Murder on the Mountain: A Marshall Brothers Novel

by Carolyn LaRoche

  “So, what do we do now?” she asked.

  “We’re going to sit down, and you are going to tell me what you know. Once I have your full statement, I’ll get a team together and go investigate.”

  “If we don’t go now, he’ll get away.”

  Adam rubbed the light scruff that had shown up on his chin since that morning. “I’m pretty sure he left the moment you got away. So, tell me what you know so I can get to work.”

  Emma narrowed her eyes at him. “Fine. But before we do any of that, I need the ladies’ room. My hands and face are filthy.”

  She definitely was a mess. Adorably so. Pushing those thoughts out of his head, Adam pointed to the door. “Take a right and follow the hallway until you see the sign for the ladies’ room. I’ll be right here when you’re done.”

  Emma disappeared through the door. Adam sat in his chair and steepled his hands in front of him. Looking up at the ceiling, he said, “Lord, grant me plenty of strength to get through this night. I’m going to need it.”

  Picking up his phone, he dialed his boss’s number. If he had a murder investigation, then he needed the crime scene unit and some backup ready to go.

  Two

  “Oh, wow.”

  Emma froze when she saw herself in the mirror. As if the foliage in her hair wasn’t enough, little bits of broken glass adhered to the fleece of the jacket, shimmering in the fluorescent light. Unzipping it slowly, she slipped one arm out, then the second, and folded the whole thing into itself in an effort to avoid sending bits of broken window all over the bathroom floor. Setting the wadded-up jacket in one of the sinks, she turned on the taps in the sink in front of her and waited for the water to warm up.

  Seeing Adam for the first time in so long hit her like a kick in the gut. The way he’d looked at her when he saw her in the lobby—it was like twelve years hadn’t passed since they last saw each other. But it had, and it had been good to Adam. Really good. His athletic teenage frame had filled out into a strong, muscular form that oozed power and strength. The youthful intensity still lingered in his eyes, with a shadow of something else. Something darker. He was her high school friend Adam Marshall all grown up, and oh, what a man he had become.

  Squirting a good amount of soap into her hands, she stuck them under the water and lathered up. The first time she saw Adam Marshall in more than a dozen years and she looked like she went three rounds with a wrestler in a compost pile.

  Maybe it hadn’t been the best idea to run to Adam for help. She’d done such a good job of avoiding him all these years that she’d almost lost track of the heavy-duty emotions she’d packed away so long ago. Now he knew she’d come back to town and all those emotions were trying to announce themselves again.

  Scrubbing at the smudges and scrapes on her face, she tried to ignore the images of Miranda in her wrecked car. Images she’d filed away in the never-to-look-at-again box in a deep, dark recess of her brain.

  Emma leaned down and rinsed her face with the warm water. Rivers of mud ran into the sink and slid down the drain, like the mud that had run across the road during a nor’easter all those years ago. Straightening, she grabbed some of the standard, scratchy brown paper towels and patted her skin dry, closing her eyes against the images of blood and twisted metal.

  “At least you look like a human now,” she said to her reflection. “Sort of, anyway.”

  A sharp rap on the door made her jump. “Be right out!”

  She picked another twig out of her hair, then smoothed it down as much as she could. Without a hairbrush and a clip, she couldn’t do much more. Taking a deep breath, she pulled the bathroom door open and stepped out into the hall.

  Adam leaned against the opposite wall, arms folded over his chest. “I nearly sent someone in to check on you.”

  “I brought half the mountain in here with me. Took a minute to get rid of it. Wait, I forgot something.” Emma went back into the bathroom and grabbed her jacket from the sink, then returned to where Adam waited. “Do you happen to have a bag I can put this in?”

  Adam nodded and motioned for her to follow him. Right before they reached his office, he pulled open a supply closet and grabbed a rolled-up plastic bag. “Here. Best I can do.”

  Emma accepted the bag, shaking it open with one hand. The word Evidence was printed on the front in big red letters. “Does this mean you’re confiscating my jacket?”

