Lies Come True

by Emerald O'Brien

  “Sure.”

  She gave him one of the crutches, and grabbed the railing with her free hand. She stepped down with her good leg, and let the bad leg follow.

  “Not that hard.” She laughed. “Maybe you should be waiting at the bottom, in case I fall?”

  “You won’t fall. You’re going to be fine.”

  She looked up at him with a smile, and he stared down at her leg as she took the next step. She started to fall, but her arm gripped the banister tight, and she recovered on her own.

  “Maybe we should just stay here.” Owen sighed.

  “Hey, I’m not that bad. You’re right, I could use this. Maybe we could drive by your place. I’d love to see where you live.”

  “I don’t…”

  “Like not go in or anything. I’m sure your wife’s sleeping. Just drive by.”

  Owen watched her take the last few steps, and handed her the crutch when she reached the bottom.

  Fiona smiled up at him and grabbed her jacket from the banister. “Let’s go.”

  Chapter 56

  “Got any cigarettes?”

  “No, sorry. Don’t smoke.”

  “Figures.” Darrel rolled his window down, and hung his arm over the side.

  The fresh air came as a relief to Noah, as the car was filled with the smell of liquor after Darrel got in.

  “When you and the boys went hunting, did you come home with much?”

  “The odd time. You have to enter a draw for ‘em, so ‘bout three times last year.”

  “So you made what? Stew?”

  “God no. We barbequed.” Beelson chuckled.

  “Where did you bring the carcass?”

  “Out to Bob’s smoke shed.”

  Smoke shed, he repeated, and wondered why he hadn’t thought of it when he found out about their interest in hunting.

  “On the property?”

  “Mhmm.”

  “Who’d do the honours?”

  “Bob usually. Sometimes Arnie. They both tried to teach me, but that shit don’t interest me. I’ll take a venison dinner any night though. Those were some good nights, when we actually shot dinner. The girls would make gagging noises, and pretend to be disgusted, but they ate their fair share alright.”

  Noah wondered if the shed would be locked.

  “Won’t we be trespassin’?”

  “We won’t go in the cottage or anything. I just want an idea of where this place is.”

  “I gave ya the directions,” Noah felt Darrel stare at him, “how’s this gunna help?”

  “Never know what we might find.”

  They drove on in silence and Darrel turned on the radio. As they pulled up to the cottage, Noah turned it off.

  “You ever been hunting Cotter?”

  “Not like you.” Noah got out of the car, and waved for Darrel to follow him.

  “Huh?”

  “I don’t hunt animals. I hunt criminals. One could argue they’re one in the same.”

  “Right.” Darrel shook his head. “O’course you’d say that.”

  “Where’s the smoke shed?”

  “Right down there.” Darrel pointed just past the cottage.

  When they got to it, Noah looked through the windows. There were a few cobwebs on the sill, and when he rounded the house, Darrel stood in front of the door.

  “Go ahead.” Noah nodded.

  “I thought you said we ain’t trespassin’?”

  “I’m not.” Noah pushed Darrel into the door, and shoved him right through.

  Noah noted the cobwebs on Darrel. “When was the last time you were in here?”

  “Me? Couple months ago.”

  “God, it smells.”

  Darrel laughed. “Smells good to me.”

  “Where are the tools to clean the animal?”

  “Should be on the table.” Darrel tapped the top, and bent down to look under. “Or maybe in that drawer?”

  Noah opened the drawer, and watched a spider crawl across it. “Nope.”

  “Then I don’t know where they are.”

  “Bob ever take his tools in the cottage? To clean them, or…?”

  “Not that I ever saw. They’re always in here.”

  “How would you know? I thought you never came in here?”

  “No, I’m in here all the time. We drink in here at night to get away from the girls when they come. I just never gut the animal.”

  “And the tools have always been here?” Noah repeated as he scoured the room, “How many?”

  “Just three. A carving knife, a saw, and an axe.”

  “So it’s unusual they aren’t here.”

