“You know it’s scary how well you know me. Like stalker scary.” She was trying to sound disdainful but couldn’t keep the smile out of her voice. Why couldn’t she do this? Did she have any valid reason not to?
“Dad still owns his old house in Fenton. He usually rents it out, but it needs some work, so there’s no one there now.” The wheels were starting to turn as she considered the possibilities of what she could accomplish. “I wouldn’t have any authority out there.”
“You don’t need authority, it’s not like you’re going to be making arrests, right? The cops aren’t going to bother another cop. You’ll just be looking around and doing research, the same as a reporter would.” He knew he was winning the argument, and he was getting smug about it.
“Ugh! Do not compare me to a reporter! I’m searching for truth, not sensational headlines.” More than once Devin had butted heads with reporters who’d compromised her investigation because they didn’t want to be out-scooped. “But you’re probably right. The sheriff’s department might grant me some leeway as a professional courtesy.”
“So you’re gonna do it?”
Was she? Would this bring her peace or pain? Devin looked over at the picture on her end table. It was of her and Carter with his mother when they graduated from VCU. The Dushanes had been the only family she had there that day. Her mother had been dead for almost eight years by then, and Mickey, her pseudo father figure, had been in Virginia Beach bailing Tucker out of jail. At sixteen he thought it would be fun to steal a car and cruise down to the beach with his buddies. Who knew where her father had been at the time; he often disappeared for months when he was drunk. As she stared at everything the picture was missing her resolve became ironclad.
“Yeah, I’m gonna do it.”
Could this be her chance to turn around three decades of family tragedy?
Chapter 4
May 16, 1964
Laney Bennett and her cousin Beth were driving out a country road with the windows down, singing along to the Beatles as their hair blew in the wind. Even though it was Beth’s car, she was too timid to drive on such a windy road in the dark, but Laney had no fear. The two cousins were the best of friends, but were contradictions in just about every way imaginable.
Beth was a faded version of her boisterous cousin. Laney’s silken hair was so dark it was nearly black, and her deep velvet brown eyes had been known to make grown men dissolve into stutters. It wasn’t just Laney’s looks that drew everyone to her; she was truly alive with a vibrancy and charisma that glowed around her like a living thing. In contrast, Beth had light brown hair and hazel eyes and was so reserved that she would have completely faded into Laney’s shadow had she not pulled Beth into the light with her. Laney didn’t look down on anyone; she didn’t know how. Everyone was her friend, which is why she had been crowned the prom queen just a week earlier. Teachers and parents loved her, because she was at the top of her class, polite, and well spoken. Her friends loved her because she was fun, fearless, and had a wild streak that kept things interesting.
As the song ended Laney glanced over at Beth. “Ready to document a night of rockin’ and rollin’ at the Summit?” Beth’s parents had given her a new camera for her birthday, and she was adjusting knobs and dials on it as they drove. She grinned up at Laney. “Absolutely! I’ll catch all our friends on film before we split up after graduation.”
Laney rolled her eyes. “Beth, its Fenton. We’re not exactly going to lose track of each other.”
“You never know. People are going to be going off to college, getting married or who knows what else. Things will be different, and I want to hold on to the memory of us right now. Who knows, this time next year, you could be married and getting ready to have Michael Jr.” Beth snickered at Laney’s blank expression.
“Let’s not get ahead of ourselves. You know how practical Michael is. He won’t want to be burdened with a wife while he’s in college.” Beth thought she heard a wishful note in Laney’s voice.
Michael Leary was not Laney’s typical boyfriend. She liked bad boys and fast cars. Michael was clean-cut and serious. He was going to be the valedictorian of their class and was set on going to Virginia Tech for an engineering degree. He had no social skills, and before dating Laney, most of the senior class had never spoken to him. Michael’s wheat-colored hair was never out place, his clothes were always crisply pressed, and his black-framed glasses hid his ghostly grey eyes. But he truly cared for Laney. He quoted her Shakespeare, picked wild flowers, and had actual intelligent conversations with her. In fact he hung on every word she spoke. They were completely wrapped up in each other, and for Laney it was a breath of fresh air.
