Colde & Rainey (A Rainey Bell Thriller)

by R. E. Bradshaw

  “Good morning, ladies.”

  “Good morning, to you too,” Harriet said, “May I offer you some coffee?”

  “No, ma’am. We have some thermoses in the truck. We were headed over to Grandma’s to shovel her walk and saw Bill might need a hand.”

  “How nice of you,” Harriet said. “Thank you all so much. And you tell Grandma Sweet hello for me. I’m going to go back and check on Morgan.”

  “You just call if you need anything, Mrs. Wise. We’re glad to help. Mr. Wise was a good man and we plan to do right by him.”

  “You are very kind, thank you.”

  Harriet left Rainey and Skylar alone in the foyer. Rainey thought Skylar was a little jumpy, a bit over eager to please, and about to burst to say something to her. He looked around to assure they were alone before he finally spoke.

  “I understand you’re an FBI agent down here investigating Mr. Wise’s death for the CIA, and looking into that damn list he carried around for fourteen years.”

  Yet again amazed at how rumors could move so fast and be so distorted, Rainey let Skylar’s misconception of her status stand for the moment. “So, you know about the list? What else do you know?”

  “I know I have no reason to go around eliminating people from Ellie Paxton’s life. I mean, Ellie and I had some fun in high school, but she wasn’t the love of my life. I was never obsessed with her or anything.”

  “What do you mean by fun?”

  Skylar grinned like a fifteen-year-old boy. “Oh, Miss Ellie isn’t as sweet and innocent as she’d like people to believe. She was kinky in high school. She’s even more so now.”

  “How would you know what she’s like now? Are you having an affair with her as well?”

  Skylar flushed red. “Wow, in town one day and you have my number. Hey, I’m a hound, I’ll admit it, but trust me, I’ve got better things to do than go around killing people, especially Mr. Wise.”

  Rainey couldn’t help herself. She smiled at Skylar. “Why should I trust you, when your wife can’t?”

  Skylar froze for a second, and then offered sheepishly, “I guess you have a point, but I still didn’t shoot Mr. Wise.”

  Finished with Skylar and suspecting he was actually being honest with her—or one of the best liars feigning earnestness she’d ever seen—she turned her focus on his friend shoveling snow out of the driveway now.

  “What about Gordon? He’s a hunter. He was reported poaching in the area. He’s a known drug user.”

  Skylar interrupted. “Man, you are good. You found out all that in one day?”

  Rainey let a sly smile turn the corner of her lips, playing to Skylar’s perception of her investigative powers, though all it took was listening to local gossip for a few minutes.

  She asked, “Do you think he could have been high enough to mistake Wellman Wise for a deer or some other game?”

  Skylar seemed relieved to have the spotlight off him. He volunteered information on Gordon freely. “Nah, Gordon could be drunk off his ass and still shoot the wings off a fly. I’ve seen him hit a quarter stuck in the bark of a tree after consuming two six packs. He usually doesn’t do much more than smoke a little weed these days, but he used to drink quite a bit. Gordon had nothing to gain by any of those deaths. And if anyone’s seen him up in Read’s woods, it’s because he’s filming Ellie on her daily skinny dips. I’m almost inclined to believe she knows he’s up there in that little blind he made.”

  “Did he ever date Ellie?”

  “No, but we partied with her some, if you know what I mean.”

  “Like you partied with Leda?”

  Rainey had waited for the right moment, when Skylar thought she had dismissed him as a suspect. His smile faded and his visage became flat, the rage behind his eyes clearly visible.

  “I hate this fucking town,” he spat.

  Rainey pushed him. “That is your son, Skylar. You can’t deny you had sex with her. Is her story true? Did you rape her? Did you and Gordon take turns? You don’t strike me as the sloppy seconds type, or are you? Did watching him with her turn you on again? Did you have to go back for more after Gordon shot his wad?”

  That last part got to his ego and she saw a flash of anger Skylar had heretofore concealed. His voice grew tight, as he tried to control his rage. “I never touched that bitch after he—”

  “But you did touch her. You raped her, and you got away with it. Or have you? All the witnesses are dead, except Leda and the obvious walking DNA contribution you made. Is she blackmailing you?”

