Unlocking Darkness (Keys to Love Series, Book Five)

by Kennedy Layne

  She’d done a damn good job, too.

  Mitch had known it would happen, but the lines had definitely been blurred into nonexistence. There wasn’t a damned thing he could do about it now. Her cover was established.

  “None of your business, Sheriff,” Brynn answered for Allie with a laugh, looking both ways before she crossed the street with a quick wave. Dusk was falling, and her employees had covered the afternoon shift to give her a much-needed day off. “Let’s just say you can thank us later.”

  Us must be in reference to Brynn, Shae, Reese, and Gwen. The four women had taken Allie on a tour of the shops on Main Street, no doubt stopping in at the woman’s boutique next to the cleaners. Rumors had been spreading for days that the owner had received a shipment of sexy lingerie that should have gone to one of those adult stores in the city. From what he’d heard, sales were up tenfold.

  The small discreet bag on Allie’s arm was also a dead giveaway.

  “Do I have to do something bad before you use those handcuffs on me, Ken?” Allie asked, lifting up on her tiptoes to give him a kiss on the lips for all to see. She then wrapped her arms around his neck and leaned in even closer to whisper in his ear. “Billy Stanton seems to be sans Julie tonight on his arm this evening, and he’s walking our way.”

  Mitch was becoming rather adept at reading from the script, and he didn’t hesitate to continue the show. His placation did not mean he was okay with this arrangement, which was the reason he’d called in reinforcements today that the feds wouldn’t even know about unless needed. It was something he’d need to discuss with Allie, but now wasn’t the time.

  “Where are the other three deviants?” Mitch asked Allie, letting his voice carry so that Billy could easily hear their conversation as the man continued to walk toward them. Brynn had already jaywalked without a thought to who she’d been speaking to, leading the way for Mitch and Allie to follow. “Are they already inside The Cavern?”

  “That’s where the live entertainment is tonight, right?” Billy came to a stop beside them without his usual entourage. He had a smile pasted on his face, but Mitch wouldn’t mind wiping it off if he got a chance. He restrained himself by taking ahold of Allie’s hand and making sure she was on the other side of him. “Brynn certainly has changed the way this town parties on a Saturday night, hasn’t she?”

  “Brynn’s a savvy business woman,” Mitch praised, ignoring the way Allie tightened her grip on his hand in warning. She was clearly telling him that she could take care of herself, but old habits die hard. He’d always protect the woman he was with, regardless that their public displays of affection were for show only. “Where’s Julie tonight? I haven’t seen her in a while.”

  “We’re, uh, taking a break right now.” Billy stepped off the curb rather quickly the minute Mitch mentioned Julie. His attempt at evading the topic was obvious. “How are things going with the case? It’s all anyone’s talking about for a week now.”

  Seeing as Mitch had been breathing and sleeping this investigation for much longer than that, he completely understood why everyone else was doing the same. These folks were on pins and needles, the press wanted answers on behalf of one of their own, and the feds were left tracking down every useless lead that was called in regarding the faintest bump in the night. Chester’s raccoons had been investigated twice in the past week.

  Law enforcement was basically running in circles.

  “There’s nothing new to report.” Mitch thought back to how many times over the past week that he’d accidentally bumped into someone or purposefully cuffed their left shoulder during a discussion. No one had given any indication that they were recovering from the graze of a bullet. Unfortunately, Billy hadn’t been one of those individuals. The distance between them was too far for Mitch to do anything about that now, but there would no doubt come a chance later this evening while they were all drinking at The Cavern. “The feds are still combing through several more recent leads, though.”

  Allie tugged Mitch’s hand in an attempt to step out onto the street, as well. They really should have crossed at the intersection, even though traffic was extremely light at the moment. That would change within the hour as the Saturday night crowd gathered in the town’s few hotspots.

