Original Secrets

by Shawn McGuire

  “At one point, she had a seizure.” Donovan frowned and shook his head. “I knew it wasn’t good.”

  My throat constricted and I couldn’t speak for a few seconds. “Did you even try to help her?”

  “Sure, but you know how impossible it is to get medical attention here. Maybe with Effie’s granddaughter at the healing center now, things will be better, but at that time there wasn’t much that could be done for dear Gran.”

  I clenched my fists hard, pressing my nails into my palms. I focused on that pain rather than my anger. I wouldn’t hit this guy; I wouldn’t do anything that would risk him getting off on a technicality.

  “Why put her in the bathtub?”

  “She laid down on her bed. That’s where she died, if you’re curious. Guess we could’ve left her there, but considering that lump on her head, a slip and fall into the tub seemed logical. Hadn’t thought of the water in the lungs snafu.”

  I stared at him, mute, until he looked me in the eye. “What do you mean we? Who was there with you?”

  He paled as he realized what he’d said. “No one. I was there alone.”

  I could almost hear Flavia telling him that he was never to mention her involvement in this.

  “New topic,” I said before I completely lost it on this guy. I pulled out the picture of the full stop mark from Gran’s file.

  “You were the last one to see Gran alive. How did this mark end up on her?”

  He thought for a while, absolutely silent while the gears of his brain spun for an answer. Finally, he let out a heavy sigh. “That was Flavia. Like the harlequins I make are my thing, that mark is her personal send off to the next life. I have no idea what it means.”

  “Flavia was at the house with you then.”

  He refused to agree or disagree with the statement. I mentally added desecration of a corpse to the list of things I could have her charged with.

  “Did Flavia trash my house?” I asked.

  “I don’t know.”

  “Did she draw sigils all over my walls?”

  “I don’t know. I’m not a hitman, Jayne, or a thug for hire. If she was involved with any of that, I have no knowledge of it.” He leaned forward then with an eager look on his face. “New topic. Tell me about our sister. What’s Rosalyn like?”

  I’d had enough. I couldn’t stand being in the same room with the man for a second longer. I read him his rights, locked him in a jail cell, and called the County Sheriff’s Office to have someone come and take him away.

  Chapter 30

  Half an hour after Deputy Evan Atkins took Donovan away, my phone rang.

  “Jayne, it’s Evan.”

  “You don’t sound happy. Why don’t you sound happy?” Even as I asked the question, I knew I was going to hate the answer.

  “He escaped.”

  “What? Who escaped? Donovan? Are you kidding me? What happened?”

  “He was in the booking room. We took off the zip cuffs and used a standard set to cuff him to a table. I left him locked in the room and while I was gone, he was able to break the chain on the cuffs. Twisted it or something. I have no idea how he did it. I knew I should’ve left the zip cuffs on him. Anyway, I went to get him to move him to a cell. He was waiting by the door, ambushed me as I re-entered, and locked me inside the room.” He paused, sounding pained to have to tell me this. “By the time I got someone to let me out of the room, Donovan had walked out of the building.”

  “Walked out. No one tried to stop him?”

  “You know how small our station is.”

  I did. The pentacle garden was bigger.

  Atkins released a heavy sigh. “It was the front desk clerk’s first day, and he wasn’t prepared for this kind of situation. None of us were. We put out an APB, and everyone is looking for him. He still has that one cuff on and is an easy guy to identify. I can’t imagine he’ll be free for long. I just wanted to warn you because—”

  “Because he might return to Whispering Pines and come after me. I get it.”

  “Or he might not,” Evan tried to soothe my concerns. “I don’t think he’s out to hurt you or anyone else. He had plenty of opportunity to do that if that was his intent.”

  “True.” This only minimally eased my mind. “He told me he kept his old home. I don’t know if it’s a house or an apartment and I don’t know where it is. It’s a long shot, but you may want to check there.”

  “On it. We’ll locate it and send someone over there.”

