After a deep breath she said, “Mayor, I’m not sure why you’re taking this line with me. But I’m confident in my and my officers’ abilities to solve these crimes. Now, we have work to do. You do what you have to do.”
“Count on it.” The petulant little man turned and stormed out the door, hurling one last line at Tess. “I should have known you’d fail us like this.”
Tess looked up. Until the mayor left, she hadn’t realized Gabe Bender was still in the office, listening to the confrontation she’d just had with the man.
He regarded her, but not with his usual smirk. This morning he simply looked professional.
She forced the encounter with Dixon out of her mind. There was a homicide and attempted homicide on her plate to solve. She’d sent Bender an e-mail Sunday night about Tilly busting Acosta’s window and the broken key chain.
“You read my e-mail?”
“I did. I’ll admit, I have trouble seeing Beto as a drug dealer, much less a murderer.”
“You guys friends?”
“Not like buddies, but Beto’s always been a friend to cops, an upstanding guy. I think he was a cop at one time. He’s even been invited to training sessions with us, on occasions, when we train with the SO or with Medford. He and the chief in Medford are tight.”
Tess considered this. Del had said as much.
“I’ve always assumed this was about the money. I violated my own rule to never assume. We’re missing something.”
“I still think we need to follow the money, but maybe it’s not drug money,” Bender said.
“That’s a thought. Still, that much cash . . . who keeps that at home in a paper bag? And who wouldn’t scream bloody murder if it were stolen?”
“True. Beto lives at the B and B. But I think Markarov cuts him a deal because he has no money.”
“Maybe Acosta just wants it to look that way. Let’s say he was hiding the cash, and he can’t report it stolen.”
Bender frowned. “If I’ve learned anything in this job, it’s that anything is possible. I still wouldn’t peg him for a murderer.”
“I believe Tilly was across the creek and that she witnessed the murder. Why do you think she targeted Acosta and broke his window unless she was pointing a finger at him?”
“She’s seldom thinking clearly. She could have broken his window at random. Elders always looked after her. Maybe she’s acting out because he’s gone, not necessarily targeting Beto.”
“And the key chain? Are those things cheap?”
“Well, they’re not solid gold. But they’re not plastic either.” Bender rubbed his chin. “Why on earth would Beto kill Glen Elders? I’ve racked my brain for any kind of connection between them.”
Sitting, she motioned for him to do the same.
“There’s something we’re not seeing. Maybe he has another reason for hiding cash. Unless we were right in the first place and he is a drug dealer and hides it well. His name is coming up too often.”
Bender considered this. “I don’t believe in coincidences.”
“Me either,” Tess said. “Keep thinking about it. Job one is to find Tilly. How on earth does she disappear so completely and quickly?”
“There’s a collection of lowlifes around who are quick to give her rides back and forth between here and Shady Cove or White City.”
Tess nodded, thinking about her visit to the trailer park with Del. “You remember the break-in at the pastor’s house? Well, Macpherson admitted to me it was Tilly who knocked him over running from his house.”
“That’s why Anna Macpherson had clean clothes on and was covered in a blanket.”
“Yes. Find her.”
“I will, but I may have to go to Shady Cove or even White City to do that.”
Tess tapped a fist with her palm and thought for a minute. Dixon to the forefront again. One of his pet peeves was Rogue’s Hollow officers going into other jurisdictions for just about any reason. He wanted them to utilize the sheriff’s office if they had an out-of-area problem. Most of the other small communities in the area contracted with the sheriff’s department anyway, so law enforcement problems were their responsibility outside of Rogue’s Hollow.
But this was her investigation. And what could he do, fire her? He was already threatening that.
“Okay, but after lunch. I need to run a quick errand. When I get back, if things in town are quiet, then you can head out of our jurisdiction. But let the SO know you’ll be in their area and keep it on the down low if possible.”
“Gotcha.”
They both heard a call go out on the radio. Bender was needed at a dispute.
