by Debra Webb
Jess took the crayon from her soft little fingers and drew a strap on the box. “There.” She placed the crayon back in the pile. “That’s perfect.”
The little girl scooted off her seat and hugged Jess. Jess wasn’t sure what to say or do but her heart did a little dancing around. When the girl held on tight, Jess hugged her back. Tears welled up in her eyes. She’d certainly been hugged by children before. Her sister’s kids and… well, she couldn’t think of any others at the moment, but she was certain there were more. Her emotional reaction was silly. It took a moment but Jess pulled herself together.
“You know something?” When the little girl looked up at her, Jess smoothed her long blond hair back from her face. “I sure wish I knew your name.”
The child curled her finger for Jess to lean closer. Jess lowered her head until her ear was close to the little girl’s face. She whispered so softly, Jess barely heard her. She straightened and thrust out her hand. “Nice to meet you, Maddie.”
Maddie shook her hand.
“My name is Jess Harris. Do you have another name?”
The little girl shrugged and climbed back onto her chair. She picked up a yellow color and drew a big, round ball above the stick figures. Jess watched her for a few more minutes as she colored the ball yellow. She was going to be late for her lunch with Lil. Feeling a little torn, she said her goodbyes and made her way back into the entry hall where Hayes waited.
At the door, Karen said, “That’s the first word she’s spoken. At least now we have a name for her.”
“I’ll let Mrs. Wettermark know,” Jess assured her.
As she and Hayes climbed into his car, Jess wondered why Maddie would include Jess in her drawing. The sudden attachment to an adult she’d never met before was odd to say the least… unless she’d been tutored.
What was Spears up to?
With monumental effort, she set those concerns aside. A few minutes of mental preparation were in order. She was about to give her sister some startling news. Calm and collected was essential.
Lakefront Trail, Bessemer, 1:25 p.m.
Lil passed Jess a cup of coffee. “I’m glad you enjoyed the lasagna. It was my first time making it with vegetables instead of meat.” She frowned. “Blake’s cholesterol is running a little high. We’re getting to that age, you know. Where everything starts to fall apart.”
Jess sipped her coffee. “Mmm-hmm.” Her sister was not making this easy. They’d made it through lunch. Lil had insisted Hayes join them, which was only right, but it didn’t help with setting the stage for Jess to deliver her big news. To his credit, after declining coffee, Hayes had moved into the living room to check in with the office. The day was more than half over and Jess was seriously behind.
She needed to get the news out and be done with it.
Jess set her cup aside. Her hand shook. Steady, girl.
“I know what you’re going to say,” Lil said before Jess could get the words out.
Jess blinked. How could she possibly know?
“Yes,” Lil declared. “I am cooperating fully with my surveillance detail. I make sure he’s out there before I go to bed at night and I look for him first thing in the morning. I don’t go anywhere without making sure he’s right behind me. I make lemonade, sandwiches, and coffee for him every day. So there, you proud of me?”
The blood pulsing at her temples had Jess half expecting her head to explode with the mounting tension. “Very proud. I want you safe, Lil. I need you.” Jess’s voice quavered on the last. She cleared her throat. “Anyway, I have some health news too.”
“Did you have the test for Wilson’s disease? Was it negative? Are you okay?” Lil put her coffee aside and grabbed Jess’s hands. “Please tell me you’re okay.”
“I took the test,” Jess assured her. “I’ll know in a few days but the doctor was optimistic. I don’t have any symptoms of the disease.”
Lil blew out a big breath and clasped her cheeks with both hands. “Thank God. You had me worried there for a minute.”
Just tell her. Jess took a breath. God, oh God. This was going to forever change every single thing. Once the words were out of her mouth, there would be no taking them back. Last week, as crazy as the news had made her, it had been so much easier because no one except Hayes had known—at least not until she told Dan. Once everyone knew, they would all look at her differently. She didn’t want to be treated as if she were made of glass.
“You said you had news,” Lil prompted. “What news?”
