Fire Storm

by Marlow Kelly

  “I was, yes. In the Granite City–Elkhead County Records Department, I found a document that showed Ben had sold the mineral rights a year ago to Paul Harris.”

  “The mayor of Hopefalls?”

  “The very same.”

  “We’ll need a copy of that.”

  Millar tugged at his bottom lip with his teeth, as if deciding on the best course of action. Then he shrugged. “As I said, I liked Ben. If this case is what killed him, then he would’ve wanted justice.”

  “By the way, do you know who owns Third Estate Mining? I’ve never heard of them,” Kennedy said, changing the subject.

  “I wondered that, too. It took me a while, but I managed to trace ownership back to another company, Pent Up Media.”

  “Pent Up Media? The multinational media giant that’s owned by Lance Ackerman?” Kennedy scribbled the name down.

  “That’s the one.”

  “What now? Who inherits Ben’s land now that he’s dead?” Finn moved closer to Kennedy.

  “Hold on a second. Ben’s will is in the safe.” Millar disappeared into the back room.

  Kennedy swung around as soon as he was out of earshot. “Will you sit down. You’re driving me nuts, hovering behind me.”

  “I’m on the other side of the room.”

  “You’re still behind me.” She ground her teeth as she talked.

  “There’s only one chair.” Finn had never seen her so agitated.

  She pointed across the room to a metal office seat that was positioned near the front door. “Grab that one and pull it over.”

  Finn did as he was told, sitting next to Kennedy.

  Millar walked back into the office, an open file in his hand. “Ben donated his land to the National Wilderness Preservation System, which is run by The National Park Service, with the proviso they form a nature preserve to safeguard Molly’s Mountain wilderness.”

  “Will that stop Third Estate Mining?”

  “Not on its own, but he also found an endangered plant, the water howellia.”

  “So the claim on Ben’s land has collapsed.”

  “Not collapsed so much as in limbo. First Ben’s estate has to go through probate, then if Third Estate Mining still want the land, they’ll have to deal with the federal government, and the wheels of bureaucracy are slow.”

  “What about money? Did he have any accounts?” Kennedy rose and stood behind Finn. Whether she was standing behind him intentionally, to prove a point, or if she just needed a change of position he couldn’t say.

  “There’s nothing else with a monetary value, but there was a letter.” Millar flicked through his file until he found what he was looking for. “I sent it by registered mail this morning to a Timothy Morgan at Wind Valley Ranch in Elkhead County as per the deceased, Ben’s, request.”

  Shit. Finn resisted the urge to loosen his suddenly too-tight collar. Why had Ben North written to Tim? Kennedy was right. He was too close to this case.

  “Do you know what was in the letter?” Kennedy placed her hand on the back of Finn’s chair. It was as if she were silently saying I told you so.

  “No, it was already sealed.”

  Finn stood to leave. “Was there a reason you sent it registered? That’ll take a lot longer than regular mail.”

  “It’ll take ten to fourteen days for delivery.” Millar looked him in the eye. “I chose the best service for my client. I don’t know what’s in the envelope. I paid for the extra security you get with registered mail because I want Morgan to receive the letter exactly as Ben intended, and considering the circumstances of Ben’s death, I stand by my decision.”

  Finn headed for the door. He needed to get out of here and call Tim. Kennedy followed and then halted and grabbed Finn’s arm, stopping him. She turned to Millar. “How did he pay you? We can’t find any bank accounts in Ben’s name.”

  “Normally, in Eminent Domain cases, I work on a contingent fee basis. But Ben insisted he pay me up front. He wanted to keep his land, and he needed to be sure that I would fight for him to stay rather than be paid for negotiating the sale.”

  “But you said no one has ever stopped the process.”

  “That’s right, but just because it’s never been done, doesn’t mean we shouldn’t try.”

  “So how did he pay you?” Finn stepped closer, realizing the importance of Millar’s answer.

  “Cash. He walked in here with a bag containing twenty thousand dollars and asked me to take the case. I gave him a receipt if you need to see it.”

  Kennedy nodded. “Yes.”

