“Sheriff Michaelson believes we’re wasting our time on the religious angle, but he does like that the killer may be black.”
“I bet he does.” I set my fork down.
Chatter rose in the Tipsy Pig.
Alexander scanned the spot.
People now crowded the space wall-to-wall. Most either sat at the bar or gathered around the blues band, performing an upbeat song. Alexander turned his attention to our waitress. She moved through the crowd, chuckling with a few customers as she passed.
Alexander gestured in her direction. “Should we start questioning our waitress?”
“I don’t see the harm, but I don’t have much experience out in the field. I’ll follow your lead.”
Alexander smirked and was about to say something, but the waitress returned with our glasses of water.
She set the slices of pie on the table.
“Thank you. The food was delicious and the service excellent.” Alexander smiled at her. “What’s your name?”
“Madeline. People call me Maddy.”
Alexander took out his badge and showed her. “Would you sit down with us for a minute, Maddy? I have a few questions.”
Maddie parted her lips. Surprise flashed in her eyes. “You’re FBI?”
“We are.” I slid to the edge of the wall and gave her space to sit.
Looking around, Maddie lowered to my seat. “What. . .what could you want to know from me?”
“I’m wondering about some of the Tipsy Pig regulars.” Alexander put his badge away. “Can you think of a few?”
“There are a lot that come around all the time.”
“What about Sheriff Bran?” I asked.
Maddie frowned. “He’s here every night.”
“Are you sure about that?”
“Just check the cameras.” Maddie pointed to the top of the bar. “You’ll see him in here drunk as ever and squeezing all of the waitresses’ butts.”
I spoke, “Who’s the owner of this place?”
“My father.”
Interesting.
Alexander leaned back in his chair. “Is your father here now?”
“No.” Maddie eyed him and then me. “Why? You want to see the cameras?”
“Perhaps.”
“Don’t you need a search warrant or something?” Maddie asked.
“We don’t need one if you decide to show us the footage.” Alexander tilted his head back and studied Maddie with those steady blue eyes. “We just want to make sure Sheriff Bran is where he says he is. That’s it. A real quick confirmation nothing more. Now. . .if I have to go and get a search warrant to check something so simple. . .then I’ll come back to look for more things.”
Maddie frowned. “I guess I could show you some of the videos.”
I asked, “How long does the footage go back for the bar camera?”
“A year. It’s on some sort of cloud thing on his computer.”
“You can get into it from here?” Alexander pulled his pie to him and grabbed his fork.
“I can, but I don’t want any problems for my father or the bar.” Maddie kept her attention on him. “We’re just a small-town spot.”
“I’m not looking for more than a confirmation on Sheriff Bran.” Alexander cut off a piece of pie. “When do you think will be a good time to show us?”
“Give me thirty minutes. The bar will be more crowded and even drunker.” Maddie pointed to the back. “When you see me go that way, take your time and meet me there. My father’s office is near the bathrooms. I would rather no one see you going into his office.”
“That’s fair.” Alexander ate a piece of pie. “We’ll see you then.”
She rolled her eyes and rose from the booth.
When she left, I pulled my pie to me. “Do you think we’ll get anything from the footage?”
“Probably not.”
I didn’t pick up my fork. “Do you think coming to Colesville might be a waste altogether?”
“I hope not.” Alexander ate another piece of pie. “One thing for sure. My stomach doesn’t think we’ve wasted our time.”
I tapped my fork and looked in the direction of the waitress. Maddie returned to the bar, getting more drinks and flashing a big smile at the bartender.
Alexander grabbed my attention. “Don’t stress. Enjoy the pie. It may be a long night.”
“Why do you say that?”
With his fork, he gestured to the space behind me.
I glanced over my shoulder.
Sheriff Bran arrived with two other men dressed in cop uniforms. They were probably his deputies. He pushed through the crowd like he owned the place, spotted us on the side, chuckled to himself, and gave Alexander a nod. A minute later, he sat at the bar with his men, talking to the bartender.
I ate my pie, checking my watch with every other bite.
When the time came, Alexander set his fork down. He’d destroyed the pie. Not one crumble or piece of pecan sat on the plate. He gazed at the empty plate for a few seconds as if he was thinking about licking the dish.
Meanwhile, I only had half of my slice. Nervousness hit my gut.
Alexander glanced at Sheriff Bran who was on his second beer. “You should head back first. Maddie already disappeared.”
“Okay.” I rose and headed that way. “I’ll see you there.”
Chapter 14
Candid Camera
Alexander
Goodness. How beautiful?
I loved to watch Haven walk away. It was a nice bottom—perfect under those fitted pants. But it wasn’t just her curves. Haven’s stroll included a tempting sway. Those hips whipped side to side, luring me forward.
Seconds later, she vanished in the crowd of drunk bodies. People blocked view of the bathroom. I checked the bar. Sheriff Bran watched me. He had his body twisted around. The lip of the beer bottle touched his mouth. Instead of taking a sip, he raised the bottle in the air and cheered in my direction.
Enjoy, you smarmy cop. You better pray you had nothing to do with these girls’ murders.
