Killing the Secret (7 page)

Chapter Eighteen

Somewhere there is a forest that doesn’t have the faces of sad children in the trees and the wind doesn’t moan. Somewhere there is a lake full of raindrops—not tears. Somewhere there is a mother alive instead of outlined on the ground where her dead body fell.

Lexie had returned to the murder scene. Sad thoughts whirled around her head as she resolved to resign as sheriff. She’d pack everything she owned in her truck. She’d drive to somewhere and never come back.

“Slacking off Sheriff Wolfe?” Tye called as he walked across the grass towards her.

“Just studying the crime scene.”

“Well, you should have it memorized by now. Let’s go get something to eat.”

“No, thanks. I’m not hungry.”

“You planning on staying in these woods the rest of your life?”

“Only for a day or two,” Lexie said. “Then I’ll move on.”

Tye scowled. “That means…what?”

“I can’t stay in Diffee. They all hate me. Even if they don’t tell me with words, their eyes show me. Everyone blames me for Abbey’s death and they’re right. I ignored her fears and she ended up dead.”

“I’ve never heard of being able to kill someone by ignoring them,” Tye scoffed.

“This isn’t the time to be a smartass. I had a chance to save her and I didn’t.”

“How could you have saved someone who didn’t have the sense to stay out of the woods after dark, even though she thought her life was in danger?”

“She obviously trusted the person who phoned her. Abbey wasn’t stupid.”

“The last thing she ever did was stupid,” Tye countered.

“I’m sure you’re trying to make me feel better in your own crude way, but putting down Abbey doesn’t help me feel less guilty.”

“The only one who should feel bad is the one who killed her and we’re going to get him.”

“I’m not going to get anyone. I’m finished here.” Lexie’s eyes focused on the spot where Abbey was found.

“Like hell you are little sister. You got me into this deputy business because you convinced me we had to find Dad’s killer. So now we have two murderers to catch and we don’t have time for a pity party.”

“I can’t bear to face them.”

“You’re the strongest woman I’ve ever known. You’ll manage tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow?”

“Abbey’s funeral.”

“No, I can’t,” Lexie’s voice quivered.

“We have to be there to pay our last respects,” Tye said with certainty. “Not to mention the need to see if someone suspicious shows up.”

“Shush.” Lexie’s finger touched her lips and her right hand pointed west.

Tye flattened his ear to the ground. “Someone, or something, is coming this way,” he whispered.

Lexie formed her hands into a stirrup and helped boost Tye into an oak tree. He reached down and pulled her up into the branches. All those trees they climbed as children were proving to be good experience. They were still looking for bad guys or wild animals. Unfortunately they weren’t pretending anymore.

They were so still that a sparrow sat on a branch within a foot of Lexie’s hand. Its little head cocked to the left, then to the right. Two voices got louder as seconds passed. Lexie felt as calm as the bird looked. Whoever was coming couldn’t be as bad as what she was already facing.

Now that she knew the visitors were human, she slipped down leaving Tye camouflaged in the leaves. She knelt behind a boulder. The rough surface pressed against her skin. The voices continued to come closer. Their sounds mingled with the rustling of the leaves and the chirping of the birds.

Her glance scanned the area then rested on a white streak just visible through a cluster of trees. The patrol car might clue the visitors to their presence.

She crawled from her hideout and got a glimpse of two men a few yards in front of her.

“What the hell is on the other side of those trees?” Wilbur pointed as he spoke.

“Shit.” Toby swung around to run. “I’s gettin’ out of here!”

Lexie stood from her hiding place and leveled her gun at the cousins.

“Wilbur Langley, you’re under arrest for the making and distribution of methamphetamines,” Lexie said the words loudly and with authority.

The men started running. Lexie fired a series of shots to Wilbur’s left forcing him to the right as she circled toward him. Toby disappeared into the woods. Wilbur sought cover in a cluster of trees.

A big Indian “bird” flew from his perch knocking Wilbur to the ground. Wilbur yipped like a wounded pup. The breath escaped from his body with one heavy gasp. Wilbur’s long gray hair camouflaged his face as Tye reached down and pulled him up by his shirtfront.

“Wilbur,” Lexie’s voice was friendly, “glad we finally caught up with you.”

“That fool nearly broke all my bones. I ain’t a big horse like him.”