  The young lawyer rummaged through his desk. “Someone gave me a car as payment once. I don’t mind as long as I can pay my bills.” He handed a small, narrow blue-covered book to Kennedy.

  “Did he say where he got the money?” Finn asked as Kennedy flicked through the pages of the receipt book.

  “No, and that wasn’t the only payment. His case was expensive, as you can imagine.”

  “And you didn’t ask?” Using her smartphone, Kennedy took photos of the receipts.

  Millar grinned. “Do you know the trick to being a good lawyer?”

  Finn shook his head. “No.”

  “It’s knowing what not to ask.”

  ****

  “Go ahead, say it,” Finn said as soon as they reached the SUV.

  “I’ve already said it, and I’m tired of you ignoring me.” Kennedy took the keys from his hand, opened the driver’s door, and slid the seat forward.

  “We have to investigate the possibility that the Syndicate exists. And if they do, are they a criminal organization?” Finn stood for a moment. How could North’s case be linked to the Syndicate? Then he walked to the passenger side and climbed in, his mind muddling through the information Caleb Millar had shared. “Lance Ackerman. He’s the link.”

  “State your case.” Kennedy buckled her seatbelt.

  “We know he’s connected to Lucy Portman—”

  “For all we know, that could be innocent.”

  “You’re right. We have no proof, but what about Paul Harris, the mayor?”

  Her light brown eyes met his. “I have no problem believing he’s involved in North’s homicide, which once again is out of our jurisdiction.”

  “I think the cases are linked.”

  “How?”

  “The mayor of Hopefalls, Lance Ackerman, and Lucy Portman were all having dinner together.”

  “Portman and Harris are lovers.”

  It wasn’t a question, but Finn answered it anyway. “I agree. But why was Ackerman there?”

  She turned to look at the old commercial building that housed Caleb Millar’s office. “We need to have some professional division in this case.”

  “Some what?”

  “We’re going to give Ramirez all the information we got from Millar. Let him question the mayor of Hopefalls and Tim Morgan. That way you haven’t tainted the investigation.”

  Finn nodded. He would rather question Tim himself, but there was no way Kennedy would go for that.

  She started the ignition. “He also needs to find out how the mayor paid Ben for the mineral rights.”

  “What?” Finn frowned.

  “Ramirez can’t find a bank account for Ben, so how did the mayor pay him?”

  “Good point.” He should’ve thought of that. He must be getting slow. No, that wasn’t it. He was distracted, first by Michael, and now Tim.

  “We’ve delegated work to our friend in the Granite City-Elkhead County Police Department. What do you have in mind for us?” Finn asked.

  Kennedy grinned and put the SUV in gear. “We’re going to question Ackerman.”

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Dana hung around in the lobby of Shady Pines waiting for Tim. Jack had been pretty agitated when she’d left the room, so it would probably take a while for him to calm down. His outburst was fast and terrifying and explained why he needed special care.

  She’d been waiting about ten minutes when the security gu
y strolled away, heading down a hallway to the left, coffee cup in hand. Dana took the opportunity to look in the sign-in book.

  Yesterday, she’d been a police officer and would’ve charmed the guard into letting her examine the visitor’s log. She normally didn’t get much resistance because there was a certain amount of authority and trust that went with the badge. Today she was just a regular person.

  She pushed the loss of her job out of her mind as she flicked through the pages, searching for Jack’s name. Tim visited on a regular basis, which wasn’t a surprise. There were a few entries for Zoe Harris and Mrs. Anderson. She thumbed through the sheets, finally finding Ben’s name. He had visited Jack twice. The first time a week before his death and then again two days before he died. She had no idea why this information was important, but her gut told her it was. Somehow Jack Morgan was the key to discovering who killed Ben North.

  She moved closer to the exit, antsy now that she had uncovered the information. She wanted to talk to Zoe and Victoria about their visits to the senior’s home. Maybe they had seen or heard something unusual. She should also give this information to Detective Ramirez. He would probably have something to say about her recent behavior. He would definitely have a lower opinion of her, but it was what she deserved. She’d own up to her actions and then deal with the consequences.