  “Billy, do you think your parents would sell one of those cottages they bought up at the lake?” Allie asked, purposefully standing her ground when Mitch attempted to get her to walk toward the intersection. “I was contemplating buying a place around here, but it seems that shell corporations are scooping up all the lakeside property the second it comes up for grabs.”

  “As I’ve said to several others earlier this week, I don’t really talk to my parents about their side businesses.” Billy shoved his hands into the pockets of his jacket. “You two enjoy your evening.”

  Mitch held Allie back from following their target across the street.

  “Could we not instigate the situation until we’ve at least begun our evening?” Mitch had already looked into the connection between the Stanton family and the shell corporations that were currently buying up lakeside property. There was nothing illegal about what they were doing, and neither was anything wrong with Billy offering Noah a blank check for the Yoder farmhouse. “And before you ask, you can’t just go up to Billy and punch him in the arm. That’s not some kind of homespun greeting we do here.”

  “You can make damn sure I’m going to bump into him tonight,” Allie promised, her penetrating brown eyes following her target’s progress. “Billy Stanton danced with Emma Irwin at the bonfire the night she went missing. The bodies of those young girls were found at the bottom of the lake, which happens to surround the properties that the Stantons are purchasing at a rapid rate. Many of those lots aren’t adjacent. What kind of value would they have if they aren’t connected?”

  “Harlan mentioned that sales have picked up this week, but I’ve known the Stantons a long time. They wait for the right moment to invest their money and jump on the armored truck and rake in the dividends.” Mitch recognized Uncle Jimmy’s truck and gave the man a wave, which was probably more than the man expected. When this investigation was all said and done, amends would need to be made. After all, family was still family and money shouldn’t be enough reason to cause this much distance. The past would never be forgotten, but forgiveness was always on the table. “Let’s head inside. It’s getting colder out here by the minute, and Lance no doubt saved us one of the best tables in the place.”

  “Who was that man you just waved to?” Allie asked as she walked beside him across the street. Uncle Jimmy had pulled into the parking lot next to the bar, and Mitch was surprised when he didn’t drive right back out. There must have been one spot left near the back, because the lot was jam-packed. “He looks familiar, but I don’t recall seeing him this past week.”

  “That would be my uncle, Jimmy Webb. Our very own outcast of the clan—my mother’s brother.” Mitch didn’t have to say anything more than that, because Allie had read the original crime reports. Uncle Jimmy had technically been the last to see Emma Irwin alive, claiming he’d seen her running down Seventh Street the night she’d been abducted. No one could verify his statement, and it hadn’t helped that the man was an alcoholic who’d been drinking that very same night. “My mother and uncle had a strained relationship, so we’re not exactly close.”

  “Agent Thorne documented in one of his reports that your uncle has never varied from his telling of the events that night.” Allie stepped up on the sidewalk as she searched for the man in question. “My guess is that Jimmy Webb is telling the truth. He must have seen Emma that night on Seventh Street.”

  Mitch opened the door to the bar, allowing the country music blaring from the jukebox to spill out into the night. The live entertainment would be starting in around an hour, which would give Mitch a chance to get comfortable and survey the crowd while nursing a draft. Agent Thorne and Allie had secretly met and spent time constructing a list of suspects…and several of tho
se individuals would be in attendance this evening.

  “Sheriff!”

  Damn it.

  Just one night. Was that so hard to ask for? Mitch turned to find Byron walking down the sidewalk from the station. He’d been assigned to second shift, and there wasn’t anything about this town that Deputy Warner couldn’t handle, short of another abduction or homicide. Had anything new come up in the Blyth Lake killer case, Agent Thorne would have reached out to Mitch by cell phone.

  “It’s my night off, Warner.” Mitch ushered Allie inside out of the cold, not wanting to linger outside any longer than necessary. “This better be good.”

  Mitch thought back to the conversation that Thorne and Allie had over the names that had been brought up in the twelve years that Emma had been missing. Byron was a part of that list, but he’d been brought up by two loving parents. He was content with his life, currently immersed in the dating scene, and in no other way fit the profile if one discarded his age.