“Well,” Jess began. Her foot started to tap against the shiny hardwood of her sister’s dining room floor. Jess crossed her legs to stop it. “I… I’m pregnant.”
Lil stared at her for a full five seconds, then she burst into laughter. “Good grief, Jess,” she said between gasps for air. “I thought you were going to tell me you had cancer or something.” She slapped Jess on the shoulder. “It’s not April first so stop fooling around.”
Lil either didn’t believe Jess or she was in shock. “As it turns out, April is when the baby’s due.” April Fool.
Lil stared at her again. She blinked, once, twice. “You’re telling me that you’re pregnant?”
“Yes.” Jess nodded just in case the word wasn’t penetrating the shock her sister was apparently experiencing. “I went to the doctor this morning for confirmation. I have the prenatal vitamins and the morning sickness. The whole kit and caboodle.”
Lil shook her head. “Really, I… don’t know what to say.” She stood abruptly, grabbed their coffee cups, and headed for the kitchen.
What in the world? Jess followed her sister. This was not at all the reaction she’d expected. Where were the hugs and shouts for joy? The congratulations? “You could say something, Lil.”
“There’s a lot more to being pregnant than prenatal vitamins,” Lil scolded as she placed coffee cups into the dishwasher. “There are all sorts of preparations.” She closed the dishwasher and turned to Jess. Her expression shifted to confusion and she shook her head. “Let me get this straight. You want me to believe this is not a joke. You really are pregnant?”
Jess nodded.
Lil’s lips trembled. “Oh my God.” Tears flowed down her cheeks. “I can’t believe it.” She shrugged. “I’d hoped and prayed but I never thought it would happen.”
Jess wasn’t sure what to do. She’d never seen her sister react this way.
“I’ll bet Dan is thrilled.” Lil hugged her arms around her waist, tears shining on her cheeks. “He’s waited all this time. He waited for you.”
“Dammit, Lil. Now you’ve made me cry.” Jess swiped at the tears. Tried to blink them back.
“Pregnant women are very emotional,” Lil said with a knowing nod.
Jess gave a little shrug. “I know.”
Lil suddenly frowned. “My sister is going to have a baby.”
Before Jess could open her mouth to reply, Lil threw her arms around Jess and hugged her as if they hadn’t seen each other in years. Jess lost her battle with her emotions then. They cried and hugged some more. Jess lost count of the number of times they said I-love-you before they pulled themselves together.
Finally, when they both looked a mess and felt giddy with excitement, they started to laugh. Lil found her voice first. “I’m so proud of you. You’re going to be the best mother.”
Those were exactly the words Jess had needed to hear.
They got in one more hug before Hayes appeared in the doorway. “We just got a call from the Jackson County Sheriff’s department. They have a body. It’s Maddie’s grandmother.”
Jess wished the celebration could have gone on a little while longer, but she had to go back to work. There was a little girl counting on her.
And a murder victim who needed her to find a killer.
10
Scottsboro, Alabama, 3:50 p.m.
The old farmhouse was not in Scottsboro proper. It stood well outside town, where cows grazed in pastures and corn and cotton fields dot
ted the landscape.
Jess got out of the car and studied the one-story house. They’d had to park a good fifty yards from the driveway. Cop cars, along with a fire and rescue truck, lined the narrow driveway from the paved road all the way up to the house. Jess had no desire to be blocked in. Parking on the side of the road suited her just fine. The BPD cruiser that followed her around parked nearby.
Harper’s SUV nosed into the open space between the cruiser and Hayes’s car. Jess was glad to see two more members of her team. This was well out of their jurisdiction, but the Jackson County sheriff had agreed to sit tight until their arrival. Since there was a link to an ongoing case in Birmingham, and possibly to the Spears investigation, Jess appreciated the sheriff’s cooperation. Someone from the Birmingham Bureau Field Office would be showing up as well but Jess wasn’t waiting.
“This is what I call the sticks,” Lori said as she joined Jess on the roadside. She looked around. “Hear that?”
Jess certainly did. “Birds and the wind in the trees.”
