It All Falls Down: Rose Gardner Investigations #7 (Rose Gardner Investigatons)

by Denise Grover Swank

  “Did he help you find the kids?”

  “I’m sure you read the police report, and I can assure you it was an accurate portrayal of what happened.”

  “How did Dermot know you were there?” When I hesitated, he added, “What we discuss here this morning is between the two of us.”

  Which meant he was hoping for an exchange of information, not just to ask me questions. “Vera Pullman reached out to me, telling me she knew where to find the kids, but she’d only show me if I came alone. Joe was busy investigatin’ the murders of Calista and her boyfriend, and I didn’t want to put Jed in a bad situation, so I contacted Dermot.”

  “You have other friends in the sheriff’s department,” he said in a neutral tone. “You could have called them.”

  “I have fewer than you might think,” I said, “but in this case, I didn’t necessarily want to follow the rules.” I gave him a challenging look.

  “You risked Hope’s life, Rose,” he said in a pleading tone. “You both could have died, and not just because you delivered her in the woods, breech.”

  He wasn’t saying anything I hadn’t already thought a thousand times over. If Dermot hadn’t been there, I would have been shot by Carey Collard before I even delivered, and Ashley and Mikey might have been killed too.

  “Vera came to the nursery a couple of months before,” I said, “and she seemed like she was in trouble. She knew I was the Lady in Black, but she took off before she could tell me what she needed. I figured she wanted to meet me alone because she was scared someone would see her talking to me. I had absolutely no idea she was dangerous. I thought I was meeting a scared woman who needed help and could tell me where to find my niece and nephew.”

  He glanced down at Hope, who was staring up at him, but her eyelids were drooping, which suggested that nap was coming soon after all.

  “I’m not here to cast judgment,” he said, keeping his gaze on my baby’s face. “I’m here because of the murdered man found early this morning.”

  “I don’t know anything about that,” I said, turning my chair to face him. “Joe wouldn’t even tell me it was a murder. Only that they’d found a body.”

  Technically true, even if Dermot had told me more.

  “I can tell you it was definitely murder. He was shot at close range in the back of the head.”

  I shuddered, and I noticed that Mason held Hope a little tighter.

  “I swear to you, Mason, the first I heard of it was this morning, when Joe told me he was headed to a crime scene.”

  “You’re misunderstanding my intentions,” he said, lifting his gaze. “I’m not here to ask you questions. I’m here to give you some information.”

  My brow shot up. “Oh.”

  He hesitated, then said, “The man found murdered was Rufus Wilson. We know he was working for Malcolm. He moved here from Oklahoma this past summer, and we’re fairly certain he had ties to Hardshaw.”

  I swallowed hard. Dermot hadn’t known that part, although it made sense given the man’s connection to James.

  “Rufus had an interesting skill set.” Mason held my gaze. “Four years ago, he was arrested for breaking into a safe in Oklahoma.”

  I gasped. “Do you think he broke into the safe at Violet’s attorney’s office?”

  “Honestly? Yeah, I do.”

  My heart constricted. “Does Joe know about this?”

  “I can’t say with certainty, but I wouldn’t be surprised if he does. Malcolm was the obvious suspect in the break-in, and Rufus’ arrival in Fenton County fits the timeline.”

  Joe knew how much I wanted to find the flash drive. Hurt bubbled up at the thought that he’d learned something this important and kept it from me, which was irrational given it had only been a few hours, but I told myself that Joe was bound by the law to keep from sharing confidential police matters. Mason was too, but for some reason, the man whose entire life had been defined by the rules was breaking them—again—with me.

  “Did Denny Carmichael kill Rufus Wilson?”

  His eyes narrowed. “What makes you ask that?”

  “Carmichael threatened the manager at Sonder Tech right around the time the kids were kidnapped, but Stewart swore he didn’t know anything about Hardshaw.”

