“We’re talking now,” said Grace.
“I’m not going to hurt you.”
“I don’t know that.”
“You have my word.”
“That’s not good enough.”
“We could meet somewhere—”
Grace hung up on him mid-sentence. She’d reached the stand of trees. She slowed the car down and scanned the dense undergrowth for any sign of her friend. Lara flung the door open before Grace had a chance to come to a full stop. Grace slammed on the breaks and Lara stumbled as she crawled into the car and collapsed onto the passenger seat. Her face was flushed crimson and covered in tears. Great gobs of snot ran down from her nose. She started laughing.
“I found the letter,” she said, holding up an envelope like a trophy.
10
Thursday
When Macy and Ryan finally emerged from the Granger’s basement it was coming up on seven in the evening and already pitch-dark.
“You’ll have to be patient,” said Ryan. “The team in Helena will need time to sort all this new evidence out.”
“Speaking of Helena, any word on that second body?”
“There should be some news by now. I’ll make a quick call.”
Macy went into the tent to change out of her protective gear. There were several missed calls from Alisa. She listened to her voice mail. The phone signal wasn’t strong, so she could barely make out what Alisa was saying. There was a folding chair next to a small table. Macy sat down heavily and listened to the message again, but it still made no sense. It sounded like Alisa was saying that they’d found Hannah Granger alive. Macy stared off into space for a few seconds. This was unexpected. She tried to return Alisa’s phone call but nobody picked up.
“Damn,” said Macy.
She looked up. Ryan was standing outside the tent with his phone in his hand.
“Two major developments,” he said.
“Let me guess. Hannah Granger didn’t die in the fire.”
“How did you know?”
“The reception wasn’t great on the voice mail Alisa left but I think she said that they found Hannah at the cabin.”
“She’s been there all this time?” asked Ryan.
“Maybe she was snowed in. According to Cornelia Hart, it’s so remote there’s no cell phone reception.”
“Surely the place has a phone.”
Macy shook her head. “No phone. No Wi-Fi. Do we know who died?”
“Nothing so far and there haven’t been any missing persons reports made locally. There was a lot of scarring on the torso and arms. Shallow cuts made over the years.”
“Self-harm?”
“Looks that way. One of the girls in the Polaroids also had a lot of scarring. The medical examiner is trying to figure out if it’s the same person.”
“Christ. Anything else?”
Ryan nodded. “She was pregnant. First trimester.”
“Was it Peter Granger’s baby?”
“Bingo.”
“Hannah Granger has a lot of explaining to do.”
“She’s not the only person who needs to start talking.”
Macy tilted her head. “Did they find something else?”
“I assume the name Grace Adams rings a bell.”
“What’s she got to do with this?”
“We got a match on the bloodstain on the carpet in Peter’s office. It was hers.”
* * *
Alisa and Macy stood side by side watching Hannah Granger through a one-way mirror. It was eight in the evening and Alisa had only just arrived back at the station. Hannah was a compact woman with straw-colored hair that hung loose past her shoulders. The overhead lights cast a shadow across her features, making it difficult to read her expression.
“She insists she’s innocent,” said Alisa.
“Of course she does,” said Macy. “Has she tried to call a lawyer?”
“She thinks she doesn’t need one.”
“Makes my life easier. Walk me through what happened.”
“At least part of her story already checks out. Their road was impassable. Before driving down to the property I arranged for a snowplow to meet us at the turnoff and we followed it up to the house. The driver confirms the track has been blocked since Monday evening, which is the same night of the fire.”
“Any sign of anyone coming and going on skis or snow shoes or a snowmobile?”
“We had a good look around but couldn’t find any tracks.”
“So, you drive up to the house. What happens next?”
“Hannah came outside as the plough was coming up to the driveway. She seemed overjoyed to see us. She also appeared to be genuinely shocked when we told her about the fire.”
“What exactly did you tell her?”
“The bare minimum, that her husband’s death was a homicide and the remains of a yet-to-be-identified female were found in bed with him.”
“Did you tell her that the fire was set intentionally?”
“No, I figured I’d leave that to you.”
Macy made some notations. “What explanation did she give for her whereabouts over the past few days?”
“She said she drove up to the cabin on Saturday with the intention of coming back to Bolton on Monday evening, but the Tundra wouldn’t start.”
“Did you confirm that it wasn’t operational?”
“I tried to start it and the engine wouldn’t turn over, but I’m not a mechanic so I wouldn’t be able to assess whether she’d tampered with it. It snowed all Monday and Tuesday and she says she was cut off. She was hoping Peter would arrange for the snow plough and was becoming increasingly concerned when the road remained blocked.”
“So, she left Peter on good terms?”
“That’s the impression she gave. I didn’t press her for the details.”
“The young woman found in the house was in her first trimester of pregnancy. There is evidence she’d been self-harming for some time. She appears to be in her early twenties.”
“Like the girl in the Polaroid.”
“Exactly what I thought. We need to figure out who she was. The team should look into missing person’s reports. Also run through the list of Peter Granger’s known associates, narrowing it down by age and gender. Stands to reason that whoever died in that house has been missing since Monday, possibly earlier. You may want to start with his writing workshop.”
