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

by Heather Sunseri

  “Not yet. She was still sleeping off the booze when I left.”

  “Not one for handling her liquor, is she?”

  “She never was.” I glanced over at him. “Any reason why you didn’t stop them? Maybe not order that last round?”

  “What are you talking about?”

  “When I walked in, you were motioning to the server for another round. If you knew Lil couldn’t handle her liquor, and she’d obviously already had enough… why were you encouraging the ladies to drink even more?”

  Jake stood and swiped his bill from the counter. “She’s an adult and we were all having fun. And as far as I can tell, she’s capable of making her own fucking decisions.”

  I slid off the stool and stood toe to toe with my best friend. “How about you, Jake? Are you capable of making good decisions when you’ve had too much to drink?”

  “This is just typical. You don’t get your way with a girl, so you decide to piss on everyone else.”

  “Meaning?”

  “Figure it out. You’re the detective.” Jake edged past me, knocking shoulders as he went. He paid Bryn for his lunch, leaned in and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek, then stormed out.

  Bryn’s eyes found mine, then she lifted her head and motioned for me to head to her office.

  As I stood, I caught Barrett staring at me. He looked down, then back up, then quickly turned and began wiping a counter he’d already wiped three times.

  I took the opportunity to approach him and held out a card. “Barrett, if you think of anything else that might help us in our investigation, call me. Day or night, okay?”

  He nodded. “If I think of anything, I will.”

  When Bryn entered her office, I was looking at a photo of her and Lil as teenagers. They were wearing bathing suits, and they had just gone swimming in the watering hole on the back of Barb’s farm. Lil’s blond hair was slicked back, she had bruises all over her knees from playing too hard, and her nose was red from too much sun. She had her arm around Bryn, whose head reached Lil’s shoulders, and you could almost hear the giggles from the way they were smiling.

  “That was one of the best summers of my life,” Bryn said.

  “As I remember it, Jake broke your heart that summer.”

  “That hardly distinguishes it from any other summer,” she scoffed. “But that was the summer Lil and I went from being cousins to best friends. Even though I hated her for getting boobs and leaving me looking like a kid she was babysitting.”

  I sighed. “I remember that summer well.” Even then, Lil was the most beautiful creature that existed in my world. Now, she had grown and shifted into one of the most beautiful women I’d ever known. Just thinking about her took my breath away.

  I set the photograph back on Bryn’s desk. “Tell me about Tricia.”

  “What do you want to know?”

  “Did you like her?”

  “She was a good employee.” Bryn walked to the other side of her desk and sat. She gestured to one of her guest chairs, prompting me to sit as well.

  I pulled my notebook and pen from my pocket. “Were the two of you friends?”

  She angled her head. “Am I a suspect, Coop?”

  “Why is everyone asking that?”

  “Maybe because of the way you look at them and your tone of voice.”

  I blew out a breath. “We have no suspects. Or everyone is a suspect. However you want to look at it. I’m just looking for anything you might have known about her.”

  “You know, Sheriff Daniels already talked to me.”

  I smiled. “Humor me.”

  “Alright. Well, let’s see. I know that Jake tried to get her to go out with him before he and I got back together, but in a display of intelligence, she turned him down.”

  “Are you sure that it was intelligence and not fear of her boss?”

  “Oh, she wasn’t working for me at the time. She was Jake’s receptionist.”

  “Really? Jake never mentioned that Tricia worked for him.”

  “Maybe he thought you already knew. It wasn’t a secret.” She thought about it. “Yeah, that would be before you were back in town. Last March or April, maybe? And she didn’t work for him long anyway. She started working for me in June.” Bryn seemed to retreat into herself. “Hard to believe she’d been here nearly a year.”

  I made a note to question Jake further. “It seems no one was especially close to her. Was that her doing?”

  “Now that you mention it, she didn’t socialize much. I don’t really remember her spending time in town unless she was working. Maybe she had friends in Lexington.”

