Cold Murder and Dark Secrets, A Red Pine Falls Cozy Mystery (Red Pine Falls Cozy Mysteries Book 2)

by Angela C Blackmoore

  Abby nodded sadly but knew her friend and the deputy were right. It was unusual circumstances but even as she thought that the question formed in her mind. “Where would that boat have gone? It didn’t go to the Marina since we were all there to see it, and it couldn’t go downriver because of the falls. So where did it come from?”

  Becky and Lanie went quiet as all three of them drifted into thought. Abby had no idea since she wasn’t from the area, but she hoped one of the two ladies might think of something.

  After a few moments, Lanie looked up, tapping her chin. “You know, I think there might be an old boat ramp about a mile or two up the river. They haven’t used it in ages since the Marina here in town got built, but I think it’s still there.”

  “That’s got to be where the boat came from,” Becky said. “We should go check it out.”

  Lanie covered her ears up and shook her head. “You two. I swear to God the Sheriff was right about you. I do not hear this.”

  “We’re just going to go look around,” Abby said. “It’s not like somebody’s going to be camping out there with a shotgun or something.”

  “Or a thirty-aught-six?” Lanie said as she gave Abby a sour look. “Not like someone shot at you just a few weeks ago, right?”

  Abby had the sense to look chagrined, but she knew that wasn’t going to stop her. She looked at Becky and could tell her friend was thinking the same thing, and Lanie wasn’t far behind. The deputy looked away in mild irritation but right about then the vet came back in with cheerio.

  He picked up a folder and put the x-rays onto the illuminator. “It’s just a green stick fracture which is probably one of the best breaks to have, especially for a younger dog. I’ll get him in a cast and get you on your way.”

  “How long will it take for his leg to heal?” Abby asked.

  “He’s a younger dog, but not a puppy, so it will be anywhere from six to twelve weeks,” The vet said. “I’ll want you to bring him in every couple weeks to check up on, but otherwise he should be okay.”

  Abby breathed a sigh of relief. As Lanie dropped them off back at Hazel’s house, the young deputy leaned out of her window and gave Abby and Becky a stern look. “No checking out that boat ramp. Let us do our jobs. I’ll head out there and take a look in a few days and let you know what I’ve found.”

  “Unless you find something exciting, you mean,” Becky said sardonically.

  Lanie’s frown deepened, but instead of saying anything, she shrugged before driving off. Both women walked back into the house, with Cheerio trying to lick Abby’s face around the cone. Instead, he kept hitting her in the face with the clear plastic. They took him back to the comforters which were still piled up near the fireplace. Laying the dog down, Abby moaned before petting Cheerio’s head. “You’re getting fat, Cheerio.”

  Cheerio waffled at her but went quiet, looking forlornly at her out of the plastic cone. “My goodness, he does not look happy,” Becky said, sitting on the couch and leaning forward to pet the injured animal. “Poor pooch. You didn’t do anything to deserve the cone of shame. Don’t worry; it will be off before you know it.”

  “I know, but it’s what the vet said to do,” Abby said, sighing as she stood up. “He might chew at the cast otherwise.”

  “Do you want some tea or coffee?” Hazel asked, coming into the living room from the hall that led to her bedroom. “I heard you get home. How is the patient?”

  “He’s doing well. It was only a greenstick fracture, but I’m sure Cheerio doesn’t see it that way. He probably thinks it’s some elaborate torture.”

  Becky nodded. “He’ll think it’s torture when we go check out the boat ramp Lanie mentioned, and he can’t come with us.”

  Abby rolled her eyes and looked away for a few moments without answering. “He’s going to cry. A lot. And he’s going to drive Hazel crazy.”

  “I can handle anything that dog can throw at me. I’ve tended plenty of sick patients in my time and Cheerio is better than most, I warrant.” Hazel said. “Now, tea or coffee?”

  Becky and Abby both laughed. “Tea for me. Is tea okay for you?” Abby asked, and when Becky nodded, Hazel smiled and went into the kitchen.

  “Okay, so we’re going to go to this boat ramp, but do you have any clue on where it is?” Abby asked.

