Hidden Judgment

by Diane Benefiel

  Seth rubbed a hand over his face. “I merely suggested that since we’re hanging out here this morning, you might be more comfortable wearing something, you know, looser. And ‘letting your hair down’ is an American idiom meaning to relax, but since your hair is in a bun as tight as your—”

  “Time out. C’mon, clueless brother.” Ellie caught Seth’s arm, giving him a sunny smile as she asked, “What’s for breakfast?”

  Sam’s sympathy was with Seth, but he thought it wise to keep his mouth shut. He closed the door behind them and followed the others across a small living room that opened to the kitchen, the spaces separated by an island lined with stools.

  Linc stood at the stove using a fork to lift bacon from a pan onto paper towels laid out on a plate. “Hey there. Everything’s keeping warm in the oven. Get it on the table and we’re ready to eat. There’s coffee, tea, and OJ so get your own drinks.”

  Since breakfast for Sam usually ran to coffee and cold cereal or toast, he appreciated the bounty before him as he took his seat, placing his steaming mug of coffee next to his plate. Bacon, eggs, hash browns, toast, and sliced melon all looked pretty damn good. Ellie sat across from him. He guessed it wasn’t by accident that she placed herself between Seth and Bella.

  “This looks great, Linc.”

  “I am master of the breakfast.” He grinned at his sister. “You’re on cleanup detail.”

  Ellie nodded as if she expected no less. “Any new developments since yesterday?”

  Seth shook his head. “Nothing new.” He pointed to Sam. “We’ve got a team installing security cameras around your property. We’ll cover the front down to the street and the slope behind your house. The company that’s doing the installation will be there Tuesday morning. Next, the Marshals Service has taken possession of the stolen truck that was recovered yesterday. We’re also looking for footage from any traffic or commercial surveillance cameras that might show the movement of the truck before and after the driver tried to hit you. Hopefully we’ll get a hit from that.”

  Ellie frowned. “When we were starting out on our run yesterday, we were about a block from Sam’s house when a big truck started its engine the next street over. I could see it between the houses as it turned around. Did you see it?” Her gaze turned to Sam and he was struck again by the intense blue of her eyes. Something flickered, an impression of those eyes from somewhere in his past. He frowned to bring the image to mind but the memory was gone. He shook his head. “I didn’t notice anything.”

  “I just remembered that. It was on that street one block farther down the hill from the first street we turned onto. Do you usually run that way?”

  “Yeah. The trailhead for the river path I usually take is off that road. Did it look like the truck that tried to hit us?”

  “It was the same general size. Since that’s your usual route, the driver could have been waiting for you.”

  “At their own homes, people don’t usually park in a way that they’ll have to turn around, and that’s early for folks to be up and around.” Linc gestured with a crispy piece of bacon. “Maybe it was someone waiting for you. Would they have been able to see you on the street you were on?”

  “There were streetlights, plus Sam has visibility arm bands that have blinking red lights. They’re distinctive. If the driver had been waiting and noticed him a street over, he would have had time to adjust his plans.”

  “Perhaps there are homes on that street that have cameras.”

  Sam nodded at Bella’s comment. “It’s possible, though home security cameras are not that common in Pendleton. My current situation aside, there’s not a lot of crime here.”

  “We’ll look into it.” Seth added ketchup to his hash browns.

  Sam forked up excellent scrambled eggs cooked with peppers. “Explain something to me. The point of my plan is to draw out whoever has been threatening me. If that’s the case, why aren’t I running the same route, at the same time I normally do?”

  “And then what?” Ellie asked. “Give him another chance to run you over?”

  “We could be armed. The rest of your team could be in vehicles at a couple different places along the route, ready to catch the guy. It seems a reasonable way to draw out the perpetrator.”

  Ellie was already shaking her head. “I think it’s too dangerous. We were lucky we could jump over the guardrail yesterday morning. Next time, there may not be anyplace to jump. I’m all for luring out our perpetrator, but I’d like it to be a situation where we have more control.”