  “She lived there?”

  Bryn nodded, confirming what I’d already been told.

  “How are you and Jake doing?” I asked, changing the subject. I knew I could ask Jake this, but Bryn was more likely to give me a straight answer.

  A warm smile crept across her face. “We’re amazing. He’s amazing.”

  I returned her smile. “Good. I’m really glad to hear that.” And I was. “Is he still paying a private investigator to find his father?”

  Bryn’s brows furrowed. “You know, I’m not sure. He was obsessed with finding him last year, but he kind of let it go when his mother couldn’t provide much information. Or refused to. She was never a fan of him tracking down his father, as you know.”

  “Yeah, I know. He didn’t have a great support system growing up. But now… well, I don’t say this often enough, but you’re good for him. You really are.”

  “You too,” Bryn said. “He thinks of you and your parents as his extended family.”

  “Well then, speaking as his brother, he’d better be good to you,” I said.

  “He is—for now, anyway. But I should get back to work. Did you have any other questions about Tricia?”

  “Actually, yes. Barrett just told me that Tricia was supposed to help close the night she was killed, but that she got a phone call that upset her. Said she tore out of here and left him to close on his own. Where were you during that time?”

  “I was upstairs, getting ready to go out to dinner.”

  “Do you have any idea who might have upset her like that?”

  Bryn shook her head. “None.”

  “Was Tricia working for anyone else? Maybe doing odd jobs or something?”

  “Not that I know of. She really didn’t talk to me about her life outside of here. I don’t even know if she was dating anyone. I suspected she might be, because she always turned down men when they asked her out.”

  “Maybe she was gay.”

  Bryn’s lips tugged downward. “Maybe. I honestly have no idea. And now I feel really bad that I didn’t know that much about her.”

  “Sounds like she didn’t give people much of a chance,” I said, trying to make her feel better.

  “I think Jake knew her better than I did. And she barely worked for him any time at all.”

  “You were her boss, Bryn, not her friend. It wasn’t your job to know about her personal life.”

  “I know. It’s just… sad, is all.”

  “Well, I’ll let you get back to work.” I stood.

  Bryn stood with me. “Before you go, can you take off your interrogator hat for a moment?”

  “I suppose. What’s on your mind?”

  “What are your intentions with Lil?”

  “My ‘intentions’? Seriously?”

  “I won’t have her hurt. I’m doing everything I can to keep her in Paynes Creek, and if you scare her off by being overprotective or whatever it is you do to keep her from falling head over heels in love… well… just don’t.”

  I studied Bryn for a long moment. Started to retort, but thought better of it.

  Instead, I thanked her for her time and made my exit.

  My phone rang as I walked into the sheriff’s office. Barb Kaufman.

  “Everything okay?” I asked when I answered. “Lil okay?”

  “Yes, but I had to leave your house to meet with my re
altor out at the farm. Lil promised she had work to do and was planning to spend the afternoon on your back deck. She said Winn was supposed to come over to help her brainstorm business ideas, and she really wanted some alone time to write and draw.”

  I hated the thought of Lil being alone, especially outside my house. But I also couldn’t expect her to accept a babysitter hovering around her full-time. I had, however, put another uniformed officer at the end of my driveway—a different one. As long as we had officers available, I would make sure one was assigned to Lil.

  “Thanks, Barb. As soon as I finish up here, I’ll check on her.”

  A few minutes later, as I was staring at the wall of evidence and unlikely murder suspects for the second time that day, Sheriff Daniels walked in with a phone to his ear. “Oh,” he said, lowering the phone. “There you are.”

  “Please tell me that Bree White has been asking for me,” I said.

  Luke walked in behind the sheriff and answered the question. “Not only has she not asked for you, she hasn’t muttered a single word. Hasn’t even asked to use the phone.”

  “That would be strange,” I said, “unless she doesn’t want anyone to know she’s in here.”

