Cold Case Cover-Up

by Virginia Vaughan

  “Come in, come in,” he said, getting up to greet her. He stuck out his hand for Dana to shake and she did so, but she noticed he seemed as stunned by this new development as everyone else she had spoken with since John Dawson had pulled rocks out of Alicia Renfield’s casket instead of a child. Beads of sweat were present on Mayor Jessup’s forehead. He quickly wiped them away as he moved back around to his chair and motioned for Dana to take a seat.

  “Dana, this is Walter Littlefield and Shirley Adams. Walter handles most of the city’s legal issues and Shirley is my personal attorney. I asked them to be present while we spoke.”

  She wondered why he’d felt the need for lawyers but figured he was only covering himself and the city in case of any liability she might claim.

  Mayor Jessup leaned back in his chair and shook his head. “I don’t really know how to process this, if you want to know the truth. It’s been a big day for us here in West Bend.”

  “For me as well,” Dana told him.

  He motioned to Shirley, who stood and approached her. “Being aware that you believe yourself to be Alicia Renfield, who supposedly died thirty years ago, we wanted to let you know that there no longer remains any property or money belonging to the estate of Paul and Rene Renfield. It was all seized by the county and used to cover taxes owed.”

  She couldn’t stop the smile that spread across her face. They thought she was after the money from the estate. “I don’t care about the money. I didn’t come here for that.”

  “We felt you should know that before you proceeded with any legal actions. The property was purchased by Mayor Jessup’s father-in-law and passed on to him and his wife in good faith that the legal heirs were all deceased.”

  “I understand.”

  She sat back down and the other one—Littlefield—stood. “I’m glad to hear you’re not concerned about receiving money from the estate. It seems a terrible injustice was perpetrated on you by former leaders of our community, but I hope you won’t hold our little city accountable for the actions of only a few of its servants.”

  She saw where this was going. Mayor Jessup was worried first about his own pocketbook then about the city’s. She addressed her comments to the mayor. “I have no plans to sue the city of West Bend at this time, but there is something I want from you, Mayor.”

  He stiffened. Gone was the sincere, concerned man she’d met in the sheriff’s office. This was the rugged politician she was facing now. “What do you want, Miss Lang?”

  She stood and leaned against his desk to drive home her point. “I want your nephew, Reed Jessup, captured before he hurts or kills anyone else.”

  He jumped to his feet. “Reed isn’t a killer.”

  “If Deputy Jenkins dies, he is. He’s in critical condition now and there is an entire library full of people who saw Reed chasing after me with a gun.

  “Why would my nephew want you dead, Miss Lang?”

  “Someone is paying him to prey on me, someone who never wanted this case to be reopened. Someone, I believe, who got away with murdering Rene Renfield thirty years ago. I intend to find out who and why, and I expect your nephew to pay for what he’s done to me.”

  She turned and stormed out of his office. She was tired of playing games and she wasn’t going to get caught up in one of Mayor Jessup’s.

  Quinn met her at the door as she exited the office.

  “I heard yelling. What did he want?”

  “To protect his interests. He was worried I was going to try to stake some claim on the land that he owns.”

  “What did you tell him?”

  “That I’d settle for his nephew locked in a jail cell.”

  He smiled and took her hand. “Why don’t we take a walk.” She followed him a few blocks, then he ducked under some trees and led her into a clearing. The trees surrounding the area created a mini garden hidden away from the city’s traffic. It was complete with a creek, a waterfall and bench for sitting.

  “It’s beautiful,” she said. “It’s so peaceful here.”

  “We call this Winslow Gardens. I’ve wanted to bring you here before but it didn’t seem like it was ever the right time.”

  He sat down on the bench and she took the spot beside him. He’d been strangely quiet ever since learning Alicia hadn’t died, and it bothered her how distant he seemed. “Are you angry at me?” she finally asked him.

  “No, why would I be?”

  “It’s because of me that people are talking about your grandfather. I don’t know if maybe this changes the way you see him.”

  He leaned forward and sighed. “I don’t know if it does. The man I knew... I never would have thought he would do something like this, but it seems he did. I don’t really know how to process that. All I know is that I feel like I owe you an apology.”

  “No, you don’t. You’re not responsible for his actions. Besides, I’m not sure he meant it to harm me. I think he was trying to protect me.” It didn’t help ease the sting of abandonment she felt, but maybe someday it would. “Besides, Reed Jessup is still on the loose and I don’t know who is behind all this.” She entwined her hand in his. “I need you with me, Quinn, if you still want me.”

  He pulled her to him and wrapped his arms tightly around her, cocooning her into an embrace of protection and comfort. “I promised you I wasn’t going to leave you, and I meant it. I don’t blame you for any of this, Dana, and I hope once everything comes to light you won’t ever doubt that again.”

  She laid her head on his chest and basked in his presence. She wouldn’t have made it through any of this without him and she was thankful she didn’t have to try.

  * * *

  “I have to tell her the truth,” Quinn told his brother as they walked the perimeter of his home.

