A Desperate Search

by Amanda Stevens

  “Last spring. The papers were finalized in May, to be precise.”

  “Funny, I don’t remember seeing you around town. Is that your car in the driveway? Impressive. I’m certain I would have remembered seeing a vehicle like that on the streets.”

  “It’s not my everyday ride,” he explained. “I save it for special occasions.”

  “This is a special occasion?”

  “It’s a beautiful Sunday afternoon and I’m standing here with two lovely ladies, so yes. I would say this counts as a special occasion, the underlying reason for my visit notwithstanding.” He sobered. “I am sorry for your loss. I know Dr. Nance thought of you as family. So does Dessie.”

  “Thank you,” Nikki said. “We were both just saying what a great man he was.”

  “I didn’t know him well, but I always enjoyed our interactions,” Clete said. “He had some good stories to tell.”

  “When was the last time you saw him?” Nikki asked.

  His gaze slid to Dessie and back. “I beg your pardon?”

  “You said you enjoyed your interactions. That implies you met him more than once. I’m curious when you last saw him.”

  “He came into the office a few times after I took over the practice,” Clete said. “I made the effort to touch base with all Mr. Townsend’s clients, encouraging them to update their wills and so forth. You’d be surprised how many people neglect such things.”

  “I suppose it’s understandable,” Nikki said. “Being confronted with our own mortality isn’t something most people enjoy.”

  “And yet as the county coroner, you confront mortality every single day. Automobile accidents, old age...even murder. I would imagine some of the more gruesome cases keep you up at night.”

  The statement was casually spoken, but Nikki could have sworn she heard a taunt in his tone. Or was it a subtle threat? She thought about the elusive shadow she’d glimpsed in her backyard during the storm the other night, followed by the lumber of an old truck out on the street. She doubted Clete Darnell had had anything to do with either, but she couldn’t dispel her uneasiness. As Dr. Nance’s attorney, he was privy to all manner of personal and financial material. Maybe he’d found a way to update that information and then had somehow wormed his way into Dessie Dupre’s unassuming life.

  Nikki gazed back at him. “Some cases do keep me up, particularly the ones with no easy answers. But I’m a light sleeper anyway. Even the sound of an old truck passing by on the street will sometimes rouse me.”

  A smile flickered even as his eyes narrowed. “Maybe you should consider moving to a quieter neighborhood.”

  Dessie had been standing silently listening to the back-and-forth, but now she said a little too briskly, “My goodness gracious. If this isn’t the strangest conversation I’ve heard in quite some time.”

  “Yes. We do seem to have strayed a bit off course,” Clete agreed.

  Her smile looked strained. “Why don’t the two of you have a seat? I’ll get the lemonade.”

  “None for me,” he said. “I should get going so the two of you can have a visit. I’ve taken up way too much of your time as it is.” He turned to Nikki. “Normally, I wouldn’t have asked to come by on a Sunday afternoon, but I was in town on other business, and seeing as how I’ll be out of the office for a few days, it seemed a good idea to tie up loose ends. One less thing for Dessie to worry about.” He opened the lid of the briefcase and removed a large manila envelope, which he placed on the table as Dessie brought over a tray. “Here are the copies you requested for your files.”

  Under normal circumstances, Nikki would probably have never noticed the way his fingers brushed against Dessie’s and lingered. Or the way Dessie quickly snatched her hand away. But even without knowing what she knew, Nikki would have wondered about Clete Darnell’s smirk.

  “Thank you,” Dessie said primly. “I’ll be sure to put them in a safe place.” She poured from an icy pitcher and handed Nikki a glass, keeping her head bowed to the task as if to avoid Clete’s gaze. “Are you sure you don’t want one?” she asked him.

  “Now you’re just tempting me,” he teased. “How did you know old-fashioned lemonade is a particular weakness of mine in the summer? And yours looks especially mouthwatering. I suppose a little sip couldn’t hurt.”

  His syrupy charm was lost on Nikki. She resisted rolling her eyes as she studied Dessie’s reaction. Bright spots of color had appeared on her cheeks.