“Could’ve been worse,” Tye retorted. “If I hadn’t fell on you, I probably would’ve really gotten hurt. Unfortunately, you’re so boney I may have a puncture wound.”

“Let’s go,” Lexie ordered. “There’s a jail waiting for you.”

“Now, you don’t want to lock up a man who might help you solve that murder, does you?”

“What murder is that?” Tye said nonchalantly.

“That town woman I found dead in these woods.”

“If you know something about the murder, Wilbur, you better speak up fast. I’ll charge you with withholding evidence, child neglect, and the multiple drug charges you’ve built up over the years. If you don’t live past a hundred, you’ll never be free again,” Lexie warned.

“I just said I might could help. Sometimes my memory fails me when I ain’t being rewarded for my good behavior.” Wilbur squeezed his stubby chin.

“What kind of reward do you think you deserve?” Tye asked gruffly.

“The sort that lets a man go loose in the woods instead of going to jail.”

“It’s not happening,” Lexie shrugged. “You know, with your poor memory, you might just make-up something.”

“My memory is comin’ back.”

Tye shook his head. “Congratulations, Sis. It must be your lucky day. The criminal is remembering something to save his own ass.”

“For instance, where you found her body ain’t really where she died,” Wilbur’s lips formed into a sneaky grin.

“That so?” Tye responded.

“Sure is. One of my kin moved the body ‘cause it was too close to his work. He don’t want no intruders on his property.”

“I’m interested,” Lexie said. “Where is this place?”

“Oh, I can’t tell you that. This guy’s a mean one, likely to shoot me in the head if I mess up his operation.”

Lexie placed her hands on her hips. “So far, Wilbur, you haven’t told us anything that would earn you a get-out-of-jail free card.”

“I’m gettin’ there.”

“It’s a slow trip,” Tye quipped.

“I found something under the body that’d help you find the culprit.”

Lexie responded, “What’s that?”

“Can’t say. That’s the part keeps goin’ in and out of my brain.”

“Well, the next time it enters your brain, tell me quick,” Lexie suggested. “Who knows? I might try to help you with the sad predicament you’re in.”

“I’ll scratch your back, if you’ll scratch mine,” Wilbur winked.

“There’s not going to be any back scratching today,” Lexie said, “considering your memory problem.”

“You’ll change your mind, Sheriff Girlie.”

Lexie grabbed Wilbur’s arm and pulled him toward the car. She pushed him in and handcuffed him to a bar in the back seat.

“I’ll see you back at the office,” Tye called to Lexie as he walked toward his truck.

Wilbur was silent on the trip back to the jail.

Occasionally, a groan from the backseat revealed the aftermath of having a two-hundred pound “bird” fall on him. His odor enveloped every crevice in the car.

Lexie rolled down the window and the warm wind brushed against her face. She felt the tears build up in her eyes. A few escaped, and she smoothed them into her face. Her passenger didn’t know it, but she’d make a deal with the devil himself to catch Abbey’s killer.

Chapter Nineteen

The Diffee newspaper reporter, Adam Cox, was waiting for her when she arrived at her office. He reached down from his near dizziness-producing height and opened the car door. His long skinny fingers reached out in an attempt to help her out of the car. She ignored his assistance.
Apparently, Adam hasn’t grasped the concept of personal space.
She squeezed herself between him and the door.

“Sheriff Wolfe,” Adam said as eyes narrowed on her face, “I want to write a story about your capture of Wilbur.” He stood about eighteen inches from Lexie, towering six to eight inches above her head. Lexie backed up, leaving a couple of yards between them.

“Sorry. No exciting news here.” Lexie rubbed her aching temple.

“Wilbur has gotten away from sheriffs in this county for the last three years. It’s big news that you caught him. How’d you do it?”

“Just luck. Tye and I captured him in the woods when we were investigating Abbey’s death.”

“Do you have an update on Abbey’s killer?”

“The investigation is continuing.”

“Do you have a suspect?” Adam probed, moving half the distance Lexie had maneuvered between them.

“Not at this time.” Her words reminded her of interview instructions from her cop courses.

“How soon before you make an arrest?” Adam edged closer to Lexie. She wondered if they taught him that move in high school journalism.

“Goodbye, Adam.”

Lexie returned to the car and unlocked Wilbur from the back seat. She escorted him into the office.

