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Authors: T. L. Haddix

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BOOK: Hidden in the Shadows
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“You aren’t kidding. If we have three known victims, I wonder how many people are out there who haven’t come forward.”

The sheriff stretched. “Well, I’ll tell you this. I’m not paying a dime. If this comes out and costs me the next election, so be it. I won’t give in to these tactics.”

“You think it’ll come to that?”

“I hope not, but who knows?” Wyatt answered.

Ethan studied him. “Who else knows about your suspicions, that Julie’s death might have been a suicide?”

“I’ve never told another living soul before tonight. Not even Marsha, when I confronted her after Julie died. I never spoke the words aloud. I was afraid to. If her death was self-inflicted, Marsha would have to know, though. I’ll have to talk to her about this whole mess. We haven’t spoken since a couple weeks after the funeral.”

“That’s going to be fun, then. How do you want to handle this, legally speaking?”

“You’ve already got Maria working on the forum tie-in, you said?” When the detective nodded, Wyatt cursed. At Ethan’s questioning look, he said, “I’d just rather not have her involved in my dirty laundry. I guess that’s my vanity talking.” He moved to the sink and started scraping off the dishes.

“You’re allowed a little vanity, especially when you’re dealing with something like this.”

Wyatt moved his shoulders in a half-shrug. “I guess. Let’s call a meeting tomorrow morning with Stacy and Maria. I have the feeling we’re going to need our best minds on this one. Speaking of that, why don’t you tell Beth about this situation? I’d prefer it if you didn’t give her a lot of details, but I’d like to see what she thinks.” Bagging up most of the cookies, he pushed them across to Ethan. “How’s she handling the forum thing?”

With a sigh, Ethan opened the bag and took out a cookie. “It’s hurt her deeply, the way Mom and James acted about the whole thing. That’s going to be hard for me to forgive. The last few weeks have been rough enough without their stabbing her in the heart like that. She’s been sick, and then there was the anniversary of the shooting. Hell, I got home today, and she was sound asleep on the couch. She said she was just tired, but this is Beth we’re talking about. Sometimes I think she has ADHD, she has so much energy.”

Wyatt pursed his lips. “Is she still nauseated? Moodier than normal?”

Finishing the cookie, Ethan shrugged. “A little nauseated, yeah. She’s still not drinking coffee. And like I said, it’s been a rough few weeks. Why?”

“It’s just that those are classic pregnancy symptoms.”

Ethan just stared at him, dumbfounded. “But—”

Wyatt laughed, coming around the counter to clap him on the shoulder. “I can’t believe the thought didn’t cross your mind.”

Shaking his head, Ethan swallowed. “If she’s pregnant… oh, man. She wants a baby so badly, and even though we’ve only been married a few months… we’ve been trying, but no-go yet. It’s starting to get to her. God, Wyatt. Pregnant?”

Wyatt held up his hands. “She might not be, but I think it’s worth entertaining the thought. And I’ve been in your shoes, son. A big part of what happened with my marriage to Julie was that she couldn’t have children. When that’s something a woman wants, and she can’t have it? It wears on her, hard, makes her feel like less of a woman. Every mother she sees with a child, every baby, stabs her in the heart. It’s not easy on a husband, either, not being able to do anything to help. Especially if he wants kids as much as she does.”

Ethan ran his hands through his hair. “What should I do?”

“I’d advise you to keep quiet and just watch her for a couple weeks. If she is pregnant, it’ll become obvious soon enough. If she isn’t, then you won’t have gotten her hopes up.”

After the detective had composed himself, Wyatt walked him to the door and handed him his coat. “I’ll see you in the morning. Maybe we can all brainstorm and come up with something.”

As he shrugged into his coat, Ethan asked, “Speaking of women, when are you going to ask Maria out?”

Wyatt scowled. “What in the world makes you say that? Why would I ask her out? I’m old enough to be her father, literally. She’s what, twenty-eight? Twenty-nine? I’m fifty-one. I’m actually a couple years older than her father, come to think of it.”