  Her phone rang, and she stepped outside to take the call.

  “Dana, I need to talk to you.” Mrs. Anderson’s voice rang with the same authority all old-fashioned teachers possessed.

  “Is anything wrong?”

  “Yes, everything. We can’t find the mayor, Booley’s disappeared, and you’ve resigned—

  “What do you mean he’s disappeared? He’s in jail.”

  “He was allowed out on bail this morning. No one’s seen him since he left the police station. Now tell me, what were you thinking, resigning like that?”

  “I was thinking that I don’t want to work for a corrupt police chief.”

  “I understand.” Mrs. Anderson sighed, and Dana could picture her rolling her eyes. “The plan was to have Booley resign, not you.”

  “Plan? What plan?”

  “The council has known for some time that Booley is as crooked as a corkscrew.”

  “Why didn’t you fire him?”

  “Paul wouldn’t hear of it.” Mrs. Anderson was all but shouting, her anger apparent.

  “Paul Harris, the mayor, insisted you keep Levi Booley on the payroll?”

  “Yes.”

  Dana was quiet as she thought about the circumstances of her initial employment. She had heard about the job through Joe Freeman, who had kept in touch with her father. Joe was also a member of the council. “But you’re the town council. You insisted Booley hire me. Surely, you could’ve overruled the mayor and forced him to get rid of the chief.”

  “We had no proof, and the law states we can’t fire someone without good cause. The town can’t afford to get sued.”

  “Why didn’t you pull me aside and tell me this two months ago?”

  “We didn’t want to give you any preconceptions. We figured if there was anything, you’d find it.”

  “But I haven’t been looking. I’ve been using all my energy to deal with the chief’s workplace abuse without punching him. I’ve been working twelve-hour shifts and coping with an unhappy teen. You should have informed me of your suspicions. I could have been collecting evidence, talking to the State’s attorney. I take it you don’t suspect Shelly or Xavier, I mean Officer Robinson.”

  “Shelly could never find any evidence of wrongdoing. And we weren’t sure about Officer Robinson until last night.”

  “Let me get this straight. You suspected Xavier was corrupt too, but when he arrested Chief Booley, you realized he was honest.”

  “Yes, plus Shelly speaks very highly of him.”

  “I haven’t talked to Xavier this morning. Do you know what charges are going to be laid against Booley?”

  “You haven’t asked?”

  “I called Montana’s Attorney General and appraised them of the situation. They’ll send someone to look into it. But I decided to keep my nose out of it. Alice was my aunt. Anything I say is tainted. Their investigators will be talking to everyone.”

  “Booley was charged with disorderly conduct.”

  “Damn, why wasn’t he charged with assault or attempted assault?”

  “Don’t swear, dear, it’s unbecoming,” Mrs. Anderson scolded. “I’m only repeating what Shelly told me. If you want more information, you’ll have to talk to her.”

  “Sorry.” Dana blushed. She hadn’t been chastised like that since she was ten. “Hopefully, Booley isn’t hiding in the shadows, waiting to exact his revenge on the citizens of Hopefalls.”

  “We don’t know where he is, and we don’t care. He covered up a crime, your aunt’s death, and caused untold damage.”

  “Has anyone seen Eva Bryant? She should probably be held for questioning.”

  “No, and the diner hasn’t opened. No one’s heard from her.”

  “Maybe she disappeared with her uncle.”

  Mrs. Anderson made a clucking sound. “It was a bad day for this town when he was hired.”

  It would take months, if not years, to cope with the fallout of Booley’s duplicity, which was not something she wanted to deal with in a phone call. “So, what can I do for you?”

  “The town council had an emergency meeting this morning. We voted unanimously for you to take over as police chief.”

  “And the mayor’s okay with this?”

  “He’s gone, too.”

  “Gone where?”

  “We don’t know. I’m the council president. In the mayor’s absence, I have the power to presume the duties of acting mayor. Do you want the job or not?”

  “How about I become acting police chief?”

  “You don’t want a permanent position?”