  Then she switched her focus to Clete, annoyed to find that he had seated himself at Dr. Nance’s usual place.

  Dessie poured a third glass and took the chair opposite Nikki’s. They sipped in silence, glancing at one another over the rims of their glasses. A more awkward or suspicious gathering Nikki could hardly imagine. She didn’t want to picture Dessie and Clete together, but how could she not when her gaze kept straying to the swimming pool?

  She couldn’t grasp how someone like Clete Darnell had managed to sweep a sensible woman like Dessie Dupre off her feet. But then, maybe she didn’t know Dessie as well as she thought she did.

  “How did the two of you meet?” she asked.

  Dessie glanced up in alarm. “What?”

  “You said Mr. Darnell—Clete—is taking care of a personal matter for you. I assume Dr. Nance recommended him?”

  “Actually, we met at church,” Clete said.

  “At church?”

  “That’s right,” Dessie agreed. “I wasn’t aware that he had taken over Mr. Townsend’s business at the time. I didn’t know who he was at all, in fact. We got to talking over potluck, and when I found out what he did for a living, I asked if I could come in and speak with him about a matter.” She gave Clete a longing glance before she caught herself. She lowered her head and vigorously mopped up a ring of condensation with a paper napkin. “Finding out he was also Dr. Nance’s attorney was just a happy coincidence.”

  I’ll bet.

  Clete folded his arms on the table and leaned toward Nikki. “Actually, it’s fortuitous that you came over when you did. You’ve saved me another trip.” He removed a letter-size envelope from his briefcase and slid it across the table to her.

  “What’s this?” she asked in surprise.

  “A request that you attend the reading of Dr. Nance’s will. It’s ceremonial, of course. Probate is handled at the courthouse, but Dr. Nance had his own way of doing things. I’ve put it on the calendar for four o’clock on Wednesday afternoon at my office here in Belle Pointe. It seemed the most convenient time and place for everyone involved.”

  “Why would you want me there?” Nikki asked.

  His tone was slightly chiding. “Oh, come now. As close as the two of you were, it surely isn’t a surprise to learn that he remembered you in his will.”

  “He did?”

  “Though I feel I must caution against high expectations. People get their hopes up thinking a friend or family member has left them a sum of money only to realize their inheritance constitutes nothing more than a cherished antique or a sentimental keepsake.”

  Nikki’s eyes burned as she picked up the envelope. “I don’t know what to say. A keepsake would be all that I could ask for and more. But is this a normal time frame? Doesn’t probate take longer? There hasn’t even been a funeral yet.”

  “As I said, this is an unofficial ceremony and there’s to be no funeral,” he said. “Didn’t Dessie tell you?”

  Dessie’s hand slipped back to her throat. “I’m afraid we haven’t had a chance to talk about that yet.”

  Clete nodded almost imperceptibly as the two exchanged glances. “As per Dr. Nance’s instructions, his body is to be cremated and his ashes scattered on Echo Lake. He didn’t want a service of any kind.”

  “I see.”

  “He left everything spelled out,” the lawyer added. “His wishes were explicit.”

  “
You know how the man hated to be fussed over.” Dessie couldn’t quite meet Nikki’s gaze.

  “Well, if that’s what he wanted,” Nikki said, but she couldn’t help wondering if those instructions had recently been fabricated as a means of facilitating a trip to the Caribbean. Or was there a darker purpose for a quick cremation?

  “Now that we have that out of the way...” Clete shut the lid of his briefcase and snapped the latches. “Thank you for the lemonade, Dessie. Uncommonly delicious, as always. And, Dr. Dresden... Nikki. It was a pleasure to finally meet you.”

  “Thank you again for coming by on such short notice,” Dessie said. “Working on a Sunday really is going above and beyond the call of duty.”

  “Nonsense. I do what I can to help out. This is a stressful time for everyone who knew Dr. Nance. If I can make your life a little easier, then that’s reward enough for me.” He picked up the briefcase and stood. “If you have questions or require additional services, just let me know.”

