“Maybe, maybe not. Maybe these words will mean something to the detectives in Lexington.” She slid the card and papers into an evidence bag. “I’ll need to get your fingerprints, as well as your staff’s, for comparison. Who’s your mail carrier?”
Chase told her, then added, “Nellia and Gina should be back from lunch soon.”
Stacy filled out the label on the evidence bag, then got out her fingerprint kit. “Roll your sleeves up, Counselor. You don’t want to get ink all over that pretty shirt.”
Chase looked down at the shirt he was wearing. “Probably not,” he said with a sigh. “Beth got me this for Christmas.” He unbuttoned the cuffs and moved the sleeves out of the way before giving Stacy his left hand. She quickly rolled his fingerprints and then did the other hand. As she finished, they heard the front door open. Nellia's and Gina’s voices floated back from the front room.
Chase stepped over to the kitchen door. “Would you mind coming back to the kitchen for a minute? We’ve had a little incident,” he called. He moved to the sink to wash the ink from his hands as the women hurried back through the office.
Gina came into the kitchen ahead of Nellia. “What’s up, boss? Oh, hi, Detective Kirchner,” she said, startled. “Everything okay?”
His face grim, Chase explained the situation. “I can’t go into too many details, but I received a card from someone possibly involved in the death of Kiely Turner. Detective Kirchner needs to get fingerprints from both of you for comparison to rule out contamination.”
“Sure thing, boss,” Gina said, concern evident on her face. “Whatever you need.”
Stacy had gotten a new card ready, and she motioned Gina over. As she took the prints, she asked Nellia about the correspondence log. “Chase mentioned you keep track of all the mail?”
“Yes, I do,” Nellia confirmed. “Because so much of what comes in here is related to current or pending court cases, it’s necessary to record everything. It makes life a lot simpler. I’ll get that log for you as soon as we’re finished here.”
“That will be tremendously helpful.” Stacy started taking Nellia’s prints. “The card I need the information on was mailed from Lexington, Kentucky.” When she finished, Nellia washed up and went to get the log.
Chase remembered his lunch and opened the microwave to pull it out. With a sick grimace, he dumped the food in the trash, his appetite gone. “When will you know something?” he asked Stacy as she packed up her evidence kit.
She shrugged. “Depending on how fast Gordon can push this through, and depending on what evidence there is on the package, we could have something as soon as tomorrow. Keep in mind, though, this guy is smart. Chances aren’t great that there will even be anything to find.”
Chase crossed his arms over his chest and shrugged. “All we can do is try, and hope we get lucky. His making contact is more than we’ve had in ten years’ time. Maybe he’s gotten sloppy, and we’ll hit pay dirt with this package.” He walked to the front office with her, and Nellia gave her the information about when the card had come in.
Stacy tucked the note into a pouch on her bag, and stopped at the door with her hand on the doorknob. “I’m driving this down to Louisville now. You’ve got some top-notch investigators working on this, Chase. If anything is there, we’ll find it.”
“I know,” he said. “Are you available tomorrow evening?”
Stacy raised her eyebrows. “Are you asking me out?” Despite the tension, Gina and Nellia both snickered. Chase just looked at Stacy, aware that there was no good response.
She let him off the hook. “I know better, Chase. What are you planning?”
“Dinner at Ethan and Beth’s with the crew,” he said, relieved. “A powwow, of sorts. To discuss all this.”
“Sure, what time?”
“Probably around seven, maybe a little earlier.”
Stacy nodded. “See you then.”
After she left, Chase made sure Nellia and Gina didn’t need anything more from him before he went back to his office. He closed the door and leaned back against the cool wood, his head tipped back, eyes closed. He felt old from the inside out, haunted by a ghost whose reach he couldn’t seem to escape. Not for the first time, he cursed the day he had met Kiely Turner. The rage he felt was a cold, festering fury, and if the killer had been standing in front of him at that moment, he would have strangled him with his bare hands.
