by Vikki Walton
“Where’s the Chief?”
“What?” Anne got out on her side and moved next to Carson. The officer got out of his vehicle, but Anne noticed he kept his hand on his gun. What was going on?
A male voice punctuated the air. “I’m here.”
They all swiveled to see Chief Everett climb up over the edge of the road. They walked toward him as he called to the officer, “Newton, call in dispatch. Officer down.” The officer went back to his cruiser.
He turned to Anne and Carson. “It’s Dale. He’s dead.”
Chapter Twenty-Eight
“Dead?” Anne couldn’t believe it. “But when? How?”
Chief Everett took off his hat, wiped his head and replaced it on his head. “Dale told me was coming out to meet you. He’d already left, and I told him to get back to the station. But he said he was almost here and once he saw you, he’d have you come back with him. I didn’t like it, so I came out here. I couldn’t see his vehicle, so I walked along the side. That’s when I looked down and saw his cruiser.”
Anne and Carson walked over to the edge of the road. The cruiser had plowed through scrub oak, and smaller ponderosa pines bore the marks of broken branches and trunks.
“The only thing I can figure out is that he took the corner too fast and over-corrected.”
Anne started to speak but Carson grabbed her hand and squeezed it.
“I hoped that he was only hurt, but when I got there, he was dead.” Chief Everett looked at Anne. “Did he tell you what he wanted to talk to you about?”
Anne shook her head. “No. I figured it was about what I’d already told you.”
“Well, we’ll never know now. I’m sad to have him leave my team.”
“You think it was an accident?” Anne put her hand up and shielded her eyes from the sun.
He didn’t reply at first. “We must wait for the techs to tell us. Why?”
“I’m just wondering if El Toro had him killed.”
“Why do you say that?”
“Maybe he knew who El Toro is.”
“Good point.” He looked toward the wreckage below. “You know, Dale had been acting strange lately. I’d attributed it to just the job. It gets to you sometimes. Right, Carson?”
Carson nodded in affirmation. “Yes. It can.”
“I asked him about it, but the only thing I found out was that he’d gotten into debt. I think he’d been doing some gambling or something over in Cripple Creek. Lost a ton of money.” He stopped. “No. I can’t believe he’d...”
He didn’t finish the sentence, but he didn’t have to. Had Dale gotten mixed up with El Toro to make money? Had he been turning information over but then El Toro had decided he was a liability? Had Dale meant to tell them who El Toro was and been killed before he got the chance?
“Chief Everett, is it okay if I take Anne home?” Carson inquired.
“Yes. Sure. We know where to find you. Please don’t speak about this to anyone before we notify his family and the media releases the information. I’d take it as a personal favor.”
“Certainly.” Carson guided Anne back to the car, opening the door to the passenger seat. Inside, he made a three-point turn as he glimpsed city vehicles coming up the road on the other switchback. Anne glanced over her shoulder and watched as Chief Everett disappeared back down the hill.
They passed the caravan of police vehicles going up the hill and drove in silence to town. Once they hit the main street, Anne asked if Carson would stop by Hope’s. She wanted to see the new features being put in that Hope had told her about. He pulled into a parking spot and got out. After checking out the new shelving to house all the herbs for sale and use, Carson recommended an early supper.
“I’m good with that,” Anne said, linking her arm in his. They had made it to the vehicle when Kandi pulled up in her bright red truck. They waited as she lowered the window. “I’m here to pick up Stewart and we’re heading over to Franco’s for dinner. Want to join us?”
Anne looked at Carson. “What do you say?”
“Sounds good.”
Stewart appeared from the alleyway. Hope must have let him use her shower up in her loft apartment, because he didn’t look like he’d been doing carpentry all day. “Coming with?”
“Yes.” Anne moved toward her car, but Kandi stopped her. “Why don’t you come with us and I’ll drop you back at your car later.”
“That works.” Carson opened the back passenger door and Anne slid across the seat. Once Carson was in the truck, Anne told Kandi and Stewart about Officer Dale.
