Grafted into Deceit (Intertwined Book 3)

by Sherri Wilson Johnson

  Trust. What a concept. She didn’t trust too many people because people always let her down, betrayed her, or took advantage of her.

  “Detective, can you make sure they don’t release my name to the media? At least not until they catch that guy.”

  “I’ll do my best.”

  “Sir, we need to get her to the hospital.”

  The detective stepped clear of the stretcher. “Yes, of course.” He held up the phone and waved. “I’ll see you later.”

  Marina mustered a smile, which faded in a moment when a K9 officer and his leashed German Shepherd-type dog stepped up to him.

  “Sir, we found this.”

  She couldn’t see around the EMT before the ambulance doors closed and they were in transit to the hospital. What had the K9 officer handed the detective?

  Chapter Three

  The ambulance pulled away with Steven’s key witness inside. The sooner he wrapped things up and got to the hospital, the better. He’d told Officer Warren to follow the ambulance and not let Ms. Acres out of his sight, but he wanted to speak with her before anyone else got to her. He had to figure out who shot at her and why Jason Burney was near her property after hours. He also needed to figure out where Jason had gone. A dead man couldn’t get up and walk away from an accident like that.

  “Is everything okay, Steven?” a gruff voice called out in the night.

  Steven pulled his gaze from the departing ambulance, and with the assistance of the moon, he focused on Rex O’Reilly, the dark-eyed rancher who lived next door to the nursery. Rex’s sister’s murder two years ago by a local serial killer was still fresh on Steven’s mind. The O’Reilly family and the whole community had been shaken to the core by the murders. Steven admired the O’Reillys for their faith in God and how they used their grief for ministering to people in trauma situations.

  “Hey, Rex.” He shook his offered hand. “Yes, we’re securing the scene of two accidents.”

  Rex nodded and shoved his hands into his front pockets. “We heard the sirens and figured somebody must’ve hit a deer. It’s that time of year, you know. Mama and Cora wanted me to come check it out. Anybody I know?”

  “The first one involved Marina Acres, the owner of Acres and Fields Nursery.”

  “Is she okay?”

  A gust of wind took Steven’s breath as he shuffled his feet in the grass. He didn’t have time to talk with the neighbors right now, even though Rex was a friend. He needed to focus on the scene, get all the evidence he could, and connect the dots from this incident to his investigation of the nursery. “She’s being transported to the hospital now. She’s got mild injuries, but she’ll be fine.”

  “What about the second accident?” Rex nodded toward the truck against the tree.

  “We’re not sure what’s going on yet, but it appears the driver of the truck and his passenger had a vendetta against Ms. Acres for something. Or they believe she knows something she doesn’t seem to know. We’ve got a lot of work ahead of us.”

  “I can’t imagine Marina being the target of something like this. She’s a real nice lady. Always brings us clippings of plants and flower bushes for my mother’s yard.”

  “Yeah, she seems to be the victim of mistaken identity or something. But I guess we’ll find out once the investigation proceeds.”

  “I’ve been meaning to call you out to the ranch. I think something might be going on with some of my hired hands. Possibly drugs. And it could have something to do with some of the people who work at the nursery. But Cora thinks I’m suspicious for no reason.”

  Rex had Steven’s attention now. “Your wife’s a smart lady, but you could be right this time. I’m getting the feeling something’s going on.” Steven couldn’t divulge his suspicions to Rex yet. Talking about the details of his ongoing investigation until he had more evidence might ruin the case. “Why don’t I stop by in the next few days and we’ll chat?” If Rex could help Steven solve this drug case, he’d accept all the help he could give him.

  “Sounds good. I’ll be moseying on back to the ranch. Stop by any time.” Rex tipped his Stetson and disappeared into the woods heading toward the Southern Hope Ranch.

  Officer Rich Spearmon, who was the best K9 officer on the force, called out to Steven and came over to him. If he and his Belgian Malinois had found something, Steven needed to see it. He whacked him on the shoulder. “Whatcha got for me, R.J.?”

