by Roxie Spears
“Sir,” Jack looked between the coroner and the captain. “I’m not sure I can offer you anything new if James hasn’t already.”
“The baby was taken,” James stated bluntly. “We hadn’t even gotten DNA results proving it was Krystal’s baby yet.”
The captain gave a chuckle that rumbled through his gut. “Listen, James, when you have the Banes barging through your door demanding their daughter’s child right after finding out that the same daughter is dead, I’ll let you decide what to do. I, on the other hand, gotta be honest. There was no way I was keeping that baby.”
“But sir,” Emilie stepped forward, shocked. “What about the paperwork? We don’t even know if that’s really Krystal’s child.”
Captain Wilks raised his eyebrows as he took Emilie in. “They know it’s Krystal’s child.”
Before Emilie could argue any further, she felt Jack’s hand on her arm, gently tugging her back from the captain’s desk. She glanced over at him, ready to say something, but there was something in the set of his jaw that stopped her. It was yet another reminder that she was an outsider in Quafin.
“We’re going to work on identifying our John Doe,” Jack told the captain. “It’s nearly noon. The lab might have something for us by now.”
Mourning
Emilie Hartford was a people-watcher. It was a large part of why she chose to become a detective, in conjunction with an overwhelming desire to make the world a better place. A job where she might be able to help others by doing something she did anyway seemed as good a position as any. The observational skills that made her the local weirdo as a child came in handy as she grew older, but they were priceless when it came to her profession.
Crystal droplets of dew hung off the blades of grass and fog hung in the air. If it weren’t for the grief, the place would have been terrifying. As it was, both the detectives and the procession had other things on their mind. There were other things haunting them.
“Who has a funeral at this time of the morning?” Emilie asked as her eyes scanned over the crowd.
“There,” Jack whispered. He pointed through the car windows at the family across the green grass, all of whom had the same dark hair. They were at the front of the crowd and their heads were down. “Those are the Banes.”
“I recognize them from the ledgers,” Emilie murmured, squinting through the mist over Quafin’s cemetery. She could hardly see them, but the way they held themselves told her all she needed to. “That poor family.”
“Yeah,” Jack nodded, removing his keys from the ignition and opening his car door. “It’s a sad day to be the Banes.”
“You know, I’m really glad they decided to have the memorial first. This would have been awkward if they were still doing eulogies.”
Jack didn’t respond. He simply gave a huff, his breath emitting a cloud of condensation into the air in front of his face as he stepped out of the vehicle. Emilie was right behind him.
The detectives walked across the lot, moving slowly and quietly. They stood on the outskirts of the funeral, looking in on something that felt awfully private to Emilie. They didn’t want to interrupt the procession, but Emilie was almost certain that the Banes already knew they were there. It wasn’t as though they blended in. On the contrary, they stuck out like sore thumbs among the expensive black suits and dresses.
As they watched, a beautiful casket lined with flowers was slowly lowered into the hole in the earth. It was a careful moment, one that made people hold their breath. The hushed sounds of sobbing could be heard, but Emilie couldn’t tell which of the elderly ladies wearing black veils was crying. The newcomer didn’t even know the victim, but that didn’t stop an emotional lump from forming in her throat. She tried her hardest not to think about Krystal Bane and devastation the young woman might have left behind, particularly with the sound of sobs ringing in her ears. That wasn’t what she was there for and she felt as though she had no right to be sad when these people actually knew Krystal. She was nothing more than an intruder, a stranger with a difficult job to do.
That was all.
The new detective couldn’t help but think Jack was wrong as she watched the family, taking in the stiff shoulders and the clenched fists of the four brothers. One brother in particular looked worse off than the others. His knuckles were so white that Emilie wondered if his palms would be bleeding. Were his nails digging into the soft flesh of his hands?
Kathleen and William Banes had five children; four sons and one daughter, who they were in the process of burying. The Banes didn’t seem sad; they seemed angry. And Emilie couldn’t blame them.
Any day when a family had to bury one of their own was a bad one, but Krystal’s case was worse than most. Not only had she been young, but the circumstances around Krystal Bane’s death were wildly out of the ordinary and gruesome to boot. Throw in the detail that the Banes had been left with a newborn baby and it made for unhappy faces all around.
“I don’t see a baby,” Emilie murmured quietly enough that only Jack could hear her. They stood so close to one another that she could smell his cologne, hints of mint lingering in the air where he stood. “Then again, I guess I’d leave a kid behind too.”
“Age has nothing to do with it.” Jack’s eyebrows shot upward. “There are other reasons the kid isn’t here.”
“Like what?”
Jack shook his head. “My thinking is that Krystal went away for a reason. I’m not the biggest believer in coincidences. And if she tried so hard to hide the baby, why would they bring it out into the open like this? Would you?”
“Do you think the family knew where she really went? Or that she had a baby at all?” Emilie looked over at her partner. His eyes were narrowed.
“I guess there’s only one way to find out,” Jack inclined his head, gesturing for Emilie to glance back at the gravesite.
