by Dan Padavona
The fleeing man vanished when he ran beneath a tree grove. LeVar searched the night, blinded by darkness. Footsteps squished over soggy terrain, telling LeVar his intruder had cut toward the lake shore. LeVar burst through a tangle of branches and leaped debris, pulling up amid the trees when he couldn’t find the man. As fast as he was, the man in the hooded sweatshirt ran like the wind.
LeVar spun in a circle. Darkness converged from all sides.
He’d lost the suspect.
The snap of a branch gave LeVar no warning before the next gunshot exploded.
CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX
Saturday, August 14th
10:05 p.m.
Across the lake, Raven heard the gunfire. After pleading with her mother to stay calm, promising nothing bad had happened to LeVar, Raven jumped into her SUV and raced toward the gunshots, sickness eating away at her stomach. The Kings had come to settle the score.
In the deep gloom behind the sheriff’s property, she placed a hand to her forehead and prayed her brother was all right, that he wasn’t shot and dying in the forest.
“Don’t worry,” Naomi said. “I’m sure LeVar is fine.”
“He just ran into the night?”
Raven paced a groove into the lawn. She peered toward the lake, the trail, the cloaking forest leading to the state park. Naomi stood beside Scout and Thomas in the backyard as the sheriff spoke into his radio. The flashing lights of the cruiser whirled across the grass as Deputy Lambert arrived.
Raven dialed LeVar’s phone, and it rang inside the guest house. He’d left it behind. Now she had no way to track her brother.
The words rang hollow. How ironic it would be, if LeVar became a victim of gang violence after leaving the Harmon Kings and moving to Wolf Lake. Safety was an illusion. Raven turned to Scout.
“Did you see who broke into the house?”
The girl shook her head.
“It was too dark. LeVar kept the lights in the house off because he’d received the security alert too.”
Raven kicked herself. If she’d noticed the alert…
Then what? She couldn’t have reached LeVar in time. The attack happened too fast.
Deputy Lambert hurried to Thomas. The two officers shared a brief conversation. The grim look on Lambert’s face told Raven the deputy had bad news. She braced herself, understanding nothing would save her sanity if LeVar was already dead.
“I spoke to Deputy Aguilar,” Lambert said. “Aguilar and the ranger are searching the state park grounds. The campgrounds are on lock down. So far, we’ve found no one. No sign of LeVar.”
“Find him,” said Raven. “He might be injured.”
Thomas flicked on his flashlight.
“We’ll take the trail along the lake and meet up with Darren and Aguilar. With any luck, we’ll trap the suspect between us.” And find LeVar alive, Raven prayed. “Do you have your gun on you?”
Raven nodded and patted her holster. Thomas handed her a radio.
“Keep it on at all times, and don’t let Naomi and Scout out of your sight.”
“Gotcha.”
Thomas took a deep breath and touched Raven’s shoulder.
“We’ll find LeVar. I promise.”
Raven steeled herself.
“Bring him home, Thomas.”
Thomas and Lambert took off for the trail. Raven’s body thrummed with tension as she cupped her elbows with her hands. She wanted to be in the park with the search team. Raven held the flawed belief that she could alter fate by joining the hunt. As she struggled to remain calm, she spied the terror on Scout’s face. She needed to be strong for the girl. Kneeling before the wheelchair, Raven took Scout’s hand in hers.
“You did great, Scout.”
“No, I didn’t help him.”
“He’s alive because of you. Darren and I missed the alert. If it wasn’t for you, we wouldn’t have known someone tried to break into the guest house.”
Naomi rested a hand on Scout’s shoulder. The girl sniffled and swiped her hand beneath her nose.
“I just want him to be okay. He’s my friend.”
A part of Raven broke inside. Since he’d left the Harmon Kings, her brother had touched so many lives. Not just his family’s. That he’d befriended a paralyzed fourteen-year-old made her even more proud of what he’d become.
“He loves you, Scout. LeVar has a funny way of showing affection sometimes. But he’s a teddy bear at heart. I see how he looks at you.”