Chapter 5
Chase arrived at his parents’ farm shortly before six-thirty that evening. He was surprised to see that his father’s car wasn’t in its usual spot. Ethan had texted him while he was picking up pizza from the take-and-bake place to let him know they’d dropped Annie off, so Chase had assumed his parents would be there. He felt a quick rush of concern and told himself he was overreacting, but at the same time, he knew he wouldn’t feel better until he’d laid eyes on Annie.
As he parked, he saw her come around the corner of the house, water hose in hand. She had apparently been watering some of the profusion of flowers that graced the landscape of the pool area, which separated the main house from the guesthouse. Her hair was pulled back in its usual style, held off her face by a clip. She was dressed in worn denim shorts and a loose tank top, and as Chase watched, she pointed the hose in his direction and gave a quick squirt, the water falling short of his car by several feet. She grinned widely and pushed a curl that had sprung loose back behind her ear, only to have the wind tug it loose again. Chase felt his heart turn over in his chest, and he knew then just how deep he was in emotionally. The idea that a monster could be bearing down on her was almost more than he could bear. Shaking himself free from the thought, he grabbed the food and the folder with the lease and climbed out of the car.
Annie finished rolling up the water hose and walked over to meet him. “Hey,” she said. “Your parents called. They got held up at the office, but they’re on the way.” Richard was a doctor in a small practice in Leroy, and Jackie was his office manager. It was an arrangement most married couples would have found too close, but somehow they made it work.
“Where’s the kid?” Chase asked, referring to Joely. He followed Annie into the guesthouse.
Annie gave a spurt of laughter. “You know she’s twenty years old, right?” Annie asked with a smile. “She really isn’t a kid anymore, Chase. You have to get used to the idea sometime.”
Chase returned her smile with a sheepish grin and a shrug. “I know, but she’s my kid sister, Annie. I’m a typical big brother—I’m not ready for her to grow up. So she’ll probably always be a kid to me.” He set the pizzas down on the counter and tossed the file onto the small table in the eat-in kitchen.
Annie just raised an eyebrow and shook her head. She turned on the oven and unbagged the salads Chase had brought with the pizzas. “If she hears you say that, I hope she doesn’t have the same right hook Beth does,” she said. “And to answer your question, she’s spending the night at Beth and Ethan’s.”
“You all had a good day, then?” he asked, leaning against the counter to watch her move around the kitchen.
“Pretty good. I finished getting what I need for day-to-day living.” She kept her voice deceptively casual as she unwrapped one of the pizzas. “So what’s going on that has you so upset?”
Chase paused in the unwrapping of the second pizza. “What do you mean? Nothing’s going on.”
One hand on her hip, Annie turned toward him. Her expression was incredulous. “Chase Hudson. I’m not some ditzy bimbo who can’t put two and two together. You called me and left a message, sounding frantic. Then you called Beth, and whatever you said to Ethan, he went on high alert.” Chase frowned, and she waved her hand. “Oh, not like that. He just got—hyper vigilant, I guess. He kept it pretty casual, but it was obvious something was up. So what gives?”
As Chase started to answer, they heard Richard and Jackie heading across from the main house. “I’ll tell you later,” he said. “I’d rather not get into it in front of Mom and Dad.�
��
“Okay,” she said, “but you don’t leave here without telling me what’s going on, understand?”
“Cross my heart,” Chase promised as he went to open the door for his parents.
At Annie’s request, they got the paperwork for the lease out of the way first, and then sat down to eat. As the meal progressed, talk quickly turned to Chase’s parents’ upcoming vacation. They were scheduled to leave the next morning for a cruise of Europe and the Mediterranean.
“I’m glad you’re still going,” Chase told them after Richard expressed concern about missing so much work on top of his father’s funeral. “This will be the first real vacation the two of you have had without one or all of us kids along for the ride in over thirty years.” He was surprised to see his mother blush at his words.
Richard sent Jackie a warm look. “We’re looking on it as a second honeymoon,” he said. “And yes, as much as we love you kids, we’re looking forward to some time alone. It’s been a tough year, and it’s time for a break.”
