“You had that video all this time and you never gave it to the police? Never thought about contributing it anonymously?” Zeke questioned coldly.
“I couldn’t! Zeke, I did want to go to the police, and Angie knew it, too. That night, she must have been able to see my panic. She wasn’t stupid and she knew I felt guilty about leaving Honor there with those animals. When we got back to my apartment, I told her, point blank, that I was calling you and going to the cops. I knew Honor didn’t deserve what was happening to her and I DID want to help! She was furious with me, Zeke,” she recalled, staring into space. “She screamed at me that I was weak and pathetic… that she was doing us both a favor by taking care of Honor. Then, she started with the threats. She reminded me that all five of those men had seen my face, and that if I knew what was good for me, I’d keep my mouth shut and play the shocked, but supportive girlfriend when Honor’s body was found. She warned me that if I breathed a single word about what I’d seen or done out there, that I’d be those animals’ next victim. She said she knew ‘em all and she wasn’t afraid to ask for another favor. She said they’d do it, too, if it meant keeping me quiet. I could tell, she meant it, Zeke. I could see it in her eyes. She meant every word. I was scared for my life, Zeke. I wanted to help, but I wanted to live more. I know it was wrong. I should have taken the risk, but I was young and stupid back then. I made a horrible choice and it nearly cost an innocent girl her life. I’m sorry,” she choked as her cries became sobs. “You’ve got to believe me. I’m sorry!”
“What happened to the phone, Sherry?” Zeke asked, unsympathetic to her misery. If not for her cowardice, Honor’s attackers might have been found long ago.
“Angie took it with her when she left my apartment. She said that if I didn’t have any evidence to hand over, it would be less of a temptation to run my mouth.” Wiping the tears away from her face, Sherry took a deep breath. “I still wanted to say something two days later when y’all found her. You came over to my place that night, Zeke.”
Zeke nodded slowly as he had a faint memory of that day. “You called me and said you had something important to tell me.”
“Yes!” Sherry nodded avidly. “I was going to tell you then about Angie and the video, but I got a phone call, remember?”
“Vaguely,” Zeke admitted with a frown.
“I don’t know who it was, Zeke. It was a man, but it wasn’t Tanner. He didn’t have an accent. But he knew who I was and where I’d been the previous night. He also knew my address and the address of my parents. The caller told me that if I said a word to anyone about what I’d witnessed, he’d not only slit my throat, but my parents’, too. I was freaked so I kept my mouth shut and gave you some spiel about how Honor’s ordeal had shown me that we had to value every second together.”
“I remember,” Zeke muttered stiffly, hating himself for the fact that he’d allowed Sherry to distract him from his misery with sex.
“That was about the time I started to feel you really slipping away from me,” Sherry noted softly. “After that… we were never the same. I had my guilt hanging over me and you started becoming even closer to the McKinnon family than you already were. My friendship with Angie fell apart, Patience ended up telling Abel about another one of Angela’s many trysts and she left town. We broke up, and then, eventually, I started trying to forgive myself and move on with my life. I met Dan, we got married, and I had Toby. And things were good until…”
Zeke’s brows drew together as Sherry paused. “Until what, Sherry?”
“She came back,” Sherry spat, her face morphing into an expression of disgust and anger. “She came back and stirred everything up. They killed her, you know,” she whispered, looking at Zeke and nodding. “I know they did.”
“Sherry, slow down. I’m lost,” Zeke murmured, holding up a hand. “Things were good until who came back?”
“Angela Hastings, Zeke. It had to be her that stirred it all back up because for years I’d not heard a word from that man that called and threatened me, but three weeks after Hurricane Angie made landfall in Paradise, my phone rang again. And this time, that man on the other end of the line didn’t threaten me and my parents if I talked about what I’d seen eight years ago, Zeke. He said he’d make what he did to Honor look like child’s play with MY CHILD! That bastard threatened to hurt my baby!” she screamed, slapping her hands against the table as tears poured down her face. “Oh, God! What if he’s watching me now? What if he knows I’m here! Toby could be in danger right this second!”
