Missing Pieces(77)

Gilmore opened the closet door, reached up to the top shelf and pulled down a box and set it gently on top of his desk. It was labeled LYDIA TIERNEY 1985. Sarah tried to conceal her relief, trying not to think about what would have happened if the box hadn’t been there. “Now I have two active murder cases to investigate. I’m afraid you and Jack won’t be leaving Penny Gate just yet.” He walked to his office door and waited for Sarah to join him.

Numbly, Sarah walked back to the lobby, Gilmore at her elbow. Jack stood when he saw them. “Jack, come on back,” Gilmore said, and Jack looked at Sarah warily.

“I’ll wait here,” Sarah said.

“Oh, I wouldn’t wait,” Gilmore said. “This could take a while.”

“Why’s that?” Jack asked. “I don’t know any more than I’ve already told you.”

“The thing is, Jack,” Gilmore said. “The watch left on Sarah’s car? It looks like it goes with those remains found on your uncle’s farm.”

Jack blankly stared at Gilmore for a moment and then realization spread across his face.

“What do you mean?” Sarah asked, still not comprehending. “What’s the watch have to do with what you found in the cistern?”

“We found a wallet.” Gilmore’s voice was grave. “We still have to wait for the test results, but we believe the bones in the cistern belong to your dad.”

“What?” Jack said, blanching. “That’s impossible. He killed my mom. He ran away years ago.”

Gilmore shook his head. “It doesn’t quite look that way anymore, Jack. It looks like we’re back to square one again.”

Jack turned to Sarah. “Go ahead. I’ll call you when I’m finished here,” Jack urged.

“Jack,” Sarah said in exasperation. “I already know that you were the first suspect in your mother’s murder. You don’t have to hide that from me anymore.” To the sheriff she said, “That’s what you mean by square one, isn’t it?”

“I’m afraid so,” Gilmore said almost apologetically.

Jack turned to Sarah with desperation in his eyes. “I didn’t do this,” he said. “I promise you. Please call Art Newberry for me. He can help clear this up. Sarah, you have to believe me.” His voice was earnest, pleading.

Sarah knew the words that Jack wanted her to say. That she believed him, that she knew there was no way he could have killed his parents. But she couldn’t. “I’ll call Arthur,” was all she could manage.

Sarah walked out of the sheriff’s office without a backward glance. He did it, she said to herself. He killed his mother in the cellar of their home, and he killed his father and dumped him in an old cistern. How was she going to tell Elizabeth and Emma?

She checked her watch. Two thirty. She pulled out her phone and made the call that Jack asked her to. Most likely the last thing she would ever willingly do on his behalf again.





20

SARAH DROVE DIRECTLY to the library. If Jack was the one who had been sending her the emails, maybe there would be some record of him using one of the library computers.

The young library director was standing behind the checkout counter. “You’re back,” he said. “Do you have some more scanning that you need to do?”

Sarah shook her head. “Not this time. I was wondering if you have any computers for public use.”

“Of course,” the man said as he stepped from behind the counter. He led her past a cozy children’s section where a small boy sat on his mother’s lap reading a book, his pudgy fingers struggling to flip the pages. There was a wall of DVDs and a table where two elderly men were playing chess. Tucked away in the back of the library was a room that housed three circular workstations. Each held four computers. None were being used at the moment.

“Do I need to have a library card or sign a sheet or something?” Sarah asked as she pulled out a chair.

“No,” the man said, shaking his head. “If a visitor wants to check out a laptop, then yes. But the desktops are first come, first served. Once in a while I have to kick someone off who feels the need to spend six hours binge watching videos.”

“So you have no way of keeping track of who’s working on a particular computer at a certain time?”

“We have everything on safety mode if that’s what you mean. Kids can’t access dangerous sites. We have employees cruise through here to keep an eye on things. Are you worried about your kids?”

“What if someone sent an anonymous email from one of these computers? Is there a way to find out who sent it?”

“That’s a bit beyond my expertise,” the man said. “I’m sure someone could figure it out. But anyone can set up an email address.”

Sarah thought about this for a moment. “What about cameras?” She looked around the room in search of any sign of a security system.

He cocked his head. “Who did you say you were again?”

Sarah laughed self-consciously. “You must think these questions are odd. My daughter received some weird anonymous emails. I’m trying to figure out a way to find out who sent them.”

“Can’t you call the police?”

“Just being an overprotective mom. But just in case, what about security cameras? Do most libraries have them?”