The Mayor’s eyebrows rose in surprise.
Just then, the door to the office opened, and the secretary stuck her head inside. “Sir, I’m sorry to bother you, but the Senator and Superintendent are here to see you.”
The Mayor frowned. “Can it wait? I have guests.”
“I know, Sir,” the secretary said. “They seem to know about your guests. They want to see them as well.”
“That’s right, Mayor Tomlin,” a loud voice said as the door was pushed all the way open. A tall man with salt-and-pepper hair and a well-tailored suit was standing there. If it weren’t for the smug look on this face, Abby would say he was a handsome man, but the glint of arrogant cruelty in his eyes ruined his look. “I do have business with you and your guests. Your conspiracy ends today.”
“Senator Clark, I presume,” Abby said, regaining her composure.
“Yes, that’s me,” said the Senator as he strode into the room, followed quickly by a smaller man dressed in a too-formal police uniform. “Now, which one of you is Becky Northridge?”
“Oh, jackrabbits,” Becky whispered.
Chapter 21
Abby and Becky were standing next to an SUV with the Mayor, Senator Clark, and Superintendent Ketch on the sidewalk just up the street from Becky’s café. Also in attendance were several news crews, their vans clogging the thoroughfare along with a fair amount of the town’s occupants. State troopers were scattered throughout, keeping the crowd back, but they were still well within the hearing range of the Senator. It seemed to be a calculated move, and it was confirmed when the Senator looked back at the line of people every few minutes to make sure they hadn’t drifted away.
What was more disturbing were the police dressed in flak vests and carrying assault rifles who were moving in toward the café. They were taking cover as if hiding from anyone that would look out of the picture windows of the building, but there was no way anyone inside would have missed the circus.
It was obviously well orchestrated.
“What are you planning to do to my cafe?” Becky asked angrily. The Senator and Superintendent had not expanded on what they meant about a conspiracy but had merely suggested they should probably come over to the Becky’s place of business.
“Why, Miss Northridge, we’re here to catch a killer. One that has been a fugitive for decades,” The Senator said smugly without looking at her.
“What!?” Becky said, confusion mixing with the anger that was already obvious in her voice. “What does that have to do with my restaurant?”
The Senator gestured to the Superintendent, who stepped forward and presented Becky with a piece of paper. “Miss Rebecca Northridge, I am presenting you with a warrant to search your premises and place of business, Named Becky’s Café. We have reason to believe the fugitive, known as Robert J Morgan, might be seeking refuge within,” the man said, continuing to drone on even as Becky took the piece of paper and looked at it incredulously.
“Are you crazy?!” Becky squeaked when she looked up, glaring at the Senator and ignoring the Superintendent. “Why could you possibly think that?”
The Mayor took the piece of paper out of Becky’s hand and began reading it as the Senator turned his head slightly, looking at them all as if he was the cat that had caught the canary. “Don’t be so coy, Miss Northridge. Did you think we wouldn’t notice your café suddenly shut down right after they had found the dead body of my sister? Why else would you do this, if you didn’t want to give the fugitive safe haven?” The sneer on the man’s face was distorted as he snorted. Gesturing to the police who were quickly moving toward the front door, he continued. “Justice will be done today.”
“Justice!?” Becky began. “There’s no one hiding in there; I had a…”
Abby grabbed Becky’s arm, giving her a look and shaking her head when her friend turned to her. The Mayor put his hand up to his face, trying to cover the minuscule smile that was creeping over his lips and commenting on the warrant instead. “Judge Mury Benstein?” He said loud enough for the news crews to hear. “The evidence must have been damning for him to issue a warrant so quickly.”
“I know people that believe in justice, Mayor. Something you should look into if you hope to continue to be Mayor here.” The Senator looked over, sneering at the Mayor. “Shame you’ve let a killer live in your community for so long.”
The Mayor just nodded sagely, as if accepting what the man was saying. It elicited a small frown of worry on the Senator’s face, but it quickly disappeared, replaced by his confident mask.