Raven turned away when Scout broke down. As much as she wanted to comfort the girl, Raven couldn’t watch Scout sob without falling apart. She faded into the shadows where the others wouldn’t see her cry.
A shout pulled Raven around. She shared a glance with Naomi, then she ran toward the lake trail, stopping when LeVar walked out of the darkness.
“LeVar!” Scout cried out.
Raven breathed again. She wrapped her arms around her brother and hugged him close, never wanting to let him out of her sight. The honeymoon didn’t last long. Remembering he’d run after his assailant like a reckless fool, she shoved his shoulder.
“Don’t do that again. You risked your life for nothing.”
“I had it handled.”
“Oh, really? He shot at you.”
LeVar glanced over his shoulder.
“Well, he’s not a good shot, ‘cause he missed.”
Raven shook her head.
“Think with your head, not your fists. Did you see who it was?”
“Nah, I didn’t get a good look at him. It must have been one of the Kings. My guess is Rev or Kilo.”
Scout called to LeVar. He met the girl’s eyes and hugged her tightly, planting a kiss on her head.
“We thought we’d lost you,” Scout said, on the edge of tears again.
“Takes more than a prowler to put me down.” LeVar brushed the hair off her forehead. “If he’s stupid enough to return, we’ll catch him.”
“No, you won’t. Leave it to Thomas,” said Naomi. Raven nodded in agreement. “This is a police matter. Thomas and the deputies are in the state park with Ranger Holt now.”
“Yeah, I passed them on the way back. They won’t catch the guy, though. He’s too fast.”
“Promise me you won’t do anything stupid like that again,” said Raven. “You’re not expendable, LeVar. Everyone cares about you.”
“Don’t worry, Sis. Like I said, I got it handled.”
Sure you do, Raven thought. Fire burned in her brother’s eyes. If the Kings returned, he’d be prepared. What if LeVar found a gun and shot somebody? Worries fluttered through Raven’s head as LeVar spoke with Naomi and Scout. How would Raven explain tonight’s events to Serena without worrying her sick?
Before Raven called her mother to break the news, her phone buzzed with an incoming text. She stared at the screen. When it rained, it poured.
“What’s wrong?” asked Naomi, coming to Raven’s side.
She put the phone away and exhaled.
“That was Chelsey. She’s in the emergency room.”
CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN
Saturday, August 14th
10:40 p.m.
Raven ignored the speed limit on her way to the hospital. She’d worried something like this would happen. Chelsey had grown sicker by the day, and Raven fretted over the myriad of possibilities. Was her friend stricken with a disease, or had the crippling depression returned?
She sprinted into the emergency room, but the receptionist wouldn’t allow Raven inside because she wasn’t family. After a lot of persuasion and arguing, Raven stood aside until a family gathered at the receptionist’s desk. Then she slipped through the emergency room doors before anyone noticed. She hurried to room four, the room Chelsey claimed she occupied in her text. A doctor with a gray mustache turned when Raven entered. There was nobody else in the room.
“Who are you looking for?”
“Chelsey Byrd. She messaged me and told me she was in this room.”
The doctor scr
unched his brow.
“The woman who occupied this room is in surgery.”
Raven’s stomach dropped. No, this wasn’t happening.
“Are you certain?”
“Well, yes. They rushed her into surgery five minutes ago.” He narrowed his eyes. “Are you immediate family? You shouldn’t be here.”
“I’m her coworker…I mean her best friend.”
A confused expression fell across the doctor’s face.
“Coworker? I would have expected she retired years ago.”
“Wait, are we talking about the same person? My friend is thirty-two. Dark hair down to about here.” Raven touched her shoulder.
“Oh, my. You have the wrong room. The woman I examined was much older than your friend.”
It took several minutes to sort out Chelsey’s location. She’d given Raven the wrong room number. Figures, Raven grumbled to herself as a nurse found Chelsey in her database. The hospital had moved Chelsey out of the emergency ward and into her own room.