The detective just smiled. “I say that because I have eyes in my head, and I have brilliant deductive skills. Like I told her, I’d really hoped when you two came in to Lori’s the other night that you’d been out together.” When Wyatt’s cheeks burned red, Ethan couldn’t prevent a small laugh from escaping.

“What the hell do you mean,
like you told her
? And even if I were interested, not saying I am, she’d never be.”

“Oh, I think you might be very surprised, Boss, by how she feels about you.”

Flustered, Wyatt shook his head. “Just go home to your wife and quit trying to play Cupid.”

Long after Ethan left, his words played through Wyatt’s mind. He wondered just what all had been said between Maria and the detective, but he knew Ethan probably would never tell him. Wyatt wouldn’t expect him to. That didn’t keep him from wondering, though.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chapter Twelve

 

Even though it was barely seven o’clock when Wyatt made it into the office the next morning, he’d just sat down behind his desk when Stacy knocked on his door. Her face was etched with fatigue and concern, and she carried a large cup of coffee.

“Do you have a few minutes?”

He motioned her inside. “What’s up?”

She yawned as she slumped into one of the chairs in front of his desk. “Sorry. The suicide from yesterday? It might not be quite as straightforward as we thought.”

“Meaning what, exactly?” When she handed him an evidence envelope that contained a by-now familiar style letter, he cursed under his breath. “Where the Sam Hill did you get this?”

“The good reverend’s wife found it crumpled in the trash.” She took a long pull from her coffee.

“Rough night?”

She snorted. “Short night. I got home late, to bed late, and hadn’t been asleep long when Mrs. Jones called at five. Poor woman, I don’t think she even went to bed last night. Anyhow, she started cleaning his office to settle her nerves, and she found that. She was shattered when I got to the house.”

Wyatt fingered the bag. The letter was folded in half so he couldn’t see what it contained. “What does it say?”

“It’s an attempt at blackmail. Apparently, the reverend was having an affair.”

“Damned son of a bitch.” When his words startled Stacy, he apologized. “Do you have anything urgent scheduled for this morning?”

“No, why?”

He reached for the phone on his desk. “Because we’re having a powwow. There are at least three more extortion notes out there.” Dialing Ethan’s number, he smiled a little when Beth answered.

“Good morning, Mrs. Moore. Is your husband handy?”

She laughed. “Good morning back, Sheriff. As a matter of fact, he’s very handy, thanks for asking. He’s also in the shower. Do you need him?”

“Not if you don’t mind passing on a message. It’s about what we discussed last night. Can you ask him if he can make it in by eight at the latest?” Wyatt heard water running and guessed she’d gone into the bathroom.

“I’ll be glad to. Honey, Wyatt’s on the phone. Can you be in no later than eight?” Ethan’s response was muffled, and the sound of the water faded away. “He says he’ll head that way in about ten minutes,” Beth said.

“Okay. Thanks. Oh, and tell him I’ll buy his breakfast.” As he dialed Maria’s number, he eyed Stacy. “Can you get the small conference room set up for us? And have you eaten?” He held up a finger when the call went to voice mail. After he left a message for Maria to contact him on his cell phone, he stood.

Stacy preceded him out into his assistant’s office. “Yes to the room, no to the food. I’ve not had time to do anything but grab coffee.”

He shrugged into his coat. “I’ll head over to the Brown Bag and grab something for all of us, then. What sounds good? And what would Maria eat, do you think?”

“Any of their breakfast paninis would be fine. Let me grab some cash.”

“No, I have it.”

“Thanks. I’ll owe you one.” Her smile faded. “This is going to be one of those cases, isn’t it?”

Wyatt laughed bitterly. “Oh, yes. This case is going to be so messy, I think we’ll need shovels by the time it’s done.”

