Shattered Secrets (Cold Creek #1)(24)
“He’s done really well since the Lake Azure community opened. Lots of pampered pets instead of outside-doghouse and barn cats to tend to, I guess. He’s built a new vet clinic, redone his house inside and out, bought a new van, takes Caribbean cruises in the winter.”
“That right?” Vic said, looking up again.
“About two years ago he asked his younger sister, Marva, to move in with him when she was widowed. She keeps his house, I suppose, but works at the spa uptown, which he might have money in too. She probably thinks she’s died and gone to heaven because she was married to a small-time farmer with an old house and a played-out piece of land, which hasn’t sold yet, by the way.”
“I’d completely forgotten about her. We also checked out her husband’s old barn and their house. I remember now sneaking around there after dark. Don’t know why that slipped my mind since we thought Dane might have stashed Teresa there. We nearly got caught—maybe that’s why I blocked it out.”
“So all of us have memory problems, right?” Gabe challenged.
“Yeah, well, just be careful walking through this crime scene if you’re meeting that tracker and his dog out back. Mike’s been taking prints all over the place. I’ll be out in a bit to take a look at Jeffers. Kids like dogs, trust people with dogs, you know—a real ploy to lure them away, then, zap.”
“You’re thinking Sam Jeffers could be involved?”
“Gabe,” he said, glaring up at him, “I know you’re part of this community, and that’s your strength as well as your weakness here. I think anyone could be involved. Trust no one, okay? You said you couldn’t reach Jeffers even on his phone right after Sandy disappeared, that he was out hunting in the woods somewhere. And he’s a loner, right? Hangs out who knows where?”
“I know where. You want to go, I’ll take you.”
Gabe and his father had known Sam for a long time. Vic must have looked into him years ago, because it sounded as though he knew the man had several camping spots and crude hunting cabins. Over the years, Gabe’s dad, Gabe and friends of his had been out hunting with Sam and he had always seemed like a stand-up guy. Gabe wanted to argue with Vic, but instead he stalked into the back room. He recalled now how Vic really annoyed his father sometimes. Hell, he might as well drag Pastor Snell in for questioning or longtime Mayor Owens, the little old librarian—his deputy or himself!
In the storage area, Mike Morgan was kneeling on the floor taking photos. If not for the strobe flash, Gabe wouldn’t have located him among the piles of boxes and the table, masks and costumes.
“Hey, Gabe,” he said, peering over the top of a carton. “I followed up on your deputy’s Dumpster-diving in the alley, but they’d all just been emptied before she went missing, so not much to see. I called the waste management company that runs the trucks and told them the situation. I also processed and printed the Barbie doll if you want to let the dog sniff that. Hey, you look steamed. Vic lay his latest hunch on you?”
“Yeah, but I think it’s crazy. Anything helpful here yet?”
“Lots of prints, probably mostly hers. I think she’d made a little dollhouse or play spot back here. Oh, yeah, I heard the dog out back a minute ago.”
“Good. Here’s hoping I’m not clutching at straws and his hound will turn something up.”
“Speaking of straws, there’s a really beat-up scarecrow thrown on the floor back here. Unlike the other decorations and figures, it’s old-looking and dusty as heck. Can you phone Sandy’s mother, ask her if it should be here? Everything else looks...well, better, like it could be for decoration or for sale, but not this.”
“She may have just wanted something authentic-looking. But will do as soon as I see Jeffers work his dog.”
“Sandy’s Barbie doll is on the box by the back door.” As Gabe took it in its plastic bag and went out, he saw Mike had debagged the doorknobs. “Hey, Sam, thanks for coming with Boo,” Gabe greeted the man, and they shook hands.
“Always willing to try again,” Sam said, but Gabe decided not to dwell on the fact that this tactic had not panned out when Tess was taken.
Gabe’s mom had always said Sam looked like how she imagined Johnny Appleseed. And she’d said he was ageless, as old as the hills. Maybe now Gabe would have to check him out, age, background, possible motives, though he thought Vic was really overstepping with that theory. Sam was lanky with a full, graying beard that made him look older than he was. He wore boots, patched jeans and a dirty green-and-white Ohio University baseball cap on backward. His sharp blue eyes assessed Gabe as did the hound’s sad-looking eyes.
“So, how’s the hunting?” Gabe asked.
“Lots of deer. Trapping season too. Hope Boo don’t smell like skunk. Last few days, we got us otters, beavers, coons, even coyotes, but old Boo got him a skunk this morning. Sorry it took me a while to get your message.”
Boo, who did smell slightly of skunk, sniffed the doll Gabe took from the bag and held out to him. The hound was eager to be off from the back door of the shop. Gabe’s hopes rose. The dog was following what must be a clear path, tugging Sam along on the leash. Gabe quickly followed, scanning the ground in case something had been dropped. There’d be no footprints on this blacktop.
After heading down the alley about twenty feet, the dog stopped behind the hardware store. Nose to ground, Boo went in circles, snorting, sniffing, then sat down and barked twice.