Oblivion

by Karolyn Cairns

  ~ ~ ~

  Gary watched Lindsay enter his office and smiled. She was probably the cutest girl in Little Bend. A good girl too; not like some of the ones he saw hanging out in town. She was going somewhere in life. The sadness in her eyes reminded him of why he called her here tonight. Those anguished blue eyes brought him to the questions. She sat in the chair opposite him, looking tense.

  “I wanted to ask you some questions off the record, Lindsay.”

  “I thought Dan was handling the case now.”

  Gary smiled and sat back in his chair. “This is off the radar, Lindsay. I think we both know Dan isn’t looking in the right direction for who killed Jace.”

  “What do you mean?” she asked, her pretty face filled with unease.

  “Did Jace and Cam have a fight recently? How did those two get along?”

  Lindsay knew Sheriff Wilson was responsible for all the heat put on Cameron and was defensive of him immediately.

  “They were best friends, Sheriff Wilson. He loved Jace! Everybody did! What is this all about?”

  Gary sighed and lit a cigarette, exhaling slowly, his steely eyes trained on her face. “Lindsay, his story doesn’t jive. Marnie refuses to talk to us. That’s why I called you in.”

  “If you think Cam had anything to do with Jace’s death you’re wrong!”

  “Am I? Lindsay, we both know he was the last one to see Jace alive that day. His story doesn’t add up. What’s more; he just got offered the LHS scholarship. Tell me it doesn’t sound like he had a motive?”

  The Little Bend High School scholarship for football passed to Cameron when Jace died. The enviable free ride scholarship was funded by all the business owners in town. It was hardly a secret Cameron was second choice for it. That hardly gave him a motive to murder Jace.

  “I think you’re reaching here.”

  “I think if you stop seeing what you want to see; you can see where I’m going with this, Lindsay. Nobody saw Cam on Marnie’s porch until after one that day. Where was he for over three hours?”

  Lindsay refused to think Cam could do something so awful. “So, because nobody saw him; that means he killed Jace?”

  “You tell me? You’re a smart girl Lindsay. You knew Jace. Do you really think he would pick up some drifter off Route 4 like they think?”

  “No, he wouldn’t have.”

  “Alrighty then. Trust me, the last thing I want to do is arrest a seventeen-year old kid for this, but it all points to Cam.”

  “I can’t believe he could do that, Sheriff. I’ve known him all my life!”

  “That’s why none of you see it,” he said sagely and stubbed out his cigarette. “We have no leads in this case, Lindsay.”

  “What does this have to do with me?” she asked finally.

  “You’re close with Cam too, right?”

  “If you think he would admit something like this to me, think again!” she cried. “I can’t believe you would even accuse him!”

  “I’m asking you to hang out with him, look for things with fresh eyes. Can you do that?”

  “You’re asking me to spy on him, you mean?” she queried in disgust. “You don’t have any proof of anything against him; just a feeling?”

  “Lindsay, I’ve been a cop for over thirty years,” Gary snapped harshly suddenly and sat forward, his eyes intense. “I’ve seen stone cold killers show more emotion than that kid did over his best friend getting killed! Did you know he never showed a bit of remorse when we told him how Jace died? Not a flicker or even a twinge of pain. I know you don’t want to think him capable of it, but he and the Slade girl are hiding something.”

  “You’re dragging Marnie into this too?” Lindsay asked in annoyance.

  “Marnie had no idea Cam was even at her house until she got there, Lindsay. Don’t you think that’s a little odd considering they broke up? She covered for him by saying she must have forgotten when she invited him over, but I could tell she was lying.”

  Lindsay felt a sense of icy dread, recalling how Cam had invited her to a party tonight, chiding her over mourning her boyfriend who’d been dead less than a week. She questioned how he could act as if Jace’s murder was no big deal.

  “That doesn’t mean he killed him.”

  “It doesn’t mean he didn’t either. The day Jace died he took six hundred dollars out of his account from the ATM machine. He bought you a ring that day. It’s an antique gold, diamond, and ruby ring. It was missing. We found the receipt in his pocket. He had half the money on him and it was gone too. We think Cam stole the ring and the money.”

  Lindsay flinched at knowing Jace intended to give her a ring, recalling her ultimatum the night before. It prompted him to leave his brother and find some means to get her to not break up with him. Fresh guilt assailed her to know that had he stayed put waiting for Dougie, he might not have….what? She couldn’t make herself feel responsible for that.

