Finding Justice

by Kathi Daley

  I could hear a rustling in the nearby woods and hoped it was her and not a predator.

  “Now,” I called in my sternest voice.

  Luckily, that did it; Shia poked her nose out from behind a bush.

  “Home,” I commanded, and all the dogs took off in that direction.

  I dropped the house dogs off there and headed to the barn with Juno and Kodi. It took a while to take care of everyone’s needs, and I felt something of an urgency to get back to the house to see to the puppies, but I hadn’t spent a lot of time with Homer lately, and I knew that even though he couldn’t see me, he missed me.

  I talked to the animals as I cleaned the stalls and freshened water. It was my opinion that all the animals, even the rabbits, responded to the sound of my voice. I think it made them feel cared for and included.

  I was sure to lock up the barn behind me so the predators couldn’t get in. By the time I got back to the house, the house dogs and cats were standing somewhat impatiently in front of their empty bowls. I fed everyone and changed out cat litter and water, then went into the bedroom to see to the puppies.

  It was late by the time I’d taken care of everyone and I realized I’d never gotten around to making my list. I considered leaving it for the morning, but I knew if I didn’t get my thoughts down on paper I’d lay awake trying to remember everything I wanted to be certain I wouldn’t forget.

  I tossed another log on the fire, then grabbed a pen and a pad. I was pretty sure I had wine stashed in the back of one of my cupboards, so I searched through and found it and poured myself a glass. I put a Christmas CD on the stereo and clicked on the colored lights I’d hung around the place. Once I was cozied up under a quilt I kept on the sofa, I started my list.

  The first three names I wrote down were Jared Martin, Teresa Toller, and Gill Greenland. Under Gill’s name I wrote Pastor Brown, and below him I added Eddy Halverson. Eddy and Tim had been friends back when he was using, though I knew he’d broken off his relationship with him when he decided to get clean. As far as I knew, Eddy still dabbled, mostly with marijuana, but it was possible he’d have some insight into the who’s who of the local drug culture.

  After I wrote down Eddy’s name, I paused, clicking my pen open and closed as I considered other options. It would be easier to come up with a more comprehensive list if Tim and I had been better friends, but although I’d seen him around town from time to time, we never really stopped to chat.

  Juno and Kodi started barking, and I paused to listen. They didn’t usually bark unless a predator was near. I doubted that either a cougar or a coyote could get into the barn, but a bear could if we happened to have a boar who was late to go into hibernation. However unlikely it was, I decided I should check.

  Of course, once I got up, all the dogs got up too, but I told them to stay. I turned on the porch light and listened. I didn’t hear anything, but I grabbed my gun and took a step onto the back stoop. I could see the path from the house to the barn was clear, but I fired a warning shot into the air, then waited. I gave it a minute, and when I didn’t see or hear anything, I walked slowly toward the barn. I arrived and paused, looking at the prints in the snow. I gasped when I realized last night’s intruder hadn’t been a bear but a human who’d left fairly large boot prints behind.

  “Is anyone there?” I called.

  No one answered and I didn’t see anyone, so I returned to the house. Inside, I made sure all the doors and windows were locked, then went to bed. I slept with my rifle loaded and next to the bed that whole night, something I hadn’t done in a very long time.

  Chapter 15

  Wednesday, December 20

  Despite the late start of the night before, I slept fairly well and woke up early. I made quick work of my morning chores because I wanted to pick Harley up at the inn by around ten so we’d have plenty of time before I needed to meet Chloe for the cookie exchange. She’d insisted I participate, even though I didn’t have the first clue how to bake cookies. When I pointed that out to her, she’d agreed to make a batch of cookies for me as well as herself.

  I still had no idea who’d been lurking around the barn last night, but the dogs hadn’t picked up a scent when I’d taken them out this morning, so I had to assume whoever it had been was long gone. I took the dogs for a long walk this morning, knowing I would be out for a good part of the day while they’d be cooped up inside.

