Shadow of Suspicion

by Christy Barritt

  “Go for it.”

  She turned her flashlight app on her phone and shone the beam along the ground. No doubt the police had trampled any evidence in their effort to nab her. But maybe there was something they’d missed.

  Common sense sometimes eluded her, but she was book smart and had attention to details. Her brain, it seemed, sometimes worked like a computer. She was always processing facts but not always great at interpreting them.

  Where else could she look?

  If Sarah really had come into Laney’s house while she was gone, then where had she disappeared to? No one had seen her leave out the front door. But Laney’s backyard had a privacy fence that stretched along the property. Anything happening back there would be concealed. However, neighbors surrounded her on all sides.

  She headed outside and began walking along the property line, looking for anything that might offer a clue. It all seemed useless, but she couldn’t give up. She had to do something!

  If people had been back there, then they would have to leave through the fence. Otherwise, the only gate led to her driveway and anyone could have seen.

  She paused by one area of the fence. Something there caught her eye. The section of pickets was slightly uneven with the rest. They hadn’t been like that before. She was certain of it.

  She leaned closer. Along the edges there were pry marks.

  Pry marks.

  What if...?

  “What are you thinking?”

  Mark’s voice pulled her away from her thoughts. She’d nearly forgotten he was there he’d been so quiet and observant. Was he waiting for her to mess up? To slip up and reveal something that she hadn’t admitted yet?

  She stared at the fence, her mind working like a computer processing new commands. Slowly, the information formed a picture. “What if someone lured Sarah to my house? Maybe once she got inside, they knocked her out or restrained her somehow. Then they took her out the backyard and through this section of fence.”

  “How did someone have access to your house? Who else has a key?”

  She refused to frown. “No one. But it’s not that hard to jimmy locks.”

  “You don’t have an alarm? That’s usually the first thing people do when they’ve had a home invasion.”

  This time the frown tried hard to break through, but she continued to fight it. The detective was sharp; she’d give him that. “I do. But I’ve only been using it at night.”

  “Why would someone go through all of that trouble?”

  “That’s the question you’re supposed to be figuring out.” She didn’t bother to look at his reaction. Instead, she pointed in the distance. “Sol’s property backs up to a section of woods. Maybe the kidnappers had a car waiting back there.”

  “That’s a lot of work when someone could have grabbed her at the bus stop.”

  Not if someone’s trying to frame me.

  She kept that thought silent—for now—and locked gazes with Mark. “So what do you think?”

  Mark stared into space a moment. He pressed his lips together in thought as if battling with himself. Finally, he nodded. “I’ve got to say that I can’t discount that possibility. I’ll have some of my men check it out.”

  “Thank you.”

  “Don’t thank me yet,” he warned. “And you might want to seriously think about hiring a lawyer.”

  Just then, car doors closed out front and more flashing lights appeared.

  “Come on,” Mark said, cupping her elbow and leading her toward the back door.

  “Where are we going?”

  “I need you to wait inside while I talk to the guys out front. Stay there until I get back. Understand?”

  She nodded. “Understood.”

  Maybe—just maybe—the detective would eventually believe her. Maybe the police would start looking in the right direction, focusing their efforts on the real kidnapper instead of Laney.

  She prayed to God that she wasn’t asking too much.

  Please, Lord, give them wisdom. And watch over Sarah.

  * * *

  Mark’s comrades in arms had managed to catch the man who’d tossed the Molotov cocktail into Laney’s front yard. Mark had memorized his license plate, and the police had quickly tracked him down at his house two blocks over. As he suspected, the man—a neighbor—had wanted to show his displeasure that a “kidnapper” had been released into his neighborhood. The community often wanted to show their own justice at the atrocities that affected them, especially when they felt like the police weren’t doing their jobs.

  The man had no prior history, but he’d acted as a vigilante on behalf of the neighborhood. He had a background first in the military and currently as a security guard, which he felt gave him a license to take justice into his own hands.

  At the moment, fire trucks lingered outside Laney’s home, officials making sure there was no further danger from the bomb that was thrown, two police cars still remained, and an ambulance had even come, just in case. Neighbors peeked out their windows, curious about the circus going on outside their homes.

  When he walked back inside, he stopped in the foyer. Laney held a metal object in her hand and swept it across pictures on the dining room wall. The machine started to beep by a mirror and she set what he now recognized as a metal detector on the table before shoving the mirror aside.

  “What are you doing?” Mark’s hands went to his hips. Had this woman lost her mind? Was she paranoid?

  She plucked something from the wall and stepped back, a deep frown on her face as she stared at the bug-sized object.

  “I’m looking for these.” She raised the small, metallic device in her hands up to the light so Mark could get a better look.

  “What is that?” Mark had an inkling, but that just didn’t fit with the situation or with Laney, for that matter. He still remained cautious, hoping the woman wasn’t crazy.

