by C A Phipps
Reception faded in and out, and she had to stand holding her phone out and up in the air to get one bar. It went to voicemail, so she dialed 911. Frustratingly, it took several attempts, but finally she managed to give her location, name, and number in a rush before losing connection completely. She hoped whoever had been on the other end of the line had heard her.
The air felt damp, and although the lake couldn’t be seen through the trees, the sound of small waves lapping at the shore was faintly audible. In the distance, the mountains rose with their dusting of snow—the beauty was in direct contrast to the crime that had just occurred.
A noise of something falling in the cabin made her spin around. She stood and walked slowly towards it. She’d heard a car leave, so surely the perpetrator wouldn’t still be here. Unless they had snuck back? Or there were more than one? She moved to the cabin wall, her vivid imagination expecting to see a gun pointed at her on the other side of the window that faced the small deck. No one appeared.
Smash!
Maddie wished she’d picked up the axe she’d noticed not far from the body. Since there was no way of knowing if someone was hiding inside, and not wanting to be caught out in the open if there was, Maddie crept around the cabin to the back—heart racing, palms sweaty.
A window was open. In a crouch, Maddie made her way underneath it, then stood on a piece of firewood to peer over the sill into the only room. The place looked empty. It was tidy, apart from an overturned chair and a box of cereal spilled across the kitchen counter.
She was contemplating climbing in when a noise that was too close for comfort startled her, making her lose her balance. The log rolled from under her, and she went down, arms flailing, to land in a heap on the bare ground.
Chapter Four
A raccoon peered out the window, making more chittering sounds to warn her to stay back. Clambering to her feet, she gave the infiltrator a glare, which he returned before turning tail—literally—and getting back to his free meal.
She took a shuddering breath, remembering to feel grateful it was an animal rather than someone bent on killing her. This was short-lived, however, as she then heard voices coming from the front of the cabin.
Moving as quickly as she dared, while maintaining a modicum of stealth, she rounded the corner. In the clearing, Suzy and Angel stood with hands to their mouths, while Laura knelt by the prone figure checking his pulse.
“Oh, Maddie! Thank goodness, you’re safe.” Laura jumped up and ran to to hug her awkwardly in relief.
“What part of ‘stay where you are’ did you not get?” Maddie yelled, causing Laura to hastily back away.
Angel tutted at her. “We were worried. You didn’t really expect us not to follow, did you?”
True, Maddie wouldn’t have stayed behind if the shoe had been on the other foot.
“I’m sorry. It’s just we have no way of knowing if the killer is still around, or if he was the one who left in the car.”
“We heard the car, which is when we decided to find you.” Suzy raised an eyebrow. “You know, in case you were being abducted.
Just then sirens sounded in the distance, giving Maddie an escape from the reasonable points they were making. Still, she would rather be abducted than have the Girlz come to harm.
“I’ll go up the path to guide them down here so they don’t mess up any tire tracks that might have been left by the killer and could be used as evidence. We’ll be safe now,” she reassured them, hoping it was true.
Maddie ran up the path beside the cabin, which opened up to a small track. Keeping to the edge, she didn’t need to go far before she saw the skid marks the car had made to get purchase on the loose gravel. Maddie waited there, and soon Ethan arrived in his sedan, followed by the paramedic. Waving them down was probably unnecessary since they were hardly going more than a crawl, but she knew Ethan hated evidence getting messed up, and she’d been guilty of that before.
He yanked on the brake and was out of the car in seconds.
“Maddie! What are you doing here? Are you okay?”
“I’m fine. I was out walking with the Girlz when we heard a shot.”
“The paramedic needs to get through, why have you stopped us from getting closer?”
“Whoever killed the man—and he is dead—left these tracks.”
The paramedic joined them, and Ethan nodded his head for him to go ahead down to the cabin, cutting through the bush. Then Ethan crouched beside the grooves and splayed his large hand as if measuring one.
“Looks like car tracks. No four-wheel drive would dig in like this. Good thinking to not disturb these. I’d like to see the victim now.”
She nodded. They took the same route through the bush as the paramedic and found him surrounded by the Girlz as he checked the body.
“Please step back, ladies,” Ethan told them, and they obediently moved several feet away.
The paramedic shook his head at Ethan. “It was a perfect shot.”
“Thanks, Mitch. I’ll get some photos before you take him.”
“Yep, I know the drill. Take your time. I’ll go get a body bag.”
Ethan took pictures with a small camera he carried in his pocket. Every so often he gave her a penetrating glance.
“So, you just happened by?” he asked, with deceptive casualness.
“We weren’t specifically coming this way when we heard the shot.”
Click.
“Your Grandad’s cabin is near here, right?”
She nodded. “Just over the next rise. Closer to the lake.”
“Of course. I went there a couple of times, remember?”
Click.
“That’s right. A group of us got together there during college breaks.”
“Sometimes we came for the day on our own,” he said softly, a glint in his eyes.
Maddie’s cheeks flushed as she recalled those endless summer days when she and Ethan had walked hand in hand along the lake, jumping in for long swims—and kissing sessions that lasted even longer. Or so it had seemed. Teenage love was sweet but not to be confused with how she felt about the Sheriff now.