  I’d spotted a cute little fir when I’d been out and wondered if I should get a tree for my house. I would be spending Christmas with Jake and didn’t usually bother, but this year I was feeling extra festive. Of course, if I got a tree I’d need to buy some lights, which I was sure I could easily find in town.

  Harley was ready and waiting when I arrived at the inn. I thought we might sit a spell and firm up our list, but he’d made an appointment with a local Realtor and needed to leave right away.

  “Are you buying some property?” I asked as I followed the directions he was feeding me.

  “I’m looking at a house. I hadn’t realized how much I missed Rescue until I came home after all this time. I travel a lot for work, but I have a lot of time off as well, so I decided I’d like to spend at least part of that time in Rescue.”

  “That’s wonderful.” I grinned.

  “I was lucky to find this house. I hope it’s as perfect for my needs as it sounded in the ad. I have a movie to film right after the first of the year, but then I’m obligation-free for the remainder of the year. I think I’ll keep it that way. I need some time off to reevaluate my life. Not that it’s a bad life, but I’ve been doing one movie after another for so long that I feel as if I’ve lost the part of who I am who isn’t an actor along the way. Make a left at the next road.”

  The house Harley led me to turned out to be a large ranch that had been built on the side of a hill. I was sure it must have a beautiful view from every window, but keeping the long private drive plowed was going to be a challenge. Of course, Harley was rich, so I imagined he could hire someone to see to that.

  “Wow. This is really something,” I gasped as I got out and looked around.

  “It does seem pretty perfect. The Realtor should be waiting inside. The best part about the house, other than the view, is that it’s being sold completely furnished, which means I can start using it right away. In fact, if my offer is accepted, I plan to pay cash so I can move right in as soon as I finish filming.”

  The first thing I noticed when we walked through the front door was the open floor plan. The main living area faced a wall of windows that looked out over the entire valley. Behind that was a huge kitchen I was willing to bet my entire house would fit inside. The house had four bedrooms and five baths, plus a formal dining room and a game room complete with a pool table and home theater system. It was spectacular, but I couldn’t imagine why one person would even want such a huge space.

  Of course, I was just assuming Harley would be alone. I hadn’t asked about his love life, mostly because it was none of my business and I didn’t want to know, but I knew he dated often, so it stood to reason his time in Rescue would be in the company of his girlfriend of the moment.

  I wandered around the house as Harley and the Realtor discussed the details. On one hand, I found Harley to be a warm and friendly person I’d very much welcome into my life. On the other, witnessing Harley’s parade of women up close and personal might be more than my poor heart could take. When he was in LA and I was here, I rarely gave him a second thought, but in the brief time he’d been in Rescue, I’d definitely given him a third and a fourth.

  When I returned to the room where he and the Realtor were talking, I heard mention of Tim’s name. I didn’t want it to seem like I was listening in, so I headed out onto the deck to take in the whole view. It was a tolerable temperature today, so I was able to enjoy the fresh air without freezing to death despite my heavy parka and sturdy snow boots.

  “Are you all set?” I asked when Harley and the Realtor joined me on the deck.
r />   “For now,” Harley answered.

  “Expect to find the contract in your email within the next two hours. Once you sign it electronically, send it back and I’ll forward it to the owner.”

  “I’ll watch for it, and thank you for meeting us.”

  “No problem. I look forward to having you back in the community.”

  The Realtor drove away and Harley and I piled back into my Jeep.

  “I’ll need to buy a sturdy four-wheel drive I can just leave here.”

  “It would be a good idea, especially with that driveway. You’re either going to need to buy a plow or you’ll have to hire someone to take care of it for you.”

  “I’ve driven a plow, but I’ll need to pay someone to keep the road clear while I’m out of town.”

  I pulled onto the main highway back toward Rescue. “So, where do you want to start?”

  “I mentioned to the Realtor that I’d initially come to town after Tim passed away, and she mentioned he spent a lot of time at a bar south of town called Gremlins.”

