The Lies You Told

by Emerald O'Brien

  “I wasn’t sleeping much before.” Shawna set her phone down. “But now that I know about Tommy Leman, I had a nightmare too. My mom was just trying to keep him in prison where he belongs.”

  “Your mom is an amazing woman,” Grace said, “and she’s strong and fierce too.”

  Shawna swallowed hard and stared at her. “That’s not all. The woman with my mom’s credit card is Tommy’s girlfriend. She looks so much like my mom—he’s so sick.” She shook her head and pulled her hair over her shoulder, massaging her neck. “And then there’s Dad. He and mom were seeing each other, so I guess Rhett had a right to worry. In fact, my dad was the last one to see my mom that we know of.”

  “How did you find out?” Grace asked.

  “Woulda been nice if my dad told me, but as always, he lied, and I had to hear it from Detective Shelling this morning after Rhett left. Do you think Rhett knows too?”

  “Did they ask you not to tell anyone?”

  Shawna nodded.

  Grace stepped forward. “Then it’s best you don’t talk to Rhett about it, okay?”

  “Don’t plan on it,” Shawna huffed. “I don’t even know what to think anymore. My mom didn’t tell me about wanting the divorce or seeing my dad again. Probably because she knows I’d tell her it was a terrible idea to get back with my dad or get married to Rhett. I don’t understand about the divorce papers, though. The police told me it was probably how they started seeing each other again. I guess Mom’s been in a vulnerable spot with all this going on, and now, I can’t—can’t bear to think of her—”

  Shawna choked on the last words as she cried, and Madigan sat beside her on the bed, resting her hand on her back.

  It doesn’t make sense. Rhett says Tina wanted to be with him and get married, but he also worried about her lying and cheating. Matt never wanted the divorce and was seeing Tina behind Rhett’s back. Their stories are conflicting, unless Tina truly didn’t know what she wanted—who she wanted.

  Or someone’s lying.

  “I know you’re struggling with all of this,” Grace said, “but new information is a good sign in a case. It means there is more the police can work with to find her.”

  Shawna nodded and twisted her crystal necklace around her finger. “I just feel so useless.”

  What is with the necklace?

  “You’re not useless at all.” Madigan said. “That necklace. It really means a lot to you, doesn’t it?”

  “I found crystals to be very powerful healing agents while I was in rehab. They give me comfort, and certain ones help with certain things. This is an amethyst. I bought it for myself once I was sober. It protects against anxiety and fear. It’s supposed to bring you peace, and it did until my mom went missing. You think I’m nuts, don’t you?”

  “It brings you comfort,” Madigan said. “I get that.”

  “That’s why you wanted your mom’s rosary?” Grace frowned and seemed to stare somewhere past Shawna. “Where is it?”

  Shawna swivelled around on the bed, staring at the table beside it. “I—I left it right there.”

  She lost it? Already?

  Grace stood. “Rhett said you’re not religious. Why did you really want that rosary, Shawna?”

  Shawna stood, scowling at Grace. “I’m not religious. I’m spiritual…” She searched the bedside table and the floor surrounding it. “Why are you being like this? Could you help me? I have to find it.”

  “Shawna, look at me.”

  Shawna stopped and turned to Grace with a worried expression. “It means so much to my mom, I have to find it.”

  “Is that why you took it to her?” Grace asked.

  “What?” Shawna whispered with tears in her eyes. “What are you asking me?”

  “Do you know where your mom is?” Grace asked. “Be straight with me. Are you trying to protect her?”

  “No,” her voice shook, “and why would you think that?”

  “You wanted to go to South Bend, and at first, you claimed it was to find the woman impersonating your mom. Then, all of a sudden, you had to leave, and you didn’t want to look anymore, because apparently, you never wanted to from the beginning. You just wanted us to see the tape and believe that it wasn’t Tina. Why?”

  “I wanted you to believe me,” Shawna shouted.

  “Don’t you see how suspicious that looks?” Grace asked.

