Cross Falls Saga - Southern Suspense Box Set

by Mallory Crowe

  He was glad he had the chance to get to know his father again, but wished like hell he would've been able to do this when Dad was still alive. The setting sun streamed full force into the windows as he put the last paper back into the box and Gabrie walked back into the room and handed him a glass of lemonade. He took a quick drink and had to force himself not to down the rest in one gulp.

  "Find anything?" she asked.

  He shook his head and pushed the box next to the door. One down and, he glanced around the room, way too many to go. "You really went through all of these?"

  "Those and a lot more. It was a long week."

  "I can imagine." He picked up a small box that almost fit into his hand. "What are these?"

  "Keys." She leaned against the doorjamb. "Lots and lots of keys. I figure you could see if you recognize what any of them go to. I didn't see any documents for storage containers or anything, but you never know."

  "Oh goody," he muttered sarcastically. "More boxes." He doubted he'd be able to help with this one, but it didn't hurt to look. He dumped out the keys and they clattered against the wood, spreading out in front of him.

  As expected, most of them meant nothing to him. Working construction, he knew just how easy it was to get a key made, and any hardware store, car dealership, or even two-bit crook had key makers these days.

  But one did stand out. "Shit," he muttered as he picked a flat, long key out of the pile.

  Gabrie pushed herself away from the door. "What?"

  "It looks like Dad might have a safe deposit box."

  CHAPTER SIX

  Gabrie's mouth dropped open. Safe deposit box! Of course! Philip wouldn't hide anything important enough to bring Darren or anyone else down in his house where anyone could find it. He would want it guarded and safe.

  "How can you tell?"

  He gave her a disbelieving look. "You've never seen a safe deposit key before?"

  She shrugged. "Isn't that a rich people thing? Where I come from, you hide shit in your mattress."

  He snorted. "Okay, maybe you haven't ever seen one. But all we have to do is go to the bank and see if they will let me in to whatever box this opens."

  "Do you think they will?"

  Jack pushed himself up and left the rest of the keys where they were. "It's worth a try. There's only one bank in town, so the box is probably there. They know I'm his son, so just for that they might let me in. Or Dad might've put my name on the box too."

  Gabrie glanced to the window where the sun was just beginning its nightly descent. "What time are they open until?"

  Jack fished his phone out of his pocket and checked the time. "If I rush, I can just make it before they close." He gave Gabrie a quick kiss. "This might be what you were looking for," he said with a hopeful smile.

  And she would've known this so much earlier if she'd just trusted him. "Here's hoping," she said cautiously.

  Jack led the way out of the room and took the stairs two at a time. Just as they reached the door, Gabrie's phone started to ring. The sound echoed through the house.

  "Hold on." She glanced down to see it was Chris. "Let me take this."

  "We need to go," urged Jack.

  But Chris had been looking into where the brothers had been in the period before her mother's murder. If he had news, she wanted to hear it. "It's Chris," she said as she answered. "Hey. I'm kind of in the middle of something. Is this important?"

  "A bit," he said. "What are you doing that's so urgent?"

  "Jack found a key to a safe deposit box. We're running off to the bank to see if there's anything Philip hid away in there that could help with the search."

  Jack frowned at her and she turned away. Chris had been more help to her over the past week than Jack knew, and he deserved at least a minute of her attention.

  "That's fantastic, but I have a bit of bad news."

  Gabrie's face fell. "Oh no, what?"

  "The higher-ups on the force have some questions about your statement of self-defense we filed in the report on Drake's death. I need to go over a few things with you."

  "Questions? What kind of questions? Should I be worried?"

  "No, no. I think it's just a formality. When there's a death, we always need to be super thorough. Do you think you can come to the station right now?"

  "Umm..." She looked over to Jack, who still glared at her. "Does it have to be tonight?"

  "Pretty sure. I really shouldn't be telling you ahead of time at all."

  Great. Now Chris was jeopardizing his job for her. She hadn't asked him to break any rules. That was his own choice. "Fine. I'll leave now and be at the police station in a few minutes." Even the idea of setting foot in a police station sent chills up her spine.

  "Great. I'll see you when you get here."

  She hung up the phone and finally met Jack's gaze. "Change of plans."

  "Seriously? What is more important than finding out what Dad has hidden away?"

  "Nothing." She grabbed her keys off the table next to the entryway and slipped into her flip-flops. "You're going to go to the bank and I'm going to go to the police station to make sure I don't get charged with murder."

  Jack's eyes widened. "Whoa, they're charging you with murder?"

  "No. Chris said there were questions about my self-defense story, though, so I'm going to clarify whatever they need."

  "Maybe I should go with you."

  Gabrie pushed open the door and shook her head. "You were right. There's nothing more important to me right now than finding out what's in that box. So go and find out for me, and I expect a phone call as soon as you find out."

  He took a few steps toward his car and paused. "You really trust me?"

  "I would trust you more if you hurry your ass up!" she yelled with a smile as she hopped into her truck.

  He smiled back and ran to the small car he'd told her Penny had helped him buy. She drove past him and as soon as they reached the main road, he passed her as he sped off to the bank. At the rate he was going, it was a good thing she had connections on the police force, because he was bound to get a ticket.

