Dead Women Tell No Lies

by Nora LeDuc

  He forced himself to concentrate on the traffic. His companion seemed deep in thought and oblivious to him. Luke broke the silence by pointing out his old high school, the local hospital and adding it was the biggest employer in the city. “Things haven’t changed much since I left five years ago.”

  She tossed glances in the directions he indicated but remained quiet.

  He changed the conversation, hoping for more of a response. “I understand you headed your city’s Main Street Committee.”

  “Did you investigate me?”

  “I look at everyone. It’s my job.”

  “Good, I like thorough. As for the committee, I used to joke that Dahlia was my campaign manager. She won the election for me with her ability to schmooze with everyone. She also was my sounding board. I bounced all my ideas off her before I presented them.”

  “Did your sister swim or hike? I was wondering why she’d tramp around The Ledges in cold weather.”

  “Dahlia was more the indoor type. Her idea of exercise was walking to the TV set to push the on button instead of using the remote. As I said, I’ve no idea why she came here.”

  “In your visions, are you ever on the path leading up to The Ledges?”

  “None that I remember.”

  “You never visited our city as a child or later?”

  “I’ve never been here.”

  He was getting nowhere with his questions. “We’ll need to be careful when we’re walking around at The Ledges. The ridge can be dangerous and a bad place to slip or fall.”

  “I’m aware of the risk, and you’re here to steady me.”

  “This is the first time a woman wanted to fall into my arms after one meeting.”

  “Don’t flatter yourself, Lennox. I plan on keeping both feet firmly underneath me.”

  He mulled over the turn in the case and the possibilities. If Dahlia was murdered at

  The Ledges, traces of evidence would be long gone after the last thaw. He was crossing his fingers for a one in a hundred shot. What would happen once they walked out on the boulders? Would Rose assume the role of injured sister or act like a psychic in the movies, pretending to see dead ones? He’d find out in about fifteen minutes.

  After ten miles, he drove onto a narrow, winding road and parked on the dirt shoulder. “The state owns most of the land. It’s largely floodplain and unbuildable. Wait here while I scout out the area.” He pocketed his keys and swung the door open.

  “Now’s a good time to learn two things about me, Detective. I don’t do windows and I don’t do waiting around.” Her hard countenance disappeared. “At least I don’t do either one well. Besides you need my help to confirm the spot. How long is the walk?”

  “If you insist on coming, we’ve a five minute trek through the woods to the rocks. Then you can verify if it’s the place.”

  She slid out to stand on the gravel shoulder and studied the woods and road.

  He grabbed sunglasses from the visor and imagined her view of the spot. No cars, houses or people were in sight. They were alone in an isolated locale. On top of the shrinking snow bank sat a half empty grape soda bottle. Well, not totally alone. Someone had passed through recently.

  He hopped out of the vehicle. A black crow flew out of a tree with a loud caw and circled over their heads, protesting their intrusion before flying off.

  “Nice welcome.” Rose pressed closer to the car. She folded her arms around herself.

  “Are you okay?”

  “Sure.” She dropped her arms and stepped away onto the dirt edge. “It’s chilly today. Ready to go?”

  Rose was one contradiction after another. She seemed fragile, weak and yet on the other hand, determined and tough. “I’m all yours.” He marched toward the path with her scurrying after him. The tree branches fluttered in the breeze, and the cool air seeped through the warmth of his jacket. “Wait a minute.” He retraced his steps, ducked inside the vehicle and dug out his camera from the glove compartment. He slipped it into his pocket.

  She stood where he’d left her, blinking her eyes rapidly.

  Was she having a vision? “All set or do you need a few minutes?”

  “I can’t wait. After you.”

  “The trail starts near the pine grove.” He headed toward the track with her beside him.

  Patches of snow clung to the ground as they headed deeper into the woods. The sound of their footsteps breaking through the crusted layers mixed with the creak of tree branches bending in the breeze. He reached a two foot snow bank, tramped over and stopped to work out a sliver of ice.