  “You want me to spy on him? So what am I looking for?”

  Gary smiled grimly and stubbed out his cigarette. “The ring is missing. We think he has it stashed somewhere. We got denied a warrant to search his room. That’s where you come in.”

  “You want me to search his bedroom? And just how do I do that?”

  “Cam has to pass all his finals to get the scholarship. Mr. Chase needs a tutor for him. If you were tutoring him; you would have access to his room and could help us find it.”

  Lindsay was dismayed at her sudden desire to help. If she found nothing she could remove Cam’s guilt, she realized. Either way, she would put the matter to rest and satisfy her own sudden doubts. His behavior was strange. Cam’s lack of remorse was obvious and bothered her.

  “Fine, I’ll do it. I’ll approach the guidance office when I pick up my assignments tomorrow and sign up for tutoring.”

  Gary looked relieved. “Lindsay, never forget how Jace died. If this kid did it, he’s dangerous. Don’t take any risks to yourself. ”

  Lindsay stood up and was surprised to find her legs wobbly. “I don’t think I’ll find anything, but I’ll look.”

  Garry watched her leave the office and picked up the phone. He called Dan into his office. The younger man entered and sat down.

  “She said she’d do it. We’re in.”

  “Gary, you realize even if she finds this ring; it doesn’t prove he killed Jace?”

  “It’s enough to get him charged,” the retired sheriff said and sighed. “We might break him down and get a confession by then. Either way; it’s all we got.”

  “I saw Marnie last night,” Dan said and his hazel eyes narrowed. “She’s sticking to her story. She lied and said Cam dumped her after the funeral, not a month ago. Bob said he even saw Cam leaving her place last night.”

  “Keep an eye on her and see what she’s up to. We really don’t need her anymore. Lindsay is going to be tutoring Cam and she’ll search the room while she’s there.”

  “There’s something else, Gary,” the young deputy said and grimaced. “She says she’s knocked up.”

  “Is it yours?” the older man asked in mounting irritation.

  “Hell no, it isn’t mine,” Dan replied hotly. “I always wore protection. She doesn’t know who the father is. Guess who she says it might be?”

  “Don’t tell me she’s claiming it’s the Turner kid’s?”

  “Yep, Mr. Perfect was banging Marnie behind his little girlfriend’s back.”

  “Did Cam and Jace fight over it?”

  “No. She said Turner took responsibility whether it was his or not.”

  “Did she get the abortion already?”

  “No, that’s why she came to see me. She asked me for three hundred dollars. She said Jace was supposed to give her the money and he died before he could. Apparently, that was what the money was for that he withdrew that day.”

  “You give it to her?” Gary asked and frowned at Dan’s disgusted expression.

  “It’s not my problem the little tramp got knocked up,
Gary. Besides, she’s over three months along now. It’s a little late for that. She has to have it now.”

  Gary didn’t think much of Dan Dooley. He applauded Jace Turner for being man enough to claim responsibility, even if he wasn’t sure it was his. It said a lot about character.

  “This whole thing might get ugly if that information gets out.”

  “Everybody knows, thanks to Marianne Chase and her big mouth. Marnie tried getting money out of Cam’s dad when Jace didn’t come through. That’s when Cam told his parents it wasn’t his, but Turner’s. It’s all over town.”

  Gary thought of Lindsay’s reaction to hear her boyfriend got Marnie Slade pregnant and nearly groaned aloud. This wasn’t good at all. The girl didn’t need any more grief and they needed her to spy on Cam. It was obvious Jace Turner had his share of secrets before he died.

  “The pregnancy might have been the motive.”

  “I don’t think so. Cam knows Marnie’s nothing but a tramp. Trust me he wouldn’t have killed Jace in a jealous rage over Marnie. Besides, Jace wasn’t the only one she was seeing.”

  “Let’s hope Lindsay digs something up we can use.”

  “You think it’s wise to involve her? What if she tips Cam off we’re looking for the ring? He could get rid of it if he hasn’t already.”

  “No, he took it as a memento. He’s not going to part with it.”

  Dan rolled his eyes. “You think you got him pegged, don’t you?”

  Gary lit another cigarette and smiled. “I would put money on it Chase killed Turner. Look at how much he had to gain? We sit back and see how all this plays out now. We have to have it wrapped up before Chase leaves town.”

  “We don’t have much time. The kid graduates next month.”