“That’s horrible.” Stewart twisted to face Carson and Anne. “Do you think it was an accident or something else?”
“I don’t know. We aren’t to tell anyone, so this can’t leave this cab.”
“Mouth sealed.” Stewart drew a zip across his mouth. “It seems, I don’t know, off.”
“That’s what I was thinking too,” Carson replied.
Anne turned to face him. “What do you mean?”
“He was supposed to meet us. But then he’s killed—accidentally or otherwise. Why there and why now?”
“I guess you’re right, but maybe he figured out something from what we’d told him.”
“Could be.” Carson rested his arm on the back seat. “We’ll find out more once the autopsy’s performed.”
“We’re here!” Kandi chirped.
They pulled into a spot close to the door, the parking lot already filling up with patrons.
“They have the yummiest Italian food. It’s, like, so good.”
“It is good.” Carson stepped out of the truck and put out his hand for Anne to exit.
Kandi and Stewart were chatting ahead of them with Carson and Anne following.
“Stop!” Anne commanded as she grabbed Carson’s arm. Kandi and Stewart turned around too.
“Did you forget something?” Stewart asked.
“No. I remembered something I wanted to tell Carson. You two go on ahead and get us a table. We’ll be in there in a minute.”
“Okay.” Kandi bounced toward the door, reminding Anne of a human Tigger.
Carson looked down at Anne. “What it is?”
“Walk with me back to the truck and act like we’re looking to see if I left something in there.”
“Okay, but what’s with all the subterfuge, ND?”
Anne took his arm. “You’ll see. When we’re coming back, just glance around the parking lot, especially to the back area to the left, but don’t stop.”
“Now you’ve got me curious.” Carson stopped next to Anne as she made the pretense of looking in Kandi’s windows.
“Nope. I must have left it in my car.” Anne turned, and they walked back toward the restaurant.
Anne knew Carson had seen what she intended when his breath caught for a second.
“Got it?” She asked him.
“Yes.” He placed his hand on her back to lead her inside. Once inside, they looked at one another but said nothing. After he’d seated Anne, he excused himself. When he returned, he leaned over and whispered to Anne. “Look.”
She glanced down to where he held his phone. The picture on it was unmistakable. Deputy Ruiz’s vehicle had a smashed front fender and white paint streaks.
“White paint,” Anne said under her breath.
Carson nodded. He didn’t need to respond. They both knew the town ‘s police cars were white.
News traveled quickly in Carolan Springs, but when the town’s paper came out, the headline shocked the small town.
Sheriff’s Deputy Takes Own Life.
Police Chief Bradley Everett released a formal statement. “We are extremely saddened at the loss of one of our officers. And in this tragic manner. Our condolences to his family and friends at this tragic time.”
Sam had stopped by Anne’s where Carson, Hope, Stewart, and Kandi had already gathered.
“Can you share anything with us, Sam?” Carson requested.
“As far as it looks, h
e tried to kill himself by going off the road to make it look like an accident. But it only injured him. He used his service revolver.” Sam shook his head. “He really seemed like a nice guy. But now—”
Hope asked, “What do you mean ‘but now’?”
“Unofficially, they’ve found all kinds of incriminating evidence at his house connecting him to the arsons in the area. They think he craved the attention and appreciation. But they also found things linking him to the drug cartel. In fact, he had a tattoo of a bull on his chest.”
“He did?” Anne scooted forward.
“Yes. Lots of information about El Toro at his place.”
“Do you think he was El Toro?” Stewart questioned.
Sam shook his head. “I don’t know. I wouldn’t think so. But who better to keep things under wraps than someone on the force?”
Anne and Carson exchanged glances but said nothing.
Had Ruiz gotten Dale to work for him? Had Dale decided to spill the beans about Ruiz?
The doorbell rang. Anne went to answer it and found Police Chief Everett standing at the door.
“Chief. Please,” she said, waving her hand, “come in.”
