Sunset Over Misty Lake

by Margaret Standafer

  “Yes, it is good. We have the names of two other victims. I don’t know if they’ll cooperate, but it’s another lead for the police to follow. We also have information on where Joshua travelled when he asked for time off work. That may be helpful. I asked Dave about providing the name of the friend, or the accomplice, or whatever term you want to use for the person who helped Joshua pull off some of his crimes. His answer was, ‘If I turned over the names of my informants, I wouldn’t have any informants.’ That wasn’t a flat-out no, but it certainly wasn’t positive.”

  “That’s a piece of information I’d love to be able to take to Bud. I’m meeting with him at three o’clock. Do you think it’s possible Dave will come through?” Jake asked.

  Cort poured himself more coffee and sipped before he replied. “I don’t think it will happen before your meeting with Bud. Knowing Dave, if he’s considering it, he’ll take his time. All we can do is wait.”

  “What is it, Cort? What aren’t you telling us? Are you worried Dave’s going to change his mind and not provide anything more?” Shauna asked.

  “No.” Cort shook his head. “I’m confident he’s still digging. He seemed even more bothered by what this guy’s done than he did the last time we spoke. It appears Dave has a bit of a heart after all.”

  “What then?” Shauna prompted.

  “Dave had some more background on Joshua, and it has me worried. While Dave didn’t have specifics yet, he’s gotten some information that indicates Joshua’s been married at least twice. In both cases, his wife died under somewhat suspicious circumstances. I think he’s even more dangerous than we previously thought.”

  Shauna gave Cort a doubtful look.

  “All the more reason to go to the police,” Cassie said.

  “I agree completely, but I think they’ll need to proceed with caution. I don’t claim to know all the inner workings of a police department, how cases are assigned, and how much priority is given a case, but Jake indicated there’s something big going on right now and he’s more or less said he’s afraid there won’t be much manpower available. I can’t get the scenario out of my mind where Bud goes to poke around, asks some questions to get a better picture of what he’s dealing with, Joshua gets suspicious, and he takes off. Apparently, he’s done it a number of times already. I can’t imagine picking up and changing his identity again is going to be a problem for him.”

  “I think we’re getting ahead of ourselves,” Jake said. “I understand your concern, it’s a valid one, but we need to give Bud the benefit of the doubt. He’s been a cop for a long time, so I’d like to think he knows what he’s doing. He’s not going to blow a case by throwing his weight around and scaring off a suspect. I’ll give him everything we have. He’ll know how to proceed.”

  Cort nodded but didn’t look convinced.

  “You said Dave had information, but then you said you don’t have specifics. I’m confused. What do we know for fact and what’s conjecture?” Joe asked.

  Jake opened the file folder in front of him. “Here’s what I have and what I’ll be taking to Bud. Cort, chime in if I’ve got something wrong or if you’ve got something to add.

  “Karen knew this guy as Joshua when he worked at The Ivory Palm. She never got a last name. He’s working at a different casino now, Mystique, and using the name Kellen Brown. We have good reason to believe he’s used other names and now, reason to believe he’s been married at least two times, so possibly two additional names. Karen described him as around six feet, medium build, black hair, darker complexion, perhaps suggesting Hispanic or Mexican heritage. Dark brown eyes, she thought, no birthmarks, tattoos, or other identifying marks that she could recall. However, we know that he has some skill at changing his appearance, Dave suggested perhaps even to the point of having a background in theater, so a physical description may not prove very helpful.”

  “The description Dave gave me last night of his current appearance bears little resemblance to what Karen reported,” Cort said. “Reddish hair, fair complexion, blue eyes. I didn’t press Dave too hard for details since we have a name and know where he works. It won’t be too hard for the police to get a look at him.”

  “But he’s sure it’s the same person?” Riley asked. “From black hair and a dark complexion to a redhead with fair skin? That’s quite a transition.”

  “Dave’s certain. I trust his information is accurate.”