  Dana did, but what good was a police chief who couldn’t fire her gun. She needed to get her act together. “It’s not that I don’t want the job,” she hedged, “There’s a lot of upheaval right now. I’ll be your interim chief until the dust settles.”

  Mrs. Anderson sighed. “You’re probably right. We’ll do it your way and revisit the matter at a later date. Come over to the town hall and—”

  “I can’t. I’m in Granite City visiting Jack Morgan. I can come in when I get back to town, but first I need to talk to the Granite City-Elkhead County police.”

  “Is it a personal or professional visit?”

  Who she met in her personal time was her business. And she refused to discuss her suspicion that Jack Morgan was an integral part of the North homicide. At the same time, she didn’t want to alienate her new boss. “A bit of both, I suppose,” she said, deciding on a vague answer.

  “Very well. Call me when you get back to town.” Mrs. Anderson disconnected.

  Dana stifled a laugh. She didn’t have to find another job and uproot Logan. Plus, she would have a chance to get to know Tim. Her insides fluttered as she remembered the kiss they’d shared yesterday evening and then again this morning. The idea of exploring his body and feeling his naked chest against hers sent a frisson of excitement coursing through her veins. She inhaled, reigning in her thoughts.

  Tim exited the facility. Once again, she was struck by his long, lean physique and the way he moved with a purpose, a directness, which she now realized telegraphed his internal strength. He was a man of integrity and honor. Those traits were an integral part of him and added to his magnetic charm.

  He stopped in front of her. “Why are you smiling?”

  “I’m the new temporary Hopefalls Police Chief.” Without thinking, she threw her arms around him.

  He whooped with laughter, hugged her, and swung her around.

  Before she knew what was happening they were kissing. She didn’t know who started it. He slipped his tongue between her lips, deepening the embrace. She responded by tugging him closer.

&nb
sp; She’d had a restless night, imagining what it would be like to lay with him, to experience his weight on top of her as they moved in the same synchronized rhythm, the sensation of his skin against hers. She wanted to grab the knife from his belt and slice his clothes off.

  His hands cupped her face, as he continued his onslaught. The way he held her, touched her, made her feel cherished.

  He pulled back, hesitated a moment.

  She expected to see regret in his gaze, but all she saw was tenderness and caring. His big thumbs caressed her cheeks. He opened his mouth to speak, but she stopped him with a small peck on the lips. She didn’t want to talk, didn’t want words of love. She wanted him to show her how he felt.

  He seemed to understand. His mouth met hers as his tongue swept inside. This kiss was more than core deep; it was a linking of mind, body and soul. She was his for the taking.

  His warm hands moved down her spine, stopping at the small of her back.

  She wrapped her arms around his waist and yanked him closer.

  The siren of an ambulance driving into the facility parking lot blared into her consciousness. She pulled away, her breath coming in short gasps.

  She was gratified to see that he, too, was breathless. He stood close, looking down at her, his eyes glazed.

  She wished they were in some secluded place where they could indulge, but they weren’t. She’d been a hair’s breadth away from being charged with public indecency.

  She plunged her hands through her hair in frustration. He made her want to forget about everything and drag him to bed, any bed would do. Come to think of it, the truck would work. God. She needed some serious help. Maybe she should think about enrolling in Sex Addicts Anonymous. “You are really bad for me.” She tried to laugh but the only sound she could make was a husky cry.

  His mouth quirked into a lopsided grin, which revealed a dimple. “I like to think I’d be really good for you.” This was his real smile, not the one he showed his customers, but the real him, the man beneath the polite layer of charisma. He lowered his head so they were almost touching. “When I get you alone, there’ll be no stopping.”

  She closed her eyes as her pulse raced. That was exactly what she wanted. Her nipples pushed against her T-shirt. She needed him, needed to continue what they’d started. She knew she was allowing her physical craving to control her, but she didn’t care. She’d never felt this strong primal attraction before. It was overwhelming and all-consuming. It overrode her common sense and destroyed her ability to think logically. The only way she could regain some restraint was to give into her mad sexual desires. Today. She would take him back to her place before Logan got home from school. It was eleven now, and she had one more stop to make. Hopefully, it wouldn’t take that long.