  “I pay goddamn child support, okay. I paid her off. I set up a college fund for that kid. I was drunk, stupid, and out of control. I don’t know why I did it. I have never forced a girl to do anything since then. I don’t know what happened. I just lost control of it.”

  There it was, Skylar’s remorse. It was a good sign that he was probably not a cold-blooded killer or serial rapist. His philandering was common knowledge, but Rainey had heard no other rumors of Skylar forcing himself on anyone. His restitution, though it would never erase Leda’s trauma, was his way of undoing the crime in his mind. Rainey believed he was genuinely regretful for his actions, if not wholly apologetic toward the victim. Skylar’s ego would only let him repent so far. Lurking somewhere under that pretty shell was the man who believed the “bitch” deserved it. He made Rainey’s skin crawl.

  Rainey sneered at him. “The ‘it’ you can’t control is sexual addiction. You need help, Skylar. Your chemistry is off or your brain is wired differently, but you are an addict. Addicts can’t be trusted. They will do whatever they must for a fix. Eventually the world crashes down around them, and they find the addiction took everything they cared about away. Keep feeding that monster inside you, Skylar, and it will rear its ugly head again. This time, you probably will not get away with it.” Rainey decided to really scare him. “All it would take at this point is an accusation. They’ll parade Leda’s son in front of jury as proof of the animal you are. Do you think a soul in this county would believe you didn’t do it? I’m surprised some gold digger hasn’t thought of setting you up. It sure as hell would be easy.”

  “Look, I just didn’t want the FBI to waste time focused on me. I didn’t kill Wellman Wise, but I bet Graham Colde did. Gordon and I saw him. This white van had been coming around, sitting on the road, watching the fields. I checked him out through Gordon’s rifle sight. I even had Gordon look. We both thought he looked like Graham’s dad, Teddy Colde, but he’s dead, so it had to be his son.”

  “Thank you for the information. I’m sure the police will want to talk to you.”

  A look of confusion crossed Skylar’s face. “Aren’t you the police?”

  “No, just a family friend. I’m retired from the FBI.”

  Seemingly relieved Rainey was not an active agent, Skylar resumed his normal man on the prowl persona. “Gordon said you were too hot to be a cop. He heard you were a lesbian with a MILF wife. I guess you got it when I said Ellie was kinky. She and Cassie were up for anything. I guess all lesbians are like that. If you and your wife ever want to get freaky,” he flashed his pearly whites, “give me a call.”

  Skylar was a fountain of information, but he disgusted Rainey. She wanted him gone. She bore into him with her eyes. “My wife, as you accurately called her, is the mother of my children and someone I love and respect enough to tell you to go fuck yourself, you idiot prick.”

  “Is everything all right down there?” Harriet called from the other end of the hall.

  “Yes, ma’am, I was just leaving,” Skylar responded, and gave Rainey a wide berth on his way out the door.

  Harriet approached as Rainey said, “I should shoot him now and save some husband the trouble.”

  “That may be the case one day. I’m afraid his forced vasectomy only gave him license to screw anything that would stand still long enough.”

  Rainey smiled at Harriet’s candor, but asked, “Forced? Who forced him?”

  “Oh, his daddy threw a
fit over that thing with Leda. He threatened to disown him if he didn’t have the operation. Of course, he could have had it reversed after he married, but I suppose he never did. Wellman said Skylar liked the freedom it gave him, and that trophy wife of his was more than happy to forgo ruining her perfect figure.”

  Rainey started to giggle at first, followed by an all-out laugh. It could have been she was just a little off her game. She was away from home, stressed over some guy being a possible mastermind killer and making a game of her life. Whatever the cause, Rainey could only ride it out. Harriet caught the bug and joined Rainey, chuckling even though she didn’t know what for. Rainey thought they both could probably use the release laughter offered the soul.

  When she could, Rainey said, “I just keep hearing that old Jeannie C. Riley song, “Harper Valley PTA,” playing in my head. I guess little towns everywhere are all the same. Everyone knows your secrets.”

