Mystery: The Sam Prichard Series - Books 1-4

by David Archer

  Jimmy still seemed the most likely suspect, but if his wife was telling the truth, then he couldn’t have done it. Samantha had been eager to come forward with the evidence she had, implicating him, but there was always the possibility that Jimmy was telling the truth and it was she who had called him from her phone, rather than Barry. The envelope containing the hairs had been typed, so anyone could have sent that to her, even she herself. Whoever did send it had been in possession of Barry's head at some point, and if that wasn't Jimmy, then it was someone who knew that Jimmy had called and left a threatening message on her phone, because they knew that her receiving the hairs would go along with that voicemail to implicate the agent. But according to Samantha, no one had known about it until after the envelope had been delivered.

  The whole thing was like a 3-D jigsaw puzzle. Each piece left a place for a new piece, but the more pieces you had, the more complex the whole thing became and the harder it was to figure out the next piece.

  His route home took him through some business districts, and he stopped to pick up a cup of coffee and a newspaper, then saw a store across the street that was open, and wandered inside. He spent a half hour there, browsing through their stock, and had to go back to the van to get some money from the bag. He made his purchase and left, smiling to himself.

  He pulled into his driveway and parked the van next to Indie's old Taurus, looking over at it. With what was left of the money he'd just gotten from Mrs. Smith, Sam had a little over a hundred thousand dollars in cash lying around, and he thought that maybe some of it ought to go to buying her a better car. Every time she started that thing, it sounded like it was about to explode, and it had enough rust on it that he was expecting the cops to say it wasn't roadworthy any day.

  He took the bag of money inside and found Indie sitting at her computer, just surfing the web, so he carried it into the bedroom and put it in his safe. When he came back to the dining room, she looked up at him.

  “How did it go?” she asked.

  He sat down beside her and set the bag on the table. “Well, I'm fifty thousand dollars richer, and probably twice as confused as I was before I got up this morning. No matter how I look at this case, there are parts that don't add up, and every time I get a statement from one person, someone else counters it, so at least one of them is lying, but I can't tell which one. Jimmy says it wasn't Barry who called him from Samantha's phone that day, but she swears it was. Whoever sent the hairs to her had to have known that Jimmy left a hateful message on her phone, but she says no one knew about it until after she got them. There's just no common thread I can follow through this thing.”

  Indie got up and began rubbing his shoulders. “You're tense,” she said. “This thing is really getting to you.”

  “Yeah, cause I don't really believe Jimmy did it. Something about him killing Barry doesn't feel right; it'd be like the guy who killed the goose that laid the golden eggs. Barry was so good that sooner or later, some label was going to want him, and they'd let him bring the band along. Jimmy was the guy who could find that label, and even if he hated Chris with a passion, he still loves money. He'd have made the deal with Chris and the band in it before he'd have let all that money get away. Heck, he probably would have given in to Barry on it any day, just to get him to sign.”

  Indie wrapped her arms around him from behind and leaned her face down to kiss him. “There has to be an answer, and you'll find it. I know you will, Baby.”

  Sam held onto her arms, just feeling the goodness of her holding him.

  “I hope so,” he said. “I hope so.”

  10

  Kenzie wouldn’t be home until after dinner, so Sam and Indie would have most of the day to themselves. Sam decided he wanted a late breakfast, so they got into the Corvette and went to a diner he knew. They had eggs and bacon and hash browns, and Sam told Indie that he wanted to replace her car.

  “We talked about that before,” she said. “That car is all I've got left of Kenzie's father, Jared. I don't really want to get rid of it.”

  “I'm not saying you have to get rid of it, Babe. I was thinking we'd put it into the garage and start rebuilding it, but get you something else to drive so I know you and Kenzie are safer when you leave the house. The Taurus is in pretty rough shape, and when a car gets too rusty, it starts to get exhaust leaks and other problems that can be dangerous. I promise, we'll restore it completely, and one day when Kenzie is old enough to drive, you can give it to her.”