  “A bar? I thought he was sober.”

  “She said he was. The bar has pool tables and he’d go there to play pool with some of his old friends.”

  “Sounds to me like he was playing with fire.”

  Harley shrugged. “Perhaps. But it might be worth our while to talk to the bartender. You never know when someone might have noticed something no one else did.”

  Gremlins was nothing like Neverland. Neverland was a warm, cozy community meeting place that served quality drinks and delicious food. It was clean and welcoming and had plenty of windows to let in as much natural light as you were likely to get in this part of the state, at least in the winter. Gremlins was dark and depressing, with nary a window in sight. There were tables and chairs on one side of the room and several pool tables on the other. I couldn’t imagine why anyone would want to spend time there.

  “Help you?” the bartender asked.

  “Just a cola for me,” I said.

  Harley ordered a beer and asked for a menu. “I heard the burgers in this place are pretty good from my friend, Tim Maverick. You know him?”

  “Yeah, I knew him,” the bartender answered. “If you’re his friend, I guess you know he passed away.”

  Harley lowered his head. “Yes. I have to say, I was surprised to hear he’d OD’d. He seemed to have gotten his life together. I thought he was doing better.”

  “Tim was doing fine. He’d come in, sip a cola, and play pool with the guys, but I hadn’t seen him take a drink in at least five years.”

  “What do you think happened that he ended up overdosing on heroin?” Harley asked.

  “Between you and me,” the bartender leaned in close, even though the three of us were the only ones in the bar, “I don’t think he OD’d by accident. I think someone shot him up and left him to die.”

  “Any idea who might have done such a thing?” Harley asked.

  The bartender hesitated before answering. I could see he was weighing his options. “You didn’t hear this from me,” he said at last. “But Tim found out something damaging about a local dealer. He never did say what he knew, but I heard him talking to some of the guys about not buying from that particular source. The guy was operating in such a way as to attract the attention of the state authorities, so Tim was warning them that if they weren’t careful, they might get caught in the crossfire.”

  “Do you know who Tim was referring to?” I asked.

  “He didn’t say, but I know the guys usually buy from a guy named Doc. I imagine that’s a nickname.”

  “All drug dealing is illegal,” I pointed out. “Do you know why this specific dealer was gaining state attention?”

  The bartender shook his head. “Can’t say I do. But the men Tim was talking to were current users, and I know they buy quality stuff.”

  “Quality stuff?” I raised an eyebrow.

  “Professional-grade pharmaceuticals, not the homemade stuff.”

  “Would you be willing to give us the names of the men Tim was warning?” Harley asked.

  “No, I couldn’t do that. But I’d be okay with mentioning you’re interested in speaking with them if they’re willing. They may require an incentive, but I think you can get one or two to talk.”

  Harley jotted down his cell number. “Call me if you get someone who’ll speak to me.”

  “Will do, and don’t forget to bring your cash.”

  We left without finishing our drinks. Gremlins wasn’t at all the sort of place I wanted to spend any more time in than I absolutely had to.

  “So, what do you think?” I asked after taking several deep gulps of fresh air after the stale air in the dark building.

  “I think Shredder and Landon might have been on to something when they suggested there may be more than one motive to explore. If there’s a drug dealer in town under investigation and Tim knew something that could lead to his arrest and conviction, I could see that leading to murder. And the fact that Tim was shot up with heroin would fit in that instance.”

  “What about Tim’s cabin being trashed?”

  Harley opened my door for me and I slid into the Jeep while he went around to the passenger side.

  “I suppose the dealer could have been looking for whatever proof Tim might have had, but there’s still the possibility that the person who tossed Tim’s cabin isn’t the same one who killed him.”

  “Seems unlikely, but I guess it’s possible. We should come up with some sort of a game plan. At this point the only thing that comes to mind is that we try to talk to the people who knew Tim best. We only asked a few questions about his new job when we spoke to them before.”