Kathleen Banes stood on the very edge of it, raised her slender arm into the air, and dropped a handful of dirt onto the casket below. The sight of Kathleen was shocking, if only because she resembled Krystal so closely. The sharp features and soft eyes looked almost exactly like the photos of Krystal, like what she’d looked like before she was murdered. The burns had taken away some of that beauty, but Emilie was stunned nonetheless, as familiar with the pictures of Krystal in life as she was with the corpse.
Emilie thought she could hear each particle of dirt land on the box below and her heart beat a tiny bit faster as she watched Kathleen return her daughter to the earth from whence she came. There was something about the act of a mother adding earth to her own daughter’s grave that felt extremely wrong. Parents weren’t meant to bury their children, weren’t meant to see them die first. It wasn’t the natural order of things. However, she couldn’t say anything about it. It wasn’t her place. Emilie had never felt more like an outsider than she did at that moment. A part of her wanted to run back to the car and never look back, but the part of her that wanted to stay and make sure the family got justice was far stronger.
Standing right behind Kathleen, their hands brown with dirt, were the other members of the Bane family. Emilie had been so preoccupied with speaking to Jack that she’d missed a large portion of the funeral and it was practically over already. Kathleen was the final addition and as she stepped back, three men in overalls began covering the casket with earth. They used shovels, heaving heavy piles of earth into the grave until it was finally covered from sight. It all happened so quickly and Emilie was left feeling stunted.
As the detectives watched, one or two people in the crowd went over to Krystal’s parents. Emilie heard the whispered condolences as one after the other, William and Kathleen shook hands with family members and close friends of the deceased. The brothers merely nodded their heads in acknowledgment – all but one.
The fourth brother, Logan Bane, had no intention of playing nice. He didn’t bother concealing his disdain, raising eyes that were dark and fiery to meet Emilie’s. Even from this distance, his gaze was so i
ntense that Emilie had to look away. If the tight set of his jaw, the muscle twitching in his cheeks, and that glance was anything to go by, Logan was furious. Emilie half-expected steam to rise from his ears like some kind of cartoon. The man was seething.
Emilie’s partner didn’t seem to notice her hesitance as he walked over to the family, his feet sinking into the spongy earth with each step he took. She stayed close behind him. The last of the crowd had dispersed and the only people left standing at the graveside were the Banes and the diggers, all three of which kept their heads down.
For a moment, Emilie didn’t want to ask the question she’d had at the ready since arriving at the cemetery, but another look at Logan’s face made her more determined than ever. She wasn’t about to be scared off by the victim’s brother even if she could empathize with him. She had a murder to solve. An injustice had been done and it was up to her to set it right.
“Mr. and Mrs. Banes,” she started, avoiding Logan’s eyes. “We’re from the Quafin Police Department. Do you mind if we ask you some questions?”
“Seriously?” Logan growled, taking a step toward her. Emilie stood her ground. “Do you mind showing some respect? This is my sister’s funeral!”
He seemed to have more to say, but he was cut off as William raised a hand to silence him.
Emilie didn’t think it possible for Logan to look angrier. He shot a sideways glance at his father. “They have no right to be here! I want them off the property.” He met Emilie’s eyes when he stated, “Now.”
“Quiet, Logan,” William said firmly. This time, Logan fell quiet, but he glared at the detectives as his father continued. Every inch of him was tense, as if he were an animal ready to rip out its prey’s jugular. “We’d be happy to answer your questions, Detective…”
“Emilie Hartford,” she answered. She gestured at Jack. “And this is Detective Jack Kruger, my partner.”
“Well,” William gave a tight smile. He had kind eyes and Emilie grew calmer in his presence, ignoring Logan as best she could. He was a well-spoken man with an air of authority about him. “We would love to answer your questions, but not here. Not now. I’m sure you understand.”
The detectives exchanged a glance.
“Mr. Williams,” Jack said gently, looked between the family members. “It’s pertinent to our investigation that we get some answers about Krystal.”
“The sooner we have a lead, the sooner we can leave you in peace,” Emilie added, paying no mind to Jack’s agitated expression.
“I’m well aware of the investigation.” William looked back at the fresh patch of soil. “Today, my family are honoring my daughter and mourning her loss. You’re welcome to come by the mansion tomorrow and ask your questions there.”
Emilie nodded her head slowly. “Thank you, Mr. Bane. We appreciate your discretion.”
With that, William slipped his hand into Kathleen’s and the eldest of the Banes walked on by. Their children followed suit, but Logan lingered, glaring at the new detective. It didn’t take a genius to figure out that Logan was trying to intimidate her, but Emilie didn’t back down, standing straight and staring back into the angry son’s eyes.
“Logan!” One of the brothers called back.
Logan gave a derisive snort, his eyes roving over the detectives in one last appraisal before he rejoined his family. His polished boots stomped into the grass as he made his way past Emilie and Jack. If Emilie hadn’t been watching as each of the family members got into their own cars, she still would have known which belonged to Logan. The sports car turned into the quiet road with a high-pitched skid of tires against tarmac, causing both detectives to wince.
“That’s Logan for you,” Jack muttered.
“Don’t you think it gets exhausting after a while?”
“What?” He turned to look sharply at her.
“Being so angry all the time,” Emilie murmured.