  Indie smiled at that thought. “That would be nice,” she said. “Sam, she never knew him, but I've told her a little about him, and one day I'm sure she's gonna want to know more, even if we're together and she thinks of you as her Daddy. People always want to know where they came from, y'know? If we could give her his car one day, that would at least let her have a piece of him in her life, too. Does that make sense?”

  Sam smiled. “Makes a lot of sense,” he said, then changed the subject. “We've got all day to kill; what do you want to do?”

  She laughed. “How about you surprise me?”

  Sam smiled and said, “Okay, one big surprise, comin' right up!” He paid the check and they drove back home.

  Indie smiled. “Is my surprise gonna be like your surprise last night?” she asked.

  Sam laughed. “Not right at the moment,” he said. He parked the van and got out, then opened the garage door and led her to the motorcycle. He handed her a helmet. “Have you ever been on a motorcycle?”

  Indie grinned. “Not since high school, but yeah. Jared had one, but it wasn't as big as this. I've been wondering when you were gonna give me a ride, but it's hard to do when Kenzie's with us, I know.” She slid the helmet over her head, and then Sam had to help her with the straps.

  He backed the bike out and turned it around, then told her to climb on. When she was settled behind him, he pushed the starter button and they were off.

  He took her out on I-70 and up into the mountains, then took the Casino Parkway for the winding ride up through Black Hawk. Indie was holding on tight, her arms wrapped around his waist, but she grabbed even tighter when there were cliff walls alongside, some going up, and some showing drops of a hundred feet or more. Sam maneuvered the bike expertly through the curves and switchbacks, and they stopped in Black Hawk for lunch at the Main Street Restaurant.

  Once they were seated, Indie said, “Okay, this is a blast! I haven't had so much fun in years! Sam, I had forgotten how much fun it can be just to get on a bike and ride!”

  He smiled. “I had a feeling you'd like it,” he said, “and I wanted us to get out of all our day-to-day stuff for a little while. Sometimes you just need a break, and I wanted to talk to you about something anyway, so I thought we might just get away for a little while.”

  “I'm lovin' it!” Indie said. “What did you want to talk about?” A waitress appeared suddenly, and Indie had to wait while they placed their orders. Both of them opted for burgers and fries, and the waitress said it would only be a few minutes. “So, again, what did you want to talk about?” Indie asked.

  “Indie, I want to talk about us,” Sam said, and the smile on his face was so bright that Indie suddenly felt her heart swelling. “I think last night changed things between us, and I want to know if you’re feeling the same things I'm feeling.”

  Indie grinned. “I am, if you’re feeling like we need to do that again!”

  Sam laughed right out loud, and a few people turned to look at him. He got himself under control, and said, “I am, and again, and again! But at the moment I was referring to how you're feeling about us and our future together.”

  “Well,” she said, “I wouldn't have gone where we went last night if I wasn't pretty sure we're right for each other. I mean—Sam, you're only the fourth man I've ever been with. Jared was first, and the last two were just out for—you know—and they vanished after they got it. So if I hadn't been sure you weren't gonna disappear on me, we never would have gone there.”

  Sam sat
and stared at her for a moment. “I'd never do that to you,” he said. “Indie, I'm not sure why, but I feel like there's something very special going on here. I know that when we're together, I feel complete, and when I'm away from you, I have to concentrate or I'll just be thinking about when I'll see you again. Sometimes I think about what would happen if you decided to move out, and it makes it hard to breathe, so I guess what I'm saying is that I seem to have become addicted to you. I feel good when I’ve got you, I jones for you when I don't, and I'm scared of the withdrawals if I had to give you up, so I figure you’re my drug of choice!”

  Indie's eyes went wide. “Wow, I've never been called a drug before,” she said, “but I think I understand what you’re saying. I feel the same way; the other night, before we talked, I was scared to death you were gonna say it wasn't working and I'd have to leave, and I thought I'd die if you did.”

  Sam took her hand across the table. “Then we're both on the same page, right? We both want to keep this together?”