Once more an item, after a few years apart, they’d recently professed their love for each other. Life was pretty wonderful right now. Except for the murder. She gulped. Funny how the mind found ways to cope with the horrific sight in front of them.
“I thought you were at the opposite end of the county for a few more days?”
Click.
“I was, but the lead we had stalled. It was a waste of resources for me to stay when Detective Jones lives there. Actually, I was driving home, when I heard the call for the ambulance. I didn’t put two and two together, but I should have known you’d be involved,” he teased. “Especially since I got your text to say the four of you were having a Girlz weekend.”
“Yes. We haven’t done this for so long, and Laura’s never been out here. The timing felt perfect.” She grimaced as she remembered once more the poor man at their feet. Sometimes, having Ethan near made her forget what she was doing.
Click.
“No Big Red?” he asked.
“I’m not sure if he can still be trusted not to catch birds out here, and I feel sure that bringing us presents of insects would have freaked out the other three. None of them were brought up on the country lifestyle quite the way I was.” She told him, while taking note of the angles he used to get the pictures he’d need later. “So, Gran’s cat sitting and it seemed a good opportunity to get away before I start opening on Saturdays.”
“I’m glad you’re having a break. You work too hard. It’s just a shame that this is going to ruin things.”
Ethan might still be talking to her but his focus remained on the body. He got as close as possible and snapped off a couple more photos before putting on gloves and turning the deceased over to face up.
The bullet hole was decidedly larger this side, and she remembered Grandad explaining how a rifle bullet made more of a mess as it exite
d a body. This was definitely a case in point, and her gaze moved away from the wound to study the slightly bearded face again.
He seemed vaguely familiar, yet she couldn’t place him or recall a name as Ethan began to search the body. From the victim’s jeans pocket he pulled out a wallet and opened it. There were several bills and a driver’s license.
“Magnus Tuft. Thirty-two,” he read.
“Hmmm.”
Ethan crouched, and Maddie joined him as they studied the pale face.
“Do you know this guy?”
Maddie peered closer. “I think I may have met him before. His name certainly sounds familiar, but I can’t remember when or how. You?”
“I feel the same way—that we met but not recently. A beard can make all the difference to a face, I guess.” He showed Maddie the man’s ID. “The photo on his license was taken a few years ago, and his beard was much shorter then.” Ethan suddenly snapped his fingers. “Of course! I remember that name and where I know him from.”
“Where?”
He looked to where her friends stood in a semi-circle, watching their every move and lowered his voice. “Magnus was a friend of Brad’s.”
Maddie gasped. “How could I forget? He faded from view when Brad and Angel got serious. I think he began hanging out with Brad’s twin instead. I wonder why he was shot.”
“I wonder who shot him—that’s the million-dollar question.”
“I guess it’s not surprising I didn’t recognize him since he was a few years ahead of us at school. He was a jock like Brad, but he’s a lot leaner than I remember, which didn’t help.” She grimaced. “He looks surprised.”
Ethan raised an eyebrow. “I guess he does.”
She pointed at the exit wound. “Looks like they used a rifle.”
“Correct. From reasonably close range. Are you okay with this?”
His question may have been a little belated, but she appreciated his concern.
Maddie grimaced. “Strangely, yes. I guess I’ve seen a few bodies now.”
Ethan nodded. “Of course you have. Although I’ve never felt it gets easier. Especially when you have to tell the family and explain the circumstances.”
She grimaced. “I sure hope he doesn’t live near here.”
“Why is that?”
“It’s been a source of amazement since I came back home how many people die from things other than natural causes in Maple Falls.”
He gave her a peculiar look, and she flushed. A few people had commented that these kinds of deaths had not occurred while she was in New York City, which gave her a touch of guilt from time to time, even though she knew none of them were due to anything she’d done.
“Does Bernie still own this cabin?” he asked, while placing the key and wallet into separate plastic bags which he tucked into one of his many pockets
Ethan’s question made her scramble to her feet. She hadn’t given it any thought. According to Gran, many cabins had been sold off as the owners got older and their children left town for bigger cities with better opportunities. The land around them was also protected, so the forest couldn’t be destroyed by developers which made them less attractive to all but the hardier tourists and a few newer owners. Other properties had fallen into disrepair, which was sad.
“That’s right. He rarely gets the chance to use it now that he’s grounds man for the country club golf course. With his taxi business and keeping the greens around town he’s never been so busy.” Suzy called out.
Ethan nodded as he began to carefully walk around the perimeter and took Maddie’s hand so that she followed in his footsteps. Looking back over his shoulder he spoke to the others.
“Please stay where you are ladies. We won’t be long.”
Maddie shrugged at Suzy’s look of disbelief. It was true—and she could imagine downright annoying— that she’d been given privileges the others hadn’t, but she wasn’t about to pass up the opportunity. Besides, with her hand in Ethan’s, she was right where she wanted to be. They were large hands. Warm and slightly calloused, they always made her feel safe.
“It’s a lot to take on. I heard Bernie was going to hire a relief driver to help him.” Ethan remarked.