Raven finally located Chelsey on the fourth floor. Cleaning solutions tickled her nose as she knocked before entering. Chelsey’s head was turned away as Raven walked inside. She spotted the black circles around her friend’s eyes, the sickly pallor of her drawn face.
“Chelsey. Are you okay?”
Raven set a hand on Chelsey’s arm. Her friend turned her head toward her.
“It’s back. My depression.” She sniffled and stared at the ceiling. “I’m such a basket case, Raven.”
“Slow down and tell me what happened.”
Chelsey lifted a shoulder and lowered her eyes.
“The doctor said I had an anxiety attack. I was at the mall, trying to relax and get away from work for a while, and it hit me all at-once.”
Raven brushed Chelsey’s hair off her face.
“What hit you?”
“It was terrible. My heart started racing out of control, I couldn’t breathe, and I was too dizzy to keep my balance. Next thing I remember, I was on my back with some mall cop leaning over me and radioing for an ambulance.”
“That sounds terrifying. The doctor checked your heart, I assume.”
“Yeah,” Chelsey said, choking on the word. “They ran all sorts of tests. My heart is fine, and I’m fit enough to run a marathon.” She wrung her hands. “This is just like when I was eighteen. Suddenly, my mind refuses to sit still. I did this to myself, Raven. All of it.”
“This isn’t your fault.”
“Yes, it is. It’s always my fault. Everything I touch goes to hell. And now I’m right back where I was fourteen years ago. I can’t go through that again.”
“You won’t, if I can help it.” Raven turned Chelsey’s head to face hers. “You’re my best friend, Chelsey. I won’t let anything happen to you.”
“It’s out of our control. Depression isn’t a switch I can turn on or off.”
“Has anything like this happened before?” Chelsey chewed her lip. “Chelsey?”
“Once. During the Herb Reid investigation. He grabbed for my camera, and my heart kinda went nuts.”
“Why didn’t you tell me? This isn’t a game. You need to take care of yourself.”
“Like I said, I’m a mess.”
Raven rubbed her eyes.
“What did the doctors say? Are they treating your anxiety attacks so it doesn’t happen again?”
“He wants me on an antidepressant.” She sighed. “I thought I was done with these medications.”
Raven held Chelsey’s eyes.
“It’s not forever. They’re preventing a repeat of what happened to you as a teenager. Listen to your doctors, take your medication. And most of all, stop pushing your friends away. We’re trying to help.”
Chelsey’s eyes narrowed.
“Don’t you realize you can’t help? I lost out on everything. College, family, friends. You have no idea what it’s like. You weren’t there.”
“No, I wasn’t. But I care for my mother every day and make sure she’s stays on the straight and narrow. She’ll always be an addict, and each day is a new test. If she can conquer heroin, I’m certain you’ll get through this.”
Chelsey snatched a tissue from the table and wiped her eyes.
“Yeah, on my own. They’re kicking me out of the hospital in an hour. I lobbied to stay this long.”
“Why would you want to stay? Wouldn’t you be more comfortable in your own house?” Chelsey wouldn’t admit it, but she didn’t want to be alone. “Why don’t you stay with us tonight?”
“You don’t have the room.”
“Then I’ll call my brother and have him watch Mom. I can stay at your place.”
“It’s no use. Go home, Raven. I shouldn’t have called you here. I’ll handle this on my own.”
“You don’t mean that.”
“Why? I’ve always looked out for myself.”
“Right, you’ve always shouldered everyone’s problems, including your own. And this is where it got you. It doesn’t have to be this way. You’re overworked and wound tighter than a cheap watch. Take time for yourself and hire a third investigator.”
“If I ever find dependable help, I will.”
Raven groaned and leaned back. Chelsey was impossibly stubborn, forever concocting excuses to refuse help.
“I didn’t want to say anything. But my brother almost died today. That’s why he missed the appointment.”
Chelsey’s face twisted.
“He almost died?”