  “Let’s hold that idea back for now.” Seth spread jam on a piece of toast. “It appears they already know you’re varying your routine, so it may be too late anyway.” He nodded to Sam. “Tell us about your relationship with Gordon Finster.”

  “I’ve known him for several years. He’s case administrator at the courthouse. Our relationship is professional.”

  “The statements from the women who filed complaints against him indicate that you guided them through the process.”

  “True.”

  “Finster likely knows what you did.”

  “If he does, his behavior toward me hasn’t changed. He’s been acting like his usual sycophantic self, though it’s possible he’s putting on an act.” He leveled his gaze at Seth. “You think he’s behind the threats?”

  “There’s no evidence of that currently. We’re looking for motivation. What’s your opinion of his competence?”

  Sam shrugged. “He’s sloppy, doesn’t pay attention to details, and gets by because staff has saved his ass more than once. Anyplace else, he’d have been fired. Because we’re a court servicing a large geographical area, but we’re in a small community with a low population, I think there’s a fear we wouldn’t be able to replace him if he was fired.”

  “Did you witness any instances of the harassment he’s been charged with?”

  “No. He’s careful not to pull shit in front of the judges, but I’d heard rumors so I asked around. Both complaints were made by members of the custodial staff. One confided in me, introduced me to her friend who had a similar experience with Gordon, and they both asked for my help. I walked them through the grievance process.”

  “Are you aware that Gordon Finster has a side business buying and selling firearms?”

  Sam set down his fork. “You’re shitting me.”

  Seth shook his head. “That’s what put him on our radar. He attends gun shows and is active in a couple of pro-Second Amendment organizations. Nothing real extreme. Has he ever talked with you about his political views?”

  “No. I avoid conversations with him.”

  “Do you see him socially?”

  “We run into each other occasionally, like Ellie and I did at the airport Friday, but that’s about it. I know he’s divorced and has a teenage son. I think the kid recently graduated from high school.”

  “I can corroborate Sam’s assessment of Finster’s attitude,” Ellie cut in. “At the airport, their encounter seemed like the high school loser trying to ingratiate himself with the star quarterback. There’s definitely a power dynamic at play.”

  “I’ll be at the courthouse tomorrow,” Linc said, “as a marshal providing the usual court security. I’ll find Finster and work up a conversation with him, bring up guns, make him think I’m a fellow traveler. Could be he’ll volunteer some information.”

  Seth nodded. “That’s solid.”

  “I think Sam and I should drive out to his ranch this afternoon. Someone killed a calf.”

  That announcement resulted in a series of questions and required that Sam reiterate what he’d told Ellie about his family issues. It frustrated the hell out of him because he didn’t think it had anything to do with the threats emailed to him, or the explosive taped to his vehicle. “I think you all are getting off on the wrong track. You’re better off spending your time investigating right-wing militias.”

  “You don’t want your family involved. I understand that.” Bella spoke softly, wh
ich brought the conversation ping-ponging around the table to a stop. He’d noticed that before. She tended to listen quietly and not interject much when the Jameson siblings got going, but when she did speak, her words carried weight. “But,” she continued, “that doesn’t mean we can ignore the possibility that what’s happened at your ranch is related to the threats against you.”

  Seth nodded. “We need a marshal there to ask questions, so visiting the ranch today is a good plan.”

  “What about tomorrow? Linc will tackle Finster, but what will the rest of us be doing?” Ellie asked.

  “I think Ellie should drop Sam off at work because he wouldn’t want to leave her without a car,” Seth said.

  “They should meet for lunch someplace where a lot of people eat. We want the newly engaged couple to draw attention and perhaps push FD into acting.”

  “Thanks, Bella. That’s an excellent idea.” Ellie’s wide smile had Sam checking his movement, his fork halfway to his mouth.

  “Why the hell does that make you so happy?” Linc asked.