  Jake nodded. “We move forward on the assumption it’s the same guy. Now, we also know he drugs the women. Or men. We have to remember men have been victims too. We’ve heard both powder and liquid, likely added to a drink from something taped to his wrist and hidden by his sleeve. Anything from Dave on what drug or drugs he’s using or where he’s getting it? That could be a way to go after him.”

  “I asked. Dave was not forthcoming on that point. While he made it clear he didn’t like what was being done to the victims, at the same time he made it clear that as far as the drugs go, he won’t be touching that. I have my suspicions that he’s either peripherally involved with or at least knows a great deal about the illegal drug business in Vegas. As for giving us names, it’s a line he won’t cross.”

  “That’s okay,” Jake said. “The case won’t be built so much around his purchasing of illegal drugs, it’s just one more thing to charge him with, if for some reason, other charges don’t stick.

  “We know he takes pictures and uses those pictures to demand payment. Always via text, as far as we know. According to what Cort learned, Joshua manages to get hold of his victim’s phone while the victim is still somewhat coherent in order to get a phone number. Karen didn’t save any of the texts he sent her but even if she had, it’s probable that they were sent from burner phones so not traceable to him. Although, there are a lot of stupid criminals, or those who slip up on something obvious, so I’ll be sure Bud checks phone records. It will be easy enough for Bud to get the last name Joshua was using when he worked at The Ivory Palm so Bud will have that name as well as Kellen Brown to check on the chance a phone was registered in either of those names. In addition, we have the new information about other victims and about where Joshua was a couple of weeks ago. Cort, if you can fill me in on those details before I meet with Bud, that would be helpful.”

  Cort nodded.

  “Now, the money,” Jake said.

  Joe looked at Jake. It was a touchy subject, and one Jake had thus far avoided. But Joe knew the more information Jake had to give to Bud, the better, so understood why Jake had to ask the touchy questions.

  “Karen didn’t discuss specifics when she told us her story at Mom and Dad’s, just said she’d paid him a lot of money,” Jake said. “I didn’t want to push her, but now I need to know what you know, Joe.”

  Joe looked around the table. Most everyone looked like they desperately wished they were anywhere but at that table. Except Cassie, who met his eyes.

  “Nothing you say can change our opinion of Karen. Nothing. People do desperate things when they’re faced with desperate situations. Believe me, I know.” Cassie’s hand inched across the table and clasped Frank’s. “At the time, she did what she thought she had to do in order to protect the one she loves more than herself. Looking back, she wishes she’d handled it differently, but isn’t that the way it always is? People make mistakes. Those you make because you’re trying to protect someone you love? Those I understand. Those we all understand.”

  For a moment, Joe could only stare. In the last couple weeks, he’d seen a side of Cassie he hadn’t seen before. She was a lot tougher than he’d given her credit for, and not just in the gym.

  “Karen sent him fifty thousand dollars.” Joe heard a low whistle from the end of the table. “He demanded more, and she was ready to send it, but she decided to go to Vegas first and, well, you know the rest.”

  Jake took a deep breath. “Okay. How? Did she wire it somewhere? Does she have a name? An account number?”

  Joe let his eyes drop to the table. No amoun
t of wishing his answer could be different was going to change what he had to tell them.

  “She sent cash.”

  “Cash?” Riley’s eyes were like saucers. “She sent a box of money? In the mail?”

  “More or less. FedEx.”

  “You can ship money?” Riley asked. “Like you’d ship a book or a sweater?”

  “She couldn’t have told FedEx what she was shipping,” Jake said, “they wouldn’t have taken it.”

  “No,” Joe answered, “she said she just wrapped it in a box and shipped it. If it’s left at a drop site, there’s no one to ask questions.”

  “But the bank would have asked questions,” Shauna said. “There are requirements, forms to be filed, for any cash transaction over ten thousand dollars. You can’t just walk into First National and ask for fifty thousand dollars in cash.”