Lori shuddered visibly. “This is way too quiet for me.”
It was good to see her acting more like herself. Jess was grateful for any improvement. Maybe this was going to be a good day for moving forward. She’d made a few strides of her own. Her sister had already sent her two text messages about tentative baby shower dates. Lil was in her element. Next, her sister would be planning a wedding for Jess and Dan.
“Reminds me of when we were working the Man in the Moon case,” Jess noted. She and Lori had seen some quiet ruralscapes during that investigation. Maybe not this far out in the boonies but similar.
“Let’s just hope the locals are as friendly,” Lori agreed.
“I think I hear dueling banjos,” Harper said as he clipped his shield onto his belt.
“You watch my back,” Hayes suggested, “and I’ll watch yours.”
“Get your game faces on,” Jess warned. “We’re the interlopers. We need to make a good impression from the start. Small town cops don’t appreciate big city cops taking over, or their attitudes.”
As they headed for the driveway, Harper gave Hayes and his high-end attire a once over. “We might be in serious trouble already.”
Hayes made a dismissive sound. “I guess we’ll have to use our charming personalities to make an impression.”
Harper shrugged. “Just saying.”
At the end of the drive a deputy waited, one hip propped against his cruiser. “You must be the detectives from Birmingham.”
Jess didn’t miss his pointed look at her shoes. Yes, she loved her high-heeled Mary Jane pumps. So shoot her. She presented her credentials. “I’m Deputy Chief Harris and these are my detectives, Wells, Harper and Hayes. Your sheriff is expecting us.”
“Yes, ma’am.” He gestured toward the house. “The coroner’s on the way. Sheriff called for a forensic unit but it’s not here yet either.”
“Thank you, Deputy,” she glanced at his nametag, “Jones.”
He gave one of those nods southern men used for greeting or acknowledgment when they didn’t want to bother with words. Hayes charged forward ahead of Jess and Lori while Harper brought up the rear. Between the scattered ruts and the gravel, Jess was confident her heels would never be the same. Oh well. She needed new footwear to go along with the new wardrobe her body would require. Maybe she’d even step it down a little to more practical heels. She grimaced as her shoe heel marred into a soft spot.
Lots of changes coming.
With all the shade from the large trees around the house, the yard was more dirt than grass. An old pick-up truck sat under a tree. Didn’t look as if it had been moved for a while. A porch ran the length of the front of the home. One end was noticeably lower than the other one. Judging by the rusty metal roof and the peeling clapboard siding, the house was an old one. Beyond the house, there was a barn that looked in even sadder condition. A rusty swing set stood to the left of the house. The image of Maddie swinging there played in Jess’s mind. She and Lil had a swing set much like that one when they were kids. Another staple of childhood this baby would need.
Two more uniforms waited on the porch. Neither was the sheriff. Hayes climbed the three steps first.
“Lieutenant Clint Hayes,” he said to the deputies. “Chief Harris, Birmingham PD, is here to view the crime scene.”
The deputy surveyed the group before turning his attention back to Hayes. “I’ll get the sheriff.”
Jess joined the lieutenant near the door. “See if we can get one of our guys from forensics out here.” For the other deputy’s benefit, she added, “Two sets of eyes are always better than one.”
“I’ll take care of that now,” Hayes assured her.
As the detective stepped away, Lori and Harper moved in next to Jess. “Sergeant Harper, I’d like you and the lieutenant to have a look around the property as soon as we’ve gotten the formalities out of the way. Detective Wells, you and I will go through the steps inside the house.”
“Got it,” Harper said as he pulled on gloves.
Jess and Lori did the same before pulling on shoe covers. Yet another reason to consider new footwear. These damned shoe covers were not intended for high heels. No doubt the protective wear had been designed by a man. Then again, most female cops didn’t share Jess’s one vanity—clothes and shoes.
The screen door opened with a creak and a tall man who looked to be about Jess’s age joined them on the porch. “Chief Harris, I’m Sheriff Mike Foster.” He extended his hand. “It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance, circumstances notwithstanding.”