  The station was only a mile away from the bank, but it was through Main Street in what was the closest thing to rush hour that Hampton Falls had. She pulled into the station and noticed there were hardly any cars in the front lot. Probably normal for a town this size. It wasn't as if they had a full jail or anything.

  Gabrie pulled into the spot right next to the door and put the truck into park. The closer to the door the better, so she could get the hell out as soon as possible.

  Chris appeared in her window and Gabrie jumped in surprise.

  "What the hell?" She pushed the door open. "You scared the crap out of me!"

  "Sorry. I was just happy to see you came alone."

  Gabrie frowned. If he wanted her to come alone, why wouldn't he have mentioned something on the phone? "Why? What's up?"

  "It's the Cross brothers. Both of them were in Raleigh the night your mother was murdered."

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  Jack ignored the annoyed glare of the bank teller as he walked up to the customer service desk. He was well aware the bank closed in exactly one minute, but he would still take the chance.

  Luckily, he recognized the middle-aged woman at the desk as the mother of one of the guys on the football team with him. "Hey, Brenda," he said with the most charming smile he could muster.

  "Jack! I heard you were back in town. I was so sorry to hear about your father. He was such a nice man."

  So everyone kept telling him. "Thanks so much. It means a lot to me that everyone here thought so highly of him." Especially when Jack hadn't given him due credit. "That's actually why I'm here. I was going through Dad's stuff and found this key." He placed it on the counter. "I'm assuming the box is here?"

  "That looks like one of ours. Let me check our records. I don't remember Mr. Cross coming in for a box, but that doesn't mean it didn't happen." She chuckled. "Oh, looks like he does have a box he
re and..." she squinted at the computer, "and he put you on it as well!"

  "Is he allowed to do that if I didn't sign?" Jack immediately regretted the question. He should've just been happy he had access.

  "Well, it's not like he took a loan out in your name," she said with a warning glance.

  "Sounds good to me," he assured her. It wasn't as if he would report the bank to the authorities or anything. "So can I get in?"

  She frowned as she pointedly glanced to the clock on the wall. "Are you going to be fast? We're technically closed."

  Customer service really didn't have to be great when you're the only game in town. "Super fast," he promised.

  "Come on in then," she said unenthusiastically.

  He didn't expect this to take long. He would just grab everything from the box and hightail it out of there before the bank employees got too upset.

  She opened the door to the small vault area. The tiny room was lined with a hundred or so various sized doors to safe deposit boxes. An oversized barred door led to the spot of the vault that probably stored the money.

  Brenda bent down to put the bank's key into the box whose number corresponded with the one on the key Jack had. Once hers was inserted and turned, Jack put his in.

  As the door slid open, Brenda stepped aside and let Jack pull out the long, thin box. She then shut the door and they each took their keys back. Jack followed her out of the vault and into the private room for him to open the box.

  "I'll be right out here if you need anything." She pulled the curtain closed so no one could see what he opened.

  As soon as she was gone, Jack pulled the lid off the box and looked inside. There was one thick, normal-sized envelope.

  Even though Jack planned on grabbing it and running, he couldn't resist the temptation to open the letter then and there. Inside, there was a handwritten note and more pictures of Lily. But these weren't like the pictures he'd seen before. These pictures were intimate. Some even taken from inside various homes and apartments.

  And a few he recognized from being when Lily lived in Hampton Falls. She was either naked or in various states of undress. In a few, she was with different men. He recognized these as being in the year of her death when she'd started working on the streets.

  God, it would kill Gabrie to see these. But he couldn't keep them from her. She deserved to know everything his father had.

  As he shook his head at all Dad had kept hidden for so many years, Jack unfolded the handwritten letter included.

  Jack,

  If you're reading this, I can assume I'm gone. I knew it would happen eventually. By now, I know you've heard my will and I feel you deserve an explanation. I'm very sorry I can't leave you the security this family has worked so hard to build, but I'm afraid I have failed the Cross name. If this is not evidenced by your mother's untimely death, Darren has surely proved it.

  I regret to inform you that your brother is not what he seems. Although I should've come forward with this sooner, I couldn't bring any more shame down on our family. Your brother was born with urges that I cannot adequately describe. Urges to hurt and shame women. I thought this was an adolescent phase he would grow out of, so I felt no need to come forward until I found out the object of his obsession had been murdered.

  I had suspected Darren's dark side existed for years, but my suspicions might never have been confirmed if not for the police officer who came forward with the proof of Darren's dastardly acts. But by the time he informed me, it was too late to save her. So instead I made sure the woman's daughter would be taken care of after my death. Again, I apologize for the hardship on you, but what little conscience I have left me no choice.

  I trust you will do fine, as you have never needed my help or money before.

  I am forever proud of you, son.

  Philip Cross

  Jack put the letter down with a shaking hand, disgusted with all his family had lost. The disdain that Philip talked about Darren. Dad truly believed his son was guilty of horrible things.

  All because of a police officer? That made no sense. Why would a cop turn evidence over to Dad and not use it to arrest Darren?