  He nodded. “I spoke to Stewart Adams and believed his story. I think poisoning the azalea bushes was a warning to Calista Johnson and her boyfriend, Patrick Nestle, to leave town. I’m 99.9% sure Denny Carmichael killed them—or had his henchmen do it—I just can’t prove it, and neither can Joe. So Carmichael’s walking around a free man, and he’s still killing people, as evidenced by the body found this morning.”

  I’d gone by Sonder Tech to investigate the poisoned plants and had one of the most memorable—and embarrassing—visions ever. It had indicated Calista and her boyfriend were connected to Hardshaw in some way, and sure enough, she and her boyfriend turned up dead a day later. “Carmichael hates Hardshaw, and he knows James Malcolm is working with them. It stands to reason he would kill Rufus Wilson. Not only was the guy part of Hardshaw, but he also worked for James.”

  He studied me for a moment, then nodded. “I suspect you’re right.”

  A new thought hit me. “Do you think Carmichael killed him because he wants what was in the safe?”

  He cocked his head. “How many people knew what was in that safe?” Mason knew Violet’s attorney’s safe had been robbed, but we’d tried to keep the details quiet.

  I shook my head. “I don’t know. I haven’t heard much discussion about it in the criminal world, but I’ve always suspected James stole the flash drive. After Mike went to the state police, I realized Violet must have dug up dirt on Hardshaw through him. James found out and took it. The real question is how he knew.”

  “That part probably isn’t important. What is important is Rufus’ girlfriend, Roberta Hanover.”

  “Why? Do you think Carmichael’s goin’ after her next?”

  “I don’t know, but I wouldn’t be surprised, especially if Denny was after something Rufus had. I had a discussion with her last fall after she was arrested for shoplifting. I used the opportunity to question her about her boyfriend. She never shared anything, but I got the impression that he didn’t keep her in the dark as much as she would have liked me to believe.” His gaze held mine. “If her boyfriend broke into that safe, I wouldn’t be surprised if she knows a thing or two about it.”

  I took a moment to absorb that, my gaze falling to Hope, who was snuggled up against Mason like she’d known him all her life. I ripped my gaze away from her, forcing my mind back to our discussion. “So if Carmichael killed Rufus Wilson because of the safe, you think he might go after her next?”

  “Honestly, I don’t know. For all I know, Carmichael killed Wilson just because he was breathing. Or maybe he did it just to push Malcolm’s buttons. There’s been a war brewing between them for some time now. Maybe Carmichael decided it was finally time to set it in motion.”

  I pushed out a breath. I knew about the brewing war. I’d had visions of it, and in them, I’d stood on Denny Carmichael’s side. I still couldn’t believe that would ever happen. Denny and I might agree about Hardshaw, but it was the only thing we did agree on. I wanted nothing to do with his turf war with James…and yet Carmichael had saved my life the previous August and told me I owed him a favor. I’d always suspected he’d call it in when I least wanted him to.

  “Do you think Roberta’s in trouble?” I asked quietly. “Gut reaction.”

  “Yeah,” he said. “I do.”

  My stomach twisted. “Why are you telling me this?”

  “Because I think she might be the only chance you have of finding out what was in that safe. I’m definitely not suggesting you go talk to her in person.” He paused and seemed to choose his words carefully. “But I suspect you might know people who could intervene on your behalf.”

  Dermot. Jed. Either one of them would help. Dermot seemed the better choice, but what if this was a trap? The last
time I’d asked him to step in and help me, he’d been shot. His men attacked and killed. I wouldn’t walk him into a different kind of ambush. “If you think she’s in trouble, why don’t you or Joe offer her protection?”

  “Because she’s not going to talk to the authorities. I doubt she trusts anyone at this point, and likely with just cause. We wouldn’t get anything out of it.”

  My back stiffened. “So you’ll only protect her if you get something out of it.”

  “We have a budget, Rose,” he said with an exhausted sigh, “and it’s not an option. Joe and I have to justify every expense, and we can’t be doling out money to protect a woman who not only refuses to help us, but doesn’t want our intervention in the first place.”

  “Yeah,” I said, glancing down at my lap. “I guess you’re right.”