“It’s too bad he couldn’t come out with you tonight. What was he doing again?”
“He’s working on a physics project in the shop at school. He says it has to be perfect by Monday if he wants to ‘maintain his academic reputation’ and win the physics scholarship.” Laney was copying the serious tone and expression Michael always used when he spoke about his studies, which caused Beth to break into a fit of laughter that Laney joined in on.
“I don’t mind that he couldn’t come. He’s planned a picnic for just the two of us tomorrow afternoon to make it up to me.”
“That is sooo romantic! Laney, you are so lucky to have him! What a step up from Dean.”
“I know. He makes Dean look like an even bigger loser.”
Dean Delluca was Laney’s last boyfriend. He cared more about fast engines and tight skirts than an education or planning for the future. Laney had fallen hard for him, but her heart had been shattered when his ex-girlfriend, Angela Pence, turned up pregnant with his baby while they were dating. Dean swore that he hadn’t cheated on Laney and that the baby had been conceived when the two of them had broken up temporarily in the fall. Devastated when he told her, Laney had run into the house in tears and refused to come back out. Only when her neighbor, Henry Maddox, had broken Dean’s nose and cracked two of his ribs did she come back out to help her brother Bobby pull Henry off. Henry and Dean worked together, and Henry had given him fair warning that he would kill any man that ever hurt the sweetest girl in the neighborhood.
Laney flew around the curve and caught another gear. They were within a mile of the entrance to the Summit. Beth just shook her head when she glanced at the speedometer. She should be used to Laney’s driving by now. What was the saying, “Drive it like you stole it”? Beth nearly laughed out loud at how aptly that fit Laney. Last summer, before Beth had her car, they hadn’t been able to get a ride out to the Summit for the summer kick-off party. Laney had been furious with her brother, because he’d refused to give them a ride because he and his buddies were watching a baseball game on television. So Laney had stolen his car. With the help of their friends Charlotte and Ruth, the girls put his car in neutral and pushed it out of the driveway, jumping in it as they hit the street. There were benefits to hanging out in your brother’s garage, and Laney was a fast study on the art of hotwiring.
By the time Bobby hit the porch, they were down the street and around the corner. He had to call a friend to pick them up to follow the girls out to the Summit. Bobby arrived just in time to see his baby sister drag racing Frank Coleman down the flats on the south side of the lake. Frank had baited her into it by razzing her about that being way too much car for such a little chick. He hadn’t looked like he minded losing to her too much when Laney kissed his cheek afterwards and promised him a dance.
Bobby hadn’t been able to stay mad at her either; he got bragging rights that his car was so fast it could win races even with his little sister behind the wheel. Henry had been egging her on the whole way, since he was the one that taught her to drive. Maybe that was the problem with Laney’s driving—not many girls in their class knew how to drive, but if they did, they’d had nice subdued lessons in their parents’ sedans. Very few teenage girls learned how to drive in a souped-up hot rod.
Beth came back into the moment as
the tires crunched into the gravel lot next to the pavilion. The crowd was already thick with teenagers dancing to the music of the jukebox. Beth scowled as she smoothed wrinkles out of her skirt and got out of the car.
“Why did you make me wear a skirt if you were just going to wear pedal pushers and a cardigan?” She eyed Laney’s white cropped pants and red cardigan suspiciously. Laney never went anywhere without make-up on, but it was fairly light tonight, and even her fabulous thick hair was pulled into a simple high pony tail with her bangs swept to one side. Her only jewelry was the gold, heart-shaped locket she never took off. She was still gorgeous, but it was definitely understated for Laney.
Laney shot her a saucy smile and wiggled her eyebrows. “My boyfriend isn’t here, so I have no one to flirt with, but you, on the other hand . . . let’s just say that I hear Peter Christianson is going to be looking for you tonight.”