  He laughed, and she caught a glimpse of young Adam once more as his eyes twinkled with mirth. “Do I need to?”

  “Nope.” Emma opened the bag and slipped her jacket inside. “This works perfectly. Thank you.”

  “Let’s go talk.” Adam led the way to his office while Emma tried to ignore the fact that she had once kissed him and suddenly would very much like to do so again.

  When they were settled in his office with the door closed, Adam leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms. “So, tell me the entire story. From the beginning.”

  Emma grinned. “I was born on a very cold day in February—”

  Adam raised an eyebrow. “You know that’s not the beginning I meant. Who told you about the cabin?”

  “I’m a reporter, Adam. You know I’m not going to give up my source. I don’t have to.”

  He nodded. “Okay, then. Tell me where it is.”

  Emma pulled a crumpled piece of paper from her back pocket and handed it to him. She’d already snapped a photograph of it earlier in the day, so if he kept it, it wouldn’t matter. “These are the directions my source provided.” She pointed to a spot on the sketched map. “This is about two miles south on the Parkway right past the rest area, on the left side.”

  Adam nodded and made a note on a sticky notepad on his desk. “What did you do once you got there?”

  “I parked my car and followed the path to the clearing where the cabin is. Like I said, I just wanted to get a peek inside. Maybe snap a few photos.”

  “Were you looking for anything in particular?”

  “Drugs.”

  “Did you expect to just see a big pile of cocaine or marijuana sitting in the center of the floor?”

  She frowned. “Of course not. But I didn’t think there’d be a murderer there either.”

  Adam leaned forward, his expression serious. “You could have gotten hurt. Or worse, been killed.”

  Emma stood up and threw her hands on her hips. “I’m not a fool! I wasn’t going to go rushing in there and try to save the day. I just needed some evidence that the cabin is the drop spot my source named it as.”

  He sat back in his chair again. “Well, at the very least, you were interfering with a police investigation. I’m sure you did your research and knew that the drug issue has been a multiagency concern for several months.”

  Emma sat back down. “I didn’t touch anything or talk to anyone. It’s not like I planned to witness a murder.”

  Adam nodded, slowly. “I know. What can you tell me about the gunman?”

  Emma shrugged. “There wasn’t a lot of light so the details are hazy. He was tall and slender with long, dark hair tied back in a ponytail. Oh, and he wore a suit. Something dark.”

  “And what about the victim?”

  “All I saw was his profile. He wore a ball cap, so I couldn’t even tell you what color his hair was.”

  “How do you know it was a man?”

  Emma narrowed her eyes at him. “Um, I don’t know. I guess I just assumed.”

  Adam made another note on the sticky pad. “So, you have absolutely no idea who either of the men were? You’re not protecting anyone?”

  She shook her head, her eyes narrowed at him. “I didn’t stick around to ask for names. Once the killer knew I was there, I took off running as fast as I could.”

  “When did your car window get hit?”

  “I guess when I was getting in it. The guy chased me down the mountain, firing his gun a few times. All I
could think about was getting out of there though, so I don’t know how close he got or how many times he fired.”

  Adam nodded. “I suspect you’ve just gotten mixed up in the local cartel. They’re going to be looking for you. Any chance they know who you are?”

  Emma shrugged. “I’m not sure how they would.”

  Adam stood up and walked around his desk, leaning against it with his arms crossed over his chest. “This source of yours, can you trust them?”

  She crossed her arms over her chest. “I’d like to think so.”

  “My question now would be, why? Why did they send you up that mountain? To get your story, or to stop you from writing the story—permanently.”

  Emma hadn’t thought about that. When the anonymous email had come, she’d thought maybe she’d been asking the right people the right questions. She’d been so excited to get the hand-drawn map it never occurred to her it could be some sort of setup.

  “What’s wrong?” Adam asked, looking concerned.

  “Nothing. Why?”

