Witnesses had said that she was not alone when she started down the trail that day. A man loosely matching the description of her fiancée had been with her. But they had no motive for him. Why would he want to kill the woman he was about to marry. Jealousy maybe?
Detective O’Brien shuffled through the folder until he found the Medical Examiner’s report. That’s right, Amanda Bascom had been pregnant. One would presume that her fiancé was the baby’s father, but they didn’t have proof that he was. What if he weren’t? Unfortunately, sixteen years ago the ME’s office did not do DNA studies as a matter of routine.
In order for him to obtain the DNA evidence now he would have to convince a judge to issue an order to exhume the bodies; an act that would be easier said than done. It would mean more pain for her family, so many years after they had laid their daughter and grandchild to rest. It would mean dragging that family through a tortuous process all over again, and judges hated to do it without a really good case. If only there was a way to know if Stephen Long were really the baby’s father.
And then there was the case of the missing groom himself. He had disappeared without a trace, no credit card trail, no public records, no paper trail. Even if they had new evidence, it wouldn’t mean much if they still couldn’t track down their only suspect.
He got up and walked over to the window again, while replaying the meeting with Kelly Sherman over and over. Her rental car still sat in the parking lot. Perhaps there was a way to find Stephen Long after all. Perhaps Ms. Sherman had just given him the break in this case he had been waiting for. It might just be a hunch but it was worth following up on.
His intercom buzzed out “Tim, they’re waiting for you in the conference room”.
“Ok, I’ll be right there.” He stood to leave but first he took out his pen and wrote Hanlon, AK, on a piece of scratch paper. It might be a longshot but he’d closed cases before on less.
***
After a sleepless night in an local motel, her flight took off the next day without delay. It was a five hour trip from Springfield to Anchorage so she had plenty of time to absorb the information that Detective O’Brien had been able to share. Although he didn’t specifically name Stephen as a suspect, being a person of interest was the next worse thing.
How could they suspect that Stephen had anything to do with either of the deaths? What would his motives have been? No one knew for sure that he’d changed his mind about getting married. That part sounded like gossip.
There was the witness account describing the man that Amanda was with in the park. But there are plenty of tall men with dark hair, and Amanda was a beautiful woman. Engaged or not she would have attracted attention from plenty of men.
It was more likely that both deaths were just tragic accidents. The Stephen that she knew, and was very much in love with, was not capable of hurting anyone, much less two people that he had so obviously loved. The fact that Amanda and Stephen’s father had died so close together must have been heartbreaking for Stephen.
If Stephen had somehow been involved in an accident that claimed the lives of either his father or Amanda, there’s no way he would have run. Stephen is an honorable man who would have dealt with any problem head on. If he were to blame he would have confessed and taken his punishment, whatever it was to be, like the man of integrity that he is. He wouldn’t have run and hidden in Alaska like a coward. And besides, it was six years before he showed up in Alaska. Where did he go and what did he do for those six missing years, before he got to Hanlon?
She wondered if he even knew that both investigations were still ongoing. If so, why hadn’t he gone back, if only to clear his good name? Stephen didn’t seem the type that would want such a serious accusation or doubt hanging over his head for the rest of his life.
What if Stephen was guilty; what if he wasn’t the sweet loving man she believed him to be, but some kind of monster who would murder his fiancée just because he had changed his mind about getting married.
This was crazy. She had gone to Springfield to clear up the doubts and questions rolling around her head but had instead ended up with more. What she really needed to do was to compose herself before she got home. Going to Springfield had been a terrible mistake. She needed to put that trip and Detective O’Brien behind her. There was no way that anyone would convince her that Stephen had been involved.
Chapter 17
The flight back to Hanlon had been uneventful. As she was getting off the small prop plane at the Hanlon Air Strip she was happy to be done with airplanes for a while and anxious to be back with Stephen. She thanked Phyllis for the smooth ride.
“No problem Kelly, it’s my pleasure to serve. And let me know as soon as you have any big news to share.” She disappeared into the hanger before Kelly could ask her about the strange comment.
Returning to the cabin was blissful. She had missed her dog, her flannels, and their home, but mostly she had missed her handsome sexy man. She threw herself into Stephen’s arms the moment she saw him, and after a proper welcoming, they sat up for hours, despite the late time. She rambled on and on about her parents, and all that had transpired with them while she was there.
Stephen listened intently, not adding much to the conversation, smiling and feeling like all was right again in his world. His days without her had been agonizing, the nights were worse. However, while she was gone he had come to an important decision about them and was waiting for the right time to share it. He wanted it to be a special moment, but mostly he wanted her to be surprised.
The good news that he did want to share with her now however, was that he and Max had come to an understanding while she was gone. Apparently it was having had only Stephen as a source of food that convinced Max that Stephen was not so bad after all. Last Sunday Stephen had gone for his weekly hike with Max in tow, and the two had bonded some more.