  “I should contact Madison PD and let them know to keep an eye on my mom and sister. Guess I should contact my mom as well.”

  “Better to err on the side of caution.”

  “Evan, are you okay? Did he hurt you?”

  “Got a few good shots to my ribs and gut. I’ve got a lump on my head where it hit the wall, but no concussion. I can feel a headache coming on, and I’ll be sore tomorrow, but for now, I’m good.”

  “Sorry to hear you were attacked.”

  He made a sound that meant, no big deal. “I’m going to follow up with everyone and see where we are with this. I’ll be in contact later. Don’t hesitate to call if you need help.”

  I hung up with Evan and then called my captain in Madison. He said he’d already seen the APB but hadn’t realized it was associated with me. He assured me he’d give it special attention. Then, I called my mother.

  “This is the second time in a week you’ve called me at work.”

  Before she could hang up, I blurted, “Mom, there’s a killer on the loose. You and Rosalyn need to take precautions.” She remained mute the entire time I explained to her what had happened and what she needed to do. “Are you still there? Do you have any questions?”

  “I’m here. I’m trying to decide if your being in that profession makes things better or worse.”

  “There’s a little more to this. I spoke to Dad on a video call earlier today.” I told her who the escapee was. “I wasn’t looking to get secrets from Dad. It was a cop thing that turned into a personal thing.”

  After a short hesitation, “That’s the excuse you pull out whenever you have to tell me something I won’t like. That it’s a cop thing.” This time, she remained quiet longer. “I knew this would come out at some point. It’s part of the reason I wanted to just be rid of that house. Part of the reason that if I never return to that village again, I’ll be fine with it.”

  “This happened way before you and Dad even met.”

  “I realize that,” she snapped. “By never telling me about it, he effectively lied to me for almost two decades. And now, all these years later, because he and his mother decided to keep this secret rather than deal with the truth, my daughters and I are in danger.” She inhaled a shaky breath. “He should have told me. I shouldn’t have learned this from his mother.” Then more quietly, “She had no right.”

  “I’m really sorry, Mom.”

  “I need to get back to work.”

  This was the most intimate conversation we’d had in years. Maybe ever. I wanted to keep talking. I wanted her to explain to me that this was why she’d been so cold, so distant, so shut off for all these years. Right now, though, that wasn’t fair of me to expect. This thing that shook her world sixteen years ago was out, and she needed time to process how to handle that.

  “Promise me,” I said, “that you’ll be aware of your surroundings. Don’t take any foolish risks. I don’t think they have the manpower to station anyone near the house at this point, but if you suspect anything, if you have any reason to believe Donovan is near you, call Captain Grier directly.”

  “You told me this already.”

  “I felt like it was worth repeating. Do you want me to call Rosalyn?”

  “I’ll call her,” she answered immediately. “It’s bad enough that you know this, I don’t want her knowing it as well. Not yet. I’ll come up with something to tell her.” She exhaled. “Don’t worry, you girls are the most important things in my life. As I have been since you were little,
I will protect both of you no matter what. That means not letting anything happen to myself so I can be here for you.”

  I was too stunned to reply. Rosalyn and I were the most important things in her life? I’d never felt that, she’d never given me a reason to feel it, but I believed her.

  “I’ve got to get back to work . . . and call your sister.” She hesitated before adding, “Be careful, Jayne.”

  I was able to croak out goodbye before hanging up. My mother had never been one to express feelings and despite the discussion we’d just had, I didn’t expect that to change. I was okay with that for now. I had all the change I could handle for the moment.

  To satisfy my own curiosity, I checked the status of the APB. And then again ten minutes later. And ten minutes after that. Maybe it was best that I just go home and try to think about something else. I still had more than twenty years’ worth of journals I could read. Or maybe I’d just veg in front of the television and watch a stupid movie.

  “Mother,” Reed said from the main room. “What are you doing here?”

  “I need to speak with Sheriff O’Shea. Please leave.”