  “I do, but it’s not what you think. I can feel my mom. We have a connection, and I knew she wasn’t there.”

  “Then you wanted the rosary,” Grace continued, “but now you can’t find it, and you keep wanting us to suspect Rhett might have something to do with this. Was he abusing her, Shawna? Did you help her leave him?”

  “No! I’m trying to stay sober, damnit! I wanted to use since the day Rhett reported her missing. I already took the Xanax when I found out my mom could have been taken by a murderer, but I didn’t take any more because I have something bigger than myself to believe in now. I’m just trying to get through this, and you’ve been helping me, but it’s not enough. My faith is all I have right now—and you two. I thought I had you two.”

  “I’m sorry, Shawna, but I…I had to ask.”

  Shawna wiped the tears from her cheeks with the back of her hand and sniffled with each breath. “Do you believe me?”

  Grace nodded and rested her hands on her shoulders. “I believe you.”

  “So do I,” Madigan said.

  “I’m all over the place,” Shawna huffed. “I know that. I have issues, okay, but I wouldn’t do this. If I knew where she was, I wouldn’t be worried sick. I—I’m sorry if I made you think…” She sniffled again, clearing her throat, and rubbed her face.

  “Hey, you want to make sure everything in your power is done to help find your mom, and you’re doing it. You’re being strong. You need to be easier on yourself.” Madigan stood and handed her a water bottle from the mini-fridge. “I’m going to run you a bath. You need to take care of yourself so that you’re well enough to keep helping, alright?”

  I need to give them some space to settle down.

  Shawna nodded, and Madigan went into the bathroom, leaving them alone.

  I need to clean this tub, just in case. I wouldn’t want to sit in a dirty tub.

  After cleaning the tub and drawing a bath, on her way to the door, Grace’s voice carried into the bathroom, and Madigan stopped just out of sight.

  “… must have some reason for thinking that.”

  “I know my dad wouldn’t hurt my mom, and I think they only brought him in because Rhett doesn’t trust him. They’re wasting their time on him when they should be looking into Tommy Leman.”

  “So you don’t think Rhett is involved anymore?”

  “I don’t know. It just feels like no one’s doing enough—except you and Madigan. You’re there for me, and you help me sort things out. You know, you really are a different person now.”

  “Well, I was given a cover, and I had to be that person. I was Cheyenne while you knew me.”

  “I thought you were kind of a bitch at first… But you were there for me then, too… Or was that just part of the job?”

  “It started out as the job, but then I started to care for you and…for Leah.”

  “Leah,” Shawna whispered. “Grace, thank you for getting me out of there. I could have ended up like her. No, seriously. I’d have died of an overdose if I wasn’t beaten to death.”

  Grace needs to hear this. No matter how much she says she has moved past what happened to Leah, she needs a reminder that she does so much good. She gets so caught up trying to prove herself or be a better detective, she forgets how much she has done just as she is.

  “You and my mom…and, I guess, my dad. I’m here because of you guys. I need to be doing something to help her, Grace. They aren’t doing enough.”

  “I’m sure they have someone tailing Leman, watching,” Grace said. “They need to explore every avenue and wait for the right moment.”

  “But they c
ould be too late.”

  A soft pop came from the corner of the room where Grace sat.

  “Shawna, if you find out anything else or need anything, please don’t hesitate to call me.” Grace’s voice grew louder as she spoke. “Madigan’s right. You need some rest. Take the bath, take a nap, and try to eat something. You don’t know when you might be needed, and you want to try to keep a clear mind through this. Do you have a sponsor? Have you been in touch?” A silence followed. “Good.”

  “Thank you. You and Madigan are… Well, I don’t know what I’d be doing without you guys right now. It means a lot to know you both genuinely care for my mom, and what you did for me—getting in contact with my mom to help me get away from that life—you risked a lot for me. I’m sorry if I’ve gotten you into the middle of things, but it’s because I trust you, and I can’t say the same for anyone else in my life right now.”