  Dessie rose, too, smoothing the sides of her dress as if she didn’t quite know what to do with her hands. “I’ll see you out.”

  “No need. I know the way.” The doorbell rang just then and he turned toward the foyer. “Another casserole, no doubt.”

  Dessie picked up the large envelope and slid it into a kitchen drawer before accompanying him to the front door. Nikki could hear the murmur of their voices as they walked through the house. She got up and peeked around the corner into the dining room and the foyer beyond. Dessie and Clete stood facing one another in the entrance. Dessie had her hand on his arm, her fingers lightly clutching as he bent to say something in her ear. He turned his head and caught Nikki’s gaze a split second before she jerked back around the corner.

  The look on his face...the flash of violence behind his eyes sent a chill up her spine. Just who the hell was this guy?

  Heart hammering, she remained out of sight until she heard the front door open and a third voice chimed in. She couldn’t be sure, but she thought the visitor might be Lila Wilkes.

  Taking another quick glance around the corner, she hurried back into the kitchen and eased the drawer open to quietly extract the envelope. She undid the metal clasp, telling herself all the while that she was nothing more than a miserable snoop, spying on Dessie Dupre, of all people, a woman she’d known for most of her life. A woman who apparently counted on inheriting Dr. Nance’s house and a great deal of cash from his estate.

  Keeping a sharp lookout, she pulled out the paperwork. The first document was Dessie’s will. The second was a copy of a marriage license issued ten days ago to Desiree Elizabeth Dupre and Cletus William Darnell. A photograph of a beaming Dessie and Clete had been clipped to the license, along with a Post-it note that read, “Happiest day of my life, babe.”

  Dessie and Clete were married?

  Holy sh—

  Nikki went back to the will and quickly thumbed through the pages, noting the beneficiaries that included her sister and two nephews. However, the bulk of Dessie’s estate—which would include any inheritance from Dr. Nance—was to be awarded to her husband, Cletus William Darnell, upon her death.

  * * *

  ADAM CAUGHT A blur out of the corner of his eye a split second before he heard the dogs. They sprang from the corner of the building so quickly he barely had time to identify the threat before he turned and sprinted for the fence. Vaulting over, he landed with a hard thud that caused him to stumble. The dogs pressed against the fence, snarling so ferociously he thought they might rip right through the metal links.

  He started to make a run for the woods, then hit the dirt as a bullet whizzed over his head. Another skimmed the air not five feet from where he lay. He pivoted his head, keeping his cheek pressed to the ground as he pinpointed the shooter. The man had climbed to the top of one of the crushed car stacks after letting the dogs out. When he saw that he had Adam’s attention, he lifted the rifle and fired off another round, the crack echoing down through the metal canyons. Evidently, Trespassers Will Be Shot was more than an idle threat, although from his vantage, even a mediocre marksman could have hit his target.

  Which was why Adam didn’t pull his weapon and return fire. The thought had occurred to him that the man’s intent might be to provoke a gunfight so that taking out an armed and dangerous intruder on his property would be justified. Shooting a fleeing trespasser—a cop, no less—in broad daylight would likely get the man locked up, even in Texas.

  While he reloaded, Adam leaped to his feet and dashed for cover, allowing the shadows at the tree line to swallow him up before he dared to glance back. The dogs had disappeared, but the man with the rifle retained his position on top of the crushed cars. Another thought came to Adam a split second before he bolted into the woods. What if the man’s real objective was to drive him into the swamp, where disposing of a body would be easier?

  Despite that possibility, he kept going, zigzagging through the brush and trees until he finally had to stop to get his bearings. He’d run in the opposite direction of the road. At some point, he needed to double back and find his vehicle. Not yet, though. Not until he’d put a little more breathing room between him and that rifle.

  He didn’t hear any sounds of pursuit. Not at first. He slowed to a comfortable stride. A breeze sifted through the pine trees, bringing the scent of the swamp. The ground grew soft beneath his feet as the canopy overhead thickened. Spanish moss dripped down from the branches, swaying like tangled hair in the wind.