  #

  8:00 a.m.

  Overcast, 34oF, Windchill 26oF

  Harriet called her friend at the county offices to assure the roads were clear for Rainey’s departure. The word was the streets in town were still covered, and the four lane out of town was one lane but passable. Once Rainey made it to the main highway, she would have cleared roads to home. Her neighborhood would probably be thawed by the time she arrived, but she hoped the snow would stick around until she got there. Rainey looked forward to Weather’s first snowball. She had quite an arm.

  “I do hope you’ll bring your lovely family down for a visit,” Harriet said, as Rainey pulled on her coat.

  Bill returned through the front door, after freeing all the windows of Rainey’s van of ice and warming the engine for her.

  “All nice and warm for your departure,” he said, as he stepped inside.

  Rainey turned to Morgan. “He’s a keeper.”

  Morgan smiled and slipped her arm around her husband’s waist. “I know.”

  Rainey hugged Harriet. “I promise to keep you updated and I will stay on the detectives until you have an answer.”

  Harriet patted Rainey on the back. “Thank you, sweetheart. I know you will. You drive safe now.”

  “Always,” Rainey said.

  “Your father used to say that,” Harriet said, releasing Rainey from the hug and smiling broadly.

  Rainey returned the smile. “Yes, he did.”

  #

  8:15 a.m.

  Overcast, 34oF, Windchill 25.5oF

  It took Rainey twenty minutes to get out of town and onto the four-lane. The four-lane was really single lane traffic on either side of the median. One lane had clean ruts to follow, but the rest of the road was frozen slush or solid ice. Rainey went slower than some of the brave souls that took to the outside lane to pass, but there was very little traffic. She picked up a black SUV on her tail, following too close, but she had no place to move out of its way. She sped up to a speed with which she was comfortable.

  Rainey did not drive the van very often and was not accustomed to how it would react if she hit a patch of black ice. The SUV was going to have to be patient or pass in the snow packed and slushy lane to Rainey’s left. That’s exactly what it did. At the first opportunity, with no other traffic in sight, the SUV pulled to the left and up onto the snow pack. As the vehicles began to travel side by side, Rainey slowed. Up ahead, in a spot yet to be greeted by the sun, her lane lost its ruts and became an ice covered, snow packed, bend in the road. A strip of evergreen forest shaded the deep sloping ditches and the minute shoulder. This was an accident waiting to happen.

  Rainey tapped the brake again, looking for fluffy snow to slow her momentum. Hitting the brakes harder could lead to a skid. The SUV slowed too. Rainey wanted it to pull ahead and give her more wiggle room, but it stayed right beside her. The driver apparently sensed the danger as well, but was causing more staying next to the van. Frustrated, Rainey tapped the brake again, trying to let the SUV pass. Just as they entered the curve, the SUV sped up. Rainey was about to breathe a sigh of relief when the driver in front of her lost control and fishtailed into her lane.

  “Oh, shit,” Rainey shouted, and began trying to avoid the SUV.

  The van went into a slide as soon as Rainey turned the wheel. She turned into the slide even more, trying to regain control. The van began to slow as it spun into the other lane, hit the curb on the median, and bounced off in the direction of the ditch. The ice had the vehicle now and all Rainey could do was brace for impact. It wasn’t half bad, actually. Once the van wheels hit the snow on the ditch bank, it slid gently down the slope. Rainey exhaled when the van came to a stop. The whole thing had been so slow and nonviolent, the OnStar sensors did not activate. She did not hear the van hit anything, and once towed from the ditch, Rainey could probably continue her drive home.

  She had waited to call Katie, wanting to be up on the highway before giving her an estimated time of arrival. Now, that call was to be two-fold. “Honey, I’m on my way home, but your van is in a ditch.” Great, Rainey thought, just fan-fucking-tastic.

  After a minute of struggling with the door because of the angle at which the van was leaning, Rainey emerged into ankle deep snow. The biting wind nipped at her cheeks and ears. The wind chill was definitely below freezing. She heard a voice at the lip of the ditch calling down to her.

  “Oh, my God. Are you all right? I’m so sorry.”