  All three of us knew that her total silence probably meant two things: She knew something that would blow this case wide open, and she was afraid for her life if the wrong people discovered she was here.

  “Here’s what I can’t figure,” I said. I pointed to the new photograph of Bree White. “After the night Rudy Richardson kidnapped Lil, Bree White dropped clean off the face of the earth for twelve years. And yet apparently she didn’t even go that far—at least, judging how quickly she was able to show up in Paynes Creek once again. How does a person do that?”

  “A really good hiding place,” Luke said. “And a powerful network of people protecting her.”

  “And she reappeared because of Tricia Hood,” said the sheriff. “Just came running. They had a personal relationship.”

  “And Tricia Hood’s fingerprints were on a candle purchased in Paynes Creek that was sent to Lily in New York,” I added. I cupped fingers over my jaw. “Could it be that Rudy Richardson has been watching Lily?”

  “Because she was the one who got away,” Luke interjected.

  “Right. And Hood was helping Richardson do his dirty work.”

  “That’s certainly possible. But then Hood became a loose end,” said the sheriff, nodding. “So Richardson killed her. Or had her killed.”

  “But he’s not in contact with Bree White, because she didn’t know that Tricia was dead.” I shook my head. “No. We’re missing something. Why go to such lengths to harass Lily with dead rabbits and foxes?” And everything else. I glanced at the pages from Lily’s book with the eyes of the fox cut out. This is personal, I thought. Someone wanted me studying this. Not to mention, Tricia was killed on my land.

  I stepped back. “I think it’s time I go over some details with Lil. See if she’s inadvertently left out anything. Can you call me if any labs come back or if White decides to talk?”

  The sheriff nodded. “Will do. Have you spoken to Chief Robinson?”

  “I gave him a brief summary. He knows the FBI is involved now and that I’m no longer trying to fly under the radar. But he could use more information.”

  “I’m on it,” Luke said. “I haven’t spoken to the chief in a few months. I’ll be happy to get him caught up.”

  “Thanks.”

  I decided I had to get out of there before I was pulled into something else. I knew I would soon run out of luck in keeping things from Lil, and I hated the thought of her being alone at my house.

  Twenty-Eight

  Lil

  I was beyond thankful when Grammy got called away by her realtor. I was tired of being hovered over and was feeling desperate for some alone time. But just as I grabbed my sketchpad and was about to find a relaxing spot to draw, Winn showed up on Coop’s doorstep.

  “What are you doing here?” I asked.

  “I thought we were going to go over the plan for submitting your newest series idea to publishers.”

  “Didn’t you get my message? I have a monster headache, thanks to way too much gin.”

  “I got your message. But yesterday you were ready to catch the next plane out of here, and I just thought—” He sighed. “Truth is I was worried about you. I know Coop is working this murder case, and I just wanted to make sure you were okay.”

  “I’m fine.” I lifted a hand and massaged my right temple. “It’s just…” Why was I having such a difficult time talking to Winn. I mean, it was Winn—the man I considered marrying. “Did you have any luck scheduling flights?”

  “I did. We leave tomorrow on the noon flight to LaGuardia.”

  My heart began an anxious flutter. Why? Wasn’t that exactly what I wanted? To go home?

  “Lily?” Winn placed a hand on my elbow when I said nothing. “You okay?”

  I gave my head a little shake. “Yes, I’m fine. I mean, other than this major hangover.” I pointed to my head, forcing a smile.

  He shifted on his feet. I had yet to stand back and let him enter the house. I wasn’t sure why. No, that wasn’t true—I did know why. Because I had wanted this time to myself. I craved a moment to just think.

  “Actually, Winn, since we’re on the same flight, why don’t we talk about the series then? Right now all I want to do is take a nap, and then I need to go say goodbye to Grammy and Bryn.”

  “And Cooper?” Winn said.