Tess nodded that he could go. After he left, she picked up her burrito, thoughts drifting back to Dixon and his threat. He was acting a little schizophrenically, she decided, supporting her one minute and threatening to fire her the next.
She took a bite of the now-cold meal and made a face. Shaking her head, she chewed and swallowed, then threw the rest away. It was time to pick up the dog and see if she’d created another crazy-making problem for herself.
36
Oliver barely slept while he kept watch at his wife’s bedside. Jethro was at the hospital with him, intercepting parishioners who came to the hospital and letting them know how things were going. He and Travis had organized an around-the-clock prayer vigil and made out a schedule so there was someone in the church praying for Anna’s recovery 24-7. There were plenty of volunteers, and it touched Oliver’s heart.
Anna had not regained consciousness. Besides being scratched and bruised from her tumble over the falls, she was dehydrated and her right leg was broken. If Tilly had tended to her injuries, that had helped, but Anna should have been taken to a hospital immediately.
The doctors were not giving him much hope. While it was no small miracle that she survived going over the falls, it would take a bigger miracle for her cancer-ravaged body to rebound from all the insults it had endured over the past few days.
In spite of the pain, and because of the fear of losing her that he couldn’t stamp out, Oliver sat holding her hand and praying, feeling the presence of his Lord like he’d not felt in a long time. He spoke to Anna from time to time, sometimes to recite a passage of Scripture, sometimes just to talk to her about things that were going on. He thought she’d like to hear about Chief O’Rourke.
“I trust our new chief. You were right about her, you know. She’s good people, smart. She’ll figure this all out—I know it. I also know that your first thought in all of this would be forgiveness. You’d be worried about the state of your attacker’s soul.”
Oliver couldn’t say he was there yet, at forgiveness. He tried not to think about the attack and the fact that Tilly hid his wife when she needed medical attention. But he knew his wife would have arrived at forgiveness quickly.
After a visit from the doctor and another glum face, Oliver whispered to Anna, “God’s not deaf, Anna. He’s not turned a deaf ear—he hears all of our prayers. I want to tell you so with your eyes open, restore your faith in the promise of Scripture. He is an ever-present help in our times of trouble. He’s here, with us now, baby.”
“Oliver.”
He looked up and saw Jethro in the doorway.
“You look like you need a break. How about a short walk to the coffee machine?”
Oliver’s first impulse was to say no. But he was stiff and groggy, and coffee sounded good. He nodded and stood. Bending down, he kissed Anna’s forehead. “Be right back.”
As they walked down the hallway to the coffee machine, Jethro asked, “Is your phone on you?”
“Yeah, I turned it off. They don’t like cell phones in ICU.”
“Check your messages. Octavio has been trying to get ahold of you.”
“Do you know why?”
“He won’t tell me, says it’s just for your ears.”
They reached the machine. Jethro stopped Oliver when he reached into his pocket. “I’ve got this. Black?”
&nb
sp; Oliver nodded, fatigue hitting him in a wave.
“Maybe you need to go home and get some sleep,” Jethro suggested as he handed Oliver the coffee.
“I can’t, Jethro. I have to be here for Anna, whatever happens.” He took a sip of the brew, ignoring the taste and waiting for the caffeine to kick in. He and Jethro sat in the waiting room. Oliver turned on his phone and called Octavio.
“Pastor Mac, I’m so sorry. I hear about Anna. We’re praying for her.”
“Thank you, Octavio. What did you want to tell me?”
“Ah, something I didn’t tell you before, when the police were here, something maybe important. When Anna came here to ask about Glen, a man was here. He follow her when she leave.”
Oliver felt his hands go numb and he nearly dropped his coffee. “What man? Who?”
“He was here about the alarm. He listen to our conversation, and when Anna leave, so did he.”
“Who?”
“Beto Acosta.”
“Beto?” Oliver frowned, exhausted mind trying to understand how or why this would be important.
“Sí. You know I do drugs, long time ago.”
“Yes. But you’re clean now.”