 

~ * * * ~

 

Maria was awake, but she wasn’t really conscious as she stood in line at the Brown Bag to order. At least, she didn’t feel conscious. Mornings had never been her best times, especially when she was running on only a few hours of sleep. She’d stayed up very late the night before working on the forum mystery. As the line moved forward, she yawned and blinked, trying to wake up enough to order without sounding drunk. She felt a presence behind her before he even spoke, but Wyatt’s voice still startled her.

“If you yawn much wider, you’ll crack your jaw.”

She jumped and felt her cheeks flush, though she turned to greet him with a smile. It never failed to take her by surprise that he was so much taller than she was, and that he could move so quietly for such a large man. Standing at five-eight, it took a very tall man to make her feel petite, but the sheriff had the stature to do it. Before her mind caught up with her tongue, she blurted, “Just how tall are you, anyhow?” As she realized what she’d asked, her face grew painfully hot. To her relief, though, Wyatt seemed more bemused by the question than anything.

“Six-five or so. Why?”

“No reason. I just wondered.”

As the dining room filled up and the line waiting to order grew longer, he stepped closer to her. Every time the door opened to admit another customer, cold air rushed in. Maria’s heart rate sped up as he moved nearer, and she could feel the warmth coming off his body. She was sorely tempted to step even closer, to lean against him, but just envisioning his reaction was painful and embarrassing, and she managed to resist. Making small talk, they finally reached the counter. She placed her order and rummaged through her purse for her wallet.

Wyatt spoke from behind her. “I have this.”

She shot him a questioning look. “Okay. Thanks.”

He ordered several more breakfast sandwiches and coffee. As he paid, he explained, “I’m going to be corralling you, Ethan, and Stacy for the next couple hours. Breakfast is the least I can do.”

“So the food’s a bribe?”

The grin he sent her was boyish and charming. “Something like that.”

They moved down the counter, and as Janet, the café’s manager, handed them their order, she winked at Maria.

Maria kept her mouth shut until they were outside, waiting to cross the street to the courthouse. “I’m sorry about that.”

He looked down at her. “About what?”

“You didn’t see…? Nothing. Nothing at all. I’m still half asleep.”

“You mean Janet’s wink? That’s no big deal.”

So much for hoping he hadn’t noticed…. She slowed to a halt as they reached the outside door of the sheriff’s department. “Wyatt… Sheriff, this is a small town. By lunchtime, we’re going to be the latest grist for the rumor mill.”

“Maria… Ms. Pace,” he replied teasingly, “at least they’ll be leaving someone else alone. Gossip is part and parcel of living in a small town. You were born here. You should know that by now.”

At a loss for words, she just stared at him. She finally found her tongue. “And that doesn’t bother you?”

He shrugged. “I’m an elected official. It’s not the first time I’ve been gossiped about, and it won’t be the last.” As he held open the door, a guarded look came over his face. “Does it bother you?”

“No. I mean, yes. Yes, a little. It’s nobody’s business who we, um... never mind.”

He frowned and started to speak, but before he could say anything, Ethan walked up. Looking from one to the other, he grinned and gestured to the open door. “Are we trying to warm up the great outdoors here, folks?”

Wyatt glowered at him. “I was going to provide your breakfast, Detective, but I may have to rethink that decision.”

Hiding her own smile, Maria slipped inside the building. “Give me five minutes to dump my stuff. Where are we meeting?”

“The small conference room,” Wyatt answered as they came in behind her. He was still scowling at Ethan, and she’d have given a hundred dollars to be a fly on the wall for the conversation they’d probably have after she left.

As she hurried upstairs to her office, she told herself that just because Wyatt hadn’t been upset about potential gossip, didn’t mean he was interested in dating her. Unless she wanted to end up embarrassed or heartbroken or both, she’d do well to remember that.

 

 

 

 

 

BOOK: Hidden in the Shadows
6.38Mb size Format: txt, pdf, ePub
ads

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