by Debby Giusti
“Germany for three years. A little town called Vilseck.”
“Near the Grafenwohr training area.”
Surprised that Phillips knew of Grafenwohr, Tyler smiled. “You’re prior military?”
“Roger that.” The cop chuckled. “I enlisted after high school.”
Tyler liked Phillips. Knowing he had served elevated him in Tyler’s opinion even more. “Thanks for your service.”
“My contribution was insignificant compared to most. Present company included.”
Tyler appreciated the comment. At least Phillips would understand the role the CID could play in the investigation.
“With the army’s concern about fraternization between the ranks, something seems strange to me,” Phillips said as he pocketed his cell. “Why would a sergeant major rent his trailer to some young soldier?”
“Harris was retired, and even if he had been on active duty, it wouldn’t have been a problem if they were from different units. The sergeant major probably advertised on-post. Fellows may have been a country boy. Liked the outdoors and wanted to move out of the barracks.”
The cop rubbed his jaw. “Maybe, although I wonder if anything else was afoot.”
“I’ll talk to his first sergeant and the other soldiers in his platoon,” Tyler said. “They might provide a better picture of who Fellows was.”
Phillips nodded. “And why someone wanted to kill him.”
“What about questioning the neighbors?” Tyler asked.
“I’ve got a couple officers checking the folks who live nearby. I’m not sure how cooperative the Amish will be. They’re good people, but they stick to themselves.”
Tyler glanced at where the body was found. “The killer could have skirted Amish Road, by using the dirt road you mentioned. If he paid Fellows a late-night visit, they could have argued and gotten into a fight. Fellows might have run this direction to get away from the assailant. The killer follows and attacks after Fellows stumbled into the clearing.”
“Did you hear anything unusual?”
Tyler shook his head. “Not a peep.”
“Something must have alerted Ms. York.”
“She said her father’s dog found the body and started barking.”
Phillips pursed his lips. “Might seem like a stretch, but I wonder if she could be involved.”
Tyler hadn’t expected the comment, but as any law enforcement officer knew, no one could be ruled out at this point.
The cop slapped Ty’s shoulder. “My turn to talk to her.”
Tyler pulled out his phone as the officer climbed the steps and opened the door. Carrie stood in the foyer and glanced around Phillips to where Tyler lingered at the bottom of the steps. She tilted her head ever so slightly as if questioning why he was still hanging around outside. The door closed, leaving Tyler with a strange sense of being shut out.
He had allowed his emotions to get the best of him when he questioned her. A mistake he shouldn’t have made and wouldn’t make again. Still, he hadn’t expected an investigation in Georgia to open a painful memory from his past.
Pulling up his phone contacts, he tapped the number for the CID special agent on call. Everett Kohl’s voice was heavy with sleep when he answered. “What’s going on, Ty?”
“A soldier was murdered along Amish Road.”
“Fill me in on the details.”
Tyler shared what he knew about the case.
Once he had finished providing information, Everett asked, “Want me to notify the post duty officer? He’ll inform General Cameron. The commanding general needs to know what happened.”
“Sounds good. Thanks.”
“Any witnesses?” Everett inquired.
“Not at this point. The sergeant major’s daughter arrived in town late in the day. She knew nothing about her father until his lawyer called informing her of the property she had inherited.”
“Welcome to Freemont.”
“You’ve probably heard of Drake Kingsley, the senator from Ohio?” A ball of bile rose in Ty’s throat. Not that he would share his past with Everett.
“As I recall, the senator’s not enamored with the military.”
“You’re exactly right.” Tyler paused for a moment before continuing. “Kingsley is talking about the need to slash the defense budget even more than last year. He was also instrumental in convincing the president to cut troop strength.”
“What’s the connection with this case?”
“Carolyn York, the woman who found the body, works as a speechwriter for Senator Kingsley.”
Everett groaned. “She could be as vocal as her boss. We don’t need any more bad press or do-gooders from Washington interfering with our investigation.”
Tyler understood bad press. He also understood Everett’s concern. Budget cuts and troop reduction had decimated the army. Combat readiness was a thing of the past.
“How’d you get involved, Ty?”
“I heard the sirens. Came to see what was going down and found out the deceased was military, assigned to the engineer battalion.”
“That’s interesting.”
“In what way?” Tyler asked.
“Let me check the post paper. Seems I read the sergeant major’s obit not long ago.”
Tyler waited until Everett came back on the line.
“Here it is. ‘Sergeant Major Jeffrey Harris, recently retired from the US Army.’ This is the part that’s of interest. ‘His last duty station was Fort Rickman, where Harris was the command sergeant major of the engineer battalion.’”
“So he and Fellows could have served together, depending upon how long ago the corporal transferred to the battalion.”
“Doubtful the sergeant major would rent a trailer to someone in the same unit, unless they had some prior connection.” Everett voiced the same concern as Phillips had earlier. “Having a superior as a landlord could be seen as a conflict of interest.”
“Something to consider.”
Ty looked back at the Harris home. Carrie’s arrival the night Fellows died could also be significant.