  Spearmon commanded his dog to sit and offered an evidence bag to Steven. “My partner detected this in the truck.”

  Steven took the bag from him and flipped on his flashlight. The bag contained at least two ounces of marijuana and a partially smoked blunt. “She’s got a nose on her, doesn’t she? That’s a good one you’ve got there.”

  Spearmon rubbed his dog’s ears. “Yes, sir. She also found this.” He held up another bag containing a packet of cigarettes.

  Steven took the bag and studied the packet inside. “Do you have any latex gloves on you?”

  “Yes, sir, over here in my kit by the pickup.” Spearmon led his dog away, and Steven followed him rubbing his hands together to restore their warmth.

  Steven slipped on the gloves and pulled the packet of cigarettes out of the bag. He lodged his flashlight into his armpit and placed the bag between his knees for safekeeping.

  “What are you looking for, sir?”

  “Something doesn’t look right with these cigarettes.”

  “You think they’re marijuana?”

  “No, something’s off with the packaging.” Steven tore the top of the packet off enough to see inside. As he suspected, it contained something other than the cigarettes. He pulled out a USB jump drive.

  “How did I miss that?” Spearmon shook his head.

  “This guy thinks he’s smarter than us. But he’s not. Is he?”

  “No, sir.”

  “Take these to the lab and have them check everything for fingerprints and DNA. Then have them check the files on this drive. Maybe it contains what I’ve been looking for over the past few months.”

  The adrenaline surged through Steven as he hopped across the creek on his way to his SUV. His toes and fingertips tingled, and his heart raced. If this truck was associated in any way with the landscaping business, he must be close to solving this case. The months of sitting in the church parking lot across the street waiting, falling asleep, and missing church on Sundays, might finally come to an end. His brother’s killer might finally pay.

  But how did Ms. Acres factor in to this situation? She didn’t seem to have knowledge of any illegal activity. He’d have to probe further into her story to find the answers he needed, provided she knew anything.

  Steven glanced over his shoulder. The tow truck pulled the pickup away from the dogwood tree, and the tree began its plunge the rest of the way to the ground. “Look out!” He bolted back across the creek and lunged toward Spearmon and his dog.

  ***

  Between cop show reruns, forensics shows, and the latest medical drama, no matter what Marina tuned into on the television that had probably been in the room for fifteen years at least, she remembered last night. She closed her eyes and tried to slip back into the drug-induced peace she’d known before she woke up this morning, but scenes from the accident flashed behind her closed lids.

  On too many rainy mornings on her way into the office, she’d almost hit the kudzu-covered hill on the right side of Elm Grove Road or slid off the steep embankment on the left. Last night, Jason had run out in front of her, and she’d lost control. How would she ever get the image of his lifeless body out of her thoughts or forget she’d been responsible for his death?

  “Jason, why were you near my property? Were you running from the men who ran me off into the ditch and then shot at me?”

  She adjusted the neckline of her less-than-flattering, blue-and-white hospital gown and sighed. More pressing on her mind than the circumstances surrounding Jason’s death were her questions about the company’s missing money.
The police were responsible for solving Jason’s murder. No one could solve her issues but her. Healing wouldn’t begin until she did.

  By her last tally, close to $150,000 of their money was unaccounted for. That might not seem much to larger corporations, but to her small business, that was huge. And Iris didn’t seem to care. Or maybe she didn’t waste time worrying over minor matters. But $150,000 was major and worthy of her worry.

  Every time she’d asked Iris to sit down with her and discuss things, she’d brushed off Marina’s concerns. But someone on the inside was untrustworthy, and she needed to know who. A lump like a softball rested in the pit of her stomach, and her breakfast churned inside it.

  Something needed to occupy her thoughts—and soon. The sterile white walls felt like those of a prison infirmary. The lone print of a mountain covered in mist, trees at its foot adorned with cherry blossoms, attempted to induce serenity but failed after the night she’d endured. She pressed the up button on the remote several times, and finding nothing to watch, groaned and clicked off the television.