Delia sat at the three-legged table while she compiled all the information from Abbey’s murder. She glanced up when the two entered the room—then she quickly returned to her work.

Clay sat at his desk. His shoulders slumped and his chin rested on his chest. His bloodshot eyes followed Wilbur and Lexie into the room.

“Who told Adam about Wilbur’s capture?” Lexie’s lips tightened.

After a long pause, Clay spoke. “I did. We needed something so the town won’t think the sheriff’s office is a total joke. People ignore me since Abbey was murdered.”

Lexie wearily shook her head. “They cross the street when they see me coming. Anyway, don’t ever phone the newspaper again without clearing it with me.”

Clay nodded and turned back toward his desk.

“Another thing, go home and sleep off your drunk.” Lexie hoped the contempt in her voice stung through his alcoholic haze.

“Yes, boss.” Clay used the desk to leverage himself out of the chair then walked slowly toward the door.

“Ain’t you goin’ to speak to me?” Wilbur said gruffly as he faced the back of Delia’s head.

“Hadn’t planned on it.” Delia’s eyes didn’t stray from her paperwork.

“Too good for me, hey?” Wilbur’s smoke and weather exposed face tightened leaving squinting eyes in a bed of lines and wrinkles.

Delia swerved her chair to face him. “Yes, I am. About anyone is too good for a drug selling fool.”

“You didn’t have such a sharp tongue when you was a cute little gal in school. As I recall, you were sweet on me then.”

“With age comes wisdom. Thank God!” Delia turned back to her work. Her conversation with Wilbur was obviously over.

“Get in your new home, Wilbur.” Lexie held the cell door open.

“Well, thanks! I’ve been needin’ a rest.”

“I’m thinking you’re going to have a long one. However, most of it won’t be here. You’ll be moved to county jail after court.”

“If you change your mind about me helpin’ you find that murderer, you just speak right up, Sheriff Girlie.”

“If you decide to assist me so you can get a reduced sentence, you do the same,” Lexie responded.

“No can do, Sheriff Girlie. It’s all—or nothing.”

“I choose nothing,” Lexie snarled.

Wilbur’s laugh exploded out of his mouth. “Half the people in this town want to fire you. Another fourth wants to lynch you. You need me more than I need you.”

“You do have a good point, Wilbur. However, unlike you, I can leave this town within twenty-four hours and never look back. On the other hand, you’re sixty-two and likely will spend the rest of your life in the state pen. So you might want to reconsider who needs whom the most.”

Delia snickered.

Wilbur clamped his lips shut and flopped down on the cot. He was snoring loudly within ten minutes.

“That man is obnoxious,” Delia said. “Any news on the case?”

“We can’t talk about it as long as Wilbur is here. He may be faking sleep to get more information. His preliminary hearing is at three. After that, we’ll start calling people in for interviews.”

“Do you want me to pick-up a sandwich for you across the street?” Delia offered.

“Yes, thanks. I’m not ready to face all the hate. Please get something for Wilbur, too.”

Delia rolled her eyes.

As Delia retrieved her purse and walked out the door, Lexie was wondering what the woman thought of her. Maybe she, too, believed that Lexie helped Abbey’s killer. Delia was more like a mother to her than her own. The thought of Delia’s possible disapproval brought Lexie’s ever-ready tears back to the surface.

The back door slammed. Lexie sprung from her chair-ready to draw her gun.

“And well you should stand in my presence,” Red laughed. His blue eyes lit with humor.

“Don’t be so loud.” Lexie eased back in her chair. “Most of the town hates me. At any moment I expect to be drug to a hanging tree. What’s worse, you might have woken up the sleeping drug dealer. Trust me, he’s far more likeable asleep, in spite of the snoring.”

“Sorry, Sheriff, I’ll try to be more gentle and dainty the next time I enter your presence.” Red shoved over the phone and sat on the edge of her desk.

“To what do I owe this visit, Mr. Anderson?”

“Just an offer of help. If you need anything, just ask. By the way, Tye and I saw no sign of Abbey’s car this morning when we flew over the area.”

“I appreciate the offer. Right now I’m on hold until I get Wilbur to court,” Lexie said.

Red reached down and pulled her to her feet. His muscled arms enclosed her and she felt safe for a few seconds.

“I’m out of here. Got a paying customer this evening. Keep your chin up.” Red left as quickly as he arrived.