by Rita Herron
Curious, Chaz followed behind her, maintaining enough distance not to spook her, but staying close enough that if someone else was following her, he’d be able to detect it.
Two miles down the flat country road, she veered onto the graveled road leading to the creek park. The place used to be a popular teen make-out spot, but he thought they’d found a new location for their rendezvous. Although it was dark and deserted, he’d discovered dopers out here twice. Last month he’d even broken up a deal going down.
He made a mental note to have the city fix the streetlights as half of them were burned out. The playground needed reworking, as well. No wonder the residents didn’t use the park much anymore.
He spotted Tawny-Lynn driving to the section where the picnic tables were located and he flipped off his lights, not wanting to alert her he was following.
She veered into a spot in the parking lot, then sat for a few minutes, and he did the same, making sure he was hidden by a cluster of trees. Finally another car rolled up, a small sedan that slowed as it neared Tawny-Lynn’s car.
She must be meeting someone. But why the hell would she agree to meet someone out here in the dark where it was deserted?
He thought she had more sense than that.
Protective instincts rushed to life, and he checked his gun, then watched as a woman clad in all black clothing with a hoodie climbed from the sedan.
Tawny-Lynn’s truck door opened, and she stepped out. A breath of relief escaped him when he saw her swing the shotgun up beside her.
He opened his door, careful to close it without making a sound, then slowly eased his way along the creek edge until he was hidden behind a tree near the park bench. The woman in the hoodie gestured toward the bench, then Tawny-Lynn dropped the rifle to her side and followed.
He tilted his head, waiting on the woman to step into the moonlight so he could see her face.
When she finally did, his heart stopped. It couldn’t be...
Chapter Sixteen
Tawny-Lynn stared at the woman in front of her in shock. It wasn’t possible...was it?
“Hello, sis,” the woman said.
Tawny-Lynn shook her head in denial. She’d expected Mrs. Plumbing, but never Peyton.
But it was her.
Her hair had darkened, streaked with red now, unnatural as if she’d dyed it. But she lowered the hood and those same blue eyes looked back at her. Blue eyes she’d looked into so many times.
She had to swallow twice to make her voice work. “You’re alive. What? How?”
“I’m sorry, Tawny-Lynn,” Peyton whispered. “Sorry I left you to deal with everything, but I was scared.”
Relief mingled with stunned surprise, but anger followed, nearly choking her. “You let me think you were missing, kidnapped, maybe raped or murdered....” Fresh tears made her voice turn to gravel. “How could you do that to me?”
“I can explain,” Peyton said. “But please put away Dad’s rifle.”
Tawny-Lynn had forgotten about the gun. “I thought you might be the person whose been trying to kill me.”
“What?” Peyton gasped. “Oh, my God, I— Why would someone try to kill you?”
Tawny-Lynn laid the rifle on the table with a huff. “Because they think I know something about the accident. Everyone in town thinks I’ve covered up for whoever took you and Ruth.” Her voice rose an octave. “But you’ve been alive all this time and Ruth was dead and buried on our ranch.”
“I...didn’t know about Ruth,” Peyton cried. “I...thought she’d run off, too.”
Tawny-Lynn massaged her temples where a headache pulsed. She had missed her sister so much, had wanted to see her again, had prayed she was alive so many times.
And now here she was, and she didn’t how to react.
Tawny-Lynn sank down at the picnic table, numb. Peyton followed her, then sat down next to her, and pulled her sister in close.
“I’m so sorry, honey, really, I...wanted to call you. To come back. To explain.”
“But you didn’t,” Tawny-Lynn said in a pained whisper. Still, she didn’t fight her when Peyton wrapped her arms around her.
“I was a coward,” Peyton said against her ear. “And a terrible sister. But...I had my reasons.”
A noise sounded nearby, gravel and twigs snapped, then a harsh male voice echoed in the wind.