  “That might be a good idea. Let’s stop by Neverland for lunch and discuss our options.”

  ******

  Unlike Gremlins, Neverland smelled heavenly when we entered. The bar was one of my favorite places. Not only was it quaint and cozy, but the food was to die for. But the real draw for me was that anytime I showed up, I found people inside who were happy to see me.

  “What’s that I smell?” I asked Sarge, who was sitting at the bar, talking to Jake.

  “Seafood chowder. I’m making a pot for the dinner crowd.”

  “It smells fantastic. I’ll have to come back for it. In the meantime, can I get one of your famous ham sandwiches?”

  “Coming right up.”

  Harley ordered a sandwich as well, and then we sat down at the bar to chat with Jake.

  “What are you two up to today?” he asked as he poured a beer for Harley and a cola for me.

  “Harley’s buying a house,” I offered.

  “You don’t say. That’s great. Are you moving back?”

  “At this point, my plan is to spend my off time here,” Harley explained. “I’ll keep my home in LA as well because there are times I’ll need to be there even when I’m not filming.”

  “We’ll be real happy to have you back in Rescue,” Jake said. “I went by the shelter yesterday, and I have to say, the group of folks who have been working on the remodel have done a fantastic job. Harm thinks they can get the place open before the spring thaw.”

  I nodded.

  “Any news on Tim’s death?” Jake asked just as Sarge emerged from the kitchen with our lunch.

  I explained our idea of looking at Tim’s death as resulting from something other than his courier job, and our reason for changing our focus.

  “That does make a lot of sense,” Jake agreed. “Killing a rehabilitated drug addict with an overdose of drugs does sound as if the killer had a personal vendetta against Tim. Either that or it was someone who knew Tim and hoped everyone would think the overdose was an accident.”

  I took a bite of my sandwich, chewed, and swallowed as I tried to focus my mind on the task before us. Our first stop should probably be either Jared Martin, Teresa Toller, or Pastor Brown, I thought. All would most likely be found at their places of business today.

  “Have you ever heard o
f a drug dealer called Doc?” I asked Jake.

  He shook his head. “Doesn’t ring a bell. There was a guy in town over the summer who went by the name of Duck, but I heard he was arrested when the cops found the meth lab he’d been operating.”

  “According to the bartender at Gremlins, which is where Tim used to hang out, this Doc deals in prescription-grade pharmaceuticals.”

  “Maybe Doc is a real doctor,” Jake suggested.

  Or a pharmacist, I realized. Could Jared Martin be Doc? No. I rejected that idea before I even had a chance to voice it. Not only were Jared and Tim friends, but Jared seemed to be a legitimate businessman who had an excellent reputation in town.

  “I think we should speak to Teresa after we eat,” I suggested. “If she was dating Tim, she must have some idea what was going on in his life that might have gotten him killed other than his job. After that, I’d like to see Pastor Brown. If we don’t have any new information after that, we’ll try Jared again.”

  “Sounds like a plan to me,” Harley answered.

  ******

  Teresa worked as a cashier at the local five and dime. I was afraid the place would be packed this close to Christmas with holiday shoppers picking up last-minute gifts and decorations, but as it turned out, there was only one person in line when we arrived. I’d pretty much decided to follow through with the tree idea, so I headed to the seasonal aisle to pick up some lights while Harley got in line. By the time I returned to the front of the store, Harley was chatting with Teresa, who seemed barely able to contain her nervousness. I supposed when a movie star as big as Harley walked into your store, it was normal to feel a bit out of sorts.

  “Mr. Medford said you had some additional questions for me about Tim,” Teresa said when I joined him at the counter.

  “I do. And I want to buy these lights as well.”

  Teresa looked grateful to have something to do with her hands as she rang me up.

  “We hit a bit of a dead end with the theory that Tim may have been killed because of something relating to his job, so we’re looking at other angles,” I began. “Can you think of anything else going on in his life that seemed to be causing him stress or was throwing up any red flags as far as you were concerned?”