by Unger, Erin;
Ava shuffled to her folder and turned a few pages. “Right. And so far, Queenie has proven to be truthful. We have no reason to doubt that he really was with her that night.”
Jillian shoved her computer away and folded her arms on the table. “Which is why we haven’t been able to put him back on our suspect list. But is it possible he had someone like Steve murder Mr. Newen for Tony?”
Getting up, Ava began walking from one end of the room to the other. “Finding the papers might answer that question. Once we know what’s on them, we can start formulating better ideas on how they could be linked to the murderer.”
And what about Isabelle? “We can’t forget Isabelle still seems to know something. There has to be a way to get her to talk.”
“That’s right.” Ava tapped her pen on the page. “We need to follow up that lead, too, but I don’t know how. We’ve talked to her twice, and she hasn’t budged. She’s keeping whatever she knows a secret, and we can’t make her tell us.”
I crossed my arms and took a deep breath. “We could threaten to take her to the police station in front of her mother. Do you think it would make a difference?”
“We may not have a choice.” Ava tapped her fingers on the folder and rocked a little in her chair.
“No, it’s a bad idea. It’ll break any trust I’m trying to build with her.”
Jillian rested her chin on her hand. “So there’re two things we can do now. One, try to get Isabelle to talk. Two, check Steve’s alibi.”
Rubbing his eyes, Christopher began to stand. “It’s getting late. Why don’t we start fresh in the morning. Say 8:00 AM?”
I rubbed my own face. “Let me walk you to your room. Did your aunt get everything situated again, or are you sleeping in the library another night?”
As he pushed his chair in, Christopher raised an eyebrow. “It’s soot-free and cleaned. I can stay in there again. But do you think this unknown perp will return for more revenge tonight?”
Was he joking or hiding true concern behind a flippant remark? Could I convince him to stay in the same room as me and Jillian in my line of sight? “Wouldn’t it be better if you stayed here with us? We can all camp out together.” I made air quotes. “It would be safer.”
“What do you think’s going to happen when you have to go home?”
I put my hands on my hips. “The plan is to have the case solved by then and the perpetrator behind bars. Then you won’t have to worry about it.”
But would I get any sleep tonight if he was in the same room? Oh, well, sleep was overrated.
And maybe I should give him one of my guns to put under his pillow as well. Just in case.
43
Christopher
If Aunt Eena knew I’d be sleeping in the same room as Shauna, she’d take me out back and give me a switching like the old days. Worse, it wasn’t only one day but a couple more co-ed bunking nights on the horizon. I tried to work a kink out of my back. I had no rollaway bed or air mattress. The floor in the closet had been my torture chamber last night. Maybe it would’ve been better to drag my mattress down the hall to the room, but then that would seem really suspicious if anyone caught me.
I watched Shauna across the table from me as she ate her eggs and toast. Everything she did, she did with gusto, including eating. Her energy was catching. Everything had vigor and meaning now. Things that I had never truly let myself consider were now possibilities. Even the beginning of letting go of Mom leaving us. That sharp stab of pain I got every time I thought about it had less power. It shocked me that I’d worked enough to face her abandonment without it feeling so fresh these days. But it also stunned me to realize how few memories remained from blocking everything. But it wouldn’t be fixed overnight. Did God have anything to do with this change?
But the ache of Dad’s murder had not subsided at all. I piled my plate on top of the other dirty ones then took a sip from my coffee mug. I’d tried to bury the pain as I had with Mom but not anymore. Even if it broke me to bits. I had to start moving forward to let him go.
The new information we uncovered did another lap in my brain. How was St. John’s Wort related to the scroll of papers? Or was there no correlation, and Dad had just taken the wrong dose of the herbal remedy?
Ava gathered her notebook and phone and scurried to the door. “Come on, everyone. I can’t wait to talk to Francis Bache.”
When we entered the little brick ranch that belonged to Francis, I held my breath. This could be the answer. It had to be.
Francis Bache wasn’t more than five and a half feet tall. The guy’s handlebar mustache reminded me of the Civil War re-enactors who worked a local regiment at festivals and local events. In the living room, a Confederate soldier uniform hung from a small rack in answer to my question.
Mr. Bache frowned under heavy eyebrows. “What is this about the map I sold Gary Newen? I assure you I bought it from another antique dealer. Everything was legit—”
Ava held up a hand. “Oh, we’re not questioning that everything was above board. We were just wondering if you can give us information on what the map entailed.”
Why had Dad needed a map to the point of carrying it from home to work every day?
Francis looked up at us. “It was an 1810 town and county map of Uppland. To my understanding one of the original maps of the area.” His gaze shifted around the room. “I don’t know much about it. I wouldn’t have sold it if I didn’t need some cash. I sort of got myself stuck between a rock and a hard place.” He looked as if he wanted a little sympathy for his troubles, but when everyone kept their business faces on, he continued, “I did a little research and couldn’t find any record of it at the courthouse.”
A map of the county opened so many possibilities. Had Dad found something at his house or on his property where the shop was?
Francis’s hands began to tremble.