“So you did lie, Tawny-Lynn. No wonder you went away. Have you been living with Peyton all this time?”
Tawny-Lynn pulled away from Peyton and glanced up, her heart racing. Chaz glared at the two of them with rage in his eyes.
“No...that’s not true,” she said in a hoarse whisper.
“Then what is the truth?” Chaz said coldly. “Because I sure as hell don’t know anymore.”
Tawny-Lynn’s head was swimming. “I don’t know,” she said, “but I didn’t lie to you.”
“Yet here you are with your long-lost sister.”
Memories of the night in Chaz’s arms seemed so distant that she ached to turn back the clock. But too much had happened.
Whatever closeness they’d shared had dissipated in the light of day. And if Chaz believed that she’d lied and covered up his sister’s murder, then he didn’t know her at all.
And he certainly could never love her.
* * *
CHAZ REACHED FOR his handcuffs. He wanted to haul both Tawny-Lynn and her sister in for lying, for leading the police on a wild-goose chase for Peyton when for all he knew she’d killed Ruth and left her at White Forks.
“None of this is Tawny-Lynn’s fault.” Peyton shot up from the bench like a protective big sister. Only where had she been when the town and their father had persecuted Tawny-Lynn?
She couldn’t have known where Peyton was back then. She’d been too traumatized and had that head injury. And her reaction when his family and the town had turned on her had been too real.
“Did you kill my sister, Peyton?” he asked.
Peyton’s eyes widened. “No! Heavens no, Chaz. I loved Ruth.” She crossed her arms and shifted onto the balls of her feet, the ground crunching beneath her shoes. “In fact, I didn’t know Ruth was dead until I saw your press conference earlier. That’s when I called Tawny-Lynn to meet me.”
His gaze shot to Tawny-Lynn’s, but she was watching her sister with a mixture of awe and hurt. “Where have you been?” Tawny-Lynn whispered.
Peyton cleared her throat. “In Tennessee,” she said softly. “I...had to leave town. I didn’t know what else to do.”
“You could have come home,” Tawny-Lynn said. “The entire town was looking for you. I was looking for you. And Dad...”
“Dad and I weren’t getting along back then,” Peyton said. “That’s one reason I left.”
“You were having an affair with a married man,” Chaz said sharply.
Peyton’s eyes widened. “How do you know about that?”
“I talked to J.J. and Cindy and Rudy,” Tawny-Lynn said.
Peyton’s face paled in the dim moonlight. “What else did they tell you?”
“Nothing,” Tawny-Lynn said. “So who was he? Did you run off with him?”
“No.” A shudder ripped up Peyton’s body making her look scared and vulnerable. “But he is the reason I left.”
“And what about Ruth?” Chaz asked. “Did you two fight about him, then you killed her to keep her quiet?”
Peyton shook her head fiercely. “I told you, Chaz, I would never have hurt Ruth.”
“But you did argue about him,” Tawny-Lynn said. “You were arguing and whispering on the bus.”
“You heard us?” Peyton asked.
“I didn’t understand what you were saying, but I knew you were upset. Then someone ran into the bus and the driver lost control, and
we crashed into the ravine.”
Peyton tucked a strand of Tawny-Lynn’s hair behind her ear. “Yes, and when I came to, I smelled smoke. You were hurt, sis, and I pulled you out before the bus exploded.”
“What about Ruth?” Chaz asked.
“She was gone,” Peyton said. “I...looked around and couldn’t find her.”
“What do you mean, you couldn’t find her?”
“She wasn’t in the bus,” Peyton cried. “You have to believe me, Chaz. If she had been, I would have saved her, too.”
“How could she have been gone?” Tawny-Lynn asked.
Peyton shrugged, her expression tormented. “I don’t know. At first I thought that maybe he... That she left with him. I was scared so I ran and hitched a ride with a trucker. That’s how I wound up in Tennessee.”
Chaz gritted his teeth. “Who did you think she ran off with?”