  She hiked over the mound to join him. “You must know the trail. I can’t see any signs of where to walk.”

  “I’m relying on instinct from the old, high school party days, but I’m letting you in on one of my dark secrets, Miss Blue. My dad would have ordered a military court-martial for me if he knew what I’d been up to. I grew up listening to his stories about the suspects and criminals he arrested. Underage drinking would have qualified me as one of his lawbreakers.”

  “My Gram was old school, too. I often thought that my mother was the opposite. She never outgrew her teenage rebellious years.”

  “How about you? Were you rebellious?”

  “If you call being in the honor society and president of the marketing club defiant.”

  “They had a marketing club in high school?”

  “You were too busy with your wild parties to notice.” Rose slapped her hands against her thighs. “Okay, Squanto, which way do we go?”

  “If we head toward the river we’ll find The Ledges. I can hear the water running. This time of year, the melting snow feeds the current, and the river runs high and fast.”

  “Thanks for the warning. I’ll cancel the dip.”

  “You should pay attention to my warnings.”

  “Just a little levity, Lennox. It helps when I’m nervous.”

  “Understood.” He shot pictures of the area while she stamped her feet. Then they started off again. The scent of evergreens bobbed in the air. Sunlight filtered through the treetops, dimming the light as they traveled deeper into the woods.

  “Recognize anything?” he asked over his shoulder.

  She paused. “I’m positive I never walked through a forest in my visions.” She jammed her fists into her jacket pockets.

  “Don’t forget. You can go back if you feel overwhelmed.” Maybe she needed an out. “I can’t forget. You keep reminding me.” She shivered. “It’s colder with the trees blocking the sun. Spring is two weeks away, and I still need gloves.”

  “Good old Spring in New England. Most people agree we slide out of winter right into summer, but they’re forgetting the season in between.”

  “Spring?”

  “Mud season.”

  “Ah, I understand why New Englanders visit Florida.”

  “My mother would agree. She loves to call and inform me of the temperature on the beach in front of her Florida condo.”

  “I’d be tempted to join her during a blizzard, but not today. Lead on, Detective Lennox.”

  They plodded forward. The ground sank under their feet in the muddy places exposed to the sunlight.

  “Where are we? All I see are the tree branches in my face.” She bent to avoid a low‒hanging limb.

  “Don’t worry. A few more feet and we’ll reach the end of the path. Listen, the river’s louder.

  She stood still. Her head tilted upward.

  “Recognize anything yet?”

  “Nothing.”

  She was going with Plan C, “see no evil.” He dropped back and stayed glued to her side as they trekked out toward the brighter light. She focused her gaze straight ahead. Instead of the vulnerability he’d sensed a moment ago, there was only purpose. Was she as strong as she was acting? Cripe, he should have come alone and shown her the pictures of The Ledges when he returned; he’d been too anxious to disprove her bogus story.

  “I hope I find something familiar.” She sped up h
er pace.

  “The clearing is after the curve.”

  They entered the tree line where she halted. Bushes and the few stubby trees grew between the woods and the rocks. Then she plowed ahead. He pushed on to catch up to her.

  “Is this the place?”

  “Dahlia didn’t know the way either,” she said, staring off.

  Was she falling into a trance? His gut chilled.

  “She followed someone to The Ledges.” Rose slowed and stretched upward on her toes. “I can’t see the person, Lennox.”

  Relief poured through him at the sound of his name. “You’re probably too nervous. Walk around a little.” He raised an arm and pointed to the protrusion of granite. “Here’s where people sun themselves in the summer.” He strode onto the top of the gray, flat boulders. The familiarity of his surroundings chased away his suspicions. “If we could travel back in time, we’d be standing in the middle of the glaciers.” He flung his palms out at his sides. “I’m always amazed by these stones.”

  “If we could travel back, we’d learn the truth about my sister’s death.” Rose sidestepped closer to him and massaged her forehead.

  “Are you all right?”

  “Small ache, no problem.” She lowered her arm and focused on the drop‒off.