  A light tap sounded on her door. “Knock, knock.”

  “Come in.” She straightened her covers and adjusted her gown again. Instead of another doctor, nurse, or technician, the detective from last night appeared in the doorway in a dark blue skinny suit, white dress shirt, and a multi-colored striped tie. Who needed to watch crime shows when she had her very own detective? “Hi.”

  He gestured his hello by raising his eyebrows and cocking his chin. “How are you today, Ms. Acres?”

  She tilted her head toward the man who’d rescued her from what could have been the end of her life and motioned for him to come into the room. “I’m sore, but I’ll be fine.”

  He stepped around the foot of her bed and kicked the IV hose to the side, so he wouldn’t step on it. “They were running tests and wouldn’t let me see you when I came by last night, so I left.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “When I returned, you were asleep. The nurse said they gave you a sedative to help you relax.”

  “Yes, they did. It knocked me out, too, except for the million times they came in to check on me. Whoever thinks you can rest and recuperate in the hospital has obviously never stayed in one.” She smiled.

  “I arrived here late because I got tied up preventing my best K9 officer and his partner from being crushed by the tree the truck hit.”

  Marina’s gaze widened. “The dogwood fell?”

  “Yep. I’m glad I’m alive today.”

  “I’m glad you’re alive too. Thanks for coming back again this morning.”

  He shrugged. “I needed your statement. Plus, I came for my security detail.” He took a seat on the bench beneath the window and slipped his notepad and pen out of his suit coat pocket.

  “Did you catch the guy who ran off last night? Did you find out anything from the driver?” She didn’t ask about Jason. There was no way he survived the accident.

  “I’ll answer your questions in a bit. First, I need to take your statement. Is this a good time?”

  “Do I have a choice?”

  He glanced up. “Not if you want to help us catch whoever did this to you.”

  A soft laugh escaped her lips, and Marina held her side to keep from jostling her ribs. “That’s what I figured.” Talking to the detective was the way to find the shooter and to clear her name of vehicular manslaughter or whatever they called it these days, too, so getting this part over with sooner rather than later was the best option. She raised her Styrofoam cup to her lips and sipped the hot tea. “Go ahead.”

  The daylight afforded her the opportunity to see the detective’s features better. Brownish-reddish closely cut hair complimented his full face, covered in day-old scruff. His forest green eyes sparkled yet held a seriousness, and his smile warmed the room. Maybe five feet eleven inches and dressed in a tailored skinny suit, he looked both ready for an interrogation and ready for a dinner party at the same time.

  Why did she feel so warm now? She’d blame it on the tea.

  He drummed his knees and cracked his neck with a few twists of his head. “Tell me about the accident.” As she rehashed the details, he took notes.

  She was responsible for Jason’s death. If she’d waited until morning to come back for the files and hadn’t tried to play amateur detective, the wreck wouldn’t have happened—and Jason would still be alive. Well, he might still be dead if whoever chased him into the street had killed him, but she wouldn’t be the responsible party.

  “I don’t usually drive on those backroads after dark. There are always deer, and I’m scared one will dart out in front of me. People don’t typically walk on that road because there are no stores or other local businesses other than ours. Just farms and churches. The O’Reilly ranch has a B&B, but still, people don’t walk to it. I never would’ve imagined a man would jump out in front of me. Especially a man I know.”

  “It’s certainly not an everyday occurrence and proves he was running from someone.” He shook his head. “How do you know Mr. Burney?”

  She didn’t know him. How could she explain their connection? “He’s a friend of my business partner’s husband. We’re not friends. Just acquaintances.”

  He nodded. “Tell me about when you climbed up to the road and saw the truck coming toward you.”

  She kneaded the sheet and dreaded talking about the blatant attack on her life. “It took me a few seconds to realize they were coming at me. I didn’t have time to think. I just jumped out of the way.”