“You have to understand, we were young. I was petrified,” Peyton said.
“You didn’t answer my question,” Chaz barked.
Peyton gave Tawny-Lynn a pleading look. “Tell us what happened, Peyton. Ever since I came back, someone’s been threatening me. A man even broke into the ranch and tried to strangle me.”
“I’m so sorry. I thought when I left it would be over.”
“It’s not over until we lock him up,” Tawny-Lynn said.
Peyton sank back on the park bench, twisting her hands together. “I can’t believe he actually killed Ruth. He was married, and when he broke it off with me, I was devastated. I was stupid and thought I was in love with him.”
“You wanted to marry him?” Tawny-Lynn asked gently.
“Yes, then he started hitting on Ruth, pressuring her to have sex with him.”
Chaz’s pulse pounded.
“I realized then that he’d used me. That I wasn’t the only one, so I told Ruth to stay away from him. That if he harassed her, she should tell her folks.” She looked up at Chaz. “That’s what we argued about. She didn’t want to tell them. But he threatened us and...that’s why I ran.”
Tawny-Lynn took her sister’s hands in hers. “Who was it, Peyton? You have to tell us his name so we can make this right.”
Peyton nodded, although her voice quivered when she spoke. “It was Coach Wake.”
* * *
ANOTHER SHOCK WAVE rolled through Tawny-Lynn at Peyton’s words. Coach Wake had seduced Peyton? Had hit on the other girls?
“Our softball coach?” Tawny-Lynn asked. “He slept with you?”
Peyton dropped her head as if ashamed. “He seduced me, and I fell for him like a fool. But then he went after Ruth, and I heard other girls talking about how he’d done the same to them. That he’d come on to them in the locker room. I had to stop him from bothering Ruth. So after the game that day, I told him we were going to go to your parents.”
“That’s when he threatened you?” Chaz asked.
Peyton nodded. “He said he’d ruin both our lives if we told anyone.” She gave Chaz a pleading look. “Ruth was terrified of your parents finding out. She didn’t want to embarrass your father and begged me to keep quiet.”
“Then you dragged Peyton out. Where was Ruth?” Chaz asked.
“I don’t know.”
“You should have stuck around and told someone. Then my sister might still be alive.”
“I know, but I was terrified. The coach was so mad when I talked to him after the game that he followed the bus. He’s the one who caused us to crash.”
Tawny-Lynn recognized guilt in her sister’s eyes and knew that she blamed herself.
“I should arrest you for not coming forward,” Chaz said. “For covering up for a murderer.”
Tawny-Lynn’s protective instincts surged to life. “Listen, Chaz, Peyton told you the truth. She didn’t hurt Ruth, she tried to save her. And she ran because she was scared, not to cover for the coach.”
“Your sister was the best friend I ever had,” Peyton said earnestly. “If you arrest the coach, I’ll testify about the sexual harassment and that he hit the bus.”
“Sexual harassment?” Chaz muttered. “That’s only the beginning of the charges I’m going to bring against the monster. On top of sexual assault, I’m charging him with five counts of murder.”
Tawny-Lynn realized he was right. If Coach Wake had caused the crash, he’d killed three of her teammates, and the bus driver.
And now it appeared that he’d killed Ruth.
Had he tried to kill her because he thought she knew about his affair with Peyton? Or was he afraid she’d remember that he caused those four deaths?
* * *
CHAZ STUDIED PEYTON for a moment before he left. “Can I trust you not to leave town?
“Yes.” Peyton curved her arm around Tawny-Lynn. “I was seventeen and scared back then, Chaz. I’m not a kid anymore. I want to make up for the past. And I’m not going to allow Ruth’s killer to get away.”
“We’ll go back to the ranch together,” Tawny-Lynn said.