  Fire lit her eyes as she met his gaze. “This is a camera. Someone’s been watching me. They’ve been learning my routine. Listening to my conversations. Who knows what else.”

  She dropped it on the ground and smashed it with her foot with more vengeance than was probably necessary.

  He started to stop her, reached for her, but finally dropped his hand and scowled. “If what you said is true, you just ruined our chances of tracking down whoever left it here,” he muttered.

  She frowned and stared at the hardware on the ground. “You’re right. I was hasty. I just couldn’t stomach someone being able to record any more of my life or this conversation, for that matter. I’m sorry.”

  “How did you know?” He tried to put the pieces together, what he knew about Laney, what he knew about this kidnapping. Something wasn’t fitting, and that realization caused unease to stir in him. What exactly was going on here?

  Laney held up the metal detector. “This is a long story.”

  “I have time.” He crossed his arms. She wasn’t getting out of answering that easily.

  “It was just a gut feeling. I can’t explain it.”

  “Normal people don’t have ‘gut feelings’ that they’re being bugged.” Paranoid people—maybe. But paranoid people were hardly ever correct. Laney, somehow, was.

  She squirmed. “I’ve always been overly cautious. My husband was a SEAL.”

  “Keep going,” he insisted.

  “There were threats against the families of SEALs. We did some defense classes. Any other information, you’ll have to talk to his commander.”

  “And the cameras? I suppose they trained you on how to find those also?”

  The same fire flashed in her gaze again. “You’re avoiding the real issue here. Someone has been surveilling me and now I’m being set up. That was the third camera I found.”

  He crossed his arms, trying to r
emain cautious. His unease was quickly turning into alarm. Why would someone have planted these in her house? Or was this just a scheme by Laney to take the attention off herself?

  He rubbed his chin, wishing that metal detector was a lie detector instead. “If what you’re saying is true, they went through a lot of trouble to make you look guilty.”

  “You don’t have to tell me that. I think I’ve been a target all along. Who knows how long these have been here.”

  “You really think someone has been spying on you?” If she was right about all of this, the police department should hire her. Right now.

  An odd look came across her face and she stepped back. “How else would you explain it?”

  “I don’t know,” he finally said.

  Another unreadable emotion seized her expression and she nodded stiffly. “I see. Well, if this doesn’t prove to you that I’m being set up, then I don’t know what else will.”

  “How do I know you didn’t plant those things while I was outside talking to the other officers?”

  Just then, someone else stepped into the house. Relief seemed to wash over Laney at the interruption. They both turned and looked at the officer, who shifted uncomfortably.

  “We found footprints, sir,” the officer said.

  Mark hurried toward him. “What do you mean?”

  “Footprints go through the woods, probably to a car that was waiting on the other side of the property. I think your theory was correct. That’s how someone got away with the girl.”

  Mark rubbed his chin. Laney had been right. Was that because she was guilty? Was she setting herself up to be both the victim and the hero, all while carefully manipulating the situation?

  His ex had been the queen of manipulating people and situations. He vowed he’d never find himself entangled with that kind of person again. He’d be wise to be on guard now.

  “How was this missed earlier?” Mark asked.

  The officer’s face reddened. “We’re not sure. Mr. Novak’s yard was checked but not this one. There was a lot going on.”

  “I want casts of those prints.”

  “Yes, sir. We’re bringing out a crew to set up lights so we can take pictures, as well.”

  He reached toward the table and grabbed the computer. Laney frowned and crossed her arms, which only confirmed that the device needed to be checked out.

  “I need you to log this as evidence,” he told the officer, giving Laney a pointed look.

  She raised her chin in defiance.

  As the officer left, Mark turned toward Laney. “I’ll have a crew come in and search your house for other bugs. For now, let me take you back to the hotel. There’s nothing else we can do here.”

  She let out a long breath. “Fine.”

  Against his better instincts, he paused a moment. “You want to grab a bite to eat first? I don’t think you’ve had anything since we took you in earlier today, have you?”

  She hesitated a moment before saying, “Sure.”

  “Let’s go, then. Maybe we’ll both feel better.”

  “I didn’t do this, Detective James.” Her voice sounded pleading and earnest, just as it had every time.

  He wanted to assure her that he believed her. But he couldn’t do that. Instead, he mumbled, “I hear what you’re saying.”

  Only time would provide either of them with answers.

  * * *

  Laney didn’t know what kind of game Mark was playing, but she was confident he was up to something. He didn’t trust her, he wondered if she was guilty, yet he was being kind. Maybe he was trying to play on her sympathies. Laney only knew she had to remain on guard.

  He’d taken her to a diner down the road. There was hardly anyone there at that time of the day—it was already past midnight. The place smelled like fast food, and something about the plentiful carafes beckoned patrons to drink coffee out of the establishment’s chipped porcelain mugs.

  Laney had ordered an omelet with home fries. She dipped a potato into a glob of ketchup and took a bite. No food tasted good. She wasn’t sure when that would change.