Several state troopers were moving up to the front door, one with a thick, black cylinder. The man that held it pulled back, and let the heavy metal swing forward to the sound of breaking wood and glass, followed quickly by armed men running inside. At the same moment, they heard another muted echo from the back of the café.
“You are paying for that,” Becky said calmly, watching as her beloved place of business was invaded.
“You’ll have more to worry about than just paying for a door, Miss Northridge,” Superintendent Ketch snarled. “Once we… apprehend Mr. Morgan; I’m afraid you’ll be dealing with some charges of your own.”
They all heard the pause in the Superintendent’s voice, and despite herself, Abby felt a chill race up and down her spine. The Mayor was right. They weren’t planning to take Rob Morgan alive. When the police officers that had charged in came boiling out of the café, coughing, and hacking, she couldn’t even muster a smile.
“What’s going on?” The Senator asked, taking a step forward. He turned to the Superintendent in alarm. “Go find out what is going on! Now!”
The Superintendent began to sputter and didn’t move quickly enough for the larger Senator, who ended up grabbing the man and pushing him off toward the police officers who were being sick on the grass. The Senator turned, glaring at Becky, Abby, and the Mayor. “What did you do?” he said in a low, deadly voice.
The Mayor smiled sublimely before turning toward the news crews who had pushed closer. “We didn’t do anything, Senator Clark. I’m afraid it would be nearly impossible for someone to hide out in the café after a skunk had wandered in a few days ago. As I understand it, the poor thing was startled and did what it does best.” He shrugged and made way for the news crews who had pushed forward. “If you had asked us, we would have told you instead of letting you waste all this taxpayer money.”
The Senator looked at the Mayor, speechless as his hands clenched and unclenched. Becky walked up to the man and poked him in the chest. “You’re paying for that,” she repeated, giving him the eye right before the reporters began screaming questions.
Chapter 22
Abby stood at the front door to Hazel’s house, watching the two state police cars and the detective’s sedan drive away. It had been a few days since the incident at Becky’s café, but instead of calming down, things had just become more and more intense. There had been more warrants and more searches throughout the town, as well as Hazel’s house. More than once.
They had found out Mr. Wilberson had gone missing and learned he used to be friends with Rob Morgan. That had elicited several sharp questions which culminated in the search of the garage and small apartment upstairs. Abby had watched them take several things from the apartment, including Mr. Wilberson’s shotgun. She wasn’t unhappy at seeing the subject of her recent nightmares go, but it still bothered her it was happening.
She’d always been a supporter of the police, but the way these were acting was disconcerting. It set her and the entire town on edge. When they finally drove out of sight, she closed the door and walked back into the living room.
“Are they gone?” Gabe asked from his seat on the couch.
Abby walked over, sitting next to him and nodding. There was a chair open, but she told herself she left that for Hazel for when she came back into the living room from the kitchen “Yes, they just left, but they’ll be back soon. This was the second time in a week.”
“No, it
was the third,” Becky volunteered. “You’re forgetting the first time they were here questioning Hazel.”
Abby frowned and sighed. “Third then. They’re putting a lot of pressure on Hazel. I don’t like this one bit.”
“That’s why we’re here,” Gabe said, putting a warm hand on her forearm and squeezing softly. “This can’t be easy on you, either, Abby.”
She smiled at him, patting the top of his hand and leaving it there for perhaps a moment longer than necessary as she became lost in the crinkles next to his hazel eyes.
“Yes, we,” Becky said and grinned when Abby blushed and pulled her hand away. “We are here to support you and Hazel even if all of us don’t have dimples.”
“Hey, I’ll have you know dimples are just behind unicorn’s for making people smile,” Gabe said, chuckling as he took his hand back from Abby’s arm.
“Not all unicorns,” said Hazel as she walked into the living room with a plate of scones. “I’m reading an entertaining little series right now where the unicorn is not so nice.”
Becky blinked. “A mean unicorn? That sounds odd.”