  “Uh huh.”

  “Arnold Henderson doesn’t have a cottage, or cabin or anything right?”

  “Naw, I told ya that before.” Darrel walked to the door. “Can we go now?”

  “But you said he went hunting without you all sometimes.”

  “Yeah, but he never said where.”

  “Do you have an idea of where he might have gone?”

  “I don’t know.” He turned and left the shed.

  Noah followed him out, and grabbed his shoulder to slow him down. If he was as close as he claimed to be with Pope, he wondered why he seemed so intent on leaving.

  “Where would you go hunting, if not around here?”

  “I’d go north I guess, like Pope said.”

  “Is there anywhere closer to his home? A place that’s private?”

  “No. If you want to hunt, you’ve gotta go north.” Darrel wiped his mouth with his hand, and when he looked up at Noah, his eyes couldn’t focus on him.

  Great, he’s drunk and wants to play games.

  “Okay, maybe not to hunt, but to camp?”

  Darrel wiped his hands on his pant legs, and took a step closer.

  “There’s a place south east of here.” His voice was almost a whisper, “It’s a dump though. It was a trailer park, but it’s abandoned now.”

  “Where?”

  “Tipper’s Point.”

  “I’ve never heard of it.”

  “Not many from the city have. People around here know it pretty well. No hunting, but it’s isolated.”

  “No residential areas around?”

  Darrel shook his head. “Good place for a party. I think some kids still have bonfires there in the summer.”

  “What made you think of it?”

  Darrel looked at him, and they started back toward the car.

  “You promise you’ll leave me outta this from now on?”

  “I told you I would.”

  “You can’t mention my name at all either.”

  Noah caught up with him. “I won’t. Why does it matter if you’re asked a few questions? I’d have thought you’d want to figure out who killed Grant?”

  “I don’t want to end up like Grant.” They got back to the car, and got in. “Arnie lives further north than the rest of us, but he’d always come from that way.” Darrel pointed down the road. “Whenever he came up to join us, he’d always come from the other way. He picked me up once to come here, and he came the way we all go. The way I just took you. Back the other way,” he looked down the dark road, “you pass Tipper’s Point.”

  Chapter 57

  “You don’t have a smoke do you?”

  Owen looked at her wide-eyed and shook his head. “Didn’t know you smoked.”

  “Sometimes it relieves some stress.”

  “I thought that’s what you did yoga for?” He smiled and looked back at the dirt road.

  “I’m a grown woman. I can do whatever I want.”

  “Okay.” He smiled. “Listen, I had an idea.”

  “I’m listening.” Fiona turned to Owen.

  “I was thinking it might be a good idea to swing by the place Avery’s at and make sure she’s alright. No one’s watching the house yet that I know of, so…”

  “You’re sweet Owen. You probably weren’t even ordered to do that were you?”

  Owen stared down th
e road. “So you’re good with that?”

  “Sure. I don’t have to get out or anything, do I?”

  “No. Why?”

  “Good, cause my leg still hurts from today.”

  “I’m sorry to hear that.”

  Fiona shrugged. “Just building muscle back. Sometimes the pain feels good, if you can remember what it’s giving you. For me, when I work out, the hum of pain afterwards means I’m getting fit. This is a different kind of pain, but it’s still good. I’d rather feel it than let my leg go to jelly, y’know?”

  Owen nodded. “You’re a brave girl, facing all this on your own.”

  Fiona shrugged as they slowed down in front of a few houses.

  “I do what it takes. You can’t trust anybody else. You have to look out for yourself.”

  Owen pulled to a stop.

  “No one cares more about me than me. That’s just how it is. Would it be nice to have someone? Sure. Your wife is lucky to have you.”

  Owen opened his door, and hopped out.

  “I’ll just be a sec. Hey, could you get in the back where the windows are tinted? I don’t want anyone seeing you, okay?”

  “Yeah sure.”

  Owen slid her crutches into the back of the car, and opened the door wider for her.