  “Because Sam’s Land Cruiser is a stick shift and he’ll have to teach me to drive it since my brother,” she shot Linc a dirty look, “won’t teach me.”

  “Oh, shit. Sorry, Sam.”

  “Wait, what am I in for?”

  “She about stripped the gears on my Jeep transmission.” Linc’s face took on a pained expression.

  “That wasn’t my fault. You weren’t teaching me right, and only gave me one chance before banning me forever from the driver’s seat.”

  “Got that right.”

  “Learning to drive stick aside, dropping Sam off at work’s not a bad idea,” Seth broke in. “And when she’s not with him, El can keep following the leads online she’s been working on. Linc will show up tomorrow as the new marshal assigned to court security. He’ll conduct sweeps of the courtroom and Sam’s chambers and be present during court proceedings.”

  “What will you and Bella be doing?” Ellie asked.

  “We’ve adapted our role to the current situation. We’re posing as the lawyers for the complainants against Gordon Finster. We’ve already cleared it with the agency handling the complaint. That will give us the cover we need to question courthouse staff.”

  ***

  After they said their good-byes, Ellie followed Sam to his Land Cruiser. “I should drive.”

  “Ah, maybe later.”

  “No time like the present. C’mon, Creed. Driving to the ranch will be good practice, which I’ll need if I’m driving on my own tomorrow.” She patted the hood of the car. “It’ll be fun.”

  He snorted. “Like getting a tooth pulled is fun.”

  “You’re exaggerating.

  “I’m terrified.”

  “You are not. It would have been no big deal if Linc hadn’t been a baby about his Jeep.”

  “The Land Cruiser was my first car. I worked my ass off to buy it.”

  “Which means it has to be well over twenty years old, so it’s about time to get a new transmission anyway.” She laughed at his expression. “You actually went pale. I’m kidding. Really, don’t worry. I’m a good driver. It’s the shifting part I need practice on. C’mon, be a sport.” She held out her hand, palm up.

  He fished the keys from his pocket with obvious reluctance, then drew them away when she reached for them. “You have to promise to listen to me, and to be gentle.”

  “Of course.” She reached out and rolled her eyes when he pulled the keys back again.

  “And you have to step all the way down on the clutch before you shift or the tranny won’t disengage. That’s what causes the grinding.”

  “Yeah, yeah.” She snagged the keys before he could make any more conditions and crossed to the driver’s door. “Lighten up, Creed. Where’s your sense of adventure?”

  He was still grumbling when they were both belted in. “Look, step on the brake with one foot, and the clutch with the other, then you can start the engine.”

  “Yes, Dad.”

  “I’m not joking, Eleanor. You need to take this seriously or you’ll damage my car.”

  “I am taking it seriously. You’re worse than Linc, and that’s saying something.”

  That brought more grumbling, and he kept an eagle eye on her as she did as directed, then turned the key in the ignition.

  “Okay, look.” She thought he was sounding a little panicked. “Every standard transmission has a different feel. Put the clutch in and move the selector to get a sense of where the gears are.”

  She did as directed. She struggled with finding reverse and he put his hand over hers, wide palm covering her knuckles. Ignoring the shot of hormones she got whenever he touched her was becoming routine, and she didn’t like it.

  He let go of her hand. “Now you’re in reverse. Do you understand the mechanics of what the clutch does?” At her nod, he continued. “Ease out the clutch until you feel it start to engage, then give it some gas.”

  She followed his instructions and stalled the engine. She cast a glance at the house. “If Linc comes out to laugh at me, I’m going to flip him off. You might want to cover your eyes.”

  “I’ll flip him off for you. Don’t worry about your brother. Focus. You want me to turn it around so you don’t have to start out in reverse?”

  “No, I’ll do it.”

  It took two more tries before she succeeded in getting the vehicle to move in the direction she wanted. She backed out of the driveway.

  “Clutch in when you come to a stop.”

  She managed to stop without stalling and accomplish a rough shift into first. The shift to second was smoother, and into third, smoother still. “Ha, look at that. I’m doing fine.” She glanced at Sam. “You can let go of the armrest now. I think your fingernails have left grooves in the upholstery.”