Hazel shook her head as she held the tray out to everyone, waiting until they’d taken something to eat. “No, not mean exactly. Perhaps a better word would be pushy and self-centered, but he is not your average unicorn, that is certain.” She paused as she sat down, then spoke quietly, almost in a whisper without looking at anyone. “Are they gone?”
“Yes, they are gone,” Abby answered just as softly, watching Hazel intently. Her grandmother would ask these questions about what was going on but always like this. Like it was hidden and unspeakable. Then she’d start talking again as if nothing were happening and if you tried to continue the conversation, she’d just go silent. Abby knew this wasn’t healthy, but she had no idea how to push past it.
But this time was different. Hazel took a deep breath and blinked, then looked up at the three of them with a concerned frown on her worn face. “I’m worried about Bill.
Abby shared a glance with Gabe and Becky before leaning forward and taking Hazel’s hand in hers. “We all are,” Abby said and then paused, taking a deep breath before diving into her questions. She knew it was a risk, but she felt this was her only opportunity to get Hazel to talk. “Why do you think he left?”
“I…I know he and Rob fought just before Rob disappeared. I thought Bill might have threatened him and drove him away,” Hazel said slowly, wringing her hands as she spoke. “But now, I’m not so sure. When they found the dead body, I thought maybe he’d killed Rob to protect me. Now that it’s Lara, I just don’t know.”
“Do you remember what they fought about?” Abby asked softly.
Hazel shook her head. “No, not really. It was something about Lara is all I know.” Hazel looked sadly at Abby, tearing up slightly as her voice shook with her next question. “Do you think he could have killed Lara?”
Abby squeezed Hazel’s hand. “No,” Abby said firmly. “And I’ll tell you why. When the Sheriff said it was Lara, he was just as surprised as you were. You couldn’t see it, but I did.”
Hazel looked searchingly into Abby’s eyes. “For over two decades I thought he’d done something to drive my little brother away. Then I figured he’d killed him.”
“Is that why you wouldn’t speak to the Sheriff about it?” Abby asked.
“Yes,” Her grandmother said distantly before getting a more determined look on her face. “Yes, but I think it’s time I talk to him again. I think Bill went to go find Rob, and I’m afraid it’s to do something we’ll all regret.”
“Do you have any idea where they might have gone?” Abby asked.
“I am not sure,” Hazel answered. “There was a place they used to all go and hang out, but I never knew where it was. I didn’t want to intrude on Rob’s life any more than I already was. He and his friends used to go hang out there with the rats and deer, he said.”
“Was it a cabin?” Gabe asked. “If it was a cabin, we may have records of it.”
Hazel nodded. “I think it was. It didn’t sound like they went out with tents, but that’s all I know. I don’t even have a name of a road.”
“It will be impossible to find without something,” Gabe said. There’s more than just a few hunters cabins up around here.”
Abby stopped, remembering something the Mayor had said. There had been other friends that had hung out with Rob. One of them might remember. She snapped her fingers and looked over at Becky. “Do you think Ben Martinez or Sarah Byrn might know?”
“Sara Byrn forgets her first name by mid-morning, but Ben Martinez might remember something,” Becky responded. “And he’s close, too.”
Gabe stood, looking determined. “Let’s go talk to him before it’s too late.”
“Oh, dear,” Hazel said, putting her hands up to her lips. “Don’t you think you should call the Sheriff?”
Gabe frowned and shook his head. “Anything they say over their radios will be heard by the state police. I don’t think we want them involved if we want to keep people alive. No, if we find Bill, or anyone else, we’ll bring him back here. Just make sure the Sheriff is here.”
Hazel nodded, following them out onto the porch as they moved to Gabe’s truck. She gave Abby a hug and held her tightly. “Good luck! Try not to get shot at this time, too.”
“I promise!” Abby said, then jumped into the back seat while her grandmother got into the front. “I’ll call if anything happens!” Abby called out of the window as they drove away.
Chapter 23
Butters was the same as the last time Abby had seen it if a bit less attended. The townsfolks were nervous with the state police all over. They were staying in more often than going out. It was a shame because they were still experiencing good weather even half-way into October and it was a fantastic time to be out walking around the scenic buildings and parks.