  Adam frowned. “You’ve never been very good at lying. What aren’t you telling me?”

  Emma jumped up from the chair, positioning herself so that she was practically eye to eye with the man she’d tried so hard to get over. “It’s been years since we’ve even talked to each other. How do you know I’m not an excellent liar? I could be into all sorts of underhanded things now and you’d never know because you don’t actually know me anymore.”

  Emma stared at him, the set to her shoulders and the fire in her eyes igniting a different kind of fire inside him. What she said had merit. It had been over twelve years since the last time they’d seen each other. There had to be plenty he didn’t know about her.

  Just like there was plenty she didn’t know about him. How would Emma react if she knew he’d basically been responsible for his girlfriend’s murder not even three years ago?

  That didn’t stop him from wanting to pull her close. The desire to hold her in his arms grew greater with every passing second.

  He pushed all thoughts of Leslie back into the lock box he’d erected in his brain and focused entirely on the woman in front of him. “I’m sorry. You’re right. But I still think there’s something you aren’t telling me, and that comes from ten years of being a cop, not your former best friend.”

  Her cheeks colored slightly. “Okay, fine. It’s possible it could have been a setup.”

  Adam narrowed his eyes and frowned. “A setup? By whom?”

  Emma shrugged. “Someone who doesn’t want me to write the story.”

  “What makes you think it could have been a setup?” Adam asked.

  She let out a long breath of air and relaxed against the seat back, almost as though she was resigning herself to the fact that she had no choice but to tell him everything. For her own safety.

  Adam watched her and waited as Emma picked at a thread in a hole in her jeans. She worked the thread with her fingers until it came loose. Finally, she looked up and spoke. “I received an anonymous email a few days ago. It said they knew what I’d been looking into and that someone would be in touch with very important information that would help me make my case.”

  “Did that happen?” he asked.

  “I expected another email. Instead, I got that map, delivered to me while I was having lunch at Pop’s Diner. I didn’t recognize the young man but he knew exactly who I was.”

  “Who here knows why you’re in town?”

  She shrugged. “I didn’t think anyone other than my aunt and uncle did. Every person in Richmond I’ve told thinks I’m housesitting for my parents while they are away for a few months.” She glanced toward the window. “Which reminds me, I’ve got to get home. The dogs have to be fed and walked.”

  “It’s only a little after seven.”

  Emma stood up and grabbed the evidence bag with her jacket in it. “They get mean when they’re hungry.” She laughed. “Who’d have thought a four-pound ball of fluff could be anything but adorable.”

  He didn’t like the idea of her going home alone but knew he couldn’t stop her either. They didn’t have that kind of relationship anymore. Pulling a business card out of the drawer in his desk, he handed it to her. “This has all my contact information. If you remember anything else or need anything, don’t hesitate to call me.”

  Emma accepted the card and tucked it into her jeans pocket. “I don’t need a babysitter though.”

  Adam frowned. “I’m not a babysitter. You’re a witness to a murder, and I don’t like the idea that someone might know that.”

  “For a moment there, I thought you were about to say don’t leave town.”

  He smiled and gave her a wink. “I figured you weren’t going anywhere since you’ve got the dogs to worry about, but yeah, don’t leave town.”

  Even though she was turning away, Adam saw Emma roll her eyes. A little reminder of the old Emma. Good, she was still in there. Maybe he’d get the chance to see what else about her had stayed the same.

  No. His friendship with Emma had ended that night all those years ago. This was strictly work. He had too many hours invested in the trafficking investigation. If Emma had stumbled onto a key place or player, he needed to know. And protect her as a witness.

  Yes, as a witness. Not as the beautiful, green-eyed woman of his childhood dreams.

  Adam walked over and opened his office door. “Like I said, call if you need anything. I’ll head up there at first light and see what I can find out.”

  Emma nodded. “Yeah. Okay, and thanks.” She patted the pocket where she’d tucked his card.

  She walked away before he could say anything else.