  Indie's breath was coming in short little bursts, and she was suddenly nervous. “Yes. We do.”

  Sam smiled. “Then let's make it official. I want to make sure I don't lose you, not ever, Indie. I want us to be together from now on.”

  Indie squeaked out, “Me, too.”

  “I know this is crazy, we've only known each other about three weeks, now, but I think I know enough to know what I want.” He reached into a pocket and pulled out the item he'd purchased on his way home earlier, and held out a small box. When he opened it, Indie saw the beautiful diamond ring that was inside, and suddenly she could barely breathe at all. Sam took the ring out of the box and held it out to her as he got out of his chair and carefully dropped to one knee. “What I want is to make you and Kenzie my family. If this is too soon, I hope it won't scare you off, but—Indiana Perkins, will you marry me?”

  Half the place was watching them, as Indie sat there and stared at the ring in his hand for more than a minute, without saying a word. Her hands were clasped tightly before her face, but then she extended her left hand out to Sam, and simply said, “Yes.”

  Sam slipped the ring on her finger, but it was a little too large, so he reached back into his pocket and took out a packet of little plastic things. “When I told the jeweler how tiny you are, he said these would help until I can bring you in to get it re-sized.” He helped her fit one into the ring, and then slid it back on again, and this time it stayed in place.

  Sam got up and so did Indie, and then she was in his arms and kissing him, and the whole place erupted in applause and cheers. Indie had to wave her hand around and show off the ring to all the ladies, and Sam got to shake hands and get his back slapped by most of the men. After a few moments, they were able to sit down again, and the waitress brought their food a minute later.

  “The boss says this is on the house, kids,” she said. “It isn't often we see something like that in here, so this is our gift to the two of you! Enjoy!”

  Sam and Indie smiled as they ate their lunch, and she kept looking at the ring on her finger. “I can't wait to tell Kenzie,” she said. “Do you—do you have an idea as to when you want to...” She trailed off.

  “I want to get this case settled, first,” Sam said, “and then I thought we'd look at a small ceremony with just family and good friends, then take a nice honeymoon somewhere special. Any idea where you'd like to go? Anywhere in the world?”

  Indie smiled from ear to ear. “When I was younger,” she said, “I used to dream about getting married and having a honeymoon in Mexico, but later I started thinking about having one in Hawaii. I've heard about people going there for a honeymoon, and how wonderful it all was. Do you think we could do that?”

  “I think Hawaii would be perfect. We can certainly afford it, with all we've made this month, and if I can prove Jimmy didn't do it, we've got another fifty thousand coming. I've always thought of going to Hawaii, but never did. When Jeanie and I got married, our honeymoon was a weekend in Vegas, but we were young and not too smart; I want to do better by you.”

  Indie was still smiling. “I bet we could get Anita to keep Kenzie while we go. I love my daughter, don't get me wrong, but a honeymoon is a once-in-a-lifetime event, or—you know what I mean, and I don't think it's a good one to take kids along on.”

  Sam laughed. “I kind of agree with you on that,” he said, “but we could always take a second honeymoon to Disney World, I'm sure she'd enjoy that.”

  “I've always wanted to take her there, but I never thought it would be possible. Do you really think we could do that?”

  “I think we'll plan it for right after we get back from honeymoon number one, how would that be?”

  Indie sat there and stared at him for several seconds, her burger in her hands and halfway to her mouth. “Sam Prichard,” she said, “I love you. It just hit me that we got engaged before either of us ever said that out loud.”

  Sam smiled. “I've said it to you a dozen times in my thoughts. Just didn’t have the nerve to let it come out, but I can now. Indiana Perkins, I love you, and having you say yes has made me the happiest guy in the world!”

  They finished eating and left the restaurant to a chorus of “Congratulations!” and “Best Wishes!” Indie put her helmet back on and climbed onto the back of the Shadow, and they rode back toward Denver by another route, this one with even more twists and curves than the last. Sam loved the laugh he heard from Indie when he powered the big bike through the curves, and knew that it was definitely a good day.

