell. “Well now, we don’t know that. But I am worried about you. Can’t a grandmother be worried?” She walked over and threw her arms around me. “I just don’t know what I would do if something happened to any of my babies.”

  Grammy treated all of her grandkids like we were her own children. She certainly loved me more than my parents had. I’d never even known my father, and Linda was never a real mother to me.

  “Grammy, we’re about done in here,” Bryn said. “What room should we tackle next?”

  Grammy took a deep breath. “About that. You can both stop packing. Apparently there’s not going to be any sale.”

  And without further explanation, she turned and left the room.

  I looked at Bryn. “What is she talking about?”

  Bryn shrugged. “I have no idea.”

  We both followed Grammy to the kitchen. She pulled some casual, mismatched wine glasses down from a cabinet, then took a bottle of Chardonnay from the fridge. She poured us each a glass, then downed half her own glass in one large gulp.

  I waited, scared to speak, but Bryn placed a hand on Grammy’s arm. “Grammy? What’s going on?”

  “It seems word spreads quickly in this town. Who knew?” She laughed, but it wasn’t a joyful kind of laugh. It was more of a “the joke’s on me” kind of laugh. “Apparently news of the blood being splattered all over the house has scared off my buyer.”

  “Scared them off?” I said. “But you already made the sale. Isn’t there a contract?”

  She waved dismissively. “A good attorney will get them out of the contract. They’ll lose a thousand bucks in earnest money, but it’s not worth the fight. There’ll be other buyers.”

  I knew this was all my fault. If I had fought harder to get the police to take me seriously in New York, or maybe if I had simply stayed in New York, then maybe none of this would have happened.

  Of course, Grammy wouldn’t see it that way. She’d say I belonged, at home, where family could protect me. But I hadn’t been the little girl that needed protecting for twelve years. It was my turn to protect the people I loved.

  I set my wine glass on the counter without taking a drink, but Bryn had already finished hers. After what had happened to Tricia, Bryn probably needed the wine even more than Grammy did.

  Grammy refilled both their glasses, and then did so again, and before long the two of them were clearly moving beyond tipsy. They were laughing over the dumbest things. It was good to see the two of them starting to relax, even if it was just for a moment. But I had no interest in joining them in their intoxication. So I excused myself as if I were going to the restroom, and instead left the house.

  I felt like a kid again, sneaking out to be with my boyfriend. But I wasn’t sneaking off to be with Coop. I was sneaking off to do what I
needed to do to take the danger away from Paynes Creek and the people I loved.

  Outside, I decided since I had a police officer assigned to follow me, I might as well let him drive me where I needed to go. But when I spotted Officer Briscoe, his head was tilted back against the headrest of his squad car, and he was asleep.

  “Some protection,” I muttered under my breath.

  Furious and not really thinking clearly, I pulled up the app on my phone and requested a Lyft. Finding one less than five minutes away, I directed the driver to pick me up at the end of Grammy’s driveway.

  Fifteen minutes later, a navy sedan approached, and a man in his early thirties rolled down the window. “Lily Thomas?”

  “You must be José.”

  He smiled. “That’s right.”

  I slid into the back seat. To avoid making small talk, I pulled out my phone and decided to give Jake a ring. I wanted to see how he was coming with the paperwork he was setting up for me. When his personal cell went to voicemail, I tried his office number. His secretary, Judy, answered.

  “Oh hi, sweetie,” Judy said. “I’m sorry, but he’s already left for today. I’d have left myself, but Jake wanted me to finish up a couple of contracts for him. Anything I can do for ya, hon?”

  I checked the clock on the dashboard and saw that it was already after five. Bryn and I had worked longer than I’d thought. “No thanks, Judy. I’ll try his cell phone again later.”

  “Mmkay, sweetie.” Before hanging up, she quickly added, “Oh—you know, you’ll probably find him at Boone’s.”

  “Boone’s Tap House?”

  “That’s right. He stops in there most evenings.” A ringing phone sounded in the background. “That’s my other phone. Talk to you soon.”

  A few minutes later, the Lyft driver delivered me to Winn’s motel. But when I knocked on his door, it wasn’t Winn who answered. It was Linda, exiting from the next room over.

  “Well, well, well. Does Coop know you’re here?”

  Cringing inwardly, I turned slowly to face her. “Why exactly are you here, Linda?”

  She stepped closer and waved a finger in my face. “I want what’s mine. That woman, my mother, owes me—and I aim to collect.” She practically spat the words.

  I grabbed her finger and bent it back toward her hand. She sank to the ground, screaming, but I just knelt over her, letting my eyes burn into hers with a fiery anger. “That woman gave you life. She owes you nothing.”

  “Hey!” Winn was behind me. He wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me backward, forcing me to release Linda.

  She quickly stood and backed up a few steps, cradled her injured hand. “Did you see that?” she screamed. “My own daughter assaulted me!”

  “I think you should be on your way, Linda,” Winn said.

  I struggled in his arms, but he had no problem keeping me immobile. “You’re lucky I didn’t actually hurt you!” I yelled.

  Tears welled up in Linda’s eyes. “I just came back to see if I could fix things between me and you.”

  Her tears were fake, of course. She had always been a bad actress, but the one thing she could do reliably was bring on the waterworks. Still, her words took me by surprise. “Say that again,” I said.

  “I just want a relationship with my daughter,” she sobbed. “Is that so hard to believe?”

  Based on my entire life’s history, yes. Yes it was. But that wasn’t the part of her statement that interested me.