Jack didn’t answer, but that was fine. The question had been rhetorical anyway. It was only once the last of the cars had pulled away that the detectives returned to their own, pulling away in silence. Both of them were lost in thoughts that followed a similar path. The only difference was that Emilie couldn’t stop thinking about the ferocity in Logan’s eyes and the growl in his voice.
Strange Behaviors
As the massive building came into sight, Emilie’s mouth dropped open. It was colossal, looming over the entire city. She recalled asking where the mansion was, only to have her partner grin mischievously. He’d told her she’d seen it before. Little did she know that everyone had – at least, everyone who lived in Quafin. It was impossible not to. The building towered high over any others. It was only three stories high, but it sat on the very top of a tall hill overlooking the city, reminding Emilie ever-so-slightly of a scene out of a horror film.
Unlike a horror film, however, there was nothing creepy about the mansion, save for its size and location. The wrought iron gates that opened up for them didn’t creak with rust and disuse; the trees that flanked the drive and surrounded the immediate area weren’t dense and skeletal as their leaves, barely tinged with the reddish colors of the season, rustled in the gentle breeze; and the stone driveway didn’t have weeds or ivy peeking up through its crevices. Rather, the grounds were clearly well-maintained and the mansion had either been painted recently or it was just as well looked after as the rest of the place. A stone fountain with shimmering, clear water stood in the center of the front garden and the soft trickling flow was almost melodic in nature as it resonated through the quiet of the grounds.
There were no disturbances and if it weren’t so clean and well-kept, Emilie might have thought the place was abandoned.
“This is where they live?” Emilie gasped as they walked up the stone stairs to the front door.
Jack raised his hand to pull back the iron knocker, a polished silver wolf’s head, and bang it down on the oak. “I did say you’d seen it before.”
“Who hasn’t?” Emilie sighed as they waited. It was easier to keep her eyes on the door than stare at the grounds. She was fairly certain that she was in shock.
“The Banes are old money, Harford,” Jack stated in a low voice. He looked around as if he was worried they might be overheard before continuing. Emilie couldn’t help but notice the way he shifted uncomfortably from foot to foot. “In fact, they’re ancient money. And as much money as they have, they have that much power too. Especially in Quafin. They aren’t exactly people anyone would want to cross.”
Emilie’s brows knitted together. “But then, why would –”
The question was cut off as the front door opened.
“Ah, Detectives Hartford and Kruger,” William offered them the same tight smile he’d worn at the cemetery the previous day.
“Mr. Bane,” Jack jumped and took a step back, his face paling at the sight of William. “I’m so sorry for the disturbance!”
“I did say you could come around today,” William arched a brow. He shook both of the detectives’ hands and stepped aside, allowing them to pass. “Please, come in.”
“Thank you,” Emilie murmured, narrowing her eyes at Jack as they entered the huge house.
If Emilie thought that the outside of the mansion was shocking, she was not prepared for the inside. The entrance hallway consisted of marble floors, wide-open space, and beautiful polished wood. She wasn’t unused to money, but this was on another level.
“Hartford,” Jack hissed.
Emilie had been too busy taking in the décor to notice that their host was walking into another room. She hurried to follow both men and found herself in a living room that was lavishly decorated. A painting of what looked like the woods outside Quafin hung above the mantelpiece and a coffee table laden with cups and biscuits sat in the center of the room. Emilie didn’t want to know how much the sofa beneath her cost as she sat across from William Bane. Jack took a seat beside her.
“If you don’t mind my asking, Mr. Bane,” Emilie started. �
�Where’s Mrs. Bane?”
“Hartford, that’s none of our business.”
“That’s quite all right, Detective Kruger,” William nodded. “The house is quieter than usual, I’ll admit. My wife wasn’t feeling up to talking about Krystal today. Would either of you like a sugar cube?”
“Uhhh,” Jack looked at the cups on the table and hesitantly picked one of them up. He looked so out of place holding the porcelain that Emilie had to force herself not to laugh. “No thank you, Mr. Bane.”
“Very well. I’m happy to answer your questions.”
“Again, we’re so sorry to disturb you,” Jack muttered, but he didn’t add anything more.
No one moved or said anything for a few moments. Emilie turned to find that Jack was deep in his coffee cup. Since arriving in Quafin and being assigned as his partner, Jack had been rather excited about leading the way. He took the first step and made sure that Emilie knew she was on his turf. It seemed odd that he was suddenly quiet.
“Uhm,” she started, looking between her partner and William. “Well, we know that Krystal went away for a while. We were under the impression that she was on an extended vacation.”
William arched a brow. “People talk. The city talks. It doesn’t mean everything we hear is the truth.”
“So, are you saying that Krystal didn’t go on vacation?”
“Yes, I’m afraid that’s nothing but a rumor. Krystal decided she wanted to live on her own, away from the family.”
“Is there a reason that you didn’t correct the rumors?” Emilie felt Jack tense beside her and turned to look at him questioningly. He didn’t say anything, but he seemed uncomfortable.
“Why should we? It’s not our business what the people of Quafin say we are doing any more than it is their business to know what we are really doing.”