Peyton rose and took Chaz’s hand. “I promise you that I won’t run again. It’s time Coach Wake got what he deserves.” Regret lined her face. “Besides, I feel terrible that I didn’t come forward seven years ago. No matter how many young girls he’s pressured into having sex with him since then.”
Rage heated Chaz’s blood at the thought. She was right.
“You two go back to the ranch. I’ll let you know when he’s in custody.”
Tawny-Lynn nodded, and he waited until they got in their cars and left for White Forks, then he strode back to his squad car. He replayed images of Coach Wake in his head. He was always friendly, outgoing, a real charmer with the moms.
Because he was taking advantage of their daughters behind their backs. Pressuring them into sex, then threatening them so they wouldn’t reveal his dirty little secret.
A secret he’d killed for to keep quiet.
Chaz started the engine and peeled from the park. He checked his watch for the time and realized the coach should be home from school by now. That is, unless they had a game.
His body teemed with anger as he drove straight to Wake’s house, a nice two-story in a new development close to town. The yard was well kept, the flowerbeds filled with flowers, the house freshly painted.
Everything that shouted that Coach Wake was a nice, family man.
Now Chaz knew differently.
He checked to make sure his weapon was secure, his handcuffs intact, then walked up to the front door and rang the bell. A few moments later, the man’s wife, Susan, answered the door. She was pretty with brown hair and green eyes. And she was very pregnant.
“Sheriff, what can I do for you?”
“Is your husband home?”
She propped her hip against the door frame. “No, they had a game.”
“Away or home?”
“Home.”
Sympathy for the woman in front of him clawed at him. But then again, what if she’d known about the sex with the young girls?
Either way, if he told her his plans to arrest her husband, she might warn him and he’d probably run.
He didn’t intend for the creep to get away.
“All right, I’ll catch up with him later.”
She cleared her throat. “Can I tell him the reason you stopped by?”
“No, thanks,” he said. “I just need to talk to him, that’s all.”
He walked away as if the conversation could wait, but the town had already waited seven years for justice, and he refused to hold off another day.
He climbed back in the squad car and drove to the high school, parked and headed to the bleachers. The stands on both sides were filled with parents, teens and kids. The game was in the last inning, the score tied.
Memories of watching Ruth, Peyton and Tawny-Lynn play haunted him. If he’d known back then what Coach Wake was up to, he would have stood up for the girls, especially his sister.
Why hadn’t she come to him?
Maybe she’d planned to. But the coach had killed her first.
One of the girls hit a ground ball and the other team’s player missed it, allowing the Camden Cats to score the winning run.
Cheers erupted taking him back to that fatal day when Tawny-Lynn had won the game for the team.
And everything else had been lost.
The team raced onto the field, cheering and shouting and hugging each other. The coach was beaming, high-fiving the girls, as he joined the players to celebrate.
The handcuffs jangled at Chaz’s hip as he strode onto the field. The other team was heading to their bus, but family members and friends of the Cats stood shouting and clapping in the stands.
Coach Wake’s face went ashen when Chaz reached for the cuffs, as if he knew the past had finally caught up with him.
“You’re under arrest, Coach Wake.” Chaz jerked the man’s arms behind him. The girls on the team paused in their celebrations, shocked. The stands grew quiet, curious whispers rumbling through the crowd.
“You don’t have to do this in front of everyone,” Coach Wake growled.
Chaz snapped the handcuffs into place.
“Yes, I do. You should be grateful I don’t shout the charges over the intercom.” He knew arresting Wake in front of the team and town might be considered cold.
But he didn’t give a damn.
It was only fitting that the residents see the man who’d torn their town apart handcuffed and hauled to jail.
Chapter Seventeen
“Where exactly did you find Ruth’s body?” Peyton asked as they parked at the ranch.
Tawny-Lynn led her sister to the side of the house. “There. I was weeding the flowerbeds and found her bracelet. Then...the body.”
Peyton studied it with a solemn face. “I don’t understand how she ended up here. This is miles from the site of the crash.”