  Suddenly, his life had just gotten a whole lot more complicated.

  Three

  Adam stood by his window and looked out as Emma exited the police department and walked to her car. The pieces of broken glass in the back seat twinkled like tiny stars under the streetlights. Emma being shot at worried him. It meant the killer considered her a loose end and he would probably try to tie it up as quickly as he could. With any luck, the shooter hadn’t gotten a good look at her license plate.

  He watched as she left the parking lot and drove away from the station. When her taillights finally disappeared around the corner, he grabbed his extra flashlight, the little map Emma had given him, and his car keys, then walked out of his office.

  “You heading home?” Higgins, the desk sergeant asked as he passed by.

  “Not yet. I’ve gotta go check out a possible shooting on the Parkway.”

  Higgins looked confused. “I didn’t hear anything go out over the radio.”

  “The woman who just left? She reported it.” Adam tapped the radio on his hip. “Shooter is probably gone. I’ll call in for backup if I need it.”

  Higgins made a note on a pad. “Okay. Be safe out there.”

  Adam nodded and left the station.

  Opting to take his own truck rather than his patrol unit, he headed out in the direction of the Blue Ridge Parkway. He knew the little pull-over spot that Emma had talked about, and he’d spent his teens and early twenties hiking all over these mountains, so he knew the terrain like the back of his hand. He even thought he knew the cabin she’d been to. He and his buddies used to hang out there when they got too cold on hunting trips. Getting there would be easy, even in the dark. The only thing that really worried him was what he’d find inside the cabin once he got there.

  Red-and-blue flashing lights met him at the entrance ramp to the highway. A state police car blocked the ramp, and the officer standing in front of it approached him.

  “Ramp’s closed for another ten minutes or so,” the trooper said, walking up to Adam’s open window.

  “What happened?” Adam asked.

  “Rig rolled over. Wrecker is pulling it out now.” The trooper lifted his light and peered in at Adam. “Marshall! I thought
you sounded familiar!”

  “Hey, Chang, how’s it going? How’s the wife and kids?” Randal Chang had been in every class Adam had ever taken from kindergarten through graduation.

  Randal nodded. “All great, thanks for asking. How ‘bout you, man? Adam Marshall take the leap yet?” Randal clapped a hand to his mouth. “Oh, man, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean—Leslie—Oh, crap.”

  Adam raised a hand, stopping his old pal’s apologies, and shook his head. “Nah, man. Married to the job. That’s about all I can handle right now.”

  Randal shifted his weight, resting his hands on the sides of his duty belt. “I really am sorry about your girl. You hear Emma Thomas is back in town?”

  Adam shrugged at the sharp turn in conversation from one heart break in his life to the other. “Yeah.”

  “You okay?” Randal asked.

  “Why wouldn’t I be?”

  He shrugged. “Just wondering.” Randal clapped him on the arm. “It’s been a long time, man. Looks like the wrecker’s pulling out, so I’m gonna move my car. Stay safe out there, buddy.”

  “Yeah, you too.” Adam gave a little salute and rolled up his window while Randal jogged back to his cruiser and slid in behind the wheel.

  As soon as the road reopened, Adam continued his journey. The parkway was quiet and dark most of the way. A few sets of taillights in the distance, and one set of headlights behind him, and that was it. He saw the rest area Emma had mentioned up ahead and decided to park his truck there. The pull-over spot was only a few hundred feet past it, and he felt better leaving his truck out of sight after what had happened to Emma’s car.

  Parking as close to the exit as he safely could, Adam locked his truck and tucked one flashlight in the pocket of his jacket. The other he held in his hand as he walked, sweeping the area in front of him with light. When he reached the spot where Emma had been parked, he could see very clear tire tracks in the dirt. With his cell phone, he took a quick picture, then another of a footprint nearby. Pushing into the brush, he found the hiking trail that the map indicated and started the climb to the cabin. He looked up at the evening sky. A million stars sparkled above his head.