“The Harmon Kings don’t let their members walk away. Seems they’ve targeted LeVar.”
Chelsey stared at her hands.
“I didn’t know. Now I feel bad. Still, he should have called.”
“He called. You refused to answer. Give him another chance, Chelsey. I’m vouching for my brother, and despite everything you’ve said about me over the last month, you know I’ve never steered you wrong. LeVar will work harder than anyone else. And we need a male presence at the firm, a tough guy capable of banging heads together when things get rough.”
“Isn’t that what I hired you for?” Chelsey cracked a grin. Finally, a sign that Raven’s best friend was hiding beneath her shell. “Tell your brother I’ll interview him soon. Not this coming week. I’ve got too much on my plate. But I’ll give him a fair shot.”
Raven smiled.
“You won’t regret it. LeVar is exactly the person we need to fill the open investigator’s position.” A nurse wheeled a patient down the hallway. “Hey, why don’t I stay until they release you? I’ll follow you home. Maybe you’ll reconsider and let me spend the night.”
The sullen Chelsey returned. Kneading the blanket covering her legs, she turned away.
“I don’t need you watching me. Go home, get some sleep. I’m not a suicide risk. We’ll get back to work Monday morning.”
“Are you sure?”
“I am.”
“So, are we cool now?”
“We’re friends, Raven. But this isn’t something you can fix.”
CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT
Saturday, August 14th
11:55 p.m.
The tree outside the window drew misshapen shadows across the ceiling. Sleep welcomed him with inviting hands, but he couldn’t follow.
Thomas Shepherd’s A-Frame was three-quarters glass. Experience warned him Uncle Truman’s house would get cold come winter. Year round, it invited the light inside, whether it was sun or moon. Tonight, it left him exposed.
He interlaced his fingers behind his head. His mind raced and wouldn’t allow him to fall asleep. Through the window, he could see the guest house with one light shining inside the bedroom. LeVar was still awake. The teenager almost died today when LeVar’s past came back to haunt him. Though Thomas fretted over the boy, he also needed to consider Naomi and Scout. As long as the Harmon Kings sought revenge on LeVar, Naomi and Scout would be in the line of fire.
He kept his Glock on the bed stand tonight. Loaded and ready.
A
fter speaking with Darren, he’d copied the web address for the security camera footage. Now he flicked his phone out of hibernation and checked the cameras. He had to hand it to Scout. Blanketing the backyard with cameras was a smart idea. The high-definition camera yielded a crystal clear view of the guest house.
If only he’d caught the person breaking into LeVar’s house. The man had been too fast, outrunning LeVar and escaping through the park before Thomas hemmed him in.
Satisfied the criminal wasn’t coming back tonight, Thomas set the phone aside and closed his eyes. Twenty minutes after he drifted asleep, the shrill ring of the phone jolted him upright. Confused, he stared at the clock before answering.
“Shepherd,” he said, reaching for the water glass beside the bed.
“Sheriff Shepherd, I’m sorry to bother you at this ungodly hour. But my team had a breakthrough with your Jane Doe.”
It took a moment for Thomas to recognize Dr. Astrid Stone. He hadn’t spoken with the forensic anthropologist since Tuesday. He swung his legs off the bed and set his bare feet on the floorboards, squinting after he switched the bedside lamp on.
“I’m listening.”
“Now that we’ve reconstructed the skull, we compared Skye Feron’s dental records with our Jane Doe.”
“Go on.”
“Teeth, Sheriff, are among the body’s hardest structures. They preserve well and provide us with vital clues about a person’s identity. Your Jane Doe has what we call a class 2 malocclusion.”
“An overbite.”
“Very impressive, Sheriff.”
“What does that tell us?”
“Jane Doe is not Skye Feron. Feron’s dental records show she wore braces in elementary school to correct a crowding issue. But the braces came off in ninth grade. The girl never had an overbite.”
Thomas ran a hand through his hair.
“So who did we dig up below Lucifer Falls?”
“That remains a mystery. But it isn’t Skye Feron.”