Buried Agendas

by Donnell Ann Bell

  BRAD SAT IN GRAY’S office, passing the time by reshaping paperclips.

  Gray perused files, once in a while making small talk. “I wasn’t aware you’d kept in touch with Diana. What’s your relationship?”

  Brad had manipulated the clip into a straight line. “We’re . . .” What the hell were they? Lovers? No. Adversaries? Not quite. Friends? Once upon a time. “We’re friends,” he said at last.

  “Uh-huh,” Gray said, drilling Brad with that know-it-all stare. “Say, Brad?”

  “Yeah?”

  “You want to stop bending my paperclips? Don’t know about the city, but the county’s on a shoestring.”

  Frowning, Brad put the magnetic dispenser, distorted clips and all, back on the sheriff’s desk. “What’d you ask the deputies to tell her when they picked her up?”

  “Just told ’em to bring her into town.”

  “Then she won’t know why she’s here,” Brad said, almost to himself.

  “If it’s a simple interview, why should it matter?”

  She’ll think I betrayed her. “It’s pretty unnerving to be whisked into a patrol car, even if you haven’t done anything wrong.”

  “Relax,” Gray told him. “Your story’s farfetched enough, it has to have some element of truth. When Diana corroborates your version, you’re free to go.”

  Free to go. Nice-sounding words, and for the most part, Brad had told the truth. He’d been candid about Liz’s allegations against Jordan, Diana’s reasons for coming to Diamond, her discovery that Leo Winters had sent the letter, and even Diana’s suggestion to break into Leo’s apartment simply to look around.

  Still, Brad had left out a significant detail. Gray might balk at breaking and entering of a lone man’s apartment where nothing was taken. But would the sheriff be so blind as to ignore criminal trespass, criminal impersonation, and forgery of government documents?

  If Gray tripped up Diana over invading the plant, she was a candidate for trouble.

  The window from Gray’s office allowed them a partial view of the sheriff’s fleet. Headlights reflected off the pane.

  “That’ll be them,” Gray said, standing. “Can’t let you sit in on this one, Brad. You’re not the mayor or an attorney in this instance; you’re a witness.”

  Brad blew out a breath. That was that. He had no possible way to warn her to not incriminate herself. He rose to pace the floor as Gray left the room.

  A few moments later, though, a deputy appeared. “Mayor Jordan, Sheriff Tafoya said you’re free to observe Ms. Reid’s statement if you want.”

  That had to be the quickest about-face known to man. Confused by the change in Gray’s decision and extraordinary preferential treatment, Brad followed the deputy to Interrogation. No, he wouldn’t be able to talk to her, but at least he’d be able to hear what she said.

  Two plainclothes detectives wearing badges stood at a one-way mirror. Brad nodded to the pair. They returned his greeting, but there was no mistaking where their interests lay.

  A clammy sensation worked its way up Brad’s spine. Gray was a trained interrogator. For that matter, so was Diana, but was she shrewd enough to avoid a trap?

  “Why’s she dressed liked that?” asked the detective standing beside Brad.

  Up until this point, he hadn’t wanted to look. He followed their gazes, and held back an Ah, hell.

  Dressed in solid black turtleneck and tights, every curve of Diana was on display, every pound beautiful, and every ounce suspicious.

  Had they located her at the motel or at the ridge overlooking the plant?

  “Maybe she was exercising,” one of the detectives scoffed.

  “Wish my ol’ lady looked that good in tights,” the other said.

  Brad exhaled softly, folded his arms, and leaned against the wall.

  Gray entered the room from an opposite door in Interrogation, and the detectives moved closer to the mirror.

  “Evenin’, Ms. Reid. Have a seat, please.” The sheriff was in full law-enforcement mode, but as his gaze raked her from head to toe, Gray, too, seemed stunned by her attire. “We sure appreciate—uh—appreciate your taking time out of your busy schedule—”

  Diana held her head regally. “I don’t want to have a seat, Sheriff Tafoya. I want to know why I’m here. Then I’d like you to produce a phone so I can call my lawyer.”