“I have the contact details for almost everyone.”
“There was a name that was crossed out on the latest class list, but references to someone who went by the initials GL in his notes. Did you figure out who that was?”
“No, but we’ll find out when we question the other students. I’ll make arrangements for them to come in tomorrow.”
“Do you remember a case up in Collier a few years back?”
“International sex traffickers and a pedophile ring. Who could forget that?”
“A girl named Grace Adams got caught up in the middle of it but was cleared of any wrongdoing. In fact she was a victim herself. For the past few years she’s been using the name Grace Larson to avoid unwanted attention. I think she may be living in Bolton now.”
“How is she related to Peter Granger’s death?”
“The ME ran the DNA they recovered from that bloodstain in Peter’s office through the database and came up with her name.”
“So, the GL Peter referred to in his notes might well be Grace Larson?”
“That’s what we need to find out.”
“I’ll look into it. Anything else?”
Macy closed her eyes a second. The coffee in her cup was cold and the hurried meal she’d eaten sat heavily in her gut. She wanted a lot of things, but mostly she wanted to be home where she belonged. It was time to check in with her mother. She studied the woman waiting for her in the interview room. Hannah Granger had her head in her hands. Her shoulders shook. It looked like she was crying.
“I’m going to make a quick phone call before I
start the interview,” said Macy. “I need to check in at home.”
“I’ll get you another coffee.”
Macy was really beginning to like this girl. “That would be greatly appreciated,” she said.
* * *
Macy ducked into the office she’d been allocated and shut the door behind her. She was worried she’d waited too long to call home but, thankfully, Ellen had kept Luke up a little later than usual so they could talk. He peered into the camera lens on his grandmother’s smartphone and grinned.
“Mommy!”
Macy waved. “Hi, honey, what are you up to?”
He frowned. “Bedtime.”
Macy pretended to sleep. “You’re lucky. I wish I could go to bed right now.”
He giggled.
“Did you have fun at the pool this morning?” asked Macy.
“I jumped off the side.”
“Oh, I want to see that. Will you do it again when I get home?”
Luke pressed his face right up to the screen. All Macy could see was a dimpled blur.
“Yes. I jump lots.” The phone shook up and down. “Jump. Jump. Jump.”
“How was your swimming class?” asked Macy.
Luke backed away from the camera and put his chin in one hand like he was giving his mother’s question some serious thought.
“My teacher was mean.”
“William is nice. He’s a lifeguard. That makes him extra special.”
Luke yawned. His voice was lazy and low. “Will was sick. We had a girl.”
“And you didn’t like her?”
Luke’s hair was so long he looked like a spaniel when he shook his head. Macy made a note to herself. She needed to get her son to agree to a haircut. The last time was a disaster.
“Granny’s here,” said Luke.
Luke disappeared and Ellen picked up the phone.
“Sorry that was so brief,” said Ellen. “It’s been a long day and he’s worn out.”
“That’s okay. I really appreciate you keeping him up late.”
“A little chaos never hurts. How are things in Bolton?”
“We had a bit of a surprise this afternoon. It turns out Hannah Granger is very much alive.”
“I assume she’s now a suspect.”
“That remains to be seen. I’m about to interview her.”
Ellen looked over her shoulder. “Luke, go find the hairbrush. It’s time we tackled those tangles.”
“Remind me to book him another appointment at the hairdresser,” said Macy.
“I think I’ll let you go on your own this time. I still haven’t recovered from our last experience.”
“Why do you think he has such an aversion to getting his hair cut?”
“I have no idea. He’s far too young to have issues,” said Ellen. “And, speaking of issues. Nicole’s therapist called this morning.”
Nicole was Luke’s half sister. Her father, Ray Davidson, was once the head of the state police but was now serving time in Montana State Prison. Nicole hadn’t been mentally stable to begin with. Her parent’s divorce and her father’s conviction pushed her over the edge. Five months earlier she’d tried to abduct Luke from a day care center. Following the incident, Nicole was placed in a psychiatric-care unit for assessment. A final report was pending. As of yet, no charges had been filed.
“What did she want?” asked Macy.
“Apparently, Nicole’s mother is suing her for negligence.”
“Nicole was showing signs of a full psychotic breakdown. It is a little surprising her therapist missed it.”
“I’m in total agreement, but I think there’s more to this lawsuit. The family doesn’t want Nicole to serve time for trying to take Luke. If they can prove her doctor was negligent they may be able to get a suspended sentence.”
“I don’t want Nicole to get anywhere near Luke again. That’s nonnegotiable,” said Macy.
“But that doesn’t mean she needs to be locked up in a prison psychiatric ward when it may be a matter of getting the right care. You said it yourself. Nicole is troubled but not dangerous. She saw Luke as the one good thing that came out of all this mess, which, for the record, is pretty much in line with how I feel.”
“I’m not heartless. I’m willing to go with the panel’s recommendations, but I draw a line when it comes to any further contact. Was the therapist rude to you on the phone? I found the few times we’ve communicated to be difficult.”
“She was polite but firm. She wanted to know what you were going to say if interviewed,” said Ellen.