And then someone yelled. Next, glass shattered near the area by the bathrooms.
In a flash, I jumped to my feet.
I should’ve brought my gun.
A woman screamed. It didn’t sound like Haven, but I still rushed forward, pushing people out of the way.
Sheriff Bran remained on his stool, chugging his beer.
Did someone go after Haven?
My heart pounded in my chest. I shoved through a swarm of bodies and saw a blonde woman on the floor. Blood trickled from her nose.
“I told you if you looked at him again!” A short man staggered around her and then raised his fist. “Fucking bitch. I will show—”
I lunged for him, got his arms, and slammed him into the wall. “You like hitting women?”
“Who the fuck are you?” He twisted and shoved against me. Although short, he was a big man. Not much of a fighter. Wide and fat. He swung his fist my way.
I dodged it, slung him to the floor, and then kicked him in his gut. “Take a cab or uber home and get some sleep.”
The woman groaned from the floor.
I was about to check on her, but the man rose and raced my way. I punched him, catching the drunk man in the jaw. Hard and fast. He staggered back and blinked his eyes.
Crying, the woman got up off the floor and hit me with her pocketbook. “Don’t you punch him! Jerry did nothing wrong!”
Shocked, I asked. “What?”
A crowd formed. Several shouted out cheers. Others laughed loudly.
“Leave Jerry alone!” The woman grabbed me by my waist and tried to move me forward.
I yanked her away. “Are you crazy? He was hitting you.”
“Don’t you dare hurt him.” She came for me again.
I blocked her hit.
Her man, Jerry seized the opportunity and punched me in the back. Not hard enough to injure, but it definitely annoyed the shit out of me. The woman grabbed my
arm.
I shook her away and spotted someone standing down the hallway.
Smirking, Haven stepped out of the shadows. “Do you need any help with these two?”
“These drunk idiots? No.” I shook the woman away, opened the girls bathroom, slung her in there, and shut it. Too intoxicated, she screamed and banged several times on the door, not realizing that it wasn’t locked. She could’ve simply open it.
Jerry lunged for me. I slammed my fist into his gut and then kicked him in the balls. “Are we done now?”
Breathing hard, Jerry crashed into the wall and cupped his cock with both hands. “You fucking—”
“Shut up and get a cab.” I stomped off to where Haven stood.
She smiled. “So much for not causing a ruckus. I’m sure Sheriff Bran didn’t notice you come back here.”
“Are you being funny?”
“A little.”
The crowd returned to where they’d been—bar or band. Chatter ensued, but the show had ended so the audience left.
“He hit her.” I gestured behind me. “But, I thought the drunk idiot might’ve hit you.”
“If he had, then you would’ve heard him screaming.”
I laughed. “Is that right, Agent Barron?”
“That’s correct.” She walked off to the end of the hallway, opened the gray door near the men’s bathroom, and strolled through.
I followed and glanced over my shoulder.
Unfortunately, Sheriff Bran stood at the end of the hallway and took a swallow of his beer.
That’s right. We’re checking out your alibi. Be a good boy. Sit down and drink your beer.
I would’ve rather the sheriff didn’t know. But since he did, I winked at him, turned around, and walked into the bar owner’s back room.
The door shut behind me.
Maddie sat at a desk in front of a large computer screen. She held a sheet of paper in her hand. I read the numbers written on it. They were all the dates that represented the days the Fullbrooke Six had been kidnapped. Haven must’ve written them down.
Maddie typed a set of numbers into a black box at the top of the screen. “This is the first date. Is there a particular time you want to check?”
“Does the sheriff usually come at a specific time?”
“He’s always here around six. I think he gets off at five.” Maddie grabbed her mouse. Several boxes of camera views showed up on the screen. “He drinks with his buddy around seven or so.”
“Deputies?” I asked.
“No. Sheriff Michaelson from Fullbrooke.”
Haven and I exchanged glances.
“Sheriff Michaelson comes here to eat too?” I asked.
“Yes.” With the mouse, Maddie pressed on one of the boxes of footage. It expanded. “Sheriff Michaelson comes on most Sundays.”
It appeared that on Sundays, Sheriff Michaelson was a very busy guy. Sean had told Haven that Sheriff Michaelson had gone by his house to tell the family about one of the girls missing. Perhaps, he was looking for Reverend Thompson. Now we discovered that the sheriff frequently met with this one in Colesville. It wasn’t odd for sheriffs of neighboring towns to be buddies. However, for this case, I would investigate all coincidences.
The computer screen played the video. Sheriff Bran and Sheriff Michaelson arrived at the bar. I checked the time on the screen. “Nine. Later than usual.”
I looked at Maddie. “What date is this?”
Maddie looked up. “Valentine’s day.”
Haven muttered, “Also Ash Wednesday.”
I turned back to Maddie. “So, Sheriff Michaelson comes by on other days besides Sundays?”
“I guess so.” Maddie shrugged.
“And on Valentine’s Day, he came later than usual?”
Maddie nodded.
“Was he here the whole time?” Haven asked.