  His mouth lifted into a half-smile, half-smirk. Was that admiration Brad saw on Gray’s face?

  “Now, why would a respected reporter like yourself even ask the question? Aren’t we on the same side?”

  Diana blanched. “Not always.”

  “I assure you, you’re not under arrest,” Gray continued. “And as much as your evening activities intrigue me, I have a more pressing matter to tend to. So what’s it gonna be? Still want that lawyer?”

  Diana moved to the chair across from him, sat, and folded her arms. “I’m listening.”

  “You’re here because a man was found dead this morning. Just so happens with a letter addressed to you on his body.”

  Brad clenched jaw. So that’s why Gray had had the sudden change of heart and allowed Brad to observe. Gray Tafoya didn’t have a magnanimous bone in his body. Bullshit! He wanted Brad to witness firsthand that he’d gotten something on Diana. Brad had fallen for one of the oldest tricks in the book—trusting a cop intent on solving a case.

  Brad hadn’t been the only one to hold back information. He added a new layer of respect for Meade County’s sheriff.

  Diana’s face turned the color of an unpainted canvas. “Who was it?”

  “Man by the name of Leonard Winters. Suspicious circumstances at best.”

  Her eyes went wide. “Oh, no. When?”

  “ME places the time of death Monday night. Sounds like you know him.”

  “No, not really.”

  Gray flipped on the recorder. “Why don’t you tell me what you mean by not really.”

  As Diana recounted the events that had led her to Diamond, Gray provided her with coffee. In a clear, concise manner, she admitted everything, foregoing, as Brad had, that she’d been working at Jordan Industries.

  With the detectives beside Brad clinging to all she said during her statement, he relaxed. Diana made a superb witness, and, so far, had steered clear of incrimination. Her years as a broadcast journalist had left her with poise under duress.

  “May I see the letter you found on Leo’s body?” she asked.

  Gray pulled a plastic-protected note from a file. Brad recognized it as the stationery they’d found in Leo’s apartment.

  Diana shook her head. “I can’t believe this. He was trying to contact me again?” She read aloud, Dear Ms. Reid: Forgive my first unfortunate attempt to contact you. You may not remember me . . . She glanced up, wearing a look of dismay. “Why does his letter just stop?”

  She unzipped her backpack. “I have the first one he sent.” She withdrew Leo’s original message and passed it to Gray.

  “I’ll need to keep this,” he said.

  “Of course.”

  “From the looks of this, Leonard threatened a member of your family. How’d you feel about that?”

  “Scared. Angry.”

  The detectives’ heads went up a notch.

  “Angry enough you might want to kill him?”

  “So much for not needing a lawyer.” Diana leaned closer to the recorder. “For the record, I’ve never wanted to kill anyone, and I’ve met some real jerks in my day and in my line of work. But here’s where you have a problem. You said Leo died on Monday. I didn’t discover who wrote the letter until Tuesday afternoon.”

  “And you know what?” Gray asked. “That fact just amazes me. In two days’ time, you come to Diamond, look into a company that has more than two thousand employees,
and, poof, come up with the solution that Leonard Winters sent that letter. What’d they teach you in that fancy college up yonder . . . how to read minds?”

  Tilting her head, Diana smiled sweetly.

  “I could use someone like you on my staff,” Gray said.

  The detective farthest away from Brad, said, “Sign her up. We’ll give her your desk, Baker.”

  Brad rolled his eyes.

  “Do you think I killed Leo?” Diana asked.

  “I don’t think you killed anyone,” Gray admitted. “But you have been up to something. I think I know what, and I think I know where. I just need to hear it from you. Where were you Monday night?”

  Diana averted her gaze. “For the last two nights, I’ve been watching the plant.”

  “Alone?”

  “I was there from eleven ’til two.”

  “Anybody see you?”

  Brad’s pulse quickened. Dammit, Diana, you don’t have a witness.

  “The whole point of dressing like this is not to be seen.”