  Six feet away, empty blue sky melded into the rock as the ridge disappeared to slope downhill and meet water. The sound of the rushing current filled the cool air. “The daredevils dive off the edge into the river.”

  “Dahlia would never do that.” Rose turned around in a circle while inspecting the ground. “We won’t uncover any footprints on this ground.”

  “I’m afraid not. The sun has melted the snow out in the open. Does this location match what you’ve seen in your mind?”

  “The stones are the same.” She twisted her fingers in front of her.

  “Take a few minutes. No pressure.”

  “No pressure,” she mumbled, inching further onto the smooth surface before it slanted away. The rubber soles of her shoes scuffed against the rock and she wobbled for a second.

  “Watch out.” He jumped forward and slipped his hand under her elbow. Hell, all he needed was for her to faint or fall.

  “Thanks. You can let go now. I’ll be careful.”

  He released his grip, but remained glued to her side.

  “I have to see the water.” She edged out on the ridge, her mouth in a tight line.

  He crept along at her heels until they stood on the crest. Below the dark river surged at their feet, snaking past with speed and power that swept chunks of ice and fallen branches along with it. He removed his camera and shot the water at different angles.

  Biting her lip, Rose worked her way down the uneven incline.

  He stuffed the camera in his pocket. “Where are you going?” Damn. He caught up and grabbed her arm. “It’s not safe. We need to go back. Rose. Rose, are you listening?”

  She stared upward. Her jaw dropped. “I see Dahlia,” she whispered.

  What! With the sound of the water roaring in his head, he must have misunderstood. “Your sister is here?” He scanned the empty rocks and saw only trees and sky.

  Rose nodded.

  “Where is she?”

  “Up there!” Rose pointed to the rise above them.

  He shot a gaze up to the ledge with moss but no ghost.

  “She’s gone.” Without a warning, Rose started upward.

  “This is dangerous, especially if you slip into a vision.” He glanced down at the swirling water and imagined the river swallowing him or Rose within a second. He snapped his attention to her. “Wait up!”

  She didn’t answer, but kept climbing upward.

  Damn, this was one of his worst ideas. He didn’t care if she was for real or as big a fake as Bigfoot or the lip synching Grammy winners. Below the white, frothy white caps of the river almost dared him to fall.

  “Here!” Rose shouted from the peak. “My sister stood on this ledge a minute ago.”

  “Great.” He hiked up beside her. “Now, let’s move to level ground.”

  “There’s the railroad trestle.” She pointed past his shoulder. “We should get closer to it.”

  To his far right sat the rusted bridge. “Most of the piers are rotted out. No one goes out there, especially me.” He repressed a shudder.

  She jerked her head toward the tree line. “Someone’s coming.”

  A chipmunk scampered across the path and up a tree trunk. Sweat broke out on his palms. “Okay, this is enough. We found the place. Now we’re going back to the car.” He seized her hand, but she stayed cemented to her spot. “Rose, did you hear me?”

  “He’s almost here. He has a surprise.”

  Despite his better judgment, Luke peered into the woods, searching, listening.

  “I’m waiting. Hurry.”

  Save me, she’d lost it completely. “Rose, we’re leaving.” She didn’t respond. “Rose, am I talking to you, or are you Dahlia?”

  She twisted around to him. “What?”

  “Did you see Dahlia near the woods?”

  She crossed her arms and rubbed her mittened hands over her sleeves. “Dahlia’s gone, but I still feel her. She trusted him, the man who was coming.”

  “Did she expect more than one person?”

  Rose shrugged. “She didn’t know. She didn’t understand.”

  “Try to see or remember. Who’s coming? Is it a man? Is he tall, dark, young, old?”

  Rose grabbed his arm, forcing him to face her. “Lennox, Dahlia didn’t understand.”

  “Understand what?”

  “The man is coming to kill her.”

  Chapter 5

  “We’re out of this place,” Lennox said. “The Ledges gives me the creeps. I don’t remember getting the same menacing feelings when I was younger.”