“This case could explode in our faces,” Everett continued. “Especially since the woman has ties to Washington. I’ll confirm with Wilson tomorrow to ensure that the boss is in agreement, but the way I see it, you’ll need to keep tabs on Ms. York. Two folks have died on that property in less than two weeks. Keep her safe and as happy as can be expected under the circumstances. I’ll let you know any information we find out about Fellows.”
Everett was right. Tyler needed to keep an eye on his neighbor and see what he could learn about the estranged daughter and the young soldier who had died on her father’s property. Maybe the pretty newcomer to Freemont knew more about her father than she was willing to admit.
THREE
The first light of dawn glowed on the horizon as the Freemont police climbed into their squad cars. Phillips stood next to Tyler, watching their departure.
“Our crime scene folks will expand their search over the entire field,” Phillips said. “So far they haven’t found anything that seems to have bearing. I’m hoping Forensics might provide more information. I’ll let you know what we uncover.”
“Earlier you mentioned that the sergeant major’s body was discovered in the woods,” Tyler said. “Do you know who found him?”
“Inman handled the call, but if my memory is correct, an Amish teenager took a shortcut through the property and stumbled across the remains.”
“Was there anything suspect about Harris’s death?”
Phillips shook his head. “Nothing that seemed questionable at the time.”
“Might be worth reviewing the report,” Tyler suggested.
“I’ll do that. And I’ll talk to Inman.”
Tyler glanced at the lights glowing in the downstairs windows of the stately home. “Are any of your people still inside the house?”
“One of our rookies.”
“I’ll tell him you’re wrapping up.” Tyler hustled up
the porch steps and rapped lightly on the door. The young cop he’d seen earlier answered his knock. Tyler stepped inside and repeated the message from Phillips. The officer hurriedly left the house and climbed into one of the squad cars.
Footsteps sounded from the kitchen.
“Ms. York?” Tyler called from the foyer.
She stepped into the hallway. Her eyes widened ever so slightly. “Agent Zimmerman, I didn’t expect to see you again. Do you have more questions?”
“No, ma’am, but I wanted to apologize for my comments.”
“Which comments are you referring to?” She squared her shoulders in a defensive gesture he had half expected after his earlier outburst.
“My comments about Senator Kingsley.” Not that they weren’t true. Still, he hated hearing the cool aloofness in her voice.
She stepped closer. “Evidently I said something wrong, something that upset you. Let me assure you that I’m not the senator.”
He pointed a finger back at himself. “I in no way thought you were.”
“Nor do I put words in his mouth.”
“Actually...” Tyler hesitated. “If you write his speeches, that’s exactly what you do.”
She frowned.
He wasn’t making points.
“Senator Kingsley is quite explicit on what he wants covered in each speech,” she said with an icy stare. “His policies are exactly that—his policies. They reflect his opinions and what he believes to be true and do not reflect the way I think or feel.”
“That’s good to know.”
“I admire all who defend our nation, Agent Zimmerman. They sacrifice greatly. Many give their lives for our security. I am indebted to their service, as the entire nation should be.”
“Then we see eye-to-eye on that point, but I still hope you’ll accept my apology.”
“Of course.”
He handed her his business card. “Some of the crime scene personnel will remain on-site for a while. I’m heading to post. My phone will be on if you think of anything else.”
“I’ve told you everything.”
“Yes, ma’am, but I’m sure you’re anxious and concerned. Keep your doors and windows locked. Be alert to any danger.”
Her stiffness crumbled. She drew her hand to her neck. “Y-you’re worrying me.”
Which he hadn’t intended to do. “I just want to ensure that you use caution.”
“Thank you for your concern.”
When he’d entered the house the first time, his focus was on the murdered soldier and on finding information. Now that the immediate urgency was over, he paused to glance at the expansive living area with two brick fireplaces, tall ceilings and hand-hewn hardwood floors.
“Your home is beautiful.”
“My father’s home,” she corrected. “I still feel like an outsider.”
“In time, that should change.”
Her face softened for a moment, exposing a vulnerability he hadn’t expected. Then she pulled in a quick breath and returned to her former polite, but somewhat perturbed, self.
“I hope the investigation is wrapped up quickly, Agent Zimmerman.”
“It will be.” Tyler sounded more optimistic than he felt. “My cell’s always on. You can call me if you hear anything worrisome. I’m home most nights by seven.”
“Bailey’s a good watchdog.”
“I’m sure he is.”
Tyler started for the door.
A phone rang. Carrie reached for her cell and checked the caller identification. “If you’ll excuse me, it’s the senator’s office.”
“You notified Washington?”
She quirked her brow. “Did you want me to keep the soldier’s death secret?”
“Of course not.” He opened the door. “I’ll be in touch.”
He hurried off the porch and started across the front lawn on his way home. Phillips waved from his sedan as he and Inman pulled onto Amish Road and headed back to town.
Tyler needed coffee and a shower before he drove to post, but he couldn’t get past the churning in his gut, knowing Carrie York was on the phone to DC.
This case came with baggage. Not what he needed or wanted. He had to focus on the investigation instead of getting into a war of words with the senator’s speechwriter whose arrival in Freemont felt suspect.