“Sí. I know when people do drugs. I can tell. Beto, he try to hide it, he deny it, but he do drugs. Maybe nothing, but it bothers me. Maybe he just go home, but he was listening so hard to Anna talk, and now Anna, and Glen . . . well, I need tell you.”
“Thank you, Octavio, thank you.” Oliver said good-bye and disconnected.
“What was that about?” Jethro asked.
Oliver told him.
“Beto?” Jethro looked at him askance. “That man is solid; you think he had something to do with what happened to Anna?”
Oliver shook his head, then drained his coffee. “I can’t think right now. Maybe this is important, maybe not. Do you think you can tell Chief O’Rourke, or maybe get Octavio to call her?”
“Sure, Oliver.”
“I’m going back to sit with Anna.”
37
As Tess made the short drive to the vet, besides wondering what she was going to do with a three-legged dog, she wondered about Anna Macpherson. She wanted to go to the hospital, not only to check on Anna, but to see how Oliver was holding up.
She understood his pain. In a way, he was lucky. The fact that Anna was still hanging on, that had to be a good sign. And if she didn’t survive, at least he’d have the chance to say good-bye. Tess never got to say good-bye to her dad.
Thinking about her father’s death and Anna’s predicament made her consider God a capricious deity. She wondered if Oliver’s faith would survive if Anna died.
Shaking away the negative thought, Tess decided that positive thinking was the key here. Anna would survive. And hopefully, when she came around, she could point them to her attacker and Glen’s killer.
Will that get Dixon off my back? she wondered.
She also pondered her decision to save the dog. Did she do that because she was a woman and soft, like Cole Markarov thought? One of her dad’s rules was “Never show weakness.” In the back of her mind she could hear Terry Guff warn her about being soft, emotional.
“People will eat you alive if you show weakness,” he’d said. “Job is easier when they fear you just a bit.”
He himself was tough as nails; Gruff wasn’t just a nickname. Her dad was always no-nonsense, but he never had the same hard-edged reputation as Gruff. But he wasn’t emotional or soft; no, that would never be said about her dad. Was she being emotional?
Tess sighed. Gruff was from a different time. She’d never conducted herself on the job to be feared. Respected, but not feared. When it came to Killer . . . well, she just didn’t want to see the loyal dog put down.
Loyalty clicked inside her brain and a light went on. That’s what had done it for her that day at the creekside. The dog had sat bleeding and in pain for who knew how long at the side of her dead owner. Obviously, whoever killed her master had tried to kill her, but that didn’t matter. She stayed with Elders, and Tess marveled at how a supposedly dumb animal could be so loyal in such dire circumstances when a smart human male could betray his marriage vows without a second thought.
Shaking her head, she realized that when she thought about Paul now, even the betrayal she’d felt in Long Beach didn’t hurt as much as it used to. But she’d have to remind Jeannie, who liked to say, “All men are dogs,” that nothing could be further from the truth. Dogs were more loyal than men could ever be.
The vet’s parking lot was packed, and Tess ended up double-parking, hoping she’d be in and out quickly. Inside, the waiting room was as crowded as the parking lot but surprisingly quiet. An assortment of dogs wagged their tails and pranced nervously on one side, and on the other a couple of cat carriers sat at the feet of watchful owners. Tess could hear some meows from the waiting room and a lot of barks from the back.
Eyes followed her as she stepped up to the counter. Before she could say anything, the woman behind the counter said, “You’re here for Killer, aren’t you?”
Tess nodded. “Is she ready to go?”
“Yes, but the doctor wanted to talk to you. I’ll be right back.”
Tess hooked her thumbs in her gun belt to wait, hoping it wouldn’t be long but also feeling a bit guilty. She hated jumping in front of everyone, but too much was on her plate to waste time. She needed to get back to Rogue’s Hollow.
“Chief O’Rourke?” A tall, long-armed man with a sinewy, muscular frame followed the receptionist to the front desk. Dr. Fox, according to his name badge.
“Yes, that’s me.” She shook his extended hand.
He motioned with his hand as he picked up a file. “Come back to the office and I’ll explain about Killer.” His speech had a distinct Midwestern bite.