  Madigan peered around the corner as Grace rested her hand on Shawna’s shoulder. “Sometimes when I’m feeling helpless about something, I go over the facts I have. Try to fill in any holes. Maybe after you get some rest, it would be a good idea to write it all down. What you know. How you feel. Just for you.”

  Madigan stepped out. “Bath’s all ready for you.”

  “Thank you.”

  Madigan grabbed her bag and pulled out a small black notebook with a gold lotus flower embossed on the cover and handed it to Shawna. “Use this for your notes.”

  It had been a birthday present from Will while they were together, after he learned of her obsession with notebooks while working for The Gazette.

  “Oh, thank you.” Shawna stared down at it in her hands. “It’s pretty. Are you sure?”

  “Someone I knew gave it to me a while ago, but the occasion to use it never came. I think I was holding on to something that wasn’t for me.”

  “Well, thanks.” She opened it and glided her fingers over the gold lines of the page. “Thank you both.”

  “Take care of yourself now,” Grace said, nodding to the bathroom as her cell phone buzzed. “But lock up after us first.”

  Shawna walked them to the door and waved as they left for the elevator. Grace answered her phone while Madigan pressed the down arrow.

  “Hello?”

  “Sheppard, how’s the report coming?” a man asked.

  Madigan could hear him from where she stood but continued to stare at the elevator.

  “Good, Chief. Almost finished.”

  “Good. We’ll need that by Monday.”

  “Yes, sir.” Grace slipped her phone into her pocket as the elevator doors dinged open and didn’t speak until they were inside.

  “Shawna isn’t like us.”

  Madigan turned to her and waited.

  Grace took a deep breath. “We have each other.”

  Madigan nodded.

  Shawna had her mom, but now she doesn’t, and we’re all she’s got. In perspective, she’s stayed pretty stable.

  As the doors closed, Grace stepped in front of her.

  “What do you want to do?” Madigan asked.

  “Find Tina.”

  Yes, good.

  “How will we do it?”

  “Go down each path until we don’t hit a dead end.”

  She’s got energy for this again because she feels for Shawna. She’s got clarity.

  “Where do we start?”

  “Tommy Leman.”

  “Okay, do you want to see what we can find in public records, or are you going to use your police software or whatever to dig deeper?”

  “Neither. We’re going to the Leman’s.”

  Madigan’s eyes lit up as she followed her sister out of the elevator. “You sure?”

  “I’m sure that this won’t be easy, but you said it best when I finally told you all about Leah. You told me I risked my job for her, but that it was the right thing, and she knew that. It just took me a while after what everyone else was saying to and about me to know that, too.”

  “You’re willing to take that risk?”

  “Tina did. She was around our age, maybe even younger, when she went to bat for us after child services let us down. Everyone else either knew what was happening to us was wrong and ignored it or tried to help us and couldn’t. Didn’t have the time, or energy, or the power to, but she did. That’s why I do what I do. To help people. I’m not sitting by when she needs our help.”

  They got into the car, and Madigan’s heart raced.

  You rescued us, Tina. Now it’s our turn.

  Chapter Twelve

  As they passed the sign to South Bend, a small piece of a waning moon hung high in the sky, and headlights shone against the asphalt ahead, guiding them down Crow River Road between the pines.

  Grace turned the music down. “You’ve seen the news reports, and you know what he was convicted for. That’s just what the public knows about him. He’s dangerous, and since you don’t have the training, I need you to be my eyes and ears. What does the satellite map show above the Leman’s home?”

  Madigan clicked on the plus button to zoom in. “Three structures on the property. The main house, a structure behind it, like a big shed or workshop, and then far back behind the tree line, there’s something, but I can’t see it clearly. It won’t zoom in that far without getting all pixelated and blurry.”