  “I don’t know, Shauna.” Joe lifted his hands and let them fall in defeat. “I can tell you I wish she hadn’t done it. I can tell you I wish she’d used a bank transfer or sent a cashier’s check or something traceable so the police would stand a better chance of tying it to Joshua. I can even tell you I wish she’d told me about all this from the beginning, that I wish we weren’t sitting here right now trying to figure out what to do, but nothing I say, nothing I wish, is going to change what happened.”

  Shauna’s voice was soft. “Joe, I’m sorry, you know that’s not what I meant. I worked in a bank for a long time and filled out enough of those reports that it was a knee-jerk reaction.”

  Joe rested his elbows on the table in front of him and dropped his head into his hands, pressing on his forehead and willing away the tension.

  “I’m the one who’s sorry.” He looked at Shauna. “I am sorry. And you’re right. She took the money from an account she set up after her grandparents, her father’s parents, passed away and left her some money. The account is at a bank in Minneapolis. She told me there were questions and she had to put in her request a few days before she got the money. She was contacted by the IRS as well. She sent the package to an address in Nevada, but not in Las Vegas, and didn’t keep a record of the FedEx shipment. Maybe it’s something that can be tracked with a warrant?” Joe looked at Jake.

  “Another thing I’ll mention to Bud and let him handle it as he sees fit. I know this is hard, Joe, but remember we’re all on your side. On Karen’s side.”

  Joe nodded. Jake acted like he wanted to say more, but instead, looked down at his notes

  “Okay then, anything else I should know before talking to Bud?”

  “I mentioned my friend, Melody, when we were at Joe and Karen’s. I got in touch with her, but she’s not in Vegas any longer. I guess she only lasted about a month before deciding it wasn’t for her. So that’s a dead end,” Cassie said. “Sorry.”

  “I don’t have anything to add,” Joe said. “Just let Bud know that I’m here to answer any questions that may arise and that I can contact Karen if we need clarification on anything.”

  “Good. Then I guess—”

  “There’s one more thing,” Cort said. He fidgeted in an uncharacteristic way. “I told all of you when we were together at Joe and Karen’s that I’d been in touch with Opal, the bartender Karen met and who helped her find out more about Joshua. Karen didn’t like it that I’d involved Opal, and I understand that, but like I said then, Opal was more than willing to help. So willing, in fact, that she took a part-time job at the bar where Joshua, or Kellen, is currently working.”

  “Oh, boy,” Joe muttered.

  “Why?” Riley asked. “What’s she hoping to accomplish?”

  “That’s what you didn’t want to tell us,” Shauna said. “Makes sense now. Karen is not going to like it one bit. Did you know before we left?” Shauna winced a little as she waited for his response.

  “I didn’t know until this morning. Opal was aware of our plans to come to Vegas and had said she wanted to meet with me, so I checked in with her this morning to let her know we’d arrived. That’s when she told me she started the job last week. She has a friend at Mystique who helped her get hired and work out a flexible schedule. I think she kept the information from me for the same reason I considered keeping it from all of you. Not wanting to worry anyone.”

  “To echo Riley, why?” Joe said.

  “She said she wants to keep an eye on Joshua. I cautioned her not to get too close and certainly not to ask questions.”

  Jake scratched his head. “This could help, I suppose, or it could greatly complicate things. We need a cop doing a cop’s work.”

  “She’s sharp, Jake, and she must have a way of making people feel as though they can open up to her. Karen did. I’m leaning toward it helping, not hindering. If you’d like, the two of us could meet with her.”

  Jake tapped his finger on the table and eventually nodded at Cort. “Yeah, okay. Any chance we can squeeze that in before I meet with Bud?”

  “I’ll give her a call.”

  “So you two are meeting with Opal and then Jake’s meeting with Bud. What about the rest of us? I, for one, want to do something,” Frank said.

  “We talked about going to Mystique, scoping things out,” Riley said.

  “And I told you I didn’t think that was a good idea.”

  “That’s why we came along, Jake, to do something. We’re not going to get in your way, but we’re not going to sit idly by, either,” Frank said. “A couple of us at a time can go to the casino, take a look around, see if we spot him. We won’t all go together because even in a town as busy as this, a bigger group probably draws more notice than a couple of people. And this guy is probably pretty good at noticing people. Always looking for his next target.”