“You’re riding down to Louisville with Joely?” Annie asked.
Jackie nodded. “It made the most sense,” she said. “She goes back to school next week, and the drive will give us a chance to spend some one-on-one time with her. We’re spending the night in Louisville tomorrow, then flying out very early that next morning. Now, how we’ll get home from Louisville in a few weeks, I’m not sure.” She smiled at Chase’s exasperated look and winked at Annie.
“Mom, we’ve told you—” he started.
Jackie cut him off with a laugh. “Chase, that was too easy. I’m joking.” She was fully aware that Beth and Ethan were planning on driving down to pick them up. “Just don’t forget to check in on Daddy while we’re gone.”
“Especially on the weekends. I know,” Chase said. “Though Pops has been so busy lately with his lady friend, I doubt he’ll even notice if we don’t. I wouldn’t be surprised if there isn’t a wedding announcement in his future, the rate they’re going.”
Jackie scowled at her oldest child. “Richard Chase Hudson, hush your mouth. That’s not funny,” she scolded.
Chase grinned. “That was too easy, Mom.”
Jackie wadded up her napkin and threw it at him. “Annie, you’ll have to keep a close eye on this one,” she said. “I shudder to think of what kind of trouble he could get into, left to his own devices.”
Richard laughed. “The boy’s been living on his own for a number of years now, Jackie. I think he’ll be fine. But I agree, Annie, you should keep a very close eye on him while we’re gone.”
Annie blinked, a pink flush climbing into her cheeks. “Ummm… okay.” She turned to Jackie. “It must be interesting, to say the least, for you to see Sampson dating again at his age,” she said, trying to deflect the heat off the subject of her and Chase.
Jackie hmmm’d as she picked up her glass of iced tea. “That’s one way of putting it.” She took a drink and considered her words carefully. “Don’t get me wrong, Annie. I want Daddy to be happy. God knows, the last few years Mother was alive were no picnic. It’s just a really weird feeling, seeing him with someone else, even though Mother has been gone for a while now.”
“I can understand that. Speaking of mothers, though, how is your mother doing, Dr. H.?” Annie asked.
Richard snorted. He sat back from the table and crossed his arms. “Oh, she’s on a tear,” he said. “I went by today at lunch to check on her, since we’ll be leaving tomorrow. She pretty much told me to go to hell when I refused to cancel this vacation and stay in town to be at her beck and call.” Jackie shot him a questioning look and he nodded. “Queen Ethel was on full display today.” He paused. “I shouldn’t say that,” he added, shamefaced.
Chase disagreed, his own face guarded and stony. “Why not? It’s nothing less than the truth, Dad. After what she said the day of the funeral, I don’t know if I could force myself to go see her unless she was sick and dying.”
“Chase, that’s pretty harsh, don’t you think?” Jackie admonished.
“Not particularly,” he said. “Not after the things she said.”
“I know what you all said yesterday when you got back, but do you think it’s just the stress of losing J.R. that’s causing her to act like that?” Annie asked. She and Hannah had been filled in on the day’s events after everyone returned to the farm yesterday afternoon. She stood and started clearing the table, and Chase got up to help.
“No, unfortunately,” Jackie said. “That’s just who Ethel is. If she ever has anything nice to say about this branch of the family, that’s when we should worry.”
“That’s just so sad,” Annie said, changing the subject before the mood deteriorated. “Moving on, I have a Brown Bag blueberry cheesecake. Who wants a piece?” Everyone laughed when Chase’s face lit up. His weakness for cheesecake was well known.
Jackie and Richard stood, and Jackie gave Annie a hug. “None for us, honey, but thanks. We’ve got to scoot and get ready for tomorrow. I’m only half-packed, and Richard still has a ton of paperwork to get through.”
“We’ll probably see you in the morning before we leave,” Richard added, giving Annie a quick hug before they made their way to the door. Chase saw his parents out, and when he returned, all traces of the relaxed countenance he’d been showing were gone. Even seeing the large piece of blueberry cheesecake Annie had cut for him didn’t do much to improve his mood.