  “Sorry, Flavia,” I said as I stepped out of my office. “I make the rules in this building. Reed is welcome to stay and hear whatever it is you have to say.”

  Reed closed the gap between us and spoke in a low tone. “Actually, it’s after five and I’m supposed to meet Lupe for dinner. Do you mind?” He tilted his head at the backdoor, indicating he’d like to leave.

  “Not at all,” I said, matching his tone. “One thing, Lupe wanted to help with this investigation, but I kind of shut her out. Is she mad at me?”

  Reed flushed slightly. “You say that like I would know. How would I know?”

  I grinned at him. “Right. Go, have fun on your date. Or whatever it is. Would you do one thing for me? Swing past Quin’s first and let Ivy know that her boss won’t be coming in anymore?”

  He gave me a little salute and left the building.

  I turned to face Flavia and gestured at the chair next to Reed’s desk. “Would you like to sit?”

  “No. This won’t take long,” Flavia informed. “I came here for two things. First, I expect that you will keep everything you have learned to yourself. None of what you have dug up is anyone else’s business. Things happened forty years ago that I am not proud of.

  “Second, I expect you will leave me alone now. I told you I was not responsible for Yasmine’s death. I told you I was not responsible for Lucy’s death. Now you have your truth.”

  I stared at her long enough to make her squirm. “You must have been absolutely giddy the day my grandmother died. To carry around all that hate for so long, I can’t imagine how free you must have felt.”

  Flavia didn’t respond.

  “I know you didn’t cause Gran’s death. Sounds like it was an accident. Just like Priscilla’s. You were involved with both, though. Donovan told me that you were there to help him figure out what to do with Gran’s body after she died.”

  He hadn’t, but he practically did. Besides, I wanted to see her reaction. Maybe she’d confess.

  “A complete and total lie. I told you, I was sick that night.”

  “Right, your alibi. Look, you may not be a murderer, but at the very least you assisted in covering up Gran’s death. And according to witnesses, you instigated and encouraged the fight between Priscilla and Rae, which makes you partially responsible for that outcome.”

  Her pursed lips twitched, like she was dying to comment but wouldn’t let herself.

  “When Donovan arrived in Whispering Pines,” I continued, “and told you what he’d learned about his mother, I’m willing to bet you instigated his revenge plot.”

  “A bet you would lose,” she hissed.

  “I also think that you instigated the vandalism of my house. Donovan told me that you drew the full stop marks on both Yasmine and my grandmother. The same marks I found on my walls. I may not be able to prove any of that right now,” I shrugged, “I may not ever be able to prove it, but trust me, for as long as we both are in this village, the last thing I’ll do is leave you alone. On the contrary, I’ll have an eagle eye on you, and if the opportunity for me to take you down ever presents, I promise you I will. Remember, the O’Sheas still own the land you live on.”

  Flavia stood and tried to stare me down but got no satisfaction from me. With a sniff, she spun on her heel and left the building.

  Meeka sat across the room, staring at me.

  “I know, that was a little childish. But it felt really good!”

  Before going home, we stopped by the businesses along the Fairy Path and made a loop around the commons to let everyone know what had happened with Donovan. If he dared to step a toe back in this village, I wanted everyone to be prepared to act.

  I timed it so my last stop would be Shoppe Mystique as it closed. I needed a few minutes of Morgan time before heading home. We settled into the reading room with mugs of “Chill Out” tea, and I caught her up on the Donovan drama.

  “I never know what to expect when you stop in,” Morgan said.

  “I promise, one day I’ll come in as a customer.”

  “Or just visit as my friend.” We sat there drinking tea and enjoying the silence for a while, and then Morgan asked, “Shouldn’t you be getting home to Tripp?”

  “It may be too late for that.” I told her what I had witnessed yesterday morning and last night.

  “You think the man who is obviously crazy about you has moved on after only a few weeks? I don’t buy it. I think you’re scared of your feelings for him and are looking for any reason to avoid risking your heart again.”