  He’d made a promise that he would be there for her, and he’d meant it. He was falling for her and it didn’t make any difference to him whether she was Alicia Renfield or Dana Lang. Her name wasn’t as important to him as her beauty and passion and grace.

  “Are you sure?” Rich asked him.

  He nodded. “It’s time.”

  He’d never been so certain of anything in his life. He wanted her to know all there was to know about him and that included his participation in the embassy rescue.

  Somehow, this lady had managed to bring him back from the depths of despair, from questioning God and how his life had fallen apart to seeing a future that included her. He still missed his grandfather and Tommy, but she’d breathed new life into him and given him back his passion and zeal. He wanted something out of life again and that was all because of her doing.

  He’d been hiding away, running home to lick his wounds because of all he’d lost. The double whammy of losing his beloved grandfather and then his best friend close together had taken with it his zeal for fighting. But now he could see coming home to someone like Dana waiting for him, finally having someone to put everything into perspective.

  His world had changed. He saw a single star in the sky, but knew God saw so much more. He saw the galaxy. He saw every grain of sand on the beach, and He saw Quinn’s life already lived. He knew the plans He had and what Quinn needed to do to get where he should be. Quinn didn’t understand it, but he believed not in the circumstances of his life, but in its creator. Faith was and always had been the greatest ally he had, the most powerful weapon in his arsenal.

  But lately, his faith had been sorely lacking. He’d been focusing on things of this world, like his own grief and loss, and blocking his heart from the pain of life again. Dana had changed all that. She’d pushed her way through all his boundaries, all the road blocks to his heart. She’d become important to him and he suddenly couldn’t imagine a day without hearing her voice.

  It was time to take a leap of faith with Dana.

  * * *

  Dana ran through some footage on her lapto
p. It was video for the next episode of Newswatch and according to her producer’s email, it needed to be trimmed by a minute and a half. That was a lot of time and she was searching for some segment she could eliminate, but they all seemed important. But if she didn’t find it, Mason would, and she would lose control of the content of the episode.

  She jotted down several notes, possible places that could be trimmed by a few seconds. She had a list of up to thirty seconds when her pen ran out of ink. She shook it, hoping to jolt it back into working, but the ink was gone. She pulled open her purse and her briefcase and dug through each. She had to have an extra pen somewhere.

  Not finding one, she looked around Quinn’s living room for something to write with. She searched through the kitchen hoping he had a secret stash of ink pens, but she didn’t find one. Finally, she searched through a console in the living room and stumbled across one at the bottom of the drawer. She pulled out several things, including a framed photograph, so she could get to it. While replacing the items, she glanced at the photo and felt her heart stop beating.

  She recognized the man standing arm in arm with Quinn. Tommy Woods, one of the two operatives who’d died in the attack on the embassy. His face had been plastered all over the news in the six weeks since the attack.

  And here was a photograph of Quinn with him, arm in arm, hidden inside a drawer.

  Had they served together? It was unlikely. Woods had been a Navy Seal, not a Delta operator. The two men might have gone on missions together during combined missions, but the two elite Special Forces groups rarely worked together. How then had Quinn come to know Tommy Woods well enough to pose for a photo and take the time to frame it?

  Neither man in the picture was in uniform and both had beards and shaggy hair. They wore desert attire and the landscape behind them was clearly some overseas location. She pinched the bridge of her nose as realization hit her. Quinn had the skills and background the CIA recruited for special security, and he knew one of the men who’d died in the embassy attack. Add to that the fact that he was secretive with his background around her and she knew the truth.

  She took a deep breath, then let it out slowly. She’d been spending time with one of the operatives from the attack. No wonder he’d been secretive about his job. He was used to not revealing the details. It was a habit that was deeply ingrained in him from his time with Delta. She remembered how difficult it was to get Rizzo to open up about his experiences during the attack.

  Suddenly, the weight of what she’d just realized hit her. Quinn knew Rizzo. Had worked and fought with him during the embassy attack. He had to know she’d interviewed Rizzo about his experience. Had he kept this secret from her because of her reporter status? Did he never intend to tell her? Anger bit at her for foolishly believing they’d gotten closer than that.

  She fumed about it until she heard Quinn’s car pull up. She’d been through a range of emotions while waiting for him—anger, indignation, understanding and anger again. He entered the house whistling and she saw happiness written across his face. Their relationship had taken a turn recently and she hated to send it two steps backward, but she couldn’t ignore the truth, either. He hadn’t trusted her enough to tell her the truth about himself.

  “I found this where you were trying to hide it from me.” She handed him the photograph and watched as he realized what it was and its significance. “You’re a contract security operative for the CIA, aren’t you? And you were a part of the team that responded to the embassy attack.”

  He looked at her, green eyes probing her face for understanding. “I was coming in here to tell you about this.”

  “That’s pretty convenient, Quinn.”

  “It’s the truth. I told Rich I wanted you to know.”