“Why would I be interviewed?”
“The panel wants to know what was said in your phone conversations with the therapist in the lead-up to the incident at the day care center.”
“She shouldn’t be calling us directly. It borders on harassment,” said Macy.
“I pretty much told her that.”
“Good.”
“So, what are you going to do?” asked Ellen.
“I’m going to wait and see. I’m sure the panel will be in touch sooner or later.”
“Have you heard from Aiden?”
“Not a peep. I’m going to call him when I get back to the hotel. Why?”
“Just asking. I better get our boy to bed. We’ll talk tomorrow.”
“I love you, Mom.”
“I love you too.”
There was a knock on the door and Alisa stepped inside. She held a cup of coffee in one hand and a Snickers bar in the other. She handed both to Macy.
“Given the number of empty wrappers in your car, I figured this is your favorite,” said Alisa.
“It’s like you’re already reading my mind. Everything ready in the interview room?”
“Yep. Is it okay if I sit in?”
Macy held up the candy bar. “Was this a bribe?”
“That depends on whether it worked.”
“Come along then,” said Macy. “Let’s go see what Hannah Granger has to say for herself.”
* * *
Hannah Granger’s pale blue eyes rarely strayed once they were fixated on someone or something. Macy sat opposite her with the case files stacked neatly next to her coffee cup.
“You already know that I left Bolton on Saturday,” said Hannah. She indicated the receipts for gas and groceries on the table next to her cup of tea. “I stopped for gas at a place on Route 191 and bought groceries at a store that is a twenty-minute drive from the cabin. They know me there. They’ll remember seeing me come in.”
Macy examined the receipts again. “But these receipts only account for Saturday. If you want to be cleared of involvement, we need to confirm where you were on Monday evening when the fire started.” Alisa handed Macy a note. “Why was your Tundra’s GPS system switched off?” asked Macy.
“I only noticed it wasn’t working when I was driving down to the cabin. I assumed it was faulty.”
“That’s rather convenient. You could have driven back here on Monday and it wouldn’t have shown up on the vehicle’s tracking device.”
“There was a snowstorm on Monday night. I couldn’t have set the fire and returned to the cabin before the road closed.”
“Arsonists often use timers to delay when a fire starts. Perfect if you need to be somewhere else so you have an alibi.”
Hannah crossed her arms. “Have you found any timers?”
“Not yet, but we’re still looking.”
“If I’d gone to that much trouble to create an alibi, wouldn’t it have made more sense for me to have stayed with a friend on Monday night instead of hanging out in a cabin by myself?”
Macy placed the photos of the gas tins found in the basement and in the neighbor’s yard on the table. “Do you recognize these?”
Hannah shook her head. “I’m not really sure. Peter may have bought them last summer. He was always worried about running out of gas when we were out at the cabin.”
“These two were in your basement and these four were found in a neighbor’s yard. We th
ink they were used to start the fire.”
Hannah tapped the photo of the gas tins found in the basement. “I thought you said the house was completely destroyed.”
“I guess we got lucky. All that happened in the basement was a bit of water damage. So there was plenty to see.” She paused. “Tell me about your relationship with your husband. You told my colleague that you left Bolton on good terms. What did you talk about on Saturday morning?”
“A lot of things.”
“Can you be more specific?”
Her blue eyes zeroed in on Macy. “I told Peter I was leaving him.”
“You call that good terms?”
“It’s been a long time coming. He’s been living his life and I’ve been living mine. We’ve been fairly open about it. He was supportive of my decision.”
“Is there anyone who can back you up on that statement?”
“Some of our closer friends knew what was going on in our marriage. I’ll give you some names.”
“I understand you’re in a romantic relationship with Jessica Reynolds.”
“She’s why I was leaving Peter. On Saturday morning she gave me an ultimatum. If I didn’t end my marriage she would end our relationship. I chose to be with Jessica, but that doesn’t mean I wasn’t upset about divorcing Peter. It’s why I went to the cabin for the weekend. Both Peter and I needed the space to process what we’d decided. We’ve been together a long time.”
“Starting late Saturday afternoon and ending Monday at three P.M., he sent you twenty-three text messages. It doesn’t sound like he was ready to call it quits.”
“I wasn’t aware of the messages until this evening. Besides, Peter knew there’s no cell phone signal at the cabin so I don’t understand why he even tried getting in touch.” Hannah nodded at Alisa. “I gave you my phone and password. I assume you’ve looked at everything. I have nothing to hide.”
“Did anything strike you as odd about the texts he sent you?” asked Macy.
Hannah dropped a wadded-up tissue on the table. She seemed to be tiring. She stared into the middle distance when she spoke.
“He wrote as if we’d never agreed to a divorce on Saturday morning.”
“How do you mean?”
“He kept asking me to come home so we could talk about how we were going to save our marriage, but that made no sense as it was already agreed that there was nothing left to save … he said as much on the morning I left. In the texts he says he’s sorry for losing his temper when he’d done nothing of the kind. There was no argument. There was no shouting. We hugged each other good-bye.” Hannah pulled a fresh tissue from the box. “He told me he wanted me to