  “It would benefit us both, Ms. Reid, if someone could verify your whereabouts. Brad Jordan has already stated he was with you after two a.m.”

  “Brad gave me an alibi?” Diana shifted in her chair.

  “That’s right. For part of the morning. But he can’t do a thing for you from the hours between eleven and two. Look at it from my perspective . . .” Gray picked up the broken pencil he’d used to toy with Brad earlier. “I got me a dead man with a letter in his pocket addressed to you. You freely stated that you were angry with Mr. Winters. The conflict I got here is your claim that you were watching the plant at the same time the ME thinks the deceased was killed. Dressed like that,” the sheriff said, nodding to her outfit, “why shouldn’t I assume you weren’t out digging a grave?”

  Diana’s braid had come unwound. She brushed the loose strands out of her eyes.

  “Help me out here, or you will need a lawyer. Did anyone see you from eleven to two?”

  “Do alibis have to be human?” she asked.

  “Hell, yes, they have to be human,” Baker said. “What’s she up to?”

  “We generally like ’em flesh and blood.” Gray smiled. “What’d you have in mind?”

  “My surveillance equipment. I recorded the date and time on the video.”

  Gray shook his head. “Equipment can be altered. And in your profession, I’m sure you know how to do it.”

  “You’re right, I do.”

  Brad raised his gaze to the ceiling. Are you trying to end up in jail? Keep quiet.

  “But I have no experience with special effects,” Diana said. “My crew has taught me how to do some basic things, but they’re back in Dallas. On Monday night, it was raining.” Diana added with a triumphant smile. “If you’ll check all the feed on all the pieces of my equipment, you’ll find images of Jordan, the road that leads to the plant, and the very wet time sequences accompanying them.

  “By the way, my crew has exceptional technical expertise, but I’m not sure even they can change the weather.”

  Gray switched off the recorder and gave Diana a congratulatory nod. “Works for me. I’ll take your keys, Ms. Reid.”

  She hesitated, then reluctantly handed them over. “Why? Are you arresting me?”

  “Baker, Calvo, you out there?”

  The men beside Brad filed into the room. Gray tossed the man he’d called Calvo the keys then turned to Diana. “Where’s this equipment?”

  “It’s in the trunk of a blue Ford Escort parked outside my motel room.”

  Gray nodded, obviously sending the detectives a silent order. In the next second, they were gone. “Brad, you out there?”

  He stood in the doorway.

  Diana slumped in relief.

  Gray stood. On his way out, he said, “I’ll give you two some privacy.”

  When Brad crossed the room, Diana rose to meet him. She wound her arms around his neck.

  Feeling her tremble, Brad held her away from him. “Are you all right?”

  “Thank you. Thank you!” she whispered. “I can’t tell you what went through my head. For a moment, I thought—”

  “I know what you thought. We’ll talk later.” His gaze roamed over the dirty linoleum, the abused table and chairs, and the place he’d spent the last few hours. It was time to get her the hell out of here. “Gray?”

  So much for granting them privacy; the sheriff appeared in the doorway.

  Brad shook his head. “Are we free to go?”

  “Yep. Although I still can’t figure out how you knew Leonard Winters wrote that letter. And another thing, how’d you know to go to his apartment, Ms. Reid?”

  Diana stared up at Brad. He squeezed her bicep, willing her not to say another word.

  As for him, he’d never felt such a desire to talk fast. “After Dr. Garcia made her allegations against Jordan, I asked Diana to infiltrate the plant. She’s been working at Jordan.”

  She stiffened in his arms.

  “My office, Brad. Now,” Gray said.

  Chapter Twenty-five

  INSIDE THE SHERIFF office’s break room, Diana destroyed three Styrofoam cups while waiting for Brad. He had some explaining to do when she saw him again. Currently, she was too afraid of what was going to happen to analyze fully what he’d meant by “Dr. Garcia’s allegations.” By Dr. Garcia, had he been talking about Liz? Of course he was, and that’s what he meant by “when was the last time you spoke to Elizabeth Garcia?” They’d been so busy dancing around one another, they’d failed to ask specific questions.