  “Sure, you wanted me to know. That’s why you hid this picture from me and changed the subject every time I asked about your job or your time in the military.” She hated the sarcastic tone of her voice, but she also hated the mistrust that flowed through her. It turned out he was another person in her life to let her down. Hot tears pressed the back of her eyes. “I shared my most private secret with you, but you didn’t care enough about me to do the same.” She turned away from him as a tear slid down her face.

  “I wanted to trust you with this, Dana, but I didn’t know if I could. You are a reporter and you told me yourself that you would kill to find out the identities of Rizzo’s teammates.”

  She remembered uttering those words but she hadn’t meant them. Not really. There were lines she wouldn’t cross, and outing Quinn as one of Rizzo’s teammates was a big one. But he didn’t believe that. He still saw her as a reporter first and a woman second.

  “I got worried. Naming me means an end to my career. What will I do then? Come back home and join the sheriff’s office and catch speeders out on route seven for the rest of my life? I’m trained to catch terrorists.”

  She pushed back the tears that threatened to overtake her. “I didn’t seek Rizzo out. He came to me. He wanted to tell his story. I won’t deny that it was a boost to my career to be the one to break it. It was. But, Quinn, you have to know that I would never betray your trust over a story. In fact, I would never betray your trust period. You took a risk getting close to me and all the while thinking that I might destroy your life with one phone call. I wouldn’t.” Her anger dissipated and now all she wanted was for him to believe her. She grabbed his arm and forced him to turn to face her. She placed her hands on his face. Nothing was more important to her than making him believe this. Nothing.

  “I would never betray your trust, Quinn. You never have to be afraid to share something with me. I promise you that anything you tell me in confidence will remain with me forever. Don’t you know I’m completely crazy about you?”

  A slow smile spread across his face and he covered her hand with his. “Really? You’re crazy about me?”

  A sense of relief rushed through her at his lighthearted comment. Hopefully, now all the barriers between them were gone. “Completely.”

  “I’m glad you know,” he whispered in her ear. “You told me your secrets and now you know mine. And I trust you, Dana. I trust you completely.”

  She leaned in and kissed him and he tightened his arms around her. It was the only place she wanted to be.

  * * *

  The next morning, Quinn went outside to clear his head. He stayed close to the house, but the fresh air helped him put things in perspective. He’d meant it when he’d told Dana he was glad she knew about him working for the SOA. He wanted her to know everything there was about his life. After all, if he couldn’t trust the woman he’d fallen in love with, who could he trust?

  He stopped to catch his breath. He’d used the L word and he wasn’t afraid of it. He loved her. There was no use denying it. He’d fallen head over heels for the beautiful Dana Lang and was already imagining a future that included her. It seemed that after a long, dark period of his life, God was finally working things out his way.

  He went back inside. After showering, he turned on the coffeemaker and listened to the slow, steady drip into the pot. His phone buzzed and he scooped it up. It was his brother.

  “Morning, Rich.”

  “Did you tell her?” His brother’s voice held tension and anger.

  “What?”

  “Did you tell Dana last night about being a covert security operative for the CIA.”

  Something was wrong. He felt it in Rich’s tone. “I told her. Why?”

  Rich grunted. “Turn on the TV, Quinn. Your name and face are breaking news this morning.”

  He stiffened and walked into the living room. This felt like a dream and one he didn’t care to continue in. He picked up the remote and turned on the TV. “What station?”

  “All of them.”

  His heart stopped when he realized his brother was correct. The news had broken into regular programming
to report his information. His military photograph was in the top right corner of the screen and the scroll at the bottom was all about him being a part of the embassy rescue team.

  He was paralyzed in place, unable to move, unable to even adjust the volume. His greatest fear had come true. Only a few minutes ago, his life had seemed right on track. Now, it was crashing down all around him.

  “I can’t believe she did that to you after all you’ve done for her.” His brother’s reaction was full of anger and bitterness, but all Quinn could muster was shock and disappointment. He wouldn’t have believed it if it wasn’t staring him right in the face.

  Dana emerged from the spare bedroom already dressed for the day. “Good morning.” She walked over and poured herself a cup of coffee.

  “Do you want me to come over there?” Rich asked. “I’ve got a thing or two to say to her myself.”

  “No,” Quinn said. “Don’t come over.” He hung up with his brother and turned to Dana, who stood in the kitchen fixing her coffee. She looked happy and innocent...as if she hadn’t just stabbed him in the back.

  “Who was that? Your brother?”

  He moved so he wasn’t blocking the television. She glanced at the screen, then dropped her mug and cupped her hands over her mouth in shock. She listened as the anchor related that the information had been listed on Newswatch’s website, along with the promise of an exclusive interview to come. She looked at him and fear flittered through her eyes, fear that he blamed her.

  He did.

  “Quinn, I’m so sorry. What can I do? There has to be something I can do to fix this.”

  There was nothing she could do. There was nothing anyone could do. His face was plastered across the TV, across the nation. His career was over. With one phone call or email to her producer, she’d burned him.

  “Wait, you can’t think I had anything to do with this, can you? I didn’t. I promise I didn’t.”