“I can only stay a moment. I wanted to stop by since you and Sheriff Carson were there when we found Officer Dale.”
“He’s in the kitchen. Follow me.”
In the kitchen, Anne introduced everyone to Chief Everett. “I’m sorry to interrupt you. I wanted to stop by and thank Anne for her information. I should have followed up on it sooner.” He turned to Carson. “All charges against you have been dropped. I would think you’d be reinstated soon.”
“Would you like to sit down?” Stewart got up from his chair.
“No thanks. I can only stay a moment. I have to say, I think Dale was a good guy. I sent him out to look at the Bennett’s place like you suggested, Ms. Freemont. It wasn’t long after that… well, you know.”
“It’s so sad. Why would he do that?”
“I don’t know. Too many questions and not enough answers. I can’t believe someone involved him in something like that. And his car. Makes no sense. It looks more like an accident. Maybe he thought no one would find him. He was too injured to move so maybe he chose to end it.”
“Couldn’t he have called for help?”
“Coverage is sporadic at best up in the mountains. Plus, his radio could have been broken. They haven’t finished going over the vehicle yet.”
Carson stood. “Thanks for coming by, Chief. I’m glad we’ve settled this. Ray and Dale must have thought they could turn a quick buck. I’m glad it’s over now.” He shook the chief’s hand.
“Agreed.” Everett turned to the group. “Well, I’ve got to get on.”
Anne walked him to the door. Returning to the kitchen she said, “Is it really over?”
“Oh yes, it’s over,” Carson stated emphatically
Chapter Twenty-Nine
After everyone had left, Carson told Anne he’d see her tomorrow. Mouser let her know in his plaintive meows that she had been neglecting him.
Anne took time to do housekeeping chores she’d been overlooking, her mind occupied as she worked.
How could it be over? Certainly, Dale wasn’t El Toro. What about Ruiz? His car bore the proof that he’d hit something and damaged the fender. Then there was the woman the teens all spoke about. Was that Mary Smith? She and Ruiz had definitely been seen together. And she was always evasive about why she had come to Carolan Springs and what she did for a living. Most people were more forthcoming.
Then there was Bill. Why would Dale have harmed him? For a few measly pot plants? Made little sense. Anne knew Carson felt Bill wasn’t being truthful about the reason for the attack, but Bill was remaining quiet. Was Dale the reason?
Then there was the Bennett place. Had Dale killed Ray?
Anne switched off the vacuum. “Ugh. I’m not getting anywhere with this.”
A thought came to mind. She’d head over to see Lori and find out if they’d heard about Dale. Maybe Bill would be more forthcoming with Dale out of the picture.
Anne went out into the backyard to her floral cutting garden. It was one of the first things she’d added to the backyard, as she wanted to have fresh-cut flowers in the house. She decided on some big, puffy teddy-bear sunflowers. Inside, she stuck them in a large mason jar and wrapped the jar with raffia ribbon. She pulled out a label and wrote, “To Sunny Days Ahead.”
Anne got in her car and drove out to Bill and Lori’s. But when she arrived, the couple was out. She walked around to the back, but they weren’t there. After leaving the flowers on the doorstep with a note, Anne got back into her vehicle.
Tapping her fingers on the wheel, she thought about her next steps. She’d backed out of the driveway and decided she’d see if Sam had learned anything else. Carson may think it was over, but it was far from over in Anne’s mind.
She enjoyed the drive out to Sam’s. But when she made her way up his drive, she found that she wasn’t the only one who had paid Sam a visit. Ruiz’s truck was parked under a tree.
Anne pulled up to a stop and exited the vehicle when she saw Ruiz. He was coming from the back deck. He started when he saw Anne. He advanced toward her. “Hey, you out to go fishing?”
“I’m looking for Sam.”
A woman’s voice answered. “He’s not here. He went into town to grab a few things.”
Anne watched as Mary Smith descended the few steps and walked over to her.
“Oh. Well. Okay.” Anne stumbled for something to say.
“Ruiz, that’s it, correct?” Mary turned to him.
