Unlocking Lies

by Kennedy Layne

  “I never had any doubt,” Jace said with a wink, letting go of her hand so that he could exit his vehicle. Shae found herself mesmerized by the sight of the firearm he was carrying, holstered to the belt around his waist. Maybe it was time she got some practice in herself. She picked up her purse and had the strap over her shoulder by the time he’d made it around her side to open her door. The chivalrous gesture brought a smile to her lips. “Don’t forget your tea.”

  Shae reached back into the Range Rover for the to-go cup he’d made her while she’d finished dressing. He was spoiling her, and that technically wasn’t a good thing. She was used to fending for herself, and she would eventually have to return to her life in Lansing.

  “Let’s do this,” Shae said, straightening her shoulders and leading the way to the station’s entrance. His hand reached for the handle before she could, opening the door and allowing the smell of stale coffee and leather to wash over her. At least, she hoped the latter scent was leather. “Jace? Who is that?”

  A woman with auburn hair was in a heated argument with Detective Kendrick, though Shae couldn’t hear their exchange. They were on the far side of the large common area that hadn’t been renovated in the twelve years she’d been gone. Four old desks were positioned in twos on either side of the room, with a long table in the back that housed a coffee machine, an outdated fax machine, and what looked to be one of the oldest copiers she’d ever seen. She suspected that it only printed in black and white.

  “That’s Charlene Winston,” Jace muttered, his gaze sweeping the immediate area with disbelief. He eventually focused on the angry woman, who Brynn had described in detail, heading their way. “She’s a reporter for one of the local stations. Noah and Lance told me that Brynn all but threw her out of the Cavern one night. Wait. Maybe it was Tiny who had that pleasure. I’m not sure, but I do know she tried connecting the murders to us.”

  By us, Shae assumed he meant the Kendall clan. Charlene Winston didn’t even bother to look in their direction as she brushed past them, only to stop short when she realized exactly who had entered the station.

  “Shae Irwin?” Charlene pasted a smile on her red lips that resembled the color of blood. “My name is—”

  “Not here, Charlene. Please leave.” Detective Kendrick had been following close behind, most likely figuring out that the reporter would recognize Emma Irwin’s sister. “You’ll have to circle around another time.”

  The reference to a vulture wasn’t lost on Charlene, who all but bared her teeth to the detective. Shae could see that the woman loved her job, but there was a sadness in her eyes that was unmistakable.

  “I’ll do that, Detective.” Charlene was well-prepared, reaching into an outside pocket of her purse and pulling out a business card. She flicked it with her manicured nails, holding the small identification just right so that Shae could take possession of it. “I’d love to sit down with you, Ms. Irwin. I believe our conversation could benefit us both.”

  Charlene left behind a trail of perfume, just enough to take away the pungent odor of stale coffee. Shae was enough of a shoe connoisseur to recognize the brand name. The woman did have good taste in heels.

  “Ms. Irwin, I’m sorry about that reporter,” Detective Kendrick said on behalf of the department, his eyes lingering on the door longer than necessary. He was holding a mug in his hand that looked older than the detective himself. Shae barely suppressed a shiver of disgust at the stains on the outside of the porcelain. How could he drink out of that pool of bacteria? “The media somehow picked up on what happened to you the other day. I’m fairly certain it will hit the papers tomorrow, but the story will most likely be run on the nightly news tonight.”

  Shae winced at the knowledge that she would now have to make that dreaded call to her parents. It was one she wanted to avoid, but it appeared Charlene Winston took that choice out of her hands.

  “Does she also know why you called me into the station today?” Shae asked, her gaze landing on Mitch. He was standing in the doorway of his office and observing them from afar. She tried not to shift her stance, but something in his expression made her believe he saw what was truly going on between her and his brother.

  “No, and I’d like to keep it that way, if you don’t mind.” Detective Kendrick motioned that she should walk ahead of him toward Mitch’s office. It wasn’t like she had a choice. “It’s best if we exercise some control over the media, at this point.”