  Becky shrugged. “No clue, but I know someone who does, and he’s got the most charming dimples.”

  Abby laughed and pulled out her phone. “Yes, he does. Okay, I’ll give him a call.”

  Becky leaned forward and whispered ‘Dimples’ right as Gabe picked up, making Abby blush and swat at her.

  Chapter 11

  “You’ll love it!” Gabe said confidently from the driver’s seat of his truck. “Fishing is the most relaxing past time in the world. Besides, if the Sheriff or one of his cronies comes out we’ll have to have a fake reason for being out there, and fishing is a great fake reason.”

  Becky snorted from the back seat. “Men and their fishing.”

  “Hey, don’t knock it! There are plenty of women who love fishing, too.” Gabe said with unwavering confidence. “Just because Ray Stevens threw worms at you back in high school doesn’t mean it’s terrible.”

  “I’ll never throw worms at you,” Charlie, the young doctor who Becky had been dating for a few weeks said. “Truthfully, I don’t much like fishing either.”

  It was Gabe’s turn to scoff. “Charlie, you shut up. I swear, we’ll revoke your man card if you say stuff like that again.”

  They all laughed while Charlie grinned. “Come on, don’t you get a pass if you’re a doctor? I pay probably three times as much dues compared to all of you fishermen.”

  “Seriously, though. What is so great about fishing?” Abby asked. “You just sit there and stare at the water, waiting for the fish to do all the work.”

  “That’s the point,” Gabe said, “It gives a man time to think. We all jump and race through life like crazy, but when do we have time just to think and consider? That’s what fishing is.”

  “And here I thought it was all about drinking beer,” Charlie said.

  “That too,” Gabe answered with a laugh. “That always has to be part of it.”

  “So you know where this boat ramp is?” Abby asked, watching the side of Gabe’s face as he concentrated on the road. “Why do you think it’s a good fishing spot?”

  Gabe shrugged. “I’ve been out here before. Remember, I’m a ranger. It’s part of my job to patrol the hunting and fishing. As part of that esteemed duty, I have to test out some areas as well.”

  “Of course,” Abby said, grinning at him. “That must be hugely important.”

  “It is,” Gabe answered. “As far as the boat ramp, it has a concrete dock next to it that a lot of brush has built up behind. Perfect for smallmouth bass and crappie.” He paused before continuing. “You know, it’s highly unlikely we’ll find anything. It’s just a boat ramp. I doubt the guy is just waiting around for us.”

  “I know. But it’s something to do,” Abby said, looking back out at the trees and brush passing by.

  “You’re just avoiding talking to Hazel, aren’t you?” He asked quietly, his words covered up by Charlie and Becky being loud in the back.

  “Maybe,” Abby answered just as softly. “I don’t know what to do. There’s a reason she’s keeping it quiet, but I just can’t think of her as having done it. Even if there’s money behind it, and that makes people crazy, she’s just not the type.”

  “I don’t know, Abby,” Gabe answered. “Sometimes people can be pretty hard when they need to be. It might not even have been her. Maybe it was Mr. Wilberson.” He looked at her with one of his eyes while keeping the other on the road. “I am not kidding when I say I can see him killing someone. He’s probably got people buried in the wall out in that garage of his.”

  “I don’t think so,” Abby said. “I mean don’t get me wrong, he’s a scary old guy. I just don’t think Hazel would keep him around if that were the cas
e.”

  Gabe shrugged just as they turned off the main road. They had gone perhaps a few hundred yards before she caught a glimpse of water. It wasn’t much further before the glimpse became the silver sheen of the river as it meandered between its wide banks. Abby wasn’t sure what she was expecting, but it turned out to be a big parking lot that slanted down into the water on one end. There was a lot of grass that had broken up through the many cracks in the blacktop which gave the place a distinct, abandoned look. The big concrete dock stuck out into the water next to the boat ramp seemed to still be in solid condition.

  “Wow, that’s impressive,” Charlie said as he leaned forward. “No wonder people come out fishing all the time. It’s so lively and entertaining.”

  “Don’t forget about the man card,” Gabe said as he got out of the truck.