Jess shook the man’s hand. “I appreciate your call, Sheriff. We’re anxious to find out what’s going on here.”
“Come on in. We’re still waiting for the coroner and the evidence folks.”
Jess and Lori followed the sheriff inside. The overhead lights had been turned on although the illumination they provided was minimal, and the curtains had been pushed aside, but the grime on the windows prevented much light from getting through. Rustic wood floors, walls, and ceilings, along with a stone fireplace, continued the old farmhouse design theme to the interior of the home. The pale yellow paint on the walls was in serious need of a fresh coat. A tattered sofa and chair along with a couple of tables were the only furnishings. No television, only an old radio that looked more like a piece of furniture.
“Straight in front of you is the kitchen,” the sheriff explained. “Down the hall we got three small bedrooms and one bath. Margaret Brownfield’s body is in the bedroom at the end of the hall on the left. Looks like she’s been gone for a few hours. We put out a BOLO on her daughter, Amanda. No sign of her or the old clunker she drives.”
“Amanda is Maddie’s mother?” Jess hoped Amanda wasn’t a murderer in addition to a negligent parent.
Sheriff Foster dragged his hat off and smoothed his hair before settling it back into place. “Unfortunately for that little girl, she is. She’s got an arrest record that includes drug possession, disorderly conduct, and petty theft. Most folks think she’s a little crazy.”
“Is there a father in the picture?” Jess was guessing not based on the drawing Maddie had made.
Foster shrugged. “I can’t say for sure. There’s a boyfriend and he’s unaccounted for as well. We checked with his employer but he hasn’t been to work in weeks. Name’s Brock Clements. He’s pretty much a no-good drunk. According to the neighbors, he’s been hanging around here for months. We got a BOLO out on him and his old truck, too. It was his momma who found Margaret. She came over here looking for her son since he hadn’t been home in a while.”
“Two of my detectives are having a look around outside,” Jess let the sheriff know. “Detective Wells and I will start in here, if you have no objections.”
“Make yourself at home, Chief. My crime scene is your crime scene.” The cell on his hip rang. “Excuse me, ladies.”
Jess was grateful the house wasn’t full of cops, but there was no way to know how m
any had tracked through when the scene was first discovered. Since none wore gloves or shoe covers and she hadn’t noticed any discarded protective wear, she had to assume they’d left prints behind. Fabulous.
“You want to start in here?” Lori asked.
Jess nodded. “Then we’ll move on to the kitchen.”
The victim was dead. They could do nothing for the woman except find out who murdered her. The best way to do that was to understand how she lived and who might have been at odds with her or wanted something she possessed.
Two framed photos of Maddie sat on one of the tables. In one of the photos, she sat in the lap of a thirtyish woman with brown hair. Jess picked up the photo and looked at the woman’s nose and mouth. Those were about the only two features they’d been able to see in the video footage of Maddie being dropped off.
“That’s the woman who dropped Maddie off,” Lori said, voicing the conclusion Jess had reached as well.
Jess passed her the photo. “I’m guessing that’s Amanda, her mother.”
“I’ll check with Sheriff Foster.”
While Lori made the ID, Jess moved to piles of newspapers in one corner of the room. Stacks of the local newspaper as well a smaller pile of more recent editions of the Birmingham News. Jess picked up the top copy and noted the headline about the gruesome murders she had investigated last week had been cut from the front page. As she sifted through the piles, the one thing the papers had in common was that any news related to Jess and her investigations in Birmingham or to Spears were missing.
It looked as if she had a fan. Was it the mother or the grandmother?
In the kitchen, the rustic country look continued. A few wall cabinets held dry and canned goods as well as the usual cooking and eating utensils. The fridge hosted a gallon of milk and a block of cheese, both near their expiration dates. A couple of packs of meat were wrapped in butcher paper and stored in the freezer. A stick figure drawing very similar to the one Maddie had drawn today hung on the side of the fridge. A small bag of apples lay on the counter.