  “I would agree with that.” Jace lifted a hand toward Patty, who was coming out of the small bathroom in the corner. She gave a small cry of joy as she made her way over, even going so far as to cut off Shae’s destination. “Patty, it’s been a long time. It’s good to see you.”

  “Just look at you,” Patty exclaimed, pulling back from the brief hug so that she could rest her hands on either side of his face. “Handsome as ever. Your mama would be so proud of you boys.”

  Shae forgot that Patty and Mary Kendall had been friends.

  “It’s your job now to watch out for Mitch,” Jace warned with a smile. “You make sure those teenagers raising ruckus up at the lake don’t get the best of him.”

  “Oh, trust me,” Patty said with a couple pats to his cheeks. “It isn’t the teens that Mitch is going to have to watch out for. It’s Rose and what she’s going to do to them if she catches them inside those cottages again.”

  She hadn’t wanted Patty’s attention to divert away from Jace, but it wasn’t like Shae could become invisible. She gave the older woman a smile of recognition. The embrace was unavoidable.

  “Shae Irwin, I don’t believe my eyes. You’ve grown into such a beautiful thing, haven’t you?” Patty didn’t blink twice when Mitch cleared his throat, letting everyone know that the pleasantries were over. “Can I get either one of you a coffee, soda, or water? Mitch has promised me a small kitchen in the near future, but we do have those three beverage choices available.”

  “I’m relatively sure I didn’t use the term near.” Mitch shook his head, but it was more than apparent he was fond of Patty and vice versa. He ran his fingers through his hair in frustration. “I have a feeling I’ll end up doing more renovations to this place than my own home. We should start with a shovel.”

  “When do I get an invite?” Jace asked, resting his hand on his brother’s shoulder good-naturedly. “It was quite a surprise, huh?”

  “Mom always did manage to throw a bombshell or two our way. Looks like she got one in on us, now doesn’t it?”

  “Someone said something to me the other day that has me believing Dad was right there along for the ride,” Jace replied, casting a sideways glance toward Shae.

  She held up her tea while Jace declined Patty’s offer of coffee. Who could blame him after seeing the stained mug Detective Kendrick was using to drink from? It wasn’t long before they were all crowded in Mitch’s new office. Shae took a seat in one of the two guest chairs, while Jace joined her in the other. Mitch walked around his desk and picked up a pen before allowing Detective Kendrick the floor.

  Shae easily read the caution in the detective’s stance, almost as if he were preparing for her to react poorly to his upcoming question. She curtailed her need to reach for Jace and seek his support. The heat of Mitch’s gaze told her that he was still studying her for some type of reaction, and the last thing she needed was an inquiry about her personal life.

  “Ms. Irwin, I’ve been very upfront with you regarding my presence in Blyth Lake. I was called in to take over Sophia Morton’s murder when her body was discovered inside Noah Kendall’s house.” Detective Kendrick took a drink out of the mug Shae wanted to rip out of his grip. It was easier to focus on that than the fact that he was prolonging the reason of her visit. “I have no doubt that the subsequent disappearance and murder of Whitney Bell is connected to my initial investigation.”

  “Are you saying that you don’t believe Emma’s case is related?” Shae asked in disbelief. “The boots my sister borrowed the night she—”<
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  “I’m not saying anything of the kind,” Detective Kendrick reassured her, leaning back against a wall that looked no better than the mug he was holding in his hand. Sheriff Percy must have been a prevalent smoker. “Sophia and Whitney both had stated numerous times that they wanted to run away from home. Sophia’s father was rather strict and she made it known that she’d rather run away to California to become an actress than stay under his roof. As for Whitney, I’m sure I don’t have to tell you about her home life.”

  Whitney was the daughter of the town drunk. She’d lost her mom when she was young, and Jeremy was left to raise a young girl with an independent streak a mile wide. Jeremy wasn’t a bad man, but his lack of guidance had allowed Whitney to spiral out of control. She’d often talked about moving to a big city and becoming famous.