  They got home a little after two, and still had several hours alone, so they put a couple of them to use in a very personal celebration of their engagement. Afterward, they lay together in bed, holding each other close and whispering about their love for one another. Sam said, “I don't know that I've ever really been in love before. I thought I was, when Jeanie and I got married, but I've gotta tell you, this feels so different and so much better; when she left, I didn't even get as upset about it as I thought I should have been. I think I was more in love with the idea of being in love than I was with her, does that make any sense?”

  Indie nodded, and Sam felt it on his chest, where her head was lying. “I think I was in love with Jared,” she said, “but this still feels different. It feels—I dunno, more grown up and mature, maybe, more real, somehow. I'm not saying what I had with Jared wasn't real; just, this is definitely not a bad thing.”

  Sam laughed and hugged her, then planted a kiss on the top of her head. “I know, Baby, I know. And I want you to know that I'm not a bit jealous of your feelings for Jared. Don't ever worry about talking to Kenzie about him, even right in front of me. I may become her daddy, but he'll always be her father.

  They got up after a while and took a shower, then went out into the living room and turned on the TV. There was a local news program on, and the announcer was talking about the murder. The scene cut to a shot of Jimmy's place, and the hole the police had found Barry's head and hands in.

  Sam looked at the screen, and something in him twitched. He leaned forward and stared hard at it.

  “What's the matter, Babe?” Indie asked, but Sam only shook his head.

  “Not really sure, but look at that hole. It's right there next to the road, just like Jimmy said, but just across the street is a creek that's flowing pretty good. Now, if you were trying to get rid of body parts, would you bury them on your own property, or walk another twenty yards and toss them into a creek where they'd probably wash away and never turn up?”

  Indie blinked. “You'd go for the creek. Anybody would, it's just easier than trying to dig a hole and bury it.”

  “Right. Jimmy's telling the truth, Honey; someone is framing him for murder. Now all I gotta do is figure out who, and prove it.”

  “What about what Samantha said? Do you think there's any chance Janice could have done it?”

  “Not unless she's an Oscar-worthy actress. She's a wreck without him, and that's pretty obvious. I don't think a r
eal recovering addict could keep up an act like that for so long.”

  “Okay, then who else could have known about the phone message? That's sort of the key to solving it, don't you think? Whoever wanted to frame Jimmy had to know about that message, or there would have been no point in sending the hairs to her.”

  Sam nodded. “It's possible that it's just a coincidence that she got both the message and the hairs, but that would be a pretty big one. I'm inclined to think whoever killed Barry knew about the message, and wanted to use Samantha to bring the heat down on Jimmy. If we knew who else could have known about that message, we'd have a pretty good idea of how to proceed on this.”

  Indie got up and started for the dining room. “Let's talk to Herman for a bit,” she said. “Maybe he can find something we're missing.”

  Sam followed her. “I don’t know what it could be, but I'm ready to try your magic. What are you thinking?”

  “If Herman can get into Jimmy's phone records, then we can see what time he made that call to Samantha's phone. We can then look at other calls he made, and see if we can get any idea who he might have told about it.” She looked at him. “It stands to reason, doesn't it, that if she didn't tell anyone about the message, then maybe Jimmy did. Let's see who else he called around the same time.”

  Sam stopped where he was and stared at her. “Babe,” he said, “have I mentioned today that I love you? That's a brilliant idea!”

  Indie looked back at him over her shoulder. “Just part of my plan to keep you dependent on me, Baby, so you won't get cold feet and back out of marrying me! Let's see what Herman can do.”

  She sat down at her laptop and began tapping on the keys, and soon Herman was filling the screen with lines and lines of code that Sam couldn't tell from gibberish. Indie ran her finger over bits and pieces of it, then tapped more keys, and a moment later it all started again.

  “What I'm doing is making Herman try all the different carriers to see who Jimmy's phone is with. We got it, here, he's on Verizon, and now Herman is trying to get into their billing computer. I've hacked it before, so it won't take long, and then we can look at his bill and see all of his call and text and data records.”