  “If the police got a warrant and checked the property, then great. If not, we can’t wait around. Tommy had over half a year to think about revenge from his prison cell, and Tina had two weeks to prepare for him to be released. I’m sure she was angry, even worried for the people he would come into contact with. Did she worry he would come after her too? Is that what Rhett was talking about, when she wasn’t acting like herself?”

  “Why wouldn’t she have told him about Tommy? I know she wouldn’t want to worry him, but—”

  “Rhett seems to mark a clear line between their personal and professional lives,” just like I tried to do with Mac, “and I could see how she wouldn’t want to worry him—or upset him.”

  “It’s not right, though. If she loved him, trusted him, she should be able to tell him anything.”

  “She should. I’m going to keep my call connected to you the whole time, and if you see anyone come out of the home, or walking around, you tell me.”

  Madigan nodded. “Where else will you look?”

  “Somewhere just outside the property lines with cover like trees and brush. There are so many places they could keep her out here.”

  Or get rid of her body.

  No. I won’t go to that dark place. It won’t do me or Tina any good.

  “And what if they’re outside?”

  Grace sighed. “They might be. Then we go back. I’m not looking to confront the Lemans. We want to find Tina.”

  “There’s a back road, and you’ll have to cross a cornfield to get to their property, but no one lives on the road back there, and the field will be empty this time of year.”

  “I don’t even want us driving past the house for the Lemans or the police to see. Tell me about a back way to that road.”

  Madigan nodded and zoomed in on the map as they approached the bar on the left. “So it’s going to be a left on Haverford Road, and then a right on Concession 2—that’s the road we’ll park on and—”

  “There,” Grace said, taking her foot off the gas. “That’s Jared Leman’s license plate. It’s his work truck for that construction company. Tommy could be with him.”

  “One way to find out.” Madigan pointed to the parking lot entrance.

  “You want us to go in?” Grace asked.

  “No, I’m going in.” Madigan unbuckled her seatbelt. “I won’t be as suspicious because a couple people in there have seen me before. I’ll text you if they’re both in there, and then you go to the property. Turn in! Come on! I’ll text you when they leave. It’ll give you a ten-minute head start, which should get you back to the car by the time they get back.”

  “I don’t like you being anywhere
near Tommy Leman.”

  “I won’t go near him. I won’t talk to him. If he talks to me, I’ll handle it. You said yourself, I’ve been doing well. You trust me, right?”

  “Yes.” Grace sighed, turning into the lot. “And if neither one is in there, you’ll come back out and we’ll go together.”

  “Fine.”

  “Fine.” Grace pressed her lips together as Madigan grinned and grabbed her bag. “Be careful.”

  Madigan nodded. “Be ready.”

  She clipped along at a steady pace across the lot, disappearing behind the large door to Crow’s Landing.

  This is a bad idea. She shouldn’t be anywhere near Tommy Leman, and who knows what his brother is like? She thinks she can handle herself since what happened here and in Amherst. She went up against large men and survived, but if she’s too confident, she’ll miss the warning signs that could keep her safe.

  I should go in there. I trust her, but…

  Her cell phone vibrated in her pocket, and Madigan’s named appeared.

  Both here. Jared’s drunk, but Tommy doesn’t seem to be. I guess it’s against his parole terms. Go now. I’ll be fine.

  Grace stared at her screen, willing her gut to tell her what to do.

  We came out here to find Tina, but Madigan could be in harm’s way.

  Tommy’s on parole, but it might not have stopped him from taking Tina. Drinking or not, he’s not the type to follow the rules…

  The longer I wait, the less time I have.

  I need to trust that Madigan can hold her own. I’m ten minutes away if she needs me…

  She tucked her cell phone in her pocket and shifted into drive.

  I didn’t force her to do this. She wanted to. This could be our best shot.

  As she drove down Crow River Road, she repeated the directions Madigan mapped out.

  I have to get to that back road and start searching.

  Madigan tucked her cell phone into her pocket after texting Grace and stepped closer to the bar.

  “Hey, I know you,” the bartender said as she approached. “What brings you back to South Bend?”