  Diana poked her nail through cup number four.

  Once in a while, a deputy would pass by and spear her with a curious glance. So far, no one had approached her. That wasn’t a good sign. Had the sheriff told them not to talk to the criminal? They might not be talking to her, but no doubt they were talking to each other.

  She stared at the disposable cup, minus its bottom. How soon before Clayton Jordan learned she was in town and all hell broke loose? She glanced at the clock. After midnight again.

  Voices rang from somewhere down the hallway, and Brad and Sheriff Tafoya entered the break room. The sheriff took one look at Diana’s pile of Styrofoam and looked strangely at Brad. “What’s with you two and office supplies?”

  Brad’s mouth twisted into a smirk. “Ready?” he asked Diana.

  She came to her feet. “We’re free to leave?”

  “Let’s do it,” Brad said. “Before Gray changes his mind.”

  Diana held her tongue long enough for Brad to lead her through the doors of the Meade County Jail. The second they were outside, though, she murmured through the side of her mouth. “Nice of you to tell me Liz also came to you with allegations.”

  Placing his hand on the small of her back, he urged her forward. Otherwise he remained tight-lipped.

  “Brad?”

  “Not now, Diana.” He led her to the Navigator and opened the passenger door for her.

  She hopped in and waited for him to slide behind the wheel. Once he climbed inside, he said, “Liz came to me with allegations last Thursday, the day before you arrived at the plant.”

  “So when I showed you Leo’s letter, Liz had already been to see you?”

  “I asked if you had heard from her. That should have given you some clue, Ms. Investigative Reporter.”

  Diana flushed. “Why didn’t you say something?”

  Brad smacked his forehead with the palm of his hand. “I keep forgetting we have this wonderfully open and honest relationship where we tell each other everything.”

  At that remark, she folded her arms. Brad had a talent for using her words against her.

  He started the SUV and swung out of the parking lot. “I didn’t say anything because,
at one time, you and Liz were tight. The day she came to my office, she even suggested contacting you. What would you have done if you were me? I had to be sure you didn’t concoct this scheme out of revenge.”

  “Why would we do that?”

  “Beats the hell out of me, but I wasn’t taking chances.” Brad shot her a glance. “Besides, I think you could show a little gratitude. I saved your celebrity bacon back there. After admitting you infiltrated the plant, you’re lucky Gray didn’t call the DA.”

  “Originally, I infiltrated the plant, but if I remember correctly, you had something to do with my staying.”

  Shaking his head, Brad veered toward the county highway and pressed down on the gas.

  “Brad, please, what did Liz tell you, and where is she?”

  “Liz and her husband work as ER docs at Good Shepherd Hospital’s emergency room in El Paso. A Mexican national came in with a severe rash. He was also in respiratory distress. He collapsed. Just before he died, Liz claims he said the name Jordan.” Brad shook his head. “Oh, apparently she’s been seeing this type of rash in other men who’ve been crossing the border.” He shrugged. “You now know as much as I do.”

  They drove for another fifteen minutes, Diana’s mind whirling every second. “Leo said people were going to die. There’s no way these incidents aren’t connected. What does it all mean?”

  Once again, Brad didn’t answer. The Navigator’s interior became so quiet, Diana counted the mile markers. When he turned the SUV off onto Snake Charmer Road, she straightened. She knew this area well, simply because she and Brad had been out here several times in high school, and even on college break, when they’d wanted to be alone.

  Snake Charmer Road, so named because it was one of the few areas in Meade County with windy conditions, had filled Diana with anticipation every time she and Brad had driven out here. This morning, however, in the hours before dawn, a different emotion filled her and she gulped with uncertainty. “Where are we going?”

  He pulled off the road, slowed to a spot near an ancient tree, cut the engine and faced her.

  Diana lifted an eyebrow.

  “Sorry if this brings back unpleasant memories. I wanted an area where we’d be guaranteed privacy.” He held out his hands. “You asked what this means? It means we still have a whole lot of conjecture without hard facts.”