  “I thought you should know that the hospital called the station regarding Shelby Tilmadge, per your request.” Byron motioned to the heavy wooden door still in Mitch’s grasp. “I’m heading out that way now to make sure the press doesn’t cause Shelby to have another mental breakdown. You know how he gets when there is too much activity on his property.”

  “I appreciate the heads up.” Mitch didn’t doubt that Byron had the experience to oversee the situation. He was a good deputy, followed the rules, and the residents of Blyth Lake trusted him. That trifecta went a long way in terms of keeping the peace in the surrounding neighborhoods. That didn’t stop Mitch from cuffing Byron on the left arm to give himself peace of mind. “Call Foster for backup if you run into any trouble, though I’m sure it’s nothing you can’t handle.”

  Byron nodded his appreciation for the vote of confidence before turning around and heading off to the SUV at a trot. Never once did the man wince or give any indication that he had any kind of wound on his upper arm.

  “I saw that, Sheriff Kendall,” Allie murmured, having stayed close by instead of entering the establishment. At least she hadn’t called him Ken. He was still trying to break her of that habit outside of the bedroom. “I already told you that Byron isn’t our unsub. Now watch closely.”

  Mitch would have ushered her back inside had she not stopped him, motioning for him to keep an eye on Byron as he waved to someone across the street. What had she picked up on that he hadn’t?

  “Byron Warner is left-handed. Our unsub is right-handed, with an injury to his left arm.”

  Mitch grit his teeth just enough to try and temper his frustration. He’d known that bit of information. Hell, he’d worked in close quarters with Bryon for some time now.

  “He can shoot with both hands, unlike Deputy Foster.”

  “Has Byron given you any indication that he can’t be trusted?” Allie asked, ignoring the calls for them to close the door. They’d been letting the cold air infiltrate the warm interior of the bar. She made it clear she wasn’t going to move until he answered her question. “Is there anyone you do trust?”

  “My family,” Mitch replied without hesitation. He even went one step further, though he didn’t understand why she appeared so shocked by his answer. After all, she was the one he’d called to save their asses from the darkness. “And you, Allie. I’ve always trust you.”

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN

  Allie didn’t belong in a small town.

  She needed bright lights, heavy traffic, strangers who didn’t care about what she did or who she did it with, and a fucking Starbucks franchise.

  Was that so much to ask for?

  She wasn’t cut out for complete strangers knowing her name, streets where no one cared if someone walked in front of them, and the random acts of kindness that weren’t so random in a town like this.

  Allie had quite a few close friends back in D.C. She wasn’t hurting in that department, and she was rather tight with a couple of women in her apartment building. They had regularly scheduled evenings where they went to the local bar or dance club.

  Granted, she no longer had any family in the area. Her father had passed away from complications arising from cirrhosis. That wasn’t surprising given how much alcohol the man had drank, abusing his body right up to the end. They’d grown closer in his final year, but nothing could atone for the amount of parenting she’d missed out on while growing up without a mother.

  “Mitch and Allie, I believe Lance reserved your family a table over by the dart boards,” a man with white hair said as he took a seat next to a woman who was obviously his better half. Chester and Stella were also at the small table with a couple of pitchers of beer smack dab in the middle. “Hope you two enjoy yourselves tonight.”

  Allie rewarded everyone with a smile as she tried to quell the anxiety that was currently attempting to set up residence in her stomach. She didn’t know what the hell was wrong with her, but maybe a shot of whiskey could temper her apprehensive nerves.

  Mitch rested his hand on her lower back as he guided her through the crowded bar toward the back. Was it because he’d included her on his very short list of people he trusted? Of course, he trusted her. He never would have called in that favor if he hadn’t.

  “What’s wrong?” Mitch asked with concern, leaning down so that only she could hear his question.