Friday morning she woke with renewed energy. Once again she vowed to forget about Springfield and Detective O’Brien, and start living her life for each day she had with Stephen. She would also get to work. The flight home had been long and boring but successful in that she had developed several new ideas which she was anxious to get to work on.
After breakfast, coffee, and unpacking she pulled out her laptop. It was hours later before she closed the lid again. Happy with her progress she decided to get a head start on dinner. Stephen came in from the shop earlier than usual Friday since he would have to work again on Saturday. He wanted to spend some catching up on time with her.
They spent a quiet evening together. After dinner they cozied up on the bear skin rug in front of the fireplace. He held her tight vowing he would never let her out of his arms again.
***
A couple of uneventful weeks had passed since Kelly’s return. She was making great progress on her book, and as a couple together with Max, they were settling into a nice comfortable routine. The steadily increasing temperatures also brought a steady increase in Stephen’s work load and he found himself needing to work for at least part of the day on most Saturday’s. But even the increased work load couldn’t prevent him from taking opportunities for time with Kelly when they were presented.
It was a Saturday morning when he came back to the house for a second cup of coffee, entering through the back kitchen door. Kelly was not in the kitchen.
He found her standing in front of the open closet, having just showered she stood in nothing but a towel searching for something to wear. He stood watching her from the doorway; she turned slightly when her peripheral vision picked up his movement. He couldn’t believe how something as simple as seeing her wrapped in a towel could be so arousing, but it was.
When their eyes met she knew immediately what he wanted. He stepped forward, reached out and took a corner of the towel which had been tucked in near her arm. She let it drop away, shyly standing still under his inspection for what seemed like an eternity.
Slowly, he began to peel off his own clothes. Her desire grew when sh
e saw his masculinity unclothed. Moving in closer he reached out to smooth a tendril of hair away from her face. His fingers then traced their way over her cheek, across her chin, and down her throat. When they made their way to her breasts she softly moaned and reached for him. He swept her up in his arms and carried her to the bed.
Without a word or sound he eased himself in to her while his tongue softly teased her nipples. Slowly at first, he began with steady thrusts. He adjusted his movement so as to build her desire slowly. He felt her body responding to his as he gradually increased his speed and intensity. Her sounds of pleasure were unmistakable. He felt her begin to peek and he watched her face intently, deriving his own satisfaction from the pleasure he was so obviously bringing to her. She clung to him, her fingers digging into his shoulders as the convulsions began. She closed her eyes and lost her self completely in her orgasm. She was oblivious to fact that he continued to watch. When her eyes opened to meet his, she found there the satisfaction of man who had just proven that he could provide complete fulfillment to the woman he loved.
***
Stephen dropped a kiss on her forehead and said he was going back out to the shop. He’d be done in a couple of hours. Kelly decided it would be a good time to head into town to check her mail. It had been to late check in on Thursday when she had finally got back to town.
“Besides, looking through the cupboards it’s obvious we haven’t gone shopping in a while. Just what is it we are supposed to live on?” Kelly asked.
“My love for you; I can survive weeks on nothing but the memories of our lovemaking; that, and peanut butter.” He slapped her butt as he put his coffee cup into the sink. “I love you, be careful and I’ll see you when you get back.” With that he was gone.
***
Out in his shop Stephen tried hard to concentrate on his work, but he couldn’t stop the images of Kelly’s face in the throes of an orgasm. She was beautiful, and his and he loved her so much there was no pleasure he could deny her. There had never been another woman with whom he had shared so much intimacy, never been an emotional connection like he had with her.
He let his mind drift back to Amanda. She had been the only other woman he had ever loved but they were young. He had wanted to wait until they were married before making love but Amanda insisted. They had agreed not to get married until they both had finished their education and had jobs; Amanda didn’t want to wait that long.
The first time they made love he thought it had been great, but what did he know. He was just a stupid young man with no clue how to bring real pleasure to a woman. Amanda had said it was fine but over time her interest in sex had diminished.
He thought that he had been doing something wrong, or not doing things right, so with the best of intentions he solicited the help of a couple of more than willing college girls, older girls, who could teach him the ropes. Sex with them was great. And neither of them had found any fault with Stephen. Still, he read the magazines, did the research, whatever it took. It didn’t matter what he did, Amanda was not into it, not making the connection.
After he graduated they got engaged, all was going according to plan. He had considered breaking off their engagement. He understood the importance of sex in a marriage and he knew that lack of sex, or bad sex, would eventually lead to extra marital affairs. But he loved her. They had been best friends since kindergarten. He just couldn’t imagine life with anyone else. After they were married he would redouble his efforts. Maybe they would see a sex therapist or something.
He never got the chance. Amanda died, along with an unborn child. And at that time in his life he believed sincerely that he would never find love again. In the sixteen years since there had been woman along the way, mostly in other towns and cities; when he was on the run, searching for Marv. They had help kill the pain, but it was fleeting. When he finally settled in Hanlon he gave women in general up, at least the casual ones. The pain had long since subsided and he was done with casual affairs; they had never given him pleasure anyway. But his heart never really gave up the search for something real and meaningful.