Shauna ogled a very old rifle on the wall. She must be in heaven with all the weaponry showcased in the room. “Were you questioning its authenticity?”
“Oh no, it was only an observation. I did find information from when the map was created. Two different surveyors were arguing about inconsistencies between their survey work. I assume the reason there was no record on this one was because it was the map that had the inconsistency. I heard the other one was lost in the late 1800s when the county courthouse burned in a fire. Gary proved it was authentic, though.” The man fidgeted.
Ava eyed Shauna—I didn’t miss it. “Why would Gary want to authenticate your map? Did he approach you about it, or did you approach him?”
His fidgeting turned to tweaking the one side of his mustache. “At first, he didn’t seem interested, but he asked me to leave it with him to authenticate it before he purchased it. I thought it was a good trade because it would resolve the question in my mind of whether it was the real deal or not, so even if he didn’t buy it, I still got something out of it. And after it came back as genuine, he bought it. I’m not in any trouble, am I? Because you all are making me really nervous.”
Keep talking Mr. Bache. Anticipation flashed through me, and even Shauna had to stop herself from interrupting Ava with the next question.
“You’re not in any trouble at all.” Ava maintained her businesslike tone. “Do you know why he wanted it?”
“I have no idea. I assumed it was to sell it and make a little money. He seemed like a savvy businessman.”
“He never even hinted at a reason?” I asked.
“No.”
Tapping the information into her tablet, Jillian kept silent and let us do all the questioning.
“By any chance, do you have a photo of the map or anything to show us what was on it?” Ava asked.
He didn’t shrink back as much this time as with the other questioning. “No, I don’t.”
Were we back to square one? I interlaced my fingers and squeezed them. “Did anything stand out on the map?”
He stopped messing with his mustache. “There was nothi
ng unusual about it. I’m sorry I can’t help you all, but if I think of anything, I’ll call you.”
Ava handed him a business card. “Thank you for your help.”
At the SUV, we all had to hold in our excitement until out of sight of Mr. Bache’s house.
Shauna took my hand and drew me close. “I bet your dad was murdered for the map. We have to go to the land now.”
44
Shauna
My belly fluttered as I strapped on all of my gear and got ready for round three at the fruit stand. Just like preparing for reconnaissance with my army buddies. We may not have the map, but we could look at the shop property with new eyes.
Ava had on her own backpack. “It’s like you said, Shauna. If the map creates the motive, then we might be on the verge of solving this crime.”
I adjusted my tan cap. “If we don’t find anything on this land, we might have to check the Monacan land once more. What we’re looking for might be past the border of this property.”
“We’ll deal with that if it comes up.”
Holding up her tablet, Jillian scanned the terrain. “I’ll mark each section as we go through it.”
Christopher tickled my side with a quick movement I hoped no one else saw. Good thing my brothers had beat the giggles out of me years ago, or I would’ve melted in his fingers. When I didn’t react with more than a smirk, he looked like he was about to get even closer for a second try but thrust his hand through his hair as Jillian turned in our direction. “Stay close—I mean I’ll stay close.”
It was cute how he let me be in charge of keeping him safe and not the other way around—even though it remained clear he felt he didn’t need it. We began at the far corner of the property and took slow steps to the opposite end. As I scanned the ground for the minutest change or disruption, I prayed. Everything hinged on us not missing a single thing. And everything in my life hinged on not missing God’s cue as to what I was to do. A few empty soda cans and a glass bottle tinkled as I kicked one against the other. We continued forward.
And I added even more vehement prayers for Christopher to return to God.
No disruption in the landscape marked the ground in front of me a half hour later. Not like the pockmark left when I’d discharged from the military. Why did you leave in the first place? I had been too far from home, too far from family, and it got to me. If I reenlisted, the homesickness would only return. And hadn’t Ava and Jillian been a great support system while I adjusted to civilian life? Wasn’t it enough that they had been there for me and would continue to be there?
I stopped. “Everyone look.” A spot of ground in front of me had an indented outline. “It’s somewhat small but it looks recent.”
Christopher took out the metal detector and ran it over the spot. “Nothing.”
Jillian bent down and put her hand over it. “We could dig it up anyway and see if there’s anything significant here.”
With two shovels in hand, Ava handed the second one to me. “We might as well since we don’t know what we’re looking for.”
We dug, but two feet down still hadn’t revealed anything of value other than two plastic wrappers. And the ground grew more compacted as we went. After thrusting the shovel into the dirt beside me, I let it go and wiped my face with a rag. “The ground is too hard. I don’t see how anyone has dug up something here recently.”
We filled in the hole and continued in a straight path.
An hour later, three quarters of the property had been thoroughly examined. I gulped a swig of water while we took a break and rested against the back of the building where the darkest shadows kept the sun at bay. Please don’t let there be any spiders in the tall grass.
Christopher settled beside me, his elbow just touching my arm, but he might as well be closer with the way my body reacted. I didn’t pull away but found his closeness very welcome. He patted my knee but remained silent. Everyone seemed to be in their own world, working out their own possible ideas. Good thing they didn’t pay attention to us. No matter how much I’d promised myself I wouldn’t be a googly love bird, there was no way to stop the goofy grins and happy gazes I used to hate about other people in love.