  “How could I possibly forget when you remind me all the time,” Charlie said as he joined Gabe and they both walked to the back bed of the truck. Becky and Abby joined them, and together they all carried the chairs, coolers, and fishing gear to where Gabe deemed was the best spot. It was out toward the end of the concrete pier and Abby could see the old branches and other debris that Gabe had mentioned. Apparently, this was the holy land of fish though Becky and Charlie were looking at it just as dubiously as Abby felt.

  It didn’t take long to get set up though Becky looked nervously at the tackle box when Gabe opened it. He grinned, looking over at her. “Don’t worry, Becky. You don’t have to mess with worms this time. I have some nice, clean lures for you and whoever else wants them. I’ll be using a tried and true bobber and hook, though.”

  Gabe spent the next several minutes getting there poles prepared and then the next several more showing each of them how to cast. It was far less sitting around than Abby was expecting, and there was a lot of laughing to go along with the lessons. Abby had been fishing before, but it had been a long time. Still, it was spending time with friends, and she picked it up quickly. Charlie did okay, but Becky was enjoying herself as she cast her lure out and reeled it back in. If Abby didn’t know better, her friend was giggling like a school girl.

  Becky and Charlie had made their way out to the very end of the pier and were fishing happily into the deeper current. After getting a hook caught on a branch, Becky and Charlie had decided it would be more fun in clear, open water. Gabe cautioned them they weren’t likely to catch anything in the deep current, but it didn’t slow them down for a moment. They were having more fun just chatting, anyway.

  Abby had chosen to go with a bobber and hook set up like Gabe, which allowed them to sit and watch the small red and white pieces of plastic float blissfully in the water. It was relaxing, and Gabe was a charming companion as he told her wild fish stories, each more unbelievable than the last.

  She almost didn’t realize it when she heard another car begin to pull onto the road that led to the boat ramp. What caught her attention was hearing the crunch of tires on gravel when whoever was driving slammed on the brakes. She and Gabe looked over and saw a beaten up old station wagon pulling a boat behind. It had stopped close to the main road and even as they watched it began to turn around.

  The boat behind it was small, white, and very familiar.

  “That’s the boat!” Abby yelled, standing and pointing.

  “What?” Gabe said, staring incredulously at the car and boat trailer.

  “That’s the boat I saw!” Abby repeated, suddenly reeling in her line as fast as she could. The car had almost made it around, despite what it was towing behind it. It would be out of their sight before they knew it. Gabe began reeling his line in as well, the bobber almost skipping across the water. Abby turned toward Becky and Charlie to warn them, but she was drowned out when Becky suddenly started squealing in excitement. Her pole was bent almost in half, and Abby could see a fish leaping high out of the water.

  Abby yelled a few times, but it was no use. Becky and Charlie were being too loud and were too focused on the fish Becky had managed to hook.

  “They will be okay,” Gabe said as he finished reeling his line in just before Abby. He took both of the poles and laid them on the concrete next to the chairs before grabbing her hand and racing for the truck. “Come on, let’s go get him.”

  Chapter 12

  Gabe and Abby managed to get to the truck in short order, but Abby was unprepared for what speeding on the back roads of Red Pine Falls meant. On their way out, the paved roads seemed serene and meandering. Now, the huge trees were racing by at a dangerous speed and with each turn, it felt like they were going to careen off into the forest. For several minutes they roared along in this manner, straining to see the car and boat ahead of them.

  “Where did he go?” Abby yelled, frustration heavy in her voice. It was terrifying, but if they could only catch the car, they would be able to find out who it was and possibly, who killed Rob Morgan.

  “He’s got to be just ahead,” Gabe said, clutching the steering wheel tightly as the big truck raced through the forested roads. “There’s no way he could outrace us.” The truck wasn’t a racer by any means, but it had a powerful engine and solid traction. For where they were, it was the perfect vehicle.

  Just then, Abby caught a glimpse of a mostly hidden gravel road that snuck off into the forest. It was clear Gabe hadn’t seen it as they raced by, and Abby had to wonder how easily it would have been for the car and boat to turn off and hide from them.