  Adam slowed yet again as he approached a murky channel that undoubtedly fed into the lake at some point. Lily pads carpeted the water, reminding him of the spot where he’d found Dr. Nance’s body. He didn’t see a corpse now, only the sinewy glide of a water moccasin, its dark, thick head lifted on a slender neck as it skimmed across the surface. As he watched, another snake slid from the bank into the water and yet a third slithered along the top of a partially submerged log.

  He started to turn away from the infested water when a sound came to him through the trees, distant but headed his way. The dogs had been turned loose in the woods.

  Another rifle blast startled a heron from the shallow water. Rather than directly behind him, the shot had come from his right. The man was on the road now, herding him away from his vehicle.

  Adam glanced around. He might have been able to scurry up a tree to avoid the dogs or even camouflage his scent with mud, if he dared get that close to the snaky water. But a human predator wouldn’t be so easily fooled or discouraged. Maybe he was letting his imagination get the better of him, but Adam had the uncanny notion that he wasn’t the hunter’s first two-legged prey.

  Turning, he sprinted through the trees, trying to outpace his pursuer while retaining a vague sense of direction in his head. The channel should run out to the highway, where it would connect with the lake underneath one of the bridges, but he’d overshoot his vehicle if he went that far. He needed to cut back to his right.

  The dogs were closing in. He could hear them tearing through the underbrush behind him. A car engine sounded nearby. He was closer to the road than he realized. All he had to do was get to the tree line and find his vehicle.

  The car skidded to a halt and a door slammed. Adam could hear muted voices through the trees, and for a moment, he thought about calling out to the newcomer. Surely, the shooter’s trigger finger would be a little less itchy in front of a witness. Adam held his position and listened. The woods seemed uncannily silent. Was it over now that a point had been made?

  He wanted to believe the guy had given up and was headed back home with his dogs, but no such luck. A shouted command caused the canines to yelp in excitement. A car door slammed again. Adam could hear the low rev of the engine as the vehicle crept along the road, patrolling the edge of the woods.

  Had someone else joined in the chase? If so, what was his next move? He was still on private property and that put him in a precari
ous legal position. He had no shield, no standing, and he was a long way from his jurisdiction. He doubted an unofficial arrangement with the coroner’s office would carry much weight.

  So far, the man had only fired warning shots. Adam had to be careful here. Not only his career, but also the rest of his life could be at stake. The best thing he could do was to avoid confrontation. He had no choice but to turn back and follow the channel all the way out to the highway. He’d arrange to pick up his vehicle at a later time.

  The dogs were closing in again. By the time he reached the sloping bank, they were nearly on him. They came at him fast. He didn’t have time to draw his weapon. He barely had time to throw up an arm to fend off the first attack. He tried to brace for impact, but he lost his footing and tumbled down the muddy incline to the water’s edge.

  The dogs stood rigid at the top of the grade, hackles lifted along their sleek backs. Adam sprang to his feet and plunged into the stagnant water, trying not to think about the moccasins as he waded out chest-deep and dived.

  He didn’t know if the dogs had followed him. He sank to the muddy bottom and waited as long as his lungs would allow. When he finally surfaced, he gulped air as he blinked water from his eyes. Once he had his breath, he swept his gaze over the surface of the channel and then upward to the embankment, where the dogs sat quietly at their master’s feet.

  The man lifted the rifle to his shoulder, took aim over the water and pulled the trigger.

  Chapter Twelve

  Nikki was seated at the window, staring out at the pool, when Dessie came back into the kitchen several minutes later. She’d thought about slipping outside to call Adam, but she didn’t want to arouse Dessie’s suspicions. She settled for sending him a quick text, along with the photographs she’d snapped of the will and marriage license. Her thumbs hovered over the keypad as she waited for a response. When none was forthcoming, she slid the phone back into her bag and turned with a strained smile.

  “Everything okay?” she asked Dessie.