“Yes, you’re right.”
She continued, “He’d come out to go fishing but no luck. Right?”
Anne wasn’t that dumb. Most people would fish early morning on the lake or later in the day. Not in the afternoon’s heat when the fish went deeper, but she said nothing.
“Yep. Looks like hamburgers for dinner.” He turned to the woman. “If you’ll let Sam know I stopped by and said hi.”
“Be glad to.” She beamed at him.
Wow. Could the acting get any worse? Was Mary playing the field with Sam and Ruiz? Anne couldn’t care less. She hoped that was what was going on and not that Ruiz and Mary were involved in a drug cartel.
“Yes. Let Sam know I stopped by.” Anne quickly got back in her vehicle and headed home.
Dead ends. Everywhere she turned. More dead ends.
She slammed on her brakes. Looking up in the mirror she was glad she was the only one on the road.
Dead End. That’s what Dale’s death had provided. Someone had been leading them to think they were at the end.
She put her foot on the gas.
Once Anne got back into town, a rush of firetrucks went by, sirens blaring. Behind them a deputy’s car followed by an ambulance.
She wondered what was happening. It was rare to see such a sight of all the town’s public safety vehicles in such a hurry.
The hair on her arms stood up. She flipped her car around and followed behind the ambulance. Alarms continued as they turned off the main street toward the feeder for Old Ranch Road.
Carson lived off Old Ranch Road.
She kept pace behind the vehicles and her fear grew as the smell of smoke filtered in through her vehicle’s air ducts. Off to the right, flames were licking at the base of trees. She pulled her SUV off to the side and opened her door. The firetrucks were spraying down the forest as the wildfire management crew set to digging in boundary lines.
She slammed the door shut and rushed toward the driveway that led to what had once been a home. Fire engulfed the entire structure.
“No!” She stifled a scream. Where was Carson? She hunted frantically for him among the many male faces.
A deputy came toward her. “Ma’am, you can’t be here. You will have to leave.”
She shrugged away from his touch. “No. I’m not leaving until I see Carson. Where is he?” She stifled another cry as she re
peated, “Where is he?”
“The firefighters are searching where they can, but…”
He didn’t need to finish the statement. There was no way anyone inside the structure that was now engulfed in flames would have survived.
Anne broke down in sobs. She felt sick. Anne bent over, clutching her knees, trying to steady herself.
They called the deputy over by a firefighter and he motioned for one of the EMTs to see to her.
It was Sam who came over. “Anne, what are you doing here?”
“I… I…”
“Let’s have you sit down. Okay?”
She nodded. He wrapped an arm around her and led her over to her vehicle. Crouching down in front of her, he took her hands in his, rubbing them between his own. “Better? Do you feel faint?”
“No. I’m okay.” Tears streamed down her cheeks. She reached up to wipe them away and soot covered her hand.
“What are you doing here?”
“I saw all the fire trucks and … I just had a … I had to come.” She covered her face in her hands.
Sam stayed next to her, and when she had stopped crying, he looked into her eyes. “We don’t know anything yet. Right?” He moved his head up and down and she followed him.
“Yes, but—”
“No but’s. We don’t know until we know.”
“What happened?”
“We won’t know until the fire marshal gives his findings.”
“Do you think it was the same person who set the other fires?”
“I couldn’t tell you, but I do think this one seems different. Though, why, I couldn’t tell you.” He looked at her. “I can’t leave, but I could get one of the others to drive you home. You shouldn’t be here.”
The message Sam sought to convey was clear. If they did find Carson’s body in the debris, he didn’t want her there to see it.
“I can drive myself.” Anne sniffed, and Sam handed her a pack of tissues he pulled from one of his many pockets.
“Okay. Let me help you to stand up and then I’ll determine if I concur.” He helped Anne to her feet and walked her around to the driver’s side. He settled her in the seat. “Are you sure? I can easily get someone to drive you.”
“Thanks, but no. I really want to be alone.” She gripped the steering wheel.