“Sherry, take a deep breath and calm down. We’re not going to let anything happen to your son,” Zeke replied calmly, turning in his seat to signal through the two way glass for his deputy to meet him in the hallway. “Wait here,” he directed Sherry sternly. “I’m going to assign a deputy to watch your son.”
“Wait. That’ll scare Toby,” Sherry worried out loud. “I’ll need to explain…talk to Dan…”
“I’ll have my man observing from a distance and only intervene if there’s imminent danger,” Zeke assured her as he moved to the door. Stepping into the hallway, he met Deputy Hightower’s concerned gaze.
“I know nobody was watching me at her house, Sheriff, but I can’t say nobody saw her walk into our station when we arrived,” Jeb stated uneasily. “She could be right. The perp could possibly know she’s here and she’s talking. I’ve already called the school and had the principal personally check on the child. She confirmed that the kid’s still in class and will be kept there until one of our deputies calls her.”
“Get Deputy Shannon on her kid. Surveillance only unless there’s imminent danger,” Zeke ordered quietly. “Get her husband, Dan, in here, too. He’s got nothing to do with this, but he’s still gonna need to be apprised of the threat to his son.”
“Yes, sir. I’ll get those balls in the air for us,” Deputy Hightower agreed readily.
“How’s Honor holding up?” Zeke asked before the other man could walk away.
“She’s one strong lady,” Jeb praised with a proud grin. “The worry about this chick’s kid has given her a fright, but I’ll let her know we’re handling it.”
“Thanks, man. I’m going back in,” Zeke said before heading back into the interrogation room. Immediately met with Sherry’s apprehensive eyes, Zeke moved back to his seat. “Toby is fine. In class and happily clueless of anything unusual happening. My deputy is moving into position to watch over him. I’ve also arranged to have your husband contacted at work to come into the station. He needs to be advised of the potential threat.”
Hanging her head, Sherry sniffled. “Dan doesn’t know anything about any of this. He’s never going to forgive me, Zeke.”
“That is not my problem, Sherry,” Zeke returned pitilessly. “My only concern right now is making sure another innocent child is kept safe and finding the remaining men responsible for the crimes committed against Honor. Now, what did you do after the phone call from this guy?”
Staring at Zeke, Shelly reached for another tissue. “I got my purse, got in my car and drove to the only decent hotel in Paradise. I knew it had to be where Angie was staying. I went in, bribed the kid behind the desk for her room number and went to confront her. She was so surprised to see me when she opened the door. I think I was the last person on Earth she expected, but she still invited me inside. I could tell she was nervous and jumpy because she grabbed my arm and jerked me inside her hotel room. I got right to the point with her though. I told her about the phone call I’d received. I told her about the threat that bastard had made about Toby. I told her I’d do whatever I had to do to protect my child. Then, I told her I was going to the police with or without evidence and I was going to tell them everything. And then, something I never expected happened.”
“What?”
“She agreed with me, Zeke. See, when she’d gotten back to town, she got a phone call, too, and that man had promised her a fitting retribution if she so much as opened her mouth. Abel had already asked he
r for help getting the case reopened and word about that had gotten back to this guy’s ears. The caller went on to say that he had a copy of that video, too, and that the first person he’d forward it to was Abel. She said that was impossible since she’d still had that original old phone and the only person that she’d sent pics of the video had been Tanner, but the guy just texted her an incriminating clip of her on the vid to prove he was on the level. It freaked Angie something awful and she said when she checked her bag for the phone, it was gone.”
“Why the hell did Angie carry around something so incriminating?”
Sherry shrugged, her eyes avoiding his. “Who knows? Angie was as warped as they come, Zeke. She liked to keep “mementos” to let people know that she had power over them. That was, until the phone went missing.”
“So whoever was blackmailing her stole it?”