  “Winn… please don’t do that. I said I was returning to New York with you tomorrow.” Again I felt an uneasy flutter.

  Winn looked down, then back up. “Of course. Call me if you need me.”

  “I will.”

  The temperature had dropped. The weather was so unpredictable in the spring. But the weather didn’t matter. Coop had just made love to me under our favorite tree. Everything was perfect.

  I left him behind after telling him I’d been accepted to the school of my dreams. While pumping gas, I hugged myself as I thought about Coop, me, and our future. I knew we would get married. I wasn’t sure when, but I would spend the rest of my life with him. And everything was going to be perfect.

  I paid for my gas and went to the bathroom. I couldn’t believe how happy I was. He wasn’t happy about me going to New York, but I knew we would work through it. That’s what two people in love did.

  A man slammed into me. He pushed me up against the wall of the bathroom. He said things that frightened me to my core.

  I tried to jerk away, but it was of no use. He drugged me and put me in the trunk of his car.

  The gas station clerk looked on. She was close to my mom’s age. Maybe a little older. And something about her made me believe she’d do anything for this man.

  I knew I was going to die, or this man would rape me and I would wish I were dead.

  I started to cry. I rolled around in the trunk, attempting to think through the drugged haze.

  Then I heard the third voice. A man’s voice. No. A boy’s voice.

  “Lil, can you hear me? Wake up.”

  My eyes popped open. I was looking up into Coop’s face.

  “You were moaning in your sleep.” His brows tilted inward, and a crease deepened between them.

  I sat up and threw my arms around his neck.

  “God, Lil, you’re soaking wet.” He pushed me back. “Are you sick?”

  “No. I just had a bad dream.” This always happened when I dreamed of that night. I always woke in a cold sweat. “I haven’t had one of those in a long time.”

  “Want to talk about it?”

  I shook my head. “No, I think I’d like to take a shower.”

  “Of course.” He helped me to my feet, then cupped my cheek. “After you shower, we need to talk.”

  “That sounds serious. Something else happen?”

  “Nothing that can’t wait until after your shower.”

  As I headed for the shower, I
wondered why I didn’t just tell Coop about my dream. But I knew why. He had lived it with me, in a way, and I was sure he didn’t want to relive that night any more than I did.

  It dawned on me while I rinsed the conditioner from my hair that Coop and I had barely ever spoken about that night. We talked to the cops about it, but not to each other. And then the police investigation died down, after running into too many dead ends, and I was eager for the whole thing to just fade away.

  Of course, it could never really fade away. Not when the terrifying memories haunted me so often.

  Had I been fair to shut Coop out all those years ago? He had been my life. My future. But I had needed to get past that night, and I didn’t think I could do that with Coop. Or anywhere near Paynes Creek.

  But running off to New York hadn’t made me forget. It hadn’t fixed anything. And I had missed home. I had missed Bryn and Grammy. I had missed Coop.

  More than anything, I had missed the future we were supposed to have.

  And now here I was, in his shower, having slept in his bed the past two nights, in the very house that he and I had fantasized about as young adults.

  And Coop wanted to help me.

  I was treating him like he was just a childhood playmate, when we were so much more than that. He was the love of my life.

  And if I didn’t do something now, I would end up losing him all over again.

  I found a terry cloth robe on the back of the bathroom door. After quickly brushing out my hair, I went in search of Coop. I should have dried my hair and put some actual clothes on, but I had wasted so much time already.

  I padded down the stairs and into the kitchen. Coop was sitting at the island, waiting. He studied me, but said nothing.

  “I’m so sorry,” I said. A single tear streamed down my face. “I shouldn’t have left.”

  He rose to his feet. Took a step toward me, but stopped. He looked confused, scared.

  “Twelve years ago,” I explained. “I should have stayed and given us a chance. Instead I ran. And I hurt you. I regret so much. But mostly, I regret hurting you.” I folded my face into my hands. How could I look him in the eyes carrying all this regret?