  She sounded like Jayne in the mirror.

  “I’ve been sleeping with those crystals under my pillow. You told me they would help me see the truth. Maybe that’s what I saw between him and Alex.”

  “Sometimes, like secrets in this village, the truth is buried deep. I know that becoming sheriff and fixing that house are only part of the reason you want to stay in Whispering Pines. Dig deeper, Jayne. Don’t be afraid to take a chance.”

  Chapter 31

  Almost as though he knew I wanted to talk, Tripp was waiting on the sundeck for me when I got home. I told him I needed to change clothes and would be right out. Two minutes later, I sat in the chair closest to him. I handed him a fresh beer, and he handed me a plate of barbecued ribs, grilled corn on the cob, and seasoned fries. Knowing that once I started talking I wouldn’t likely be able to stop, I ate my dinner while it was hot. Besides, I was nervous and not sure how to say what I needed to say.

  Once I’d taken my last bite and before any other topic could come up, I wiped my fingers, sticky with barbecue sauce, on a wet wipe he had set on a side table and told him what had happened with Donovan.

  “Are you okay?” he asked, concern heavy on his face.

  “I’m shocked to learn that I have a brother, especially a scummy one like Donovan. I’m relieved to know the truth about what happened to Gran. I’m devastated that she suffered like she did at the end. I’m disappointed to learn that she wasn’t the person I thought she was.”

  “It’s always hard when we learn our parents are actual, fallible humans, isn’t it?”

  Tripp had recently learned that his mother, after abandoning him when he was thirteen, had died two years ago from a drug overdose. If anyone understood the shock of learning the truth about a family member, it was Tripp.

  “Maybe she was just going through a bad patch at that time.”

  “She might not have been the woman you thought she was, but that doesn’t mean she wasn’t the grandmother you believed her to be. Everyone wears a different persona depending on who they’re with.”

  That’s almost exactly what Briar had told me.

  “Are we done with that topic? Can I bring up something else?” As soon as I nodded, he said, “You’re angry at me. What did I do?”

  My heart was pounding. Did I really want to open this
up? I didn’t, but I had to know the truth.

  “Is there something going on between you and Alex?”

  “She works on the crew, so there’s that.” He looked closer at me. “Wait, you mean between us? You think I’m interested in her in some way other than being her boss? Are you serious?”

  “I came down for breakfast yesterday and the two of you were shoulder-to-shoulder.”

  “We were discussing tiling options for the bathrooms.” He looked confused, shocked, and a little offended. “I promise, all I was thinking about was bathrooms. There was nothing remotely romantic going on.”

  “She’s beautiful.”

  “Is she?” He moved a little closer, his left knee bumping against my right, and looked me dead in the eye. “I hadn’t noticed.”

  My mouth went dry. “Don’t lie to me.”

  “I’m not lying to you. I never have, never will. Not sure how to convince you, but it’s the truth.” He gave me a look that made my heart stutter. “All I can see is you, Jayne. Since that first night when we went to dinner together at The Inn, remember?”

  I smiled. “I remember.”

  “We were waiting for our food and you started talking about the possible ways Yasmine Long had died, and I knew there was something different about you. You became indignant when I told you that the council wouldn’t approve a job for me, and I thought, there’s a woman who cares about others. You explained how the negativity well works, and I thought, there’s a woman with a playful side. You looked me in the eye, and I thought, there’s the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen.”

  My voice wouldn’t rise above a whisper and I could barely breathe as I said, “I’m a little bit afraid.”

  He took my hands in his. “Now that is a lie. I know for a fact that you’re a lot afraid. But you know that I—”

  I moved to the edge of my seat. “I know that you would never purposely hurt me.”

  “Never.”

  I stood, and he stood with me, my hands still in his. “Morgan told me that if I wanted to know the truth, I needed to dig deep.”

  “Did you? Did you dig deep enough?”