A crimson flush crept up Beth’s cheeks to her hairline. Peter had been her date to the prom, and ever since, they’d flirted in the halls at school, but nothing had come of it. He was more than Beth had ever hoped for—six feet of blonde-haired, blue-eyed gorgeousness, and as their quarterback, he was probably the most popular boy in school. Up until a few months ago, he’d been completely infatuated with Laney, as most of the boys were, but then out of the blue he’d asked Beth to the prom. She suspected Laney had put the bug in his ear, but she wasn’t about to look a gift horse in the mouth. She also guessed that the difference in their appearances tonight was an attempt to push her more into the spotlight.
As the girls linked arms and headed towards the music, Beth thought to herself I’m ashamed to think how much I’d hate her if she wasn’t just like a sister.
Beth took pictures of everyone there, some of them twice. She snapped a great picture of Laney dancing with Henry, and he took a very sweet shot of Laney and Beth together.
It must be Laney’s week for arguments, Beth thought as she watched Laney having words with her ex, Dean, on the other side of the dance floor. Earlier in the week Laney had it out with her brother Bobby. Laney was getting ready to come in to her inheritance, and Bobby didn’t agree with how she was planning on spending it. The Fenton sheriff’s department had set up a trust for both Laney and Bobby when their father was killed in the line of duty. Laney was planning a cross-country tour before she started college in the fall, and she was still trying to get Beth to come along. Bobby was furious over the whole thing.
“At the very least, invest it in your future. Pay for an education and get some skills other than flirting. Being a tramp is only going to get you so far in life!”
They were arguing in the kitchen, but the slap across his face echoed down the entire street like thunder from a brewing storm. “How dare you stand there and pretend you’re concerned about my future!” she screamed. “You only want my share of the money to open your stupid garage. I should just set the money on fire, for all the good that would do me. You wouldn’t have the sense to run a business.” With venom in her eyes, she stormed out of the house, and the two hadn’t spoken since.
Now Beth watched Dean grab Laney’s arm and shake her a little. Beth frowned to herself. Laney should stay away from him she doesn’t need the drama that follows Dean. Besides, with a new wife and a baby on the way, it didn’t look good for the two of them to be together. She was relieved when she saw Laney knock Dean’s hand off her arm and walk away. Her relief was short-lived when Peter stopped Laney and leaned in close to her ear to tell her something. He rested his hand on her elbow while he spoke. Beth bit her lip and tried to turn away when a voice just over her shoulder stopped her.
“She can’t help it, you know. We all follow her around her like she’s some kind of pied piper.” Henry stood behind her, sipping a beer. “Just because she’s hypnotic doesn’t mean you’re not beautiful. Give him time. He’ll get tired of being turned down and realize what he’s missing out on.” He didn’t take his eyes off Laney as he spoke.
Beth looked up at him with sincere eyes, “Do you ever get tired of her turning you down?” It was no secret that Henry was in love with Laney, but at twenty-three, she saw him more as a big brother than a lover. So he stood in the wings waiting for his opportunity, always looking after her, always hoping.
Henry Maddox stood watching the girl he loved from across the dance floor. He wasn’t afraid to ask her to dance or to tell her how he felt, he just had to be patient. As long as Laney is still wearing my locket there’s a piece of her heart that’s already mine.
Henry had given Laney the heart-shaped locket for her fourteenth birthday. It cost a month’s pay, but was worth every penny when she opened it up to reveal the picture of her father. Henry had asked Mrs. Bennett for the photo, knowing Laney only had a vague memory of her father because he’d been killed when she four. She’d squealed with delight when she saw it and threw her arms around him. When he fastened the chain around her neck, she’d looked up at him with tears in her huge brown eyes. He couldn’t help himself. Henry was five years older than she was, and if her uncle, who he worked for at the time, ever found out, he’d tear Henry apart. He had gently tipped her chin up and given Laney her first kiss. Before the kiss, he’d been infatuated with her; after the kiss, she might as well have wrapped him in chains, as he completely belonged to her.
Henry sighed again and then smiled down at Beth, thinking, for the first time, how pretty her eyes were. He threw his arm around her neck and said, “Come on, let me buy you a soda.”
Before they walked away, Beth looked back towards Laney and Peter, but they were gone. That familiar hate bubbled into her heart.