  “I understand your frustration, trust me. That’s part of the reason I’m here. I’m bound by rules and laws, but you…”

  “Are not.”

  “Actually,” he said, “you are. Which means you’ll need to be very careful. I’m sure there will be eyes on her, and it won’t just be criminals watching, if you understand my meaning.”

  Roberta Hanover was under surveillance. They might not be protecting her, but they were watching to see what she did next.

  “Is her phone tapped?”

  “Not by the county or state.”

  “I notice you left out federal and local.”

  “Local is a non-issue,” he scoffed.

  “How likely is federal?”

  “If there was any surveillance, it was probably on his phone, not hers. But there might be something in their house. So if someone wanted to call her, they’d be wise to wait until she’s not home.”

  “Any idea if she has a job?”

  “She works at the convenience store at Maple and Hugo Drive. The Stop-N-Go. I hear she works the day shift.”

  He gave me a sad smile as he said it—a look I recognized all too well. He hated that he was feeding me information that would drag me back into this mess, but here he was, doing it anyway.

  “Do you expect me to report back what I find?”

  “Only if you think it’s necessary,” he said softly, lowering his gaze to my now-sleeping daughter.

  That surprised me, and I wondered if he was being truthful, but Mason had never lied to me before. I couldn’t see him starting now. Nor did I believe he was trying to ambush me. Especially since I had Hope.

  “If I get the opportunity to talk to Ms. Hanover, or get someone else to do it in my proxy, I’ll tell you if I learn anything you really need to know.”

  His gaze lifted. “Thank you.” He drew in a breath, then said, “I dropped by to see your daughter. We never discussed state or county business.”

  I nodded, and said emphatically, “Of course.”

  “You can’t share this with anyone.”

  Which included Joe. That gave me pause, but if this helped me find that flash drive—or what was on it—didn’t I need to take the opportunity? Joe had his own secrets from the sheriff’s department. I had Lady in Black secrets. I could hang this situation under her hat, even if I’d vowed I was done with secrets. “I understand.”

  He nodded, then slowly got to his feet. “I need to be getting back to the courthouse. Thanks for letting me see Hope.”

  “Of course. I’ve always hoped we could be friends. Despite everything.” I stood to take Hope, smiling as I looked down at her sleeping face. “Looks like you have the magic touch. Let’s put her in the cradle.”

  Mason gently laid her down in the bed in the back of the office. Hope stirred slightly and fell back asleep, releasing a contented sigh. It was a peaceful moment, and Mason gave me a look of longing. I didn’t think it was for me so much as for the life we’d planned once upon a time.

  “You should date,” I said softly. “Fall in love. Have babies of your own. You deserve all of that, Mason. You deserve to be happy.”

  He slowly shook his head.

  I knew he was haunted by demons. By his sister’s murder. By nearly beating to death the man who’d killed her. By my transformation into the Lady in Black. In spite of everything that had passed between us and the hurt we’d caused each other, I hoped he’d find a way to release all of it. I hoped he’d find a way to be happy too.

  He headed for the door, then turned back to me. “Be careful, Rose. You have a whole lot more at stake now.”

  Which was the very reason I had to act on what he’d told me.

  Hope would never be safe as long as there was a monster on the loose.

  Chapter 4

  As soon as I locked the door behind Mason, I sat down at my desk and tried to figure out how to best handle the situation. Would it freak her out if Jed or Dermot intercepted her? I suspected it would, especially if she thought there were men out to kill or abduct her. We needed to take a softer approach.

  A voice in my head reminded me that I’d tried the softer approach with Vera, and it had badly misfired, but I’d met Vera in a secluded place. If I talked to Roberta in public, it should be safe. Besides, if she were dangerous, I doubted Mason would have told me about her in the first place. Sure, he’d suggested I use a proxy to contact her, but he knew me well enough to anticipate I might go myself.

  Maybe I was making excuses for myself, but I hadn’t heard anything about my niece and nephew in weeks. It felt like they were being pulled farther out of reach with every passing day, and I was feeling plenty desperate.