  Rainey shielded her eyes against the glare from the snow to see Ellie Paxton Read standing above her.

  “I’m fine. I’m going to need a tow truck though,” Rainey responded to Ellie’s question, and then clawed her way up out of the ditch to face her.

  “I am so sorry,” Ellie said again. “I shouldn’t have tried to pass you there. I don’t know what happened. It felt like the ruts just threw me in front of you.”

  “It’s okay. No harm done, at least I don’t think so. I’ll know when they get it pulled out, but it felt like it just slid to a stop.” Rainey pulled the phone from her pocket. “You wouldn’t happen to know the closest tow truck number, would you? If I call the service, they’ll probably send someone from further away and I’d like to get home this morning.”

  Ellie grabbed Rainey’s arm. “Let’s get out of this cold air. Come with me.” She led Rainey to the rear of the SUV, now stopped about thirty yards ahead on the tiny shoulder. “Get in,” she said, and disappeared on the driver’s side of the vehicle. Rainey hesitated. It wasn’t fear of Ellie that froze her to the spot, but the appearance of a white van coming toward them. She reached into the back of her jeans and slid her hand around the grip of the Glock concealed there. The van slowed and came to a stop. The driver’s window gradually rolled down, revealing an older gentleman.

  “Ellie, are you all right?”

  Rainey couldn’t see Ellie, but she heard her respond, “We’re fine, Mr. Bryant. I have Bart on the phone. He’s going to pull the van out. Thanks for stopping.”

  The gentleman waved, rolled up his window, and pulled away. The wind blew up the tails of Rainey’s coat, stinging her legs under her now wet jeans. Climbing out of the ditch had soaked her from the knees down. She hustled toward the passenger side of Ellie’s SUV and climbed in.

  Ellie was on the hands free phone speaking toward the mirror. “—just bring it to my house, Bart, and put the tow on my tab.”

  A male voice came over the car speakers, “Will do. It’ll be about an hour. I got a few before you.”

  “Get to this one as soon as you can and I’ll make it worth your while, handsome,” Ellie flirted.

  The voice laughed. “I’ll have it there lickety-split.”

  “You do that,” Ellie said and put the SUV in drive.

  She pulled away from the shoulder, while Rainey was saying, “I could just wait with the van.”

  “Oh, don’t be silly. The least I can do is give you some hot coffee and let you dry your pants. You’re soaked.”

  And with that, Rainey found herself headed to the pretty blonde, kinky girl’s h
ouse. “Trouble finds you, Rainey Bell,” she heard Katie say in her head.

  “I need to call home and let them know I’m going to be later than expected,” she said, pulling out the phone again.

  She touched the screen a few times and put the phone to her ear.

  “Hey, good-lookin’. Are you headed this way?” Katie said cheerfully.

  “Well, I was, but I got into a bit of an accident.”

  Ellie shouted at the phone. “It was all my fault. I’m very sorry.”

  Katie’s cheeriness vanished. “Are you okay?”

  “Yes, I’m fine, the van is fine, but it’s in a ditch. The tow truck guy said he would bring it to me in about an hour.”

  “Where are you?” Katie asked.

  “I’m in a car, going to a place to stay warm until they bring me the van.”

  Ellie shouted again, “Don’t worry. I’ll take good care of her.”

  “Who is that?” Katie wanted to know.

  “It’s the driver of the other car. We’re going to wait at her house for the tow truck.”

  Katie teased Rainey, “She better be ugly.”

  Rainey lied. “Oh, she is. She is very nice.”

  “Oh, my God. She’s gorgeous, isn’t she?”

  “I’m good,” Rainey said, non-committal.

  Katie became distracted by the loud baby noises somewhere near her. Rainey could tell because she started talking faster. “You behave yourself and call me when you get back on the road. I’m glad you’re safe. I have to go. Mack is on the kitchen counter. Love you, bye.”

  The “Love you too,” Rainey offered went unheard. Katie was gone.

  Ellie asked, “Was that your wife? I heard you have a beautiful family.”

  “Wow, that Leda is quite the town crier,” Rainey commented.