“He’s been looking. Maybe because it’s coming into winter, but he says there’s been no response to his ads.”
Ethan didn’t reply. They were nearer the cabin, and the footprints disappeared into some grass. Ethan crouched over the last one.
“Stay here.” He commanded, dropping her hand. Leaping onto the small deck, he pushed at the cabin door, which was slightly ajar, and quickly went in.
He hadn’t given her time to tell him that she’d already seen right through the one room cabin from the back window and was convinced that no one was in there. Peering out from behind the shrub where he’d left her, Maddie could see clear through the cabin. The grumpy raccoon must have gone as there was no sound at all. Considering Ethan was such a big man he could be very stealthy, and even his footsteps on the wooden floor were muffled. Since the cabin wasn’t large, it didn’t take long before he re-emerged.
Behind her, the paramedic was placing Magnus into a body bag, and the Girlz looked as though they couldn’t wait to leave. They were slowly retreating back to the large elm. She didn’t blame them. The short walk had turned out to be way more stressful than any of them had anticipated.
“Just a minute, ladies,” Ethan called to them. “You need to wait a little longer just so I can make sure you won’t contaminate any further evidence.”
“We will,” Maddie assured him. “It might be a good time to say that I was by the cabin earlier. I looked through the window and all I saw was a raccoon. I didn’t touch anything and I didn’t go inside. I swear.”
Ethan sighed and with his thumb and forefinger rubbed his eyes. “Anything else you’d care to impart?”
“That’s it.”
“Right. I’ll be as quick as I can.”
While Ethan continued his search, Angel dabbed the corner of her eyes. “Poor Magnus.”
Ethan was still in earshot, and he jogged back to her. “How well did you know him?”
“Pretty well. Magnus was Brad’s closest friend. They went to school together and played football for the same teams. They were also in business together,” she croaked.
Maddie got a sick feeling way down low in her stomach, and by the dawning look on Angel’s face, they were thinking along the same lines. Brad was back in town, and now his friend and partner was killed. Ethan came closer, his mouth tight as he registered Angel’s words.
“Were they still friends?”
Angel nodded. “As far as I know. They had a brief parting of the ways, but as soon as I was out of the picture, I think they got back together. I don’t have any evidence to support that.”
She sure knew how Ethan’s mind worked, and her worried look told Maddie she’d rather not go there, but Ethan would figure it out.
“What did you have to do with them being friends or not?”
Angel dipped her head. “It’s a little embarrassing. Magnus didn’t like the way Brad treated me, and he often intervened. One day he told me that it was because he was in love with me. Brad somehow heard about it, and that was the end of their friendship.”
“How sweet. And sad,” Laura added hurriedly.
Ethan was assimilating all the information by pacing around the green belt the Girlz stood on. He paused for a moment. “I would have known about the business if it were local and legal. I’m assuming that it wasn’t on both accounts?”
“I believe he traveled a lot, but the business was definitely closer to Destiny. Once I moved back to Maple Falls I never saw him again. Not even for the divorce.”
The larger town of Destiny sat between Maple Falls and Portland with many farms surrounding the area. Maddie suddenly remembered a conversation from when they were younger.
“Didn’t Brad’s family own a farm this side of Destiny?”
“They did. He to
ok me to see it once on his motorcycle. The land around it was thriving, but the Marsters place was run into the ground by his father. I could see the potential, but Brad had no inclination to run a farm. He and his brother had to do everything back then, and they hated it. Such a shame.”
Ethan held up a hand. “He lives near Destiny? That’s interesting.”
Maddie could see where this was headed and if Ethan was going to solve this murder he needed all the facts, regardless of Angel’s viewpoint. She nudged her friend. “You need to tell Ethan about the visit on Monday.”
“What visit?” he asked, on high alert.
Angel sighed heavily.
“Your loyalty can’t be for him right now.” Maddie pressed.
“I know you’re right. I made a promise to Brad, but I see I can’t keep it.” She faced Ethan. “Brad called to say that he’s coming to town and wants to see me. He sounded nervous about it, and maybe this has something to do with that.”
Cars could be heard in the distance, and soon after Deputies Jacobs and Neilson came around the side of the cabin, hands on holsters.
“Stand down. Whoever did this is long gone.” Ethan called to them, before turning back to the women. “We’re going to be here for some time. I suggest you head back to town. The murderer could still be in the area.”
“I could see them safely back, Sheriff?” Deputy Neilson offered.
“Good idea, but I’d rather Rob goes. He knows his way around here, and the last thing I need is to have to search for a lost Deputy.”
Maddie hadn’t expected any escort, but when Deputy Neilson scowled at Ethan’s back, she was glad it was Deputy Jacobs coming with them. Neilson was new to the department, and maybe he hadn’t found his feet yet. It was hard when your co-workers knew each other as well as Ethan and his other Deputies did.
They were about to head back when Maddie had a thought. “By the way, Ethan, we are just assuming that whoever did this was the one who left in that car straight after the shooting. We all heard the shot and footsteps, but we didn’t see them or the vehicle.”