“We assumed so. Anyway, the man pointed out that we were both accessories to the crimes committed against Honor and that we’d be in considerable trouble, too. Of course, Angie had to go and make a stand, showing what a great fuckin’ lawyer she was and argue with him. Which she said pissed him off even more. At any rate, before it was finished, this guy had informed Angie that it was real hard to talk with a bullet in her brain. Since that’s how she died, I don’t think it takes a huge stretch of imagination to know who killed her. At any rate, Angie and I made a plan to meet the next morning right here at the station. She never made it here, though,” Sherry whispered. “He got to her later that night.”
“Angie never gave you the name of the man threatening you? Never accidently dropped a clue about his identity or location? Think, Sherry. This could be what saves your son.”
Sherry pressed the heel of her hand to her head and shook it from side to side. “She said it was safer if I didn’t know who the two remaining men were that were a part of what went down in the woods that night. She insisted that if something happened, he’d be less likely to kill me if I wasn’t aware of his identity. But she said the guy had both power and money, Zeke. She said it wouldn’t be hard for him to make somebody disappear. And it wasn’t! Look how Angie ended up! Now, do you see why I couldn’t say anything… why I had to keep my mouth shut? People were at risk! I was protecting my family.”
“And yourself,” Zeke said flatly. “Don’t forget that, Sherry.”
Biting her lip, she looked up at the ceiling. “I can’t go to prison, Zeke.”
“That’s not up to me, Sherry. That’s gonna be a judge’s call. I’m charging you with obstruction of justice and conspiracy to commit a crime. I’ll let both the county attorney and the court know that you cooperated with my investigation. It’s possible you could come out of this with no more than community service, but I really have no way of knowing for sure.”
Nodding, the woman in front of him hunched in defeat. “Can I at least see Dan when he arrives and explain what’s happening? Like I said, he knows nothing about my part in what happened to Honor all those years ago. He didn’t even live here then. I want him to hear it from me.”
Zeke slowly nodded. He certainly didn’t want to be the one that had to tell the man his wife was a complete and utter cunt that could leave a helpless 16 year old in the situation where she’d left Honor. “The deputies will start the booking process after you see him.” Reaching for the phone, he pushed it toward her. “I’d call that attorney now, Sherry. You’re going to need a real good one.”
Chapter Thirty-One
Friday, September, 5, 2016 – Dr. Bree Daniels Office
11:00 am
Honor
Watching from the corner of her eye as her big brooding sheriff navigated the early lunchtime traffic of Paradise County, Honor wanted to scream in frustration. She understood why he was upset. The county attorney had called him earlier this morning to let him know the judge (who’d had a longstanding friendship with Sherry’s banker husband) had ruled on Sherry’s case, and despite Zeke and the county attorney’s recommendation, the judge had opted to slap Sherry on the wrist and mandate community service for her part in what had happened eight years ago. To say Zeke had taken the news badly was an understatement, but that was small town politics at its best for you. Honor understood his anger and disappointment; she felt some of it herself. But mostly, she just wanted them to move past it.
She knew that was going to be difficult for Zeke, too, since their past seemed to have a very firm hold on their future. Every night for the past several weeks, Zeke, Jake, Abel, and Diego had spent pouring over records from Paradise’s and the surrounding counties’ Offices of Vehicle Registration, desperately trying to locate a trace of the vehicle that Sherry had mentioned during her questioning. It was time consuming and monotonous work and so far – much to all the men’s disappointment - they’d all come up empty. The lack of solid leads was wearing on them all.
Especially since the threats just kept coming. The notes. The pictures. The phone calls. The man stalking her was a rabid animal, and she was his prey. If not for Zeke, she’d have fallen apart long before now. Her man, however, was her rock. When she felt weak, he was her strength. When she was afraid, he became her shield. And when, inevitably, the anger took hold of her, he was her comfort. Because of him, she had the courage to face each new morning.
Right now, though, it was her own personal sexy sheriff that needed to be consoled. Reaching toward him, she circled his wrist with her hand, tugging it toward her. “Honey, don’t dwell. It’s over. It’s done.”
“It’s wrong, Honor. This whole morning was just wrong. Except for the part where I woke up with you in my arms this morning. That part was very, very right. And the early morning make out session in the kitchen. Forget about Folgers in my cup being the best part of waking up. I’d much rather have your mouth. You’ve got a much better flavor than coffee. Just the right kind of jolt to get me going for the day.”