  “Good thing the bridge is only five feet off the ground.”

  “Or I wouldn’t be sitting here right now.”

  “Right. Do you have any idea why someone might try to hurt Jason? Why they might want to hurt you? Are there problems with your business partner? Competitors who might be jealous of your business success?”

  “No, sir.” She stared out the window through the openings in the blinds as he spoke and still couldn’t believe she was in a hospital all banged up. The only up side to this situation was the detective—the handsome detective with striking green eyes. “Now you get to answer my questions. Did you find the guy who ran off? Did you learn anything from the driver?”

  “No, we didn’t find him.” He stretched his legs out in front of him. “The driver will be fine. He was treated and then moved to the jail. We found marijuana in the truck, so we’re charging him with possession and attempted murder, among other things. We’re questioning him. Don’t worry. We’ll get answers.”

  “I hope so. If those jerks were chasing Jason, then they’re responsible for me hitting him. They’re responsible for me being injured in the hospital, out a car, without a cell phone, and with no ability to do my job.” These people had better pay for their crimes. “Who was the driver?”

  “Kemar Mejora. Do you know him?”

  “Ke—mar? No. I’ve never heard of him.” Whoever had decided to involve her in this little game must have had a reason to do so, but that didn’t mean she had to willingly play it. She ran her fingers through her hair and yanked on the tangled ends. She’d avoided the inevitable long enough. “Detective, what about Jason? Was he dead?”

  He shook his head. “I don’t know.”

  She squinted at him and crinkled her nose. “You don’t know?”

  “No.” He shuffled his feet and stared at the floor.

  “Detective?”

  He glanced up and sighed. “He was missing when I got to your vehicle.”

  She froze. A knot formed in her throat. A tornado of thoughts swirled in her mind. “What? He’s missing? Wh—where did he go?”

  “We’re not sure.”

  “You’re not sure? You’re not sure?” She threw back the covers not caring if the detective saw her in her hospital gown and hobbled to the closet for her clothes. If Jason was still alive, he could be on his way to seek vengeance on her for hitting him.

  “What are you doing? You need rest.”

  “I’m not staying here, Detective. He coul
d be—he might be—what if he—” She steadied herself against the closet door with her trembling left hand.

  He crossed the room in two strides and joined her. “He won’t. We’re protecting you. Please, get back into the bed.” He took her by the elbow and led her back to the bedside. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you. Mr. Burney was gone when I got to your car.”

  “Why didn’t you tell me before now?”

  He held up his hand to stop her tirade as she pulled the covers up to her chest. “The ambulance came before I could. Besides, I didn’t think you needed to have anything to worry over last night except for taking care of yourself.”

  She pounded the tray with her fist. “I promise I hit him. And I’m sure he was dead!”

  “Ms. Acres—”

  “Marina.”

  “Marina, I have no doubt you hit a person. Your windshield proves it. Forensics found traces of blood and tissue all over your car.”

  Her eyes bulged, and her tea curdled in her stomach. “So he wasn’t dead?”

  “I’m not sure. Are you sure you didn’t feel a pulse?”

  She groaned. “I didn’t check for one. I don’t know how to do that. But he was unconscious, unresponsive, and I don’t think he was breathing.”

  He glanced out the window, stood, then paced the room. “Then someone must’ve taken him.”

  She sat up straighter in the bed, if that was possible. “Who? Why?”

  “Probably whoever was involved with the guy in the truck. Either they’ve killed him if he wasn’t dead, or they’re protecting him. This hospital and all the local hospitals have been notified in case someone comes in with extensive injuries. If Mr. Burney is alive and wounded and if the passenger in the truck is wounded, we’ll find them.”

  “If they seek medical attention.”

  “Right. I’m sorry. It’s the best I can do right now.”

  Marina leaned back into her pillows and held her ribs.

  “The doctor said you would be okay at least.” His eyes sparkled in the morning sun as he put the notepad and pen back into his pocket.