  Her mind kept turning over facts and scenarios and motives. Nothing made sense. Her thoughts all moved too rapidly, too frantically almost.

  Why wasn’t Nicholas calling her back? He’d be able to explain so many things. He’d be able to take some of the suspicion off her. Then maybe she could honestly explain to Mark why she’d had that metal detector. Why she’d thought to sweep her house for bugs. Why someone might be setting her up.

  As someone who worked for the CIA, this was a part of her basic training. It was a part of spy games. She was a target. Her work was a target. She’d learned from her superiors how to look for bugs and cameras.

  She expected to get demands any time now from the person framing her. Sell us your information or we’ll kill Sarah. Tell us what you’ve been up to or we have more evidence against you. Share US secrets or we’ll make sure your life ends.

  “What are you thinking about?” Mark’s voice pulled her out of her thought vortex. He’d ordered a slice of apple pie and coffee, but he mostly picked at the food, almost as if he’d ordered it just to be social.

  For some strange reason, she longed to pour everything out to him. To pour everything out to someone she could trust. At the moment, she felt so alone.

  If only Nate was there. He’d know what to do. He’d know just what to tell her to make her feel better, to make her believe that everything would be okay. But nothing had been right since he’d died. And nothing ever would.

  “I’m thinking about how when I woke up this morning, I had no idea how my day would turn out.”

  He pressed his lips together, like he knew better than to smile but wouldn’t allow himself to frown. “Life can change in an instant. You want to tell me about that metal detector yet? Or do you really want me to track down your husband’s former commander?”

  She drew in a deep breath, trying to compose herself. She had cover stories in place, but she hated lying. Hated it. “I’ll tell you as much as I can. But it basically boils down to this—there were lots of threats against my husband’s SEAL team, especially after one of his raids.”

  “One of his raids?”

  She nodded. “He wouldn’t tell me all the details. Everything was hush-hush. But his commander called me at one point, and said that several people who were a part of this terrorist organization Nate had helped to take down had vowed revenge against the SEAL team. Nothing seemed to have come of it. But in the weeks following, I kept feeling like someone was watching me. Another wife of one of the SEAL members actually found a bug in her home. That’s when I got the metal detector. I didn’t want anyone overhearing my phone calls with my husband, especially if we were discussing sensitive information.”

  “His line had to be secure.”

  She nodded. “But mine wasn’t.”

  “I didn’t think they were allowed to discuss sensitive information—not even with their wives.”

  She frowned. “They’re not. But we had to take every precaution to protect the SEAL team, as well as family. It was extreme but necessary.”

  “You didn’t live at this house with your husband, did you?”

  “I didn’t. But old habits die hard. SEAL families can be targets, even when they’re widowed and childless.”

  He shifted, taking another sip of coffee. “So you think this is one of your husband’s enemies who’s setting you up for this?”

  She set her fork down, giving up on her omelet. “I’m not saying anything. I have no idea what’s going on. I just know that there are people that hate me because of my husband. It doesn’t matter that he’s dead. I’ve always been cautious. I’m even more cautious now that I’m a single woman whose husband died in a home invasion.”

  His eyes
softened and he wrapped his fingers around his porcelain mug. “I’m sorry.”

  She nodded, trying to hold herself together. The thought was still hard to swallow sometimes. How could anyone have killed her strong and brave husband? He’d fought with everything in him to stay alive, but he hadn’t been armed and the home invader had been.

  The police had ruled that his murder wasn’t connected with Nate’s military service, but Laney had always wondered. The whole thing had always seemed so strange—that people would kill in order to steal some jewelry that was probably worth less than a thousand dollars.

  She pushed her food away. “You know, I think I’m ready to get back to the hotel. I’m awfully tired.”

  “Sounds good.” He dropped some bills on the table and stood. “Let’s go.”

  The hotel was only less than a mile away, and the ride there was silent. When they arrived, Mark insisted on walking her inside. She’d expected it.

  Each step felt heavy as she dragged herself up toward her room. She needed time alone to process all of this—though she knew this was going to take a lot of time to swallow and digest.

  At her door, she turned and offered the detective a curt nod. “Thank you.”

  “I’ll be waiting outside in the morning. I’ll give you a ride.”

  “I’d expect no less.” She offered a tight smile.

  “Good night, Laney.”

  “Good night, Detective.” She slipped her key card into the handle and heard a click. She stepped inside the dark room, careful to engage each lock behind her, before leaning against the door for a moment, trying to control her heartbeat.

  Maybe some water would help. She took a step forward, resigned to her mundane plan.

  Before she reached the bathroom, someone lunged from the shadows and tackled her.

  SIX

  Laney’s heart jumped into her throat, her pulse racing out of control as the intruder slapped a hand over her mouth. In one easy motion, he pinned Laney on the floor until she could hardly move.

  Despite his efforts, she threw her shoulders back and forth. Kicked. Tried desperately to pull her hands out of his grasp.