  “Emma had no desire to become an actress or to be famous,” Shae responded desolately, finally setting her purse on the floor. She held on to her tea as if it could save her from this conversation. “What about the other missing girls? Do you think that man you’re looking for is posing as some sort of Hollywood agent or something?”

  “No, not at all.” Detective Kendrick shared a look with Mitch, indicating that this discussion was about to take a turn. “Ms. Irwin, there’s one common denominator between the victims—and that was their desire to run away from home.”

  CHAPTER NINETEEN

  Jace resisted the urge to rest a hand on Shae’s knee to show his support. She’d been very clear that she didn’t want their budding relationship broadcasted to anyone outside of themselves, and he understood the reason why. That didn’t make it any less easy on him to watch the color drain from her face.

  “I take it you’ve spoken with Brynn or Julie?” Jace didn’t wait for Kendrick to answer that question. Instead, he focused on his brother. “Mitch, what about Stanton? He was with Emma that night.”

  “Detective Kendrick spent the morning speaking with all of Emma’s friends, even the ones who moved out of town.” Mitch began twirling the pen in his hand, something he used to do when studying for a test. “They couldn’t remember a time when Emma said she was unhappy with her home life. We fully believe that Emma was taken by the same man who killed Sophia and Whitney, as well as abducted the other victims, but it would benefit us to know we’re on the right track.”

  “She—” Shae cleared her throat when it was obvious she was still adjusting to this new development. “Emma was very close to our grandmother. She had suffered from multiple mini-strokes and was having a hard time caring for herself. My father wanted her to move into assisted living, but she refused and wanted to stay in her own home. I remember Emma giving my father the silent treatment for a few weeks, but the decision was never made because my grandmother passed away in her sleep shortly after Emma disappeared.”

  “Ms. Mercer mentioned that as well,” Kendrick pondered, but Jace wasn’t sure that was the confirmation the detective wanted from this meeting. “Do you recall your sister ever saying she would run away from home if your father followed through with moving his mother into an assisted living home?”

  “Emma spent most of that month at my grandmother’s house.” Shae sat forward on the edge of her chair, curling both hands around the tea Jace had made her that morning. He doubted it was giving her the warmth she was seeking from its contents. “It was the same summer she attended camp, though.”

  “Which brings us right back to square one,” Mitch said with frustration and right as Kendrick received a phone call. “Go ahead and take that. I’ll finish up here and then meet you out front. We should take a drive back up to the lake and speak with Rose Phifer.”

  “I want to speak with Raymond Dixon, too. You got time?” Detective Kendrick didn’t wait for Mitch to answer. He already had his phone against his ear, with his coffee in another. “What have you got for me, Kenny?”

  Kendrick left the office, leaving Shae to pounce on Mitch regarding the detective’s request.

  “Raymond?” Shae inquired, her interest snagged by the name of Birdie and Stanley’s son. The couple used to own the property around the lake and were the ones who hosted all the summer camps. “I’m supposed to meet with him later today.”

  “I’m sorry, what did you say?” Jace didn’t recall Shae saying she was meeting with anyone today. Hadn’t they gone over her safety and that she couldn’t just run around town as if she wasn’t a target herself? “You didn’t mention that on the way into town.”

  “I didn’t want you to rearrange your schedule.” Shae shot him a warning look, but she didn’t seem to realize that her safety took precedence. “You said that you were meeting with your dad and Lance to go over the pieces of furniture you’d like them to make for the house. Raymond is meeting me at the diner for lunch. You can pick me up on your way back through town.”

  There wasn’t a chance in hell Jace was leaving Shae in town with no transportation. Hell, he wouldn’t allow her to be by herself regardless. They’d had this conversation, but she’d apparently forgotten.

  “And what if Raymond Dixon is the one who abducted Emma? What if he is the one who killed Sophia and Whitney? Do you think Kendrick’s man, who is currently sitting outside in his car and will be doing the same when you’re having lunch, is going to have enough split-second reaction time needed should Dixon decide to—”

  “What?” Shae asked somewhat abruptly, her attention completely on him. Good. He needed her to see reason. “Abduct me? Kill me in front of everyone while they eat lunch? Splatter blood all over the walls? I’m not irresponsible, Jace. I know how to take precautions.”

