Shattered Secrets (Cold Creek #1)(86)
“How did you get in the house to drug my wine?”
“With a key, of course. I took it from your cousin Grace’s coat pocket at the library when she was still living in the Lockwood house, the very day she told me you were coming back to town. You see, I’ve been buying sleepy-time drugs from Dane for years, but he wanted to charge me more. I said that was immoral and outrageous, but I was afraid he’d tell someone I was using them—I told him I needed them to keep my ill mother calm.”
“So you...you shot him?”
“I had to. I left a so-called suicide note, which was really an old excuse he’d penned to me—tongue-in-cheek, obviously—about some overdue books on new dog breeds he’d borrowed from the library. My, he had a big fine for those books. The day he left this world, I had him bring his own antique pistol. I told him I’d buy it for an exorbitant price. But the thing is, I’m not certain that the last batch of sleeping potions he gave me are full strength, and I never was good with an intravenous needle, so sorry about that jab on your neck.”
Tess wanted to break down in sobs, but she had the strangest urge to laugh hysterically. Etta Falls should have been committed to the Falls County Insane Asylum in town before it was closed. And her mother must be just as mad.
“Now, Teresa, I can’t move you into the big house until after dark, but I’ll be back sooner than that,” she announced with a pat on Tess’s shoulder. “My, you were such a pretty little girl. Mama Sybil’s favorite, I really think so, and then you had to sneak away. But not this time. Not this time.”
She produced another neatly ironed and sweetly scented handkerchief and pushed it into Tess’s mouth. Tess fought to keep from gagging and hyperventilating. While, humming, Miss Etta swept up what had been Tess’s phone into a dustpan. She put the other items spilled from her purse back inside it. Then she went out and locked the book-barn door. The sound of the bookmobile driving away faded, but the hushed roar of the waterfall and the piercing shriek of a distant train hovered heavy in the air.
*
“What do you mean she stepped out and never came back?” Gabe shouted at Peggy.
“She got a cup of coffee. I gave her a little break. I was on the phone with a medical emergency call, and she just stepped out, that’s all. You didn’t tell me to tie her to her chair!”
“I know, I know. Vic, will you take my gear and stow it? I’m going to call Tess, tell her to get the heck back here.” He punched in her number as he went back to his office.
Nothing. He got nothing but voice mail when he knew she kept her phone on during the day. His gut twisted tighter. He rushed back out into the hall.
“She’s not answering. I’m going to look for her.”
“Look where?” Vic said, still holding both vests and rifles.
“I don’t know! I obviously don’t know where to look for anyone missing!”
“Calm down. She’s probably just at the church helping to set up the search and hasn’t recharged her phone or forgot to turn it on. Call Jace.”
“I’ll walk down there myself.”
Gabe strode outside, furious at Peggy, Tess, himself, the world. He scanned the street and sidewalks toward New Town, then walked toward Old Town. Only a few people were on the street, none of them Tess. Man, I should have locked her up, he thought. Part of the reason he was having Peggy train her was so he’d know where she was during the day and she’d be at his place at night.
According to Peggy, she’d been gone over an hour. Horrible memories hit him hard. Little Teresa missing in the cornfield. “Well, where is she?” her mother was screaming. “She can’t just disappear! You were supposed to be watching her!” His own mother was on the phone, calling his dad to come home. Gabe’s panic soared.
He ran across the street and into the Kwik Shop, walked the ends of the aisles. No Tess. He called Jace.
“No, she’s not here, Sheriff. I’ll keep an eye out. We’ve got the team leaders set for the search for Sandy....”
Gabe said a fast goodbye. If he didn’t spot Tess soon, there’d be a double search to organize.
Creekside Gifts had reopened, but he was pretty sure it was being staffed by friends of the Kentons right now. Still, he went across the street again. Lindell Kenton and Tess seemed to have bonded over Tess’s agreeing to read from the Bible at the service. They’d had a long talk on the phone and another at the church. Yeah, she could be here. But when he stuck his head in the door, they told her they hadn’t seen Tess.
As he walked toward the library, it hit him. She’d probably come down here to get that book for him. And when talking to Miss Etta, it could be hard to get away. As he reached for the door, he saw a hand turn the Closed sign around to Open. When he opened the door, it almost hit Miss Etta.
“Oh, Sheriff. I just got back from an early lunch. Did you decide you need that book on stress?”
His hopes fell. “I thought maybe Tess Lockwood came down to get it for me.”
“Oh, she was here but just to ask if she could keep the books I gave her longer. Just as you had told me, she said they were of some help to her, but she didn’t stay long. I got the impression she was going for a walk.”
“Thanks, Miss Etta,” he said, and ignored her suggestion for the second time to take the book about stress from her desk. He hurried outside.