  The bell on the door jingled, and I looked up to see Neely Kate walking in. She was wearing jean shorts, a bedazzled RBW Landscaping T-shirt, and a sparkly headband. A large diamond ring glittered on her left ring finger. Although the engagement ring had been there for a while now, I often caught her glancing at it with a big smile on her face. She and Jed were still very much in the honeymoon stage.

  “Where’s my favorite girl?” she demanded as she closed the door behind her, her face beaming with excitement.

  “I’d love to think you’re talkin’ about me,” I said with a cheesy grin, “but we both know I’ve been usurped. She’s sleeping in the back, but you’re first in line to hold her when she wakes up.”

  “I better be. I haven’t seen her in two days.” She glanced toward the door. “Did I see Mason leaving when I pulled up?”

  “He saw my truck out front and dropped in to see Hope.”

  Neely Kate sat down at her desk. “And how’d that go?”

  “Better than I would have expected.” I took a deep breath. “Did you hear about the murder south of town?”

  Her smile fell. “No.”

  “I talked to Dermot this morning. I found out it was one of James’ men—Rufus Wilson.” I leaned forward. “Neely Kate, he had experience opening safes, and he came to town around the time Violet died.”

  “Dermot told you all that?” she asked incredulously.

  I made a face. “The source of my information isn’t important. What’s important is his girlfriend might actually know what was in the safe.”

  Her eyes widened. “Do you know who she is?”

  “Her name’s Roberta Hanover, and she works at the Stop-N-Go on Maple and Hugo.”

  She studied me for a moment. “Dermot didn’t tell you any of that.”

  My breath caught in my throat. “Why would you say that?”

  “Because Mason just came strolling out of here, and I doubt he just came by to see Hope. He told you all of that.”

  My blood ran cold. “Neely Kate, you can’t tell anyone.”

  “I won’t.”

  “I meant it, not anyone,” I said emphatically. “Not even Jed.”

  She rolled her chair across the wooden floor toward me and took both of my hands in hers. “Rose, Mason’s the one who told me that Ronnie was already married when he stood at the altar at our wedding, and it was all just a sham. He could have gotten fired for that, but he did it to save me more heartache. I’d never tell anyone that you got information fr
om him. Your secret is safe with me.”

  I nodded as relief washed through me. “Thank you.”

  “My next question,” she said as she rolled her chair back a couple of feet, “is what you plan to do about it.”

  “If Denny Carmichael killed Rufus Wilson because of the safe, he might be after Roberta next. I considered asking Jed or Dermot to go talk to her, but I don’t think she’d talk to a man, especially not one connected to the underworld. It’ll go better if I talk to her, or you and me if you decide to come.”

  Neely Kate held up her hands. “Whoa. Denny Carmichael killed him?”

  I told her what Mason and I had discussed, and she sat back in her chair, her gaze on the wall behind me as she took it all in.

  “Do you really think it’s safe for you to talk to her if Carmichael’s involved?”

  “I don’t know,’ I said, my stomach balling with anxiety. “But I feel like I have to try. I owe it to Violet. I owe it to her kids.”

  They were the last living part of her in this world. It wasn’t that I wanted to take them from Mike—I just wanted to be allowed to be part of their lives.

  Neely Kate was quiet for a moment, her lips pressed together, then she lifted her gaze to mine. “Okay. I think you’re right. I’m in.”

  “You don’t have to do this with me, Neely Kate,” I insisted. “This is my problem, not yours.”

  A blaze of anger filled her eyes. “Your problems are my problems, and my problems are yours.”

  She was still angry I’d left her out of the loop when I went to talk to Vera. “For the millionth time, I’m sorry.”

  But I wasn’t. Vera had shot everyone with me. What if she’d killed Neely Kate? I never would have forgiven myself.

  She pressed her lips more tightly together. “Whatever. Don’t you dare leave me out of this.”

  “But your adoption—” If either of them was caught doing something illegal, or even close, it might put a halt to the process. I could never forgive myself if that happened.

  “You let me worry about that. Besides, you’re an actual mother to a baby. You need to be way more careful than me.”