Tess followed him into an office just behind the reception desk. He sat behind his desk and she took a seat in front.
“Thank you for preserving the bullet like you did. That was a big help.”
“No problem. I worked in Chicago before moving here, dealt with a couple of police dogs that were shot, so I knew the drill. I just hope you catch the reprobate who shot her. She’s a sweetheart, wouldn’t hurt anyone. Everyone here loves her. We’ve never had any trouble treating her whenever she’s been here.”
“I’m amazed she’s ready to go home so soon,” Tess said.
“She’s in good health but for the amputation,” Dr. Fox said. “She needs to continue to heal in peace and quiet, and that’s not going to happen here.” He opened the file in front of him. “I was sorry to hear about Glen. He had his problems but he was an animal lover. He treated Killer well and trained her too. She’s a good dog. Do you know what will happen to her now? I mean, you paid a lot to get her fixed up, so I can’t see you sending her to the shelter or having her put down.”
“I need to make certain no family wants her.”
“And if no one does? I know several people who would happily adopt her. Like I said, everyone here loves her. Even with three legs she’ll make someone a great pet.”
“Thanks for telling me. I’ll contact you if I need to find her a home.”
He nodded. “Good. I’ll explain her aftercare and then go get her and let you take her.”
Tess was given antibiotics and painkillers and directions for their use. Killer would have to come back in two weeks to have her staples taken out. Then Tess realized she had nothing in her hotel room to take care of a dog: no food, no bed—she didn’t even have a leash.
“No problem,” Dr. Fox said. “My receptionist can set you up with what you need. Glen bought her food here. We have a low-cost dog food pantry in back. The Grange and other businesses donate dog food so low-income people can afford to feed their dogs, so we can even help you with that.”
Another hundred dollars later, her backseat holding dog food, a dog bed, and a couple of impulse dog toys, Tess walked back into the office to get Killer. Her heart caught in her throat when th
e red pit bull came limping out into the waiting room. The wagging tail almost brought Tess to tears. Stepping forward on her one good front leg, propelled by the two back ones, the swath of a pink bandage covering the spot where her leg used to be and encircling her powerful chest, Killer stuck her nose toward Tess, seemingly happy to see her and maybe sensing Tess would take her out of this place that smelled of fear and antiseptic.
“Hey, Killer.” Tess got down on one knee, grasping the leash the vet technician had used to bring her out. She’d had dogs as a child; her father had loved dogs. At that moment Tess realized she hadn’t had a dog since her father died. Tobey had pined for her father and then, after a time, became attached to Tess. He was her shadow until a vet visit discovered cancer and he had to be put down.
Tears threatened and she cleared her throat and swallowed, willing herself to keep her composure. Killer sniffed her hand. Tess held it out flat, let the dog sniff, and then patted her broad head. All the while the dog’s tail never stopped wagging.
Sucking in a breath, composure back, she stood. “I’m going to have to find this dog a different name than Killer.”
She’d just gotten back to her car and helped Killer into the backseat when her phone rang. It was an unknown number, but a local area code. She answered.
“Chief O’Rourke, Jethro Bishop here. I’m with Oliver at the hospital.”
“Yes, I remember you. We met the other day at the pastor’s home,” Tess said, leaning against her SUV and bracing herself for bad news from the hospital.
“Oliver asked me to call you with some news that maybe you can use.”
She listened, shaking her head, as he relayed what Octavio Donner had told the pastor. Tess had known Octavio was hiding something. Now, a little late, she learned that Beto Acosta had been the last person to see Anna when she left the church and he had followed her onto Crowfoot.
Beto Acosta. Again. Tess could see in her mind’s eye a mountain of circumstantial evidence piling up against the guy. But did it make sense? If he wanted the money back, Anna could have told him where it was and that Glen no longer had it. Why snatch her and kill Glen? It seemed the more information she gathered, the less things made sense. And in all of it, when she looked at Acosta, there had to be a strong motive to kill two people. What was it?
Crisis Shot Page 21