  “Just drive, Eleanor.”

  He really was a patient teacher. The scariest moment was when she came to a stop sign on an incline and a car pulled up behind her. He talked her through it and after only one stall, she got the Cruiser moving again. She was feeling quite accomplished by the time they reached the highway that took them south.

  The day was spectacular with the sun shining brightly in a deep blue sky. The highway wound through small towns scattered through rolling hills dotted with cattle, and wide-open stretches of grassland that made her feel glad not every inch of land had been developed. “Are those deer?” She pointed to brown and white animals grazing in an area of scrub brush along the highway.

  “Pronghorn antelope. We usually don’t see them this close to the highway.”

  “Antelope, really? That’s awesome.” Something must have spooked the animals because in a split second they were a blur racing across the land. “Wow, they’re fast.”

  “Outrunning predators is how they survive.” Sam pointed to a highway sign. “Our turn is coming up.”

  She slowed the Land Cruiser, downshifting easily into third to take a curve. She was getting the hang of the standard transmission.

  Following Sam’s directions on a road that had them traveling due west, about fifteen minutes after leaving the highway she saw a sign for Rock Creek Ranch and turned onto a gravel road.

  Chapter Nine

  “Park beside that truck next to the barn.”

  She did as directed. A tall man with long white hair strode out of the barn, a pair of dogs running ahead of him. With their identical features, Ellie could see what Ben would look like in thirty years.

  Sam and Ellie got out of the SUV, the dogs busily sniffing their legs and shoes. The man caught Sam in a one-armed hug before turning to face Ellie, sharp brows lowered over black eyes giving him the look of a hawk on the hunt. Sam’s face was tight as he introduced her as Rachel Sinclair. She remembered Ben’s words and understood that lying to Pete Montoya cost Sam.

  “If you meant to see your brother, you’ve wasted your time. He’s off somewhere.”

  “I came to see you. Wanted you to meet Rachel.”
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br />   Pete stared at her hard, then gave a quick nod. “You ride, girl?”

  “Not recently. I took lessons when I was a teenager.” She wondered if she was being tested.

  “Come see my mare.”

  Ellie glanced at Sam, then they followed Pete into the barn. He led the way past a row of stalls, most empty, until they got to the last and largest one. A sorrel horse with a white star on her face stuck her head over the door and gave a soft whickering sound in welcome.

  “Oh, she’s beautiful.” Ellie stroked the mare’s neck, and a glance inside the stable had her commenting, “And very, very pregnant.”

  The door was on rails and Sam slid it back to step inside. A thick layer of straw covered the floor. He ran his hands over the mare’s side, talking softly. “Hey there, Minnie. How’s it going, girl?”

  The mare responded by nibbling on his sleeve. “She’s due any day now, isn’t she?” he asked Pete.

  “I’m guessing tonight or tomorrow. She’s not in labor, though she’s been restless for the last hour or so.” Pete held Minnie’s head and gazed into her velvety brown eyes. “I don’t see pain yet.”

  Ellie could only have sympathy for the pretty mare and what she would endure to have her baby. Sam stepped out of the stall, sliding the door shut. He leaned back against the half wall, arms crossed over his chest. “You going to tell me what’s going on?”

  Pete gave a dry laugh. “What the hell you think is going on? We got someone who’s got a bug up their ass about Rock Creek and is making their displeasure known.”

  “In a serious way.”

  “God damn serious when they start a fire. Even more serious when they butcher a calf.”

  “It wasn’t wolf.”

  “It wasn’t wolf,” Pete agreed. “Had its neck slit, then was cut open. Guts strewn all over the place. His poor mama was crying her heart out.” He glanced at Ellie. “Sorry, miss. But that’s the way it is.”

  “Don’t worry about me,” Ellie told him. “I’m sorry to hear you lost a calf in that manner. It has to hurt.”