  “Sorry to ruin your memories.” She kneaded the sides of her temple. “I need to go home and lie down. Then I’ll be okay.” Her gaze skipped to the old railroad trestle.

  Dahlia, dressed in her pink parka with her hair blowing in the breeze, teetered on the edge of the railing. The wind whipped her blond hair over her face. She stepped off the side and disappeared into the air.

  Pain stabbed Rose. She gasped and turned toward the path, blocking the image.

  “I don’t understand what’s happening,” he said, gripping her arm, “but we’re leaving. Lean on me, and don’t give me any guff.”

  It isn’t real. It isn’t real. Please, Dahlia, speak to me. The pressure of Lennox’s arm drew her closer to his warm, firm body. “I’ll be okay once I’m in the apartment.”

  “I vote for that one.”

  She stole a glance at the trestle. Dahlia was gone. Rose swallowed hard, her mouth drier than a month old bagel. On the trail, she crawled along at a tortoise pace to ease her aching head and used their earlier footprints as her guide. Lennox’s arm fell away as they walked in rhythm. She wished he could take away the hammering. The reality between herself and Dahlia felt off-balance, blurred.

  Lennox threw her glances but said nothing as they trudged through the lingering snow and the darkness of the woods. The path seemed to go on forever. She breathed a sigh of relief when they reached the road. Years must have passed since they first arrived. She wouldn’t be surprised to stare into the mirror and find her hair turned gray. She eased into the car.

  He sat silent, his brow wrinkling in apparent thought while she fastened her seatbelt.

  “You might as well spit it out, Lennox.”

  He expelled a breath. “I wasn’t sure who I was talking to when we were on the ledge.”

  “You and me both.” She gestured toward the road. “Can we go? I’m afraid the worse has happened. I’m actually longing for the lumpy sleeper in the living room.”

  The engine rumbled to life, and they were on their way. Resting her aching head against the top of the seat, she welcomed the warm sunshine on her skin and closed her eyes. The purr of the motor was a soothing consta
nt in the background.

  “Rose. We’re here. Rose?”

  She sat upright. Her headache had disappeared, leaving a sense of exhaustion. Her building stood in front of them. “How fast did you drive?”

  “I’m sworn to uphold the law and the speed limit. At the risk of sounding like a bad echo, how do you feel?”

  “Tired.” An image of the gray boulder from The Ledges edged into her mind. She blocked the picture by fastening her attention on him. “Since my sister died, I never sleep without dreaming, until right now.”

  “Are you accusing me of being so boring you dozed off?”

  “Not quite, but since you mentioned it….” She pushed down on the door handle.

  “Don’t move.”

  “I was kidding, Lennox. You’re not bor–ing.” Her last syllable hung in the empty air.

  He’d jumped out and was headed for the passenger side.

  “I expect you’ll whip out the wheelchair next,” she said when he opened her door. “I appreciate your concern, but I don’t need a nurse. Let me walk to my apartment or I might believe I’m helpless.”

  “I’ll stay a pace behind just to make you feel healthy.”

  “You’re thoughtful.” She resisted rolling her eyes and fished inside her pocketbook until her fingers closed over her key. Rose held it up to him. “Ready.” She started toward the front stoop aware of the handsome detective at her shoulder. “You’ll wait until I get inside?”

  “I’ll do you one better. I’m walking up the stairs with you.”

  “That’s not necessary.” She shook her head and proceeded to the steps and paused. “What’s on the schedule for tomorrow?”

  “I’m going to talk to dad’s former partner.”

  “How about we visit your retired officer now?”

  “No, and he’ll only know more when I see him.”

  “I’d like to meet him.” She inserted the key into the lock. “Keep me in mind. I can be useful.”

  “Miss Blue,” a man shouted to her.

  She whirled around with a clenched hand in the air. Her heart hammered a warning.

  Lennox’s friend, Buddy, held up two fingers. His boyish next door looks softened her fright. “I come in peace.”

  “Sorry, I’m a little jumpy today.” She lowered her fist.