“As happy as I am to hear that my kisses could rival the caffeinated high of your morning coffee, I’m more worried about how you took the news that Sherry was being released later this afternoon.”
Zeke’s face hardened. “It’s bullshit, Honor.”
“Maybe, but you’re really going to have to find a way to let this go, Zeke,” Honor chided as the handsome man sitting in the seat beside her flipped on his turn signal and steered the SUV they were riding inside into the small paved parking lot. “Maybe we should mention that you’re having some trouble coming to terms with Sherry’s sentence to Bree. She could help you sort out your feelings,” she suggested mildly.
“First off, I know how I feel. I’m pissed. Pissed and frustrated. Second, Sherry didn’t get served a sentence. Not even close. What she received was a slap on the wrist and it’s fucking unacceptable,” he growled, angrily shifting the gear shift into park and killing the engine in a few furious movements of his wrist. “Honest to God, community service? She conspired to hide a crime for EIGHT DAMNED years. I thought she’d get at least a year, but she walked out with time served and community service. How is that justifiable on any level? At this point, I feel like I’m just locking up criminals for the court to turn ‘em loose.”
“The court has ruled, Zeke. Let’s let it go and move past it,” Honor begged. She wasn’t any happier than he was, but she refused to give the people that had hurt her any more power or influence over how she lived her days. “We’ve got a wedding to finish planning, remember? Starting with this joint counseling session,” she reminded him as she pointed toward Bree’s office building. “Then, Maggie’s going to meet me in the reception area to go with me for one of my last wedding dress fittings and you need to call somebody to come and shadow us since you can’t be there.”
“Why can’t I take you? After the news we got about Sherry this morning, I was hoping we could spend the day together. I got Carline to clear my schedule and everything,” Zeke complained, crossing his arms over his chest in a way that clearly let Honor know he intended to settle in for a good pout about his lot in life if sh
e didn’t find a way to compromise with him.
“Zeke, there’s no way I’m gonna let you see me in my dress before our wedding day. It’s bad luck! And in case you missed it, we seem to be a magnet for THAT. Let’s not give the universe any more ammunition to use against us, okay?”
“Have I mentioned how much I hate it when you use logic to win an argument?” he grumbled, staring out the window. “Fine,” he conceded after a second. “I’ll call Deputy Hightower to meet us after this appointment and you and Maggie can take him with you, but I reserve the right to choose this afternoon’s activity.”
“But I needed to see the florist about…” Seeing Zeke’s face darkening, Honor sighed. She supposed she could just call the florist. She didn’t actually need to see the tulips that she needed to order for Matron of Honor bouquet. “Okay, you win, and because I’m generous, you can choose what we do this afternoon.”
Zeke smiled. “Good, because I know where this deserted little fishing hole is located, and I think it’d be perfect for a little outdoor adventuring.”
Honor felt her cheeks warm as her breathing accelerated and her heartbeat fluttered in her chest. “We couldn’t,” she whispered, her blue eyes dilating as they stared at him. So far, she’d loved her adventures with Zeke. He’d slowly begun introducing her to the riskier side of romance over the last month and she’d loved every moment of it. With one steamy interlude in his office, he’d proven that their intimacy could extend well beyond the bedroom, and once he’d cajoled her out of her initial hesitance, she’d loved every minute of their racier escapades.
“Oh, we can. What was it that lady in that movie you conned me into watching said? They did things that frightened the fish?” he teased her with twinkling eyes.
“That was a fictional character,” she hissed, smacking his arm as she giggled. “I’m not sure how I feel about communing with nature.”
“Give me a soft blanket, an open mind and thirty uninterrupted minutes of your time and I’ll make sure to change your mind. I promise you that,” Zeke countered, leaning over the armrest and planting a soft kiss against her lips. “Now, come on, sweetheart. We’re gonna be late for our appointment.”
Man of Honor (Passion in Paradise Book 4) Page 52