  But there was one particular cop who had butted his nose into family business ever since Jack got to town. One who happened to be alone with Gabrie at this very moment.

  Jack slammed the lid to the safe deposit box down and tucked the envelope into his back pocket. He shot out of the booth and out of the security door that led to the lobby.

  "Jack, we need to put the box back!" shouted Brenda.

  He ignored her. No time. Chris. Chris was at the center of all this. Chris turned his father against Gabrie and had led the investigation on Drake.

  Jack slammed his car into gear and tore out of the bank parking lot at breakneck speed.

  How old was Chris? A year younger than Jack and Darren. On the football team. How often did they have teammates over at Cross Falls? All the time. That's what the team did for its members. Chris could've hidden Lily's things in Darren's room at any time. But why?

  Thanks to going twice the legal limit, he made it to the station in record time. A quick glance didn't show any sign of Gabrie's truck. He pulled into the closest spot to the door and ran inside the station, slamming into the front desk.

  The deputy he didn't recognize looked up to him, her brown eyes wide. "Mr. Cross, what's wrong?"

  "Gabrie. Gabriella Moss. Where is she?"

  She frowned. "Ms. Moss isn't here. Should she be?"

  Jack pushed away from the desk and stumbled out the door to stare at the empty visitors lot. Yes. Yes, she should be.

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  Gabrie brought the truck to a stop in the back of the police station and turned to look at Chris in the passenger seat. "Fine, we moved. What are we doing back here?"

  "I don't think you should be around the Cross brothers anymore," he said.

  She shook her head, wishing he would just get to the point. She'd thought she was here to answer more questions about Drake, not be told to stay away from her boyfriend. "Chris, I really don't think either of them had anything to do with this. I know it's just gut instinct, but I believe them."

  Chris set his hand on hers and Gabrie tried not to frown. He really needed to learn about the no touching thing. "I know you believe them, but the facts don't. I pulled their credit card history and both of them had activity in Raleigh repeatedly in the years and months leading up to her murder."

  Gabrie took a nervous gulp. "Jack told me he was working in Dallas back then."

  "I've been keeping my investigation hush-hush so no one else in the town would find out, but let me show you the proof I have in my car."

  "Fine." She pulled the keys from the ignition and followed Chris as he crossed to the front of the truck and started to head into the field behind the police station. "Whoa, where are you going?" The grass and brush reached higher than her knees and she was only wearing flip-flops. She wasn't walking through that.

  "We can't talk about this here," he said in a serious voice. "I parked at the abandoned Parkins place over there." He pointed to a house just visible in the distance.

  Gabrie stopped and frowned. "Can't we just drive? And how can you keep this quiet from the department? Don't you need approval or warrants to pull credit card history?"

  Chris took a step forward and held out his hand. "Come on, Gabrie. Trust me."

  It was the third time she'd been asked that in one day and for the first time, she wasn't sure. Chris had been nothing but nice and helpful, but as she looked across the field at the tiny house, everything within her told her to run the other way. "My ribs aren't really healed yet," she said. "I really don't want to be climbing through all that brush."

  "Damn it, Gabrie," he muttered.

  She opened her mouth to apologize for the inconvenience, but his fist rammed into her face before any words escaped. Lights seemed to flash in front of her eyes as she fell backwards. As she hit the ground, big hands rolled her onto
her stomach. She winced at the pain as her fight-or-flight instinct reminded her to get the hell out of there. She felt him looming over her and kicked backwards as hard as she should. Chris grunted as her foot made contact, but she knew she didn't have enough power behind the kick to do serious damage. Still, she started to crawl away, hoping it was just enough to let her get to her truck.

  It wasn't.

  Right as she tried to maneuver from crawling to running, Chris grabbed her ankle and yanked back. Gabrie fell face first into the dirt.

  "I had a feeling you wouldn't make this easy," he snarled above her as he shoved his knee into her back.

  The air rushed out of her lungs as Chris put all of his weight on her. Her already bruised ribs protested. He used the distraction of the pain to pull her wrists behind her and wrapped them in something hard that immediately tightened to the point she was sure circulation was cut off.

  Fighting and flighting were both out of the question. "Chris, what are you doing?"

  He yanked on her arms and pulled her up and back until she stood again. The awkward angle of her shoulders sent more pain shooting through her body.

  Shit. They were in front of the police station. Right off Main Street. Wasn't anyone around? Once again, Gabrie kicked behind her and let out the loudest scream she could manage.

  For a whole two seconds. Apparently her kick had even less of an impact now, and Chris's meaty palm wrapped around her face, covered her mouth and pinched her nose shut.

  Her struggles reached a fever pitch as she started to run low on air. As every cell in her body became desperate for oxygen, she kicked and thrashed and moaned, but nothing made a difference. With her hands bound behind her back and Chris holding her firmly in place, she didn't gain any leverage and soon her vision started to get spotty. Putting up any fight at all was almost impossible.

  Right before she would have passed out, Chris released her face and she took in deep gulps of air. Chris took that moment to reach down into her pocket to pull out her pepper spray and keys. From her angle, she couldn't see what he did with them.