  Allie made sure her smile stayed intact as she glanced up at him in reassurance. What could she say? That she was having a mini panic attack over the fact that the last four days had her questioning who she was as a woman?

  She loved her life in D.C., and she would just have to remind herself of that every once in a while until she got back there.

  “I need to use the restroom,” Allie said, hoping a few minutes to herself would have her back in the saddle to do what needed to be done this evening. “Would you watch my bags and purse?”

  “Has she got you tamed already, brother?” Lance laughed from the double tables he’d put together for their family. “I like your style, Allie.”

  Mitch immediately initiated the older brother routine, so she left the two alone to continue their sibling rivalry. She managed to cut through the large group next to the small hallway that led back to the restrooms. Someone mentioned the name Charlene Winston, but Allie couldn’t hear the reply given by one of the other patrons. Everyone was talking over one another.

  Finding the restroom empty was a huge relief, and Allie quietly closed the stall door behind her for even more privacy. She just needed a moment to herself to compose her wayward emotions. It was a good thing that Brynn kept The Cavern’s restrooms clean and tidy. There was nothing worse than a nasty public toilet.

  Allie breathed deeply, concentrating on the length of her inhalations and exhalations.

  Nothing had changed.

  She, Jay, his team of agents, and Mitch had all had a meeting at his house the other day to go over everything with a fine-tooth comb.

  There had been no sign of Charlene Winston, the unsub had not reached out to any other news station, and all leads were proving to head nowhere. They were basically where they started, with the exception of Allie—who had spent days spreading breadcrumbs for the unsub.

  Had she garnered his attention yet?

  Would tonight be the night he came looking for her in the crowd?

  Allie was mentally and physically prepared for anything thrown her way, though emotionally was a different matter altogether. And her conflicting emotions had nothing to do with the unsub or his motivations.

  Her self-inflicted timeout had helped ground her, so Allie quickly utilized the restroom for its intended purposes. It wasn’t long until she was drying her hands on a paper towel and opening the outer door to allow the country music to wash over her once more.

  “Long time, no see,” Reese said with a smile as she waited for Allie to step across the threshold. It didn’t take long for her to realize that Reese hadn’t needed to use the restroom at all. “Jack and Beth Ann just announced
that she’s pregnant. He’s at the far end of the bar buying drinks for anyone willing to cough up congratulations.”

  Allie didn’t confirm nor deny that the information Reese had passed on was useful. What did she know, and more importantly—how? Mitch would never have said a word to his family about the depth of the plan she and Jay had agreed upon. His discretion wasn’t even in question.

  Never once during the day that Allie had spent with the significant others of the Kendall brothers had they said anything about the case. Was Reese just assuming that Allie was still helping privately when it came to the profile?

  Was Allie reading more into it than she should? Or had Noah and the rest of the family overheard something they shouldn’t have in regard to Allie’s presence?

  “I don’t know them very well, but I’m happy to hear the good news.” Allie gently released the door and continued to walk into the throng of patrons. Regardless of the reason Reese had mentioned Jack and Beth Ann, it gave a solid excuse for Allie to accidentally bump into Jack. His back was toward her, which meant his left arm was wide open. “Oh, I’m sorry! It’s so crowded in here that I—”

  “No worries,” Jack replied, reaching out to make sure she was okay. She didn’t notice any sign of real pain, but he did hold his left arm close to his side afterward. Something was off in the manner in which he reacted. “Allie, have you met Beth Ann?”

  “Hi,” the redhead said with an infectious smile. She had a gorgeous glow about her that was perceptible. It was evident that she was ecstatic about the pregnancy, but would Jack step up to the plate? Allie had experienced firsthand the extent of his wandering eye, but he hadn’t acted on it. At least, as far as she knew. Fatherhood might actually straighten his ass out. “I’ve heard so much about you! I work with Gwen over at her financial business a few blocks down, and she just adores you. She thinks you and Mitch are perfect for one another.”