  When he closed the door, she looked around the back seat. She’d never been in the back of a cop car, and the view from the back felt different as she watched Owen walk up the drive way.

  She used to hope that one day, she’d have somebody. Somebody like Owen.

  She gave up on that when she gave up on Sam.

  *

  *

  “Hi Inspector Minicozzi, what’s going on?” Sadie rubbed her eyes as she opened the door wide.

  Avery heard Sadie go to the door, and she could have wrung her neck for answering it at all, never mind on her own.

  “I came to check on Avery. Can you get her for me?”

  When she heard Owen’s voice she relaxed, and when she reached the landing, she squeezed Sadie’s arm.

  “Owen? Are you here to watch the house?”

  “Inspector Ascott asked me to pick you up and bring you in. Fiona too.”

  “Why?”

  “We have reason to believe Arnold Henderson has run. We don’t have eyes on him anymore, but I want you to stay calm. The situation is under control. I didn’t tell Fiona, I didn’t want her to freak out, but I know you can handle this, okay?”

  Sadie looked from Avery to Owen. “Can I come too? I don’t want to leave her alone right now.”

  Owen shook his head. “You can come by the department tomorrow morning alright?”

  “Noah, I mean, Inspector Cotter told me not to go anywhere without her.”

  “I know.” Owen looked back down the driveway. “I have to follow orders from Ascott though. We have to go now.”

  “Okay.” Avery looked back at Sadie and shrugged.

  Sadie nodded. “You’ll be okay. Here, let me get some things for you.”

  “We don’t really have time.” Owen shook his head. “Just grab your coat.”

  Avery nodded, and picked up her coat from the bench. “My purse? It’s downstairs.”

  “Just leave it. Sadie can bring it for you tomorrow, right?”

  Sadie nodded and smiled. “Of course. Be safe alright?”

  “Thanks for letting me stay.” Avery hugged her. “You’re the best. I’ll see you in the morning, okay? Don’t answer this door for anyone.”

  Sadie nodded. “Take care. See you in the AM.”

  Avery zipped her coat up and walked down the driveway with Owen.

  “I don’t want her to know what’s going on, so don’t say anything alright? I’m guessing you’ve seen how she gets?”

  Avery nodded. “Owen, are we going to be okay?”

  Owen opened up the back door for her, and she stood, and waited for his answer. When he opened the door wider, she got in.

  “Hey, what are you doing here?” Fiona asked.

  “Hello to you too.” Avery strapped her seatbelt on, as Owen stood by the side of the car.

  “Owen said he was just checking on you.”

  “He was.” Avery heard Owen on his phone, but couldn’t make out what he was saying.

  “So why are you here then?”

  Owen opened the door, and got in.

  “Owen, why is she coming with us?”

  “Avery didn’t feel safe. I told her she could come for a ride with us.”

  Avery saw the disappointed look on Fiona’s face. She wasn’t sure why Owen wanted to lie to Fiona, but anything to keep her calm was probably for the best.

  “Can we just go back to my place?” Fiona asked. “I guess she can come too.”

  “Just one more stop.” Owen said.

  Avery kept waiting for the familiar turn onto the main road, toward the highway, and the department.

  They missed it.

  “Where are we going?” She asked.

  “Like I said, one more stop.”

  Avery heard a tone from him she never had before, and it irked her. She sat up straight, and leaned into the middle seat, until her eyes met his in the rear view mirror.

  “Owen, where are you taking us?”

  “You need to relax Avery.” Fiona crossed her arms, and looked out the window. “It’s what I was trying to do before you came.”

  Avery squinted at Fiona, and looked back at the mirror, but Owen’s eyes remained on the road.

  “Owen told me they think Arnold got away.” Avery crossed her arms, and looked at the mirror. There was no change in his expression.

  “What are you talking about?” Fiona looked to Owen. “Did you tell her that?”

  “He told me not to tell you because he didn’t want to get you upset.”

