Like a Bad Penny
Page 15
And he didn’t want to worry Graham, that’s why he didn’t tell him. “I see. I hope everything is all right.”
He brushes off my concerns. “I’m an old man, Ms. Baker, and old men have health problems. It’s nothing to concern yourself with.” He turns from me, obviously closing the subject, and regards the house, looking so similar to his son, it’s like seeing a mirror image, only thirty years older. “Do you think she’s in there?” His voice is low, gravelly, desperate for answers.
I think back on all of the footage we’ve caught, both in video and in audio. “Yeah, I do. But now that you’ve found her, I don’t know if she’ll stay.”
“For nearly twenty years I’ve wondered,” he says, but I don’t think he’s talking to me anymore. I’m not sure he’s talking to anyone specifically. “I’ve hoped, and I’ve prayed, and I’ve raged at the injustice of it all, and here she was all along. And now it’s over and I can finally lay her to rest.” He allows himself another moment of silence and then squares his shoulders. “I’m sorry, Ms. Baker,” he says, and pulls a starched white envelope from his pocket. “Please, take this. I hope that it covers all of your expenses, as well as the pain and suffering you and your team have endured.”
I was not expecting that. Numb, I mumble thanks and take the envelope. It’s a lot thicker than I’d imagined, and I can barely fold it enough to fit in my pocket. After giving me one last apology, Mr. MacIver leaves me, returning to the arms of his children as they oversee the exhumation of his wife and their mother.
Russ jogs over to me, scowling. “Seriously, Meredith. That could have been really important, and you ignored me.”
I reflect back on Graham and his father’s conversations with me. “No, it couldn’t have been. So what’s up?”
His eyes light up, and he grins. “While you were talking to Graham, we got an email from the person who sent us the pictures for our next case, the one in Oklahoma I was telling you about. And it’s a doozy. You’re going to love it.”
I groan. Somehow, I think love is going to be a subjective word. “When do we leave?”
“Today. The van’s already packed, so we might as well head out while the iron’s hot. Let’s keep our momentum going and see where we can take this thing.” He forms his fingers into a square as if he were zooming in the lens for a camera. “This case has been in the news, believe it or not, so it could be the one that gets us noticed.”
My phone buzzes again, but I don’t have to look at the screen to know it’s my Aunt Mary again. Damn it. She’s probably going to ream me out for putting Jess in harm’s way and not returning her calls. In that order, probably. I fumble for the mute button. I’ll call her back later, when we’re on the road. Yeah. That’s what I’ll do.
My Airbnb cabin dream fades away, and Jess joins us, nearly as excited as Russ. “Did he tell you the news? This will be fun, I can feel it.”
I can’t. But I paste on a smile and jerk my head toward the van. “Awesome. Let’s go. You can tell me all about it when we’re on the road.”
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Acknowledgments
Like all books, this one was a mammoth endeavor that took blood, sweat, and tears to create. First to acknowledge is my husband, who puts up with my odd hours, strange questions, and fervent obsession with fonts. I’d also like to thank my wonderful friends and family members who valiantly volunteered to be my guinea pigs and help me by reading, rereading, and endlessly discussing this book. I’d also like to give a shout-out to all my awesome beta readers, especially Annie, Athena, Laura, and Jen. You were all oh-so-important at getting this book (and the others in the series) hammered into shape. My editor, Kate, also deserves my undying gratitude. She’s amazing and awesome and this book wouldn’t be what it is without her. Thank you all so much!
About the Author
Harper Crowley loves reading and writing. Big surprise, eh? She lives in Michigan, where it’s too cold for nine months of the year, and loves traveling to exotic locales. When she’s not writing about kooky characters in crazy situations, she’s teaching middle and high school students and dreaming up her next adventure. You can find her on Facebook at /harpercrowleyauthor and her website www.harpercrowley.com.