Was Carrie York an innocent bystander? Or was she somehow involved in the soldier’s death?
* * *
After the congestion and traffic in DC, driving along the gentle, rolling hills and fertile farmland was a refreshing change of pace for Carrie. Some of the anxiety she’d felt through the night had ebbed by the time she arrived downtown.
She parked her car behind the lawyer’s office and hurried inside. George Gates had been nice enough yesterday when he gave her the keys to her father’s house as well as the information about Bailey and the kennel where the dog had been boarded. Everything had seemed like a dream, especially when she realized the huge white home with Greek columns had belonged to her father.
Thankfully the dog’s frisky playfulness and demand for attention had filled the expansive house with activity that added warmth and welcome to what could have been a difficult homecoming. She and Bailey had quickly become fast friends, and she was grateful for his attention. The pup had stayed close by her side, until he’d whined to go out shortly after midnight.
All too soon, the initial charm of the historic home had been marred by the discovery of Corporal Fellows’s body. She hoped the lawyer would provide some clue to the soldier’s death, which was the first question she asked George Gates once they’d exchanged pleasantries and she’d taken a seat in the chair across from his desk.
The lawyer was midforties, with whitened teeth, bushy eyebrows and a ruddy complexion that made her wonder if he frequented a tanning salon.
“I heard something had happened along Amish Road,” he said, his voice somber. “Although I wasn’t sure if the information I received was accurate. So you’re saying a soldier was killed behind Jeff’s house?”
“In the open field but close to the woods. As you can imagine, I’m upset and confused. Is there something you failed to tell me about my father?”
Surprise registered on his puffy face. “Surely you’re not implying your father was involved in anything that would lead to a soldier’s death.”
“You tell me.”
“Jeff was a good man, Carrie. He did a lot for Freemont and was well respected. The Harris family has been a part of this town’s history since the early 1800s. Your father inherited the house and property from his maiden aunt some years back. He worked hard to restore the home to its former beauty, and since then, he’s been a pillar of the town.”
“Pillars can crumble.”
He laughed off the comment. “I told you someone has expressed an interest in buying the property. It’s something to consider. You’re probably eager to return to Washington. I can handle the paperwork and expedite the sale.”
She held up her hand. “It’s too soon, George. I’m not ready to sell.”
“You’re upset, no doubt, about what happened last night. Take a few days to think it over. I’m sure the offer will please you.”
“I came here today to find out more about my father’s estate and especially his property. You didn’t mention the trailer he rented.”
“My mistake. You were tired yesterday. I hesitated taking up more of your time.”
He taped a manila envelope on his desk. “A plat of the property is inside. Your father owned a hundred and twenty acres and the house. He rented out a trailer, usually to one of the soldiers from post. Almost half of his land is prime farmland. The rest is wooded.”
“And you have an interested buyer for both the land and the house?”
“That’s correct.”
“Can you assure me the property won’t be cut up for development?”
“I’m not sure what the buyer’s plan would be, but it’s nothing you need to concern yourself with
at this point.”
She leaned closer. “But it is my concern, George. I don’t want to disrupt the beauty of the Amish community.”
“Yes, of course. I understand.”
Did he? Carrie wasn’t sure about George Gates or his too-accommodating responses.
By the time she shook his hand in farewell, she had even more questions about her father, his past and her future.
Leaving the office, she hurried to her car and clicked the remote opener. Before she reached for the door handle, someone called her name. Turning, she spied Tyler Zimmerman climbing from a car parked on the opposite side of the lot.
In the light of day, he looked even taller and more muscular. Maybe it was the navy slacks and tweed sports coat he wore. For a moment she wondered why he wasn’t in military uniform before recalling that CID agents wore civilian attire when working on a case. She’d stumbled upon the information while researching a speech for Senator Kingsley. Something about not wanting rank to interfere with their investigation.
“I didn’t expect to see you here,” she said in greeting.
He smiled as he neared. “I wanted to talk to Mr. Gates.”
“You need a lawyer?”
His eyes twinkled, making him appear even more handsome.
“I want to talk to Mr. Gates about your father’s rental property,” he explained. “And see if he can provide information about your dad’s relationship with Corporal Fellows.”
When she didn’t respond, he added, “I’m just gathering information, Ms. York.”
“Carrie, please.”
He smiled again.
Her heart skittered in her chest, making her feel like an adolescent schoolgirl. Too young and too foolish. Needing to shield herself from his charm, she clutched the manila envelope close as if it could offer protection.
He cocked his head. “What are you up to today?”
She tried to sound nonchalant. “In search of a grocery store.”
“There’s one on the way out of town. Turn left at Harvest Road. The supermarket’s two blocks down on the left.”
“Thanks.” She opened her car door and slipped behind the wheel. “Good seeing you, Tyler.”
Leaving the lot, she glanced back as the special agent opened the door to Gates Law Firm and stepped inside. Rounding the corner, she passed an Amish teenager who watched her turn right. Seeing the special agent had put her on edge. The pensive stare of the Amish boy added to her unease.