It would be terrible to give up my investigation career with my best friends. The more I considered it, the more it was obvious I needed to help people, to protect them while Jillian and Ava worked on the harder stuff to solve crimes and to find lost relatives. And I could get the same thing from working with Worthington Investigations as I did the military. A chance to catch the bad guys.
And what of Christopher? I took a quick glance at him but tried to keep from staring. So many things had changed in the past five days. In the beginning he had no faith that God was working in the situation, but he couldn’t deny God’s hand had to be in this case now. And I’d seen small changes to prove he was beginning to believe again. To what extent I didn’t know yet, but God took time to work on people. Wasn’t it worth giving a relationship with Christopher a chance? Not that he’d asked me out yet, other than the date. But I could ask him, I didn’t need to wait for him to do it first.
This time I looked at him, and he stared back with the same intent eyes. We sat close enough to kiss. Not a messed-up peck like last time but a real, gut-wrenching smack on the lips. I jerked back and looked to see if Jillian or Ava had noticed. But he took my hand, which fit just right in his. Ava and Jillian sat quite a distance away and talked together, not paying attention to Christopher and me at all.
Before I chickened out, I squeezed his hand and sent one more furtive glance at my partners. “I think we should see each other, don’t you?”
His eyes twinkled, and then he looked down at our interlocked fingers. “You know, I never would’ve guessed in such a short amount of time that someone could change my whole life.” He moved a little closer. “This is crazy, though. I mean we haven’t even known each other a whole week.”
I leaned in a little closer also. “Well, I’m not asking you to marry me. I’m only asking if we can see each other on a regular basis.”
“But what about reenlistment in the military?” He touched a strand of my hair and playfully tugged it.
“I’ve really been contemplating about it a lot this week, and I don’t think God’s leading me in that direction. But I admit it is getting a little bit out of order. I can’t say one hundred percent for sure that I will never go back in.” I lowered my voice to almost a whisper and glanced at Ava and Jillian. “And you do need to be aware of it, but we can deal with that if it happens. If you don’t mind.”
“Yeah, I guess we can deal with it if it happens down the road.”
I almost felt his lips on mine as I leaned into him and his warm smile.
“Hey, Shauna, you ready to start up again?”
I jumped out of my skin. Had they seen me about to kiss Christopher? Not that they wouldn’t whoop with joy.
He gave a little whistle through his teeth and let go of my hand. “Almost.”
Right. So close. One of these days there’d be no almost. I’d seal the deal.
Breathing out a laugh, I ricocheted off the ground and wiped any stray pieces of grass off my legs. “OK. Back to work everyone.”
But this time Christopher and I kept glancing at each other with little, shy smiles. More than once, I had to force myself to focus on the ground.
When we reached the last strip of land, I didn’t know what to believe. There was absolutely nothing remarkable or different about the piece of property. There were no other disruptions in the land, nothing out of the norm.
Christopher even went back over the property with the metal detector only to discover a few soda cans and coins here and there.
We all returned to the shade on the backside of the shop, but this time we sat together in a circle. Another round of waters quenched our thirst from the heat of another searing summer day.
I finished my drink first. “Look, guys. I know you don’t want to hear this, but we have to check t
he property in the back again.”
With her water bottle halfway to her mouth, Jillian paused. “Well it’s not the first time we trespassed back there, but it’s a bad idea.”
The last drop of Ava’s water drained from her bottle. She recapped it and set it beside her. “We’re really taking a risk to go there without permission. Any evidence would be inadmissible in court. Why don’t we call Queenie and ask if she minds if we look around the property? She may not.”
Christopher cleared his throat. “But remember when I threatened Tony to never give the Monacan tribe the land? I don’t think she’s going to grant us permission after that happened. I’m sorry. I should’ve been quiet.”
“Good point. I mean—not about you keeping quiet…about calling the chief.” I stood and went to the edge of the property. “But we have to take a chance on Queenie saying yes. Your father’s case depends on it.”
Ava joined me at the edge. “And in the meantime, while we’re waiting for an answer, we can go to Christopher’s house to see if his property yields any new leads.”
Gathering up all the empty bottles, Christopher strode toward the front parking area. “You all need any more water? I’m getting another one out of my truck.”
I perused the area one last time then closed my eyes for a silent prayer. “Lord, please influence Queenie to agree to let us check out the property one more time.”
Christopher rounded the corner so fast, I flinched when he touched my arm. He pointed at the road. “I just saw Tony, and I don’t know if he was spying on us or what, but we need to go. Now. I’m tired of waiting for answers. We have to track him down and see what he’s been doing.”
We all rushed to our vehicles. I headed to Christopher’s truck and before I even had my seatbelt clicked, he drove onto the highway and raced to catch up with Tony. “You think he was listening in on our conversation?” How had we not seen him or been aware of his presence right around the corner? But we weren’t in plain view. How’d he see us?