  “Did you see that?” Abby asked, spinning to face Gabe.

  “See what?” He asked, then grunted as they entered a steep turn. Abby could feel the rear wheels of the big truck begin to skid, but Gabe didn’t panic and held onto the steering wheel, not making any sudden moves and letting the truck slow naturally. He rode out the skid, and just before it was too late, the tires once again took hold and let the big truck narrowly avoid a fallen tree. After coming out of the turn, there was a long straight-a-way and no sight of the car or the boat it had been pulling.

  “Dammit,” Gabe cursed. It was clear they had lost their quarry. “We should have caught them by now. He would have wrecked the boat on some of those turns at even half of our speed.”

  “I saw a road back there, just before the big turn,” Abby said, looking back.

  Gabe pulled over and followed her gaze, thinking hard. “A road?

  Abby nodded. “It looked like it was hidden in the trees.”

  Gabe turned on a large GPS map device on his dashboard and began flipping through screens. Abby watched in silence as Gabe frowned more and more until he finally straightened up. “Yeah, it’s been a while since the last time the district maps were updated, but it shows several unpaved roads going through this area.” He turned and looked back again. “It shows the one you saw back there, but it’s not the only one. I think we missed several others between here and the boat ramp.”

  Abby frowned. “Maybe we can figure out where he went? Look for tire tracks or something? Can your district maps give us any clues?”

  Gabe laughed and grinned at Abby. “I doubt it would do any good, even if we found the road he went down. It's gravel, and everything gets moved around all the time. Besides, most of those roads split off and meet back up with each other a dozen times. If we even know about them all. The loggers make them, then abandon them depending on which mountain they’re harvesting. Most of the time they are good about reporting them, but not always.”

  Abby groaned and laid her head back on the seat, looking up at the ceiling. Whoever this person was, they had gotten away again, and Abby could feel her frustration rising. Suddenly, she felt Gabe’s firm hand on her shoulder.

  “I’m sorry, Abby,” He said, regret in his voice. “I didn’t think he would have time to duck down one of the back roads. Not while towing a boat.

  For a moment, Abby froze at the touch. She was still sensitive about the loss of her husband. Since coming to Red Pine Falls, it had gotten a little easier every day, but by no means had his memories gone away. In some ways, she
was glad for that. It would have been a terrible thing to forget what Danny had looked like. But still, having a man’s touch felt good. Gabe had been patient and gentle with her, and she hoped that would continue. She wasn’t sure if she was ready for another relationship.

  Abby closed her eyes, and put her hand on the top of his, letting his comfort flow into her as she squeezed back. Opening her eyes, she looked at him and was once again captivated by his patient, hazel gaze. She let it linger, just enjoying the moment with this man, but in the end, she knew she wasn’t ready to take it to the next level.

  “It’s ok,” Abby finally said, releasing his hand and straightening up. She could sense Gabe smiling next to her, not frustrated at all, but simply giving her the time and space she needed. His patience made her warm further toward him. “Is there nothing else we can do?”

  Gabe put his hands back on the steering wheel and took a deep breath before continuing. Putting the truck into drive, he turned it around and began heading back the way they had come. “I don’t think so. We could get lost for hours on those back roads and never find anything. Besides, I can just picture Becky and Charlie holding that fish up in the air and looking at each other, wondering what to do. Don’t tell Charlie this, but they revoked his man card years ago.”

  Becky laughed softly and slapped Gabe on the arm as he chuckled. “Don’t be mean. Charlie makes Becky happy. It’s a good thing.”

  Gabe nodded. “That is true. Also for Charlie. He’s sometimes an odd duck, but he deserves to be happy.”

  “How did you two end up meeting?” Abby asked, curious. “You are such the rugged outdoorsmen, and Charlie is… well.”

  “Not the rugged outdoorsmen?” Gabe answered, shrugging. “Yes, that is true, but he’s a good guy. Wicked sense of humor and smart as a whip, but as you can imagine, he struggled in college. Guys like me don’t understand that guys like him will end up with better-paying jobs and a good life at that age. They just see a target.”