Now he had Kelly. And she was all he had ever wanted. What they had together, the sex, the love, the whole package, was more than he could have dreamed of and looking back, it made what he and Amanda had seem somehow wrong.
He knew now without a doubt that had Amanda lived, their marriage wouldn’t have lasted. He needed more than she could have ever given him. She was his friend and he had cared for her deeply. But she didn’t have in her what he needed from a woman, the ability to connect on a deeper level, with their souls. Kelly does; she has it all.
Thinking about the small black velvet box he had brought home while Kelly was in Seattle and had hid here in his shop made him happy. He retrieved it, opened it, and smiled down and the sparkling ring inside. It hadn’t been easy to get. He had to go to Hanlon, to the general store where he looked through a catalogue. Judd called his supplier in Anchorage; they had to agree on a price. The money wired and the finished product delivered to the airport for Phyllis to pick up and fly back to him. How he hoped this ring would bring as much excitement to her as just the prospect of her saying yes brings to him.
***
Kelly giggled again about Stephen’s peanut butter remark as she finished dressing. It was nice to know that the man she loved and planned on sharing her life with, in addition to being generous, loving, caring, and sensual with a deadly serious side, also had a good sense of humor. Humor comes in very handy during the excruciatingly long Alaskan winters, when you might be housebound for days on end.
She called for Max but he was nowhere, so she climbed into the Jeep and headed to town without him.
Her PO Box contained nothing of importance. At the market she ordered several cuts of meat, and loaded up on essentials. In Alaska you never knew when you get the next chance to shop so a well-stocked cupboard was important. With everything they needed bagged and loaded into the back of her Jeep, she was done.
She passed the police station on her way back; on a whim she hit her brakes and turned into their small gravel parking lot. Chief Deputy Dawson was at the copier when the door chime signaled a visitor. He looked up and smiled broadly to see Kelly enter. “Why Ms. Sherman, what brings you here today? Come to explore the psyche of Hanlon’s criminal element?”
Kelly laughed at this inane comment “You might say that. I was wondering how you made out, with the Jensen girl’s investigation? I haven’t spoken with you in quite a few days.”
Dawson looked around the office, there was another deputy busy typing something out on an old fashioned type writer. Technically, Dawson wasn’t at liberty to discuss details of any case with Kelly, but he always had. The other deputies didn’t need to know that though.
“Why don’t you step into my office and we’ll talk.”
Dawson followed her into his tiny cramped office. It had barely enough room for his desk and in order to close the door you had to first relocate the guest’s chair. His desk and a bookcase in the far corner were loaded with papers, wanted posters, and medical examiner reports with pictures. She couldn’t fathom how he found anything.
“Have a seat” he said after closing the office door and rearranging the chair.
“Just checking in with you; were you able to turn up any more evidence?”
“I guess you could say that we have indeed. Last week the second part of the ME’s report came in. It seems our young victim was pregnant.”
“Pregnant? How can that be; she was such a mousy little thing, I don’t think she had any friends let alone a boyfriend. Have you considered incest maybe?”
“Not incest. ME report says that the testing on the fetus turned up a blood type not consistent with any of the Jensen men. It had to have been someone outside the family. Her parents said that she had been acting strange lately; keeping to herself, disappearing at all hours. They suspected a boyfriend but had no idea who it might me.”
“There goes our drifter
theory. But this is Hanlon, Kyle, there just aren’t that many choices. Have you interviewed any of the young men in town?”
“None of the boys in town within a normal dating age range for her, all fifteen of them, have confessed. Most of them didn’t even know who she was. The Jensen’s kept to themselves pretty good and like all their kids she had been home schooled. No, my guess is he was either a married man, or someone with a good reason not to want anyone to know what he was up to.”
“Well, it can’t be that hard to locate him. Someone around here had sex with that young girl either consensually or otherwise. Hopefully for that poor thing it wasn’t the ‘otherwise’.”
“My theory is that whoever he was, he was somehow manipulating, using her for his own sick pleasure, and then he found out she was pregnant and that was the end of that.”
“Certainly plausible; it’s just one more reason to not close the case until you are sure.”
“I just hope and pray that with Jackie gone whoever he is doesn’t go looking for his next victim.” Dawson was thinking out loud.
The hair on the back of Kelly’s neck stood on end at that spoken thought. “I’ve got to get going; I’ve got groceries in the Jeep that need to get home. Let me know if you find out anything more. I’d need to know how it turns out. Such a shame either way; two lives lost for apparently no reason.”
“Yep, that’s the way it looks. Anyway, I do have one more lead to follow up on. I’ve got a vehicle description to hunt down; witness didn’t get a license number but a couple people told me about this pick-up truck that was parked in the alley alongside the Inn for quite a while during the time frame that we think she died.” Dawson stood and helped Kelly to negotiate her way out. “Take care of yourself, Kelly, thanks for stopping by” he said.
Convictions: Kelly and Stephen Page 13