  “Owen, is that true?”

  Owen kept both hands on the wheel, and continued to drive north.

  “He told me he was taking us to the department because we weren’t safe.”

  “The department’s that way.” Fiona turned her head to the back.

  “That’s why I want to know where we’re going. Tell me right now Owen.”

  His silence said more than enough, and Avery tried the handle on her door.

  “Please, try to calm down.” Owen cleared his throat. “We’ll be there soon.”

  “Where?!” Fiona yelled.

  When there was no response, she tried her handle, and both girls started to bang on the windows.

  “Help!” Avery yelled, as a car approached behind them.

  “Avery.” Fiona yelled, but she kept banging on the windows, and yelling. “Avery!”

  Fiona grabbed her arm, “No one’s going to help us, we’re in the back of a cop car. I don’t have my cell, do you?”

  Avery shook her head. “Owen, why are you doing this?”

  “I could try to explain, but you’ll never really understand.” His voice was low and deep. Avery struggled to hear his words. “Please don’t struggle.”

  “I could!” Fiona yelled. “I’d understand. Tell me what’s going on.”

  “Please.” Owen made another turn.

  “Owen?” Avery squeaked.

  “Stop!” Owen raised his voice; Avery looked at him in his rearview mirror, and waited for him to look at her.

  They both waited for something, anything from him.

  “Please forgive me.” His voice was soft again.

  When the words hit Avery, they took her breath away, and she knew they couldn’t change his mind.

  Chapter 58

  “Go ahead.” Ethan said.

  Noah pulled out of the driveway, and started down the road as drifts of fog rolled across it.

  “I just dropped Darrel Beelson off at his house. We went to Bob Pope’s cabin, he wasn’t there by the way, and I’ve got a new lead.”

  “You went alone? Come on Noah. I like you, okay? I thought you were smart, but you’ve been pulling some dumb moves, and right now, you’re killing me. You’
re hurting this case.”

  “He told me he thinks Arnold spends time in Tipper’s Point.”

  “What?”

  “It’s a place just south east of Cedar Ridge.”

  “I know where it is. That makes no sense.”

  “I asked Darrel where a quiet place would be around there. Something deserted. I meant for hunting, but Darrel was thinking of something else. He was thinking of the way Arnold came when he visited them. It didn’t make sense, and he only went that way when he was alone. He’d pass Tipper’s Point.”

  “Go on.”

  “Well, it’s an old abandoned trailer park, with lots of wooded area surrounding it, and it makes sense as the place he’d take the girls to finish them off.”

  “Well, maybe, but isn’t that reaching?”

  “I wouldn’t be the one reaching then. It’d be Darrel. He told me about the place for a reason. Maybe he has a gut feeling. I don’t know. I think it’s worth a search.”

  “I’ll get a team together now.”

  “I’m on my way.”

  “Okay, and listen, I know you care about this case. Just run things by me from now on.”

  “Okay.”

  “See you soon.”

  When Noah hung up, he wondered if Ethan would have kicked him off the case if he hadn’t provided this lead. He was glad he supported his decision to go, because nothing could stop him from checking out Tipper’s Point.

  Chapter 59

  Fiona didn’t know what she was looking for in her pockets, but when they came up empty, she wished she hadn’t left with him so willingly, when her first instinct was to question his offer.

  “I don’t know what you’re doing Owen, but we can turn around.” Avery was still talking to him, but Fiona had given up.

  She stared down at her crutches, and tapped Avery’s leg gently. When Avery looked at her, Fiona looked down at the crutches. When their eyes met again, Avery’s were wide, but she nodded.

  They turned down a bumpy gravel road, and Fiona saw lights shine in the window from the car behind them.

  Over the bumps, when the head lights shone away, they saw it was a woman. Fiona started banging on the window and Avery joined in. The woman looked startled, and slowed down, as their car sped up.

  “Help!” Avery shrieked, but the woman frowned, and turned down the next road.