“Okay, now I’m really worried,” Annie said, as they took their plates and sat down on the couch. “It’s pretty bad, then?”
Chase nodded but didn’t speak, taking a large bite of cheesecake instead. He held the dessert in his mouth for a minute before he swallowed. “Do you have any beer?”
“In the fridge,” Annie said. He got up and grabbed a couple bottles, holding one out toward her. She nodded, and Chase came back over, handed her a bottle, and sat down. He pulled a couple of sheets of folded paper out of his back pocket.
“I received a card at the office today. This is a copy of the letter that was inside.” He handed it to her, but hesitated before letting it go. “It’s pretty graphic,” he warned.
Annie set her plate down on the coffee table and took the paper. As she read the words the killer had written, Chase saw her swallow. He set his own plate down and leaned forward, elbows resting on his knees. When Annie finished reading, she handed the letter back to him.
“You called the cops, right? Gordon, Ethan? Someone?” she asked.
“Of course,” he replied. “I called Gordon, and he called Stacy K. She came over and got everything, took it down to Louisville for processing. I made the copy before she got there.”
“That’s a page out of Beth’s book,” Annie said. “She’d be proud of you.”
Chase gave her a half-smile. “It is. And it’s true—easier to beg forgiveness than to ask for permission. I didn’t think Stacy would object to me copying the letter, but I didn’t want to take a chance. I just snapped a picture of it with my phone and printed it out before I left the office.” He fell silent, gazing down at the label on the bottle of beer.
Annie thought he looked more than a little lost, and her heart broke watching him. “Chase, I’m sorry. Surely what he says in that letter, it isn’t true. About Kiely.”
To her surprise, Chase laughed. It was a bitter sound, and as he turned to face her, the self-loathing on his face shocked her. “I have the feeling it’s all true, Annie.” He stood up to pace around the room. He seemed restless and angry.
“Why do you say that?” she asked.
Chase just shrugged and took a long swallow of his beer. Annie waited for him to answer, not wanting to push. Finally, he said, “All these years, I’ve never told anyone this. Not anyone outside the investigation, anyhow, and even then, not in all the detail I’m getting ready to share with you. It just didn’t seem right to tell anyone, to blacken Kiely’s memory. There wasn’t any point to it, not when the truth would cause more pain than good.” Chase ke
pt his gaze on the bottle in his hands, picking at the label as he spoke.
“You know she was killed just after school started back, right? What most people don’t know is that we had pretty much broken up that spring. I had been offered an internship with the Commonwealth Attorney’s office down there, and she wanted me to go home to Ashland with her. I chose the internship instead.”
Annie frowned. “But Chase, surely you don’t feel guilty about that. You weren’t even in law school then, were you? For you to have been offered that internship, at that age, that early in the game—you’d have been stupid not to take it.”
“I had just finished my first semester. I was about a year ahead of my class.” He sent her a bitter smile. “We always have a choice, Annie. Good, bad, or ugly, I don’t regret making the decision I did. Not after everything else that happened.” He paused when thunder sounded in the distance, and Annie smiled.
“This house has a screened-in porch,” she reminded him. “Want to go out back and sit? Watch the storm roll in? You look like you could use a diversion.”
This time when he laughed, it was a much more natural sound. “You have no idea. Sure, storm watching sounds good.” He grabbed the plates off the coffee table and carried them to the counter, where he set them and the beer bottle down.
When he turned toward the hall that led to the back porch, Annie was waiting, hand outstretched. “Come on, friend. Let’s go watch the storm, and you can finish your story.” Chase took her hand and followed close behind her down the hall. As soon as she opened the door, the wind rushed in and brought the smell of ozone with it. He took in a deep breath, letting the fresh air fill his lungs and calm him. They settled in on the glider lounge, and Annie gave Chase a minute to relax. Angling her body toward his, she rested her head on her hand and watched him watch the storm.
When Chase saw what she was doing, he smiled self-consciously. “I like storms,” he said. “The tempest, the violence, and then the calm.”
Shadows from the Grave Page 6