Two hours later Beth was looking for Laney. She was bursting with excitement, because around nine-thirty, Peter had finally asked her to dance. They’d spent an hour tucked away in a corner talking, and Peter had asked her to go steady with him. She couldn’t wait to tell Laney about it. But after thirty minutes of searching, her excitement was turning to worry; she couldn’t find Laney anywhere. Beth asked Henry to help, but after forty-five minutes of searching, they grew panicked. It was closing in on midnight, and only about a dozen people were left in the pavilion when Henry asked Charlie Rinker, who ran the Summit, to call the police.
It’s not very often that the prom queen goes missing in a small town. Within thirty minutes the Summit was crawling with sheriff’s deputies. By 4:00 a.m. there were over a hundred volunteers searching the woods around the area, and plans were being made to bring in boats to search the water. They began a new search with a single line moving forward, one man every twenty yards, searching the ground for any sign of Laney.
At 5:15 a.m. as the sky began to lighten to a charcoal grey, Henry Maddox let out a tortured cry that echoed out over the lake. The raw animal pain of the sound sent a shiver through the growing crowd. Officer Kenny Dalton was the first to get to Henry, but he stopped in his tracks a few feet away and then spun around and began vomiting. Someone had the good sense to tackle Bobby before he reached the scene. Years later, seasoned veterans of the sheriff’s department would say they had never seen so much blood in a crime scene.
A month to the day before her eighteenth birthday they found Laney Bennett. The beautiful brown eyes that had charmed so many were staring, unseeing, into the canopy of leaves above, their light gone forever.
Chapter 5
June 2, 2001
Devin was taking her time getting to Fenton. She had a lot to consider and was in no rush to confront her family’s demons, so she had opted for the scenic route through the Virginia countryside. She snapped the radio off with a snort. The DJ had been comparing the latest boy band to the Beatles. She’d rather listen to the wind blowing through her window then that rock and roll blasphemy.
Devin had never been to her father’s birthplace—by the time she’d been born her grandmother was already in a mental hospital. Her father had come back a handful of times over the years, mostly to oversee his mother’s house, which he still owned and rented out. But i
n all of his trips, he’d never brought Devin or her brother Tucker, and, to her knowledge, he never brought their mother there before the divorce.
She thought back to her parents’ divorce. She’d been nine and Tucker was just four. It could honestly be said that Bobby and Mary Ann Bennett had done their very best to make a go of it. But her father could never get away from the bottle for very long, and her mother could only stand his long absences and their gypsy lifestyle for so long.
Eventually Mary Ann had made a permanent break from her husband and tried to maintain some stability for her children. Even with her best efforts, the small family moved frequently. They lived all over Richmond and in most of the suburbs. Mary Ann had preferred to live in the city, though. Devin suspected it was to be closer to Bobby. Whenever her father was in town, he generally ran a garage located somewhere in the city. When Mary Ann committed suicide five years after the divorce, they were living only three blocks from Bobby’s garage.
Devin had been the one to find her mother and had to kick the bathroom door in to get to her. Thankfully Tucker had been spending the night at a friend’s house. Looking back, the signs had been evident that her mother had slipped further and further into the darkness in the years after the divorce. There was a part of Mary Ann that held Devin responsible for the state of their family, no matter how irrational that was. She’d often wondered if her mother planned for her to find her body to punish her a bit for what had become of them.
It worked.
After the funeral Devin and Tucker went to live with their father, and Bobby stayed around just enough to keep them out of foster care. His partner at the garage, Mickey, frequently looked in on them, and Devin relied on him heavily. When she travelled to Thailand, Tucker stayed with Mickey. The arrangement became permanent when Devin and Carter came back from the NCAA Final Four in Atlantic City, married at twenty-one. Tucker had never really developed a relationship with their father, but Devin had spent as much time as possible in his garage when he was around. That’s why she knew way too much about cars for a twenty-nine year old woman. It was also why Devin had always been driven to be a police officer, a detective, and one day an FBI agent. She wanted to have the resources and power to solve her aunt’s murder. Devin saw the man her father would have been if not for that single tragedy. Maybe if she could solve the murder, she could put the pieces back together of what was left of her broken family.
Devils Among Us (Devin Dushane Series Book 1) Page 3