  Jake sighed. “I can’t stop you from going, but please don’t talk to him. Keep your distance and just observe. See if you notice anything that seems off in his behavior, but, I repeat, don’t talk to him. And you’re right about only a couple at a time. That’s a good idea.”

  “We don’t know his work schedule, so we might not even see him,” Riley said.

  “Actually, we do. Opal gave it to me.” Cort tapped at his phone. “He works at one o’clock today.”

  “Perfect,” Riley said. “What do you say, Frank? Wanna team up?”

  “Hold on,” Jake said. “You two can’t go together. We just talked about avoiding notice. Twins are going to be noticed.”

  Riley looked at Frank. His brow creased, and he shrugged with one shoulder. “You think we look alike? I don’t see it.”

  “Find a different partner, Riles,” Jake said with a sigh.

  “I’ll go with you,” Joe said.

  The rapid-fire responses came from all sides.

  “No way.”

  “That’s a bad idea.”

  “Joe, no.”

  “Stay away from him.”

  “You can’t.”

  “Wow.” Joe looked at them. “What do you think I’m going to do, attack the guy?”

  “I think I would, so yeah, that’s exactly what I think you’re going to do,” Frank said.

  Joe scowled at him. “All of you have said you didn’t come along to sit around and not do anything. Do you think that’s somehow different for me?”

  “Joe,” Shauna said, “we understand how you feel. You’ll have your chance to do your part, whatever that turns out to be, but for now, try to be patient. Just like we can’t have Riley and Frank going at the same time and drawing attention, we can’t have you going and have Joshua notice you watching him, or glaring at him, or putting your fist in his face. Let me go with Riley.”

  Joe huffed out a defeated breath. He wanted to argue, but they were right. He’d have a very hard time seeing the guy and not reacting and blowing his cover. “Fine,” he grumbled.

  “Cassie and I will go later,” Frank said.

  “Good. I’ll get in touch with Opal and see about a time to talk with her, Jake. All of you, please be careful. After talking with Dave again, I feel even worse about this guy th
an I did before.” Cort turned to Shauna. “Can I talk with you?”

  Shauna nodded. “Around one, Riles?”

  “That works.”

  Shauna and Cort slipped away. Joe stood and stretched his arms over his head. Only eleven o’clock. It had already been a long day and they were just getting started.

  “Frank and I are going for a walk,” Cassie said. “We’ll steer clear of Mystique until later in the afternoon. Should we all meet for dinner and catch up on everything that happens today?”

  “Good idea,” Jake said. “Six o’clock?”

  With that decided, they gradually left Cort’s suite. Joe took his time getting back to his room, trying to work out how best to tell Karen about Opal. He was afraid the phone call was not going to be a pleasant one.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

  MAYBE CONVINCING DYLAN that playing with Rigi, Jagger, and Trixie all at the same time would be just as much fun as playing with the puppy wasn’t her best mom moment, but it definitely wasn’t her worst. Avoiding Sean and Anna for another day selfishly outweighed her guilt over breaking her promise to her son. She’d make it up to him, but she also knew since Sam was keeping both Jagger and Trixie, the triple dose of puppy love would go far toward making up for a missed visit with Grandpa’s puppy.

  When they got to Sam’s, and when Sam opened the door to let out Rigi, and when Jagger and Trixie followed on Rigi’s heels, and when all three made a beeline straight for Dylan, and when Dylan squealed in delight, that guilt eased even further.

  Karen sat in one of the Adirondack chairs that dotted the meticulously groomed beach behind Sam and Jake’s house. Susan sat in the chair next to her while Sam alternately sat and chased Claire. Dylan threw sticks for Rigi and Jagger who were happy to play along, but Karen could tell, were itching for a stick to travel farther than the two feet into the water that Dylan could manage. She took a few turns tossing sticks and the Golden Retrievers lived up to their name, launching themselves into the lake and swimming with everything they had after the sticks then proudly dropping them at her feet.