  “Jace, go ahead and drive out to Dad’s place.” Mitch pointed to the door with his pen. “Kendrick and I will join Shae for her meeting with Dixon. I’ll make sure to call you when we’re done.”

  “That’s not a good idea,” Shae argued with a shake of her head. “We all know how skittish Raymond can be, and he might not talk if he thinks the police believe he might have something to do with all this.”

  What the hell did Shae think she was doing?

  “Mitch, could I have a moment alone with Shae?” Jace didn’t even bother to look his brother’s way. There was no hiding the fact that things had turned personal between him and Shae, and there were far more pressing issues at hand. “Please?”

  Mitch silently rolled back his desk chair, tossing the pen on a mountain of files. He didn’t say a word as he quietly walked out of his office.

  “We had sex, Jace.” Shae stood and set her tea on the corner of the desk, the only clear space on the surface. He didn’t miss the trembling in her fingers, but that was most likely due to her rising anger. Well, she could join the club. “We didn’t get married, as far as I recall.”

  “That’s not fair,” Jace shot back. He had purposefully not brought up last night for this very reason. “What happened between us has nothing to do with me looking out for your safety. I don’t give a damn if you need to label my willingness to help you as just an old friendship and pretend we never made love, but you simply can’t go around taunting a serial killer into coming after you.”

  “You know I came back home to find out what happened to Emma. Becoming briefly involved with you doesn’t change that fact. I’m going to do everything I can to remember details that could help Detective Kendrick, as well as speak with our old friends and neighbors in hopes to jog their memory.” Shae took a deep breath, but she wasn’t nearly done with her long-winded reply. “Someone knows something, Jace. Maybe your uncle, who saw Emma that night. Maybe Billy Stanton, who danced with my sister at the bonfire. I honestly don’t know, but I didn’t take a month’s leave from the hospital to play tourist in a town I know like the back of my hand.”

  There were many things Shae mentioned that Jace wanted to address, but her timetable was like a punch to the gut. A month? She’d already used up close to a week. He recalled Brynn saying that Shae was taking an indefinite amount of time from her job, so he never took into consider
ation that his days with her were quite so restricted.

  “I get that you’re on a timetable, but I’d like to send you home to your parents in one piece,” Jace said softly, not needing to add to his statement. Shae received his message loud and clear from the way she wrapped her arms around her waist. “Doc, is it so hard to believe that I’m looking out for your wellbeing?”

  Shae sighed in exhaustion, reminding him that her fatigue wasn’t only due to stress. He should have let her get some sleep last night.

  “Come here,” Jace urged, knowing full well Mitch had closed the door behind him when he vacated the office. Shae stepped into his arms without hesitation. He pressed his lips to her head, wishing he could make her stress disappear. “You’ll have answers before you leave town. Kendrick is doing his best, but Mitch knows this town inside and out.”

  “You act like he hasn’t been gone for the last sixteen years,” Shae whispered in doubt, her cheek nestled against the fabric of his shirt. “Mitch wasn’t even here when Emma went missing, so he’s somewhat at a disadvantage.”

  “And so are you.” Jace hated to remind Shae of that small detail, but the past didn’t erase the truth. “You entered college that year, Shae. You only visited home on the weekends. Emma was living her own life.”

  “Someone knows something, Jace.”

  “Yes, they do.” Jace shifted her so that he could gauge her reaction to the follow up of his argument. “And the son of a bitch knows you’re here to find answers. He’s playing with you, because for some reason he feels safe in doing so. That alone should be all the warning you need to play it safe as well. I’m here for you, Doc. Use me. Let me help.”

  “You wait until we’re in the middle of a police station to say that to me?” Shae said somewhat lightheartedly. He recognized her need to diffuse the tension that had filled the room, but he wasn’t going to let her off that easy. “Go visit your dad and Lance. I’ll wait for Mitch and Detective Kendrick to join me before walking over to the diner. I have to call my parents anyway, before they hear from someone else that…”