  “You say you came here, to Paynes Creek, just to patch things up with me?”

  She smiled as if I finally understood. “Yes, that’s right. I just want us to be whole again. You’re the only family I’ve got.”

  “And how did you know I would be in Paynes Creek?” I asked.

  Linda straightened. “I…” Her eyes darted to Winn, then back to me. “I mean… I don’t know. Everyone knew you were coming to town. Just like everyone knew my mother was planning to sell her house.” She spit out the words “my mother” like they were venom on her tongue.

  She was lying. Hardly anyone knew I was coming to Paynes Creek.

  I closed my eyes. “Just leave me alone, Linda. You haven’t been my mother in a very long time.”

  “Honey…” She stepped closer.

  My eyes snapped open as she lifted a hand to touch me. When I flinched and tried to move out of her reach, Winn, who was still holding me, whirled me away from her.

  “Just go, Linda,” he said. “You both need some space to calm down.”

  Linda whipped around like a spoiled five-year-old and stormed back into her room, slamming the door behind her.

  I let out a long sigh. “That woman brings out a side of me that I’m embarrassed of.”

  Winn released his grip on me, put his arm around my shoulders, and led me into his room. “That woman makes me want to forget the pact I made with my father when I was nine—to never hit a woman.”

  I smiled up at him. “You’re a good man.”

  “Not really,” he said, returning my smile. “Hey,” he said, looking out the window at the parking lot. “Where’s your police escort?”

  I shrugged. “I ditched him. He was sleeping on the job. Besides, I don’t need protection. What I need is to get back to New York.”

  He shot me an accusatory look. “You think that if you return to New York, you’ll lead the danger away from here.”

  “Is that so wrong? To want to protect my family and friends?”

  “Of course not. But how about protecting yourself? Someone is obviously targeting you, and there are people here who want to help. I want to help.” He rolled his eyes. “It’s quite clear that Cooper Adams wants to help. But regardless, you don’t have to do this all on your own.”

  “I guess you have everything all figured out, don’t you?”

  “No, but I know you.”

  “You used to know me,” I said before I could stop myself, then immediately regretted my harsh words. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean that.”

  “Yes, you did. And I forgive you.” He crossed his arms, stared at me for a couple of beats, then let his arms drop. “God, Lil. Why do you do this? Why do you push people away the minute they try to help you?”

  “I’m not pushing anyone away. I’m here, aren’t I?”

  “Yes, you’re here. The question is, why? Why did you run to me? Did you think I would help you get out of town? Did you even tell your family and friends goodbye?”

  I put my hands over my face. “You’re right. You’re always right.” I let out a scream of frustration. “And you’re right about the people here, too. They want to help. They all do, even though all I do is bring misery to their lives. Cooper in particular will do everything he can to find this stalker, even if it turns his life upside down all over again.”

  “What do you mean, ‘again’?”

  I straightened for a moment, realizing my slip. I’d never told Winn about what happened to me all those years ago. I’d never told anyone other than my therapists. “Nothing. Look, I need to go to Boone’s Tap House and find Jake. I want to see how he’s coming with the paperwork.”

  “You know you just hired him, right? Maybe you could at least give the poor guy a day or two before chasing him down after hours?”

  I chuckled at that. “I know I’m being demanding—I just want to get everything done as soon as possible. Maybe I’ll just have him overnight it to New York. I’d really like to leave tonight if at all possible.”

  “Well,” said Winn, “if you’re that serious about leaving, I won’t stop you. And I’d love nothing more than to get back to New York. But we’re not going anywhere tonight. I already checked for myself. Flights are sold out for today and tomorrow. The earliest flight we can get is midday, day after tomorrow.”

  “You said ‘we’… does that mean you’ll help me?” I asked.

  Winn let a couple of seconds pass before smiling. “Of course. No matter what we’ve been through, you and I are still friends. And you’
re still paying me to be your publicist, right?”

  I smiled. “For now. Not sure how long I’ll be able to afford you. Kind of depends if I can get a new publisher.”

  “Let’s not worry about that now. Let’s go find Jake. Then we’ll work on getting back to New York.”

  Twenty-Five

  Coop

  The corridor leading to the morgue was brightly lit, the pristine white walls marred only by intermittent shadows from one flickering fluorescent light. It was quiet except for the hum of the elevator I had just exited, but the putrid scent of death mixed with the strong antiseptic smell of iodoform had me crinkling up my nose and attempting to breathe through my mouth. I would never get used to this smell, and for a very long time I couldn’t understand why anyone would want to work on the dead.

  Then I got to know Hopewell County’s medical examiner, Dr. Corinne Michel. To my surprise, she wasn’t cold or creepy; in fact she had more compassion than a lot of doctors I had seen in my life. She cared more for the dead than some cared for the living.

  “Cooper Adams,” she said when she saw me. “What brings you to my private corner of the hospital?” She was sitting behind a desk clicking around on a computer screen.

  “Unfortunately, I need a fingerprint from one of your patients to access her cell phone.” I handed her the paperwork signed by the judge. “And if you have any preliminary information from your autopsy, I’ll take that as well.”

  She looked over the papers. “I assume I have a copy of this waiting for me in my email?”

  “You should.”

  “Well, let’s see what we can do.”

  We both slipped on surgical gloves, and I followed Corinne into the morgue. The decomposing stench was even stronger once we’d pushed through the double doors.

  “How’ve you been?” she asked.

  “I’ve been good. You?”

  “Can’t complain. It’s been a while since we had drinks at Boone’s.”