However, they did recognize the unmarked sedan parked out front. It seemed Detectives Mike and Ed were keeping busy.
“Didn’t we just see those two?” Becky complained from the back seat.
“They can’t harass us here. We’re in a public place,” Abby answered before getting out. “Maybe they are just here for some ice-cream?”
“Fat chance of that,” Gabe said. “But let’s just act like that’s what we’re here for until they leave, all right?”
Abby and Becky nodded though Abby had a bad feeling. They could see the two detectives inside up at the counter, and poor Mr. Martinez looked like he was anything but happy to see them. When they opened the door to go inside, they could hear why.
“We know you were friends with the fugitive, Mr. Martinez,” said Mike, the larger of the two. “Just tell us where we can find that cabin, and we’ll leave your store. I’m sure us yelling isn’t helping your business.”
“Are…Are you threatening me?” Mr. Martinez had asked before his eyes flicked to Abby, Gabe, and Becky. The sense of relief on his face was palpable but caused the two detectives to turn, sneering when they realized who it was. However, all Abby could focus on was that they knew there was a cabin. They were too late, and there was nothing Abby could do to stop it.
“Going to try to kick us out of here as well, Mrs. Morgan?” Detective Philips growled. “You are certainly the avenging angel, aren’t you?”
“No, Ed,” Abby said back stonily. “This is an ice-cream parlor, and we’re here to get ice-cream. That is unless you’re going to confiscate it for your investigation? If you do, I hope you have a good exercise program lined up,” She said, glancing down at his gut. “Though it looks like you’re already behind on it.”
Detective Philips began to step forward until Detective Murphy grabbed his arm. “Don’t do it, Ed. Come on; this place has security cameras. You’ll be up on the news before nightfall if you do anything. After the café, we can’t use any more bad press.”
Abby smirked at him, hoping to keep distracting the man. Maybe if she could make him angry enough, he�
�d forget about the cabin. It was a faint hope, but it was all she could think of that might help. “Yeah, Ed. What happened there is called being skunked. Literally.” She felt Gabe touch her arm to caution her, and to let her know he was there at her back if she needed it. It made her smile a bit wider as she stared challengingly into the Detectives pale, blue eyes.
Instead of storming past her angrily, the detective turned back with a snort of anger and slammed his hand down on the faux marble counter. “Where the hell is the cabin, Mr. Martinez! “He yelled, clearly out of patience.
Mr. Martinez jumped, his eyes wide and he backed up a step. “I… I don’t remember!”
Mike leaned forward suddenly, looming over the smaller man as if he were going to take a swing at him. Abby didn’t think Detective Philips would do that, but she wasn’t entirely sure. Ben Martinez seemed to think so as well because he brought his hands up in front of his face as if to block and flinched dramatically. “Ah! Don’t hit me! Wait, I think it was called Mount Vrin Road, or something like that. Something with a V in it!”
Detective Phillips straightened up, grinning. “That’s good, Mr. Martinez. Thanks for the info. Come on, Ed,” he said, slapping his partner on the shoulder and turning for the door. He gave Abby and her friends an unfriendly look but didn’t say anything as he strode past and out of Butters.
After the two detectives had left, Gabe stepped up to the counter. “You okay, Ben?” He asked as the man collected himself.
“Dear Lord,” Mr. Martinez said in a trembling voice. “That was terrifying. I thought they were going to attack me.”
Gabe shook his head and pointed to the cameras up in the corners of the main room. “Not a chance. That was all just scare tactics. Listen, Ben, did you mean Mount Varen Lane? What you told the Detective back there?”
Ben Martinez’s eyes went wide in recognition, and he nodded. “Yeah! That’s it! Mount Varen Lane. There was an old shack out there we all used to go to on Friday nights during the summer.”
Cold Murder and Dark Secrets, A Red Pine Falls Cozy Mystery (Red Pine Falls Cozy Mysteries Book 2) Page 9