Maddie pressed a button. The screen zipped through the sheriffs sitting at the bar, eating pork ribs, and chugging down beers. When they rose, Maddie stopped the footage and let it play.
I checked the time. “Ten o’clock. What time do you close?”
“When the last drunk leaves,” Maddie said. “That’s usually around midnight during the week.”
Haven shook her head. “Karen Brookes was taken from ballet class at six. I’m sure Sheriff Bran could account for early that day, but I’m wondering if he has an alibi between five and nine.”
I nodded. “Same as Sheriff Michaelson.”
Haven placed her hands on her hips. “They’ll probably be each other’s alibis.”
“They’ll need more than that to keep me off their trail.” I turned back to Maddie. “Could you check the other dates?”
Maddie’s voice shook. “Uh. . .sure.”
We spent the next twenty minutes going over each date. For all of those days, we found the same results. Sheriff Bran arrived two to three hours later. Michaelson met with him at the bar. After an hour, they left together.
I shook my head. “We’ll need the footage.”
“I’ll have to ask my father. If I just give it to you without talking to him, then he’ll kill me. Search warrant or not.”
I gestured to the phone at the desk. “Call him.”
Maddie got up and didn’t pick up that phone. Instead, she went into her pocket and took out her cell. She walked over to the other side of the room and placed it next to her ear.
Haven headed over to me. “What do you think?”
“I think both sheriffs have a lot of questions that they’ll need to answer.”
Haven shook her head. “But will they answer them?”
“Something is up with these two. I don’t know if they’re involved with the Fullbrooke Six, but they’re doing something.”
Maddie returned to us. “My father wants you to come to his house and show him your badges himself. Then, he will download the footage there.”
“Give us the address, please.” I pulled out my wallet, handed her money for dinner, and included a huge tip. “Thank you for your help.”
“Sure.” She took the money. “I just hope I’m not pissing anyone off.”
Maddie pulled out a sheet of paper, scribbled it down, and gave the paper to Haven.
We left the room, passed the bathroom, and entered the dining area.
Haven checked the bar. “Sheriff Bran is gone.”
“I’ll call Stein and Richards. They should be in Colesville.”
“Good point.”
We arrived at the door.
I opened it for her. “Once we get the footage, I’ll have Stein go over it again and confirm what we already know. Together we’ll figure out the next move.”
We headed outside to the car. Gravel crunched under our feet.
“This is promising.” Haven went to the passenger side. “But scary.”
I went to the driver’s side and unlocked the door. “Scary because it’s possible that two different town’s sheriffs may be involved in killing little girls?”
“Even worse. Two different town’s white sheriffs could be kidnapping and killing little black girls.”
Haven’s reminder was necessary. Still, I groaned, tired of the racism of these towns. Everything dealt with color here. We would have to tread carefully in this situation. These wicked men had held power for a long time, bringing terror to those without it. No matter how we came after them, if they were guilty, they would not go quietly.
Chapter 15
A Deadly Surprise
Haven
We turned down a dark street.
All the lamps were out. I scanned the area and spotted no one walking within the moonlight.
Alexander parked the car in front of a huge house. The place didn’t appear welcoming. The lawn was overgrown, thick and over a foot tall. Trees twisted around the rundown house. Ragged boards covered one of the windows on the second level.
Alexander eyed the property. “This is the address.”
“Yikes.” I leaned in close to
the window. “The bar must not be doing that well.”
“Or Maddie’s father is severely frugal.”
We left the car and headed that way.
The steps creaked beneath our feet.
Alexander knocked on the door. No one answered. We waited for what must’ve been a minute or two. Alexander knocked again. This time it was much louder. Still no response came.
Alexander slammed his fist against the wood, but no one arrived and opened the door. “Something’s not right. He was expecting us.”
“You think he’s hiding in his house and not answering?”
“In my experience, the outcome is usually worse.” Alexander took out his gun
Fuck.
I pulled out mine. “You think someone killed him?”
“Yes. And I hope I’m wrong. Perhaps, he just went out to grab something to eat, thinking we were arriving later.”
“Doubt that.”
“Me too.” He banged at the door again. “FBI, open up!”
Silence remained.
He shot the rusty knob and then kicked the ragged door open.
With our guns up, we walked inside.
It reeked of mold and the aroma of burnt popcorn.
Alexander remained in front.
The living room was on the right. The TV was on mute, showing a basketball game. Old boxes crowded the house. Piles of dust-covered books rose high to the ceiling. Newspapers coated most of the couch and all the chairs. I glanced at some of the newspapers. They were over ten years old.
Daddy is a serious hoarder.
I kept my voice low. “He was in here at least.”
“He was.” Alexander pointed at an open beer on the coffee table. “Let’s check the kitchen.”
My stomach twisted. I followed him, checking behind me every few steps. I’d never been this close to danger. This case was really going to test my nerves.
Alexander opened the kitchen door, stepped through, and then blocked my way. “Wait.”
“What?”
“He’s here.”
“He is?” I tried to peek over him.
“Yes. . .and he’s dead.”
I let out a long breath. “You might as well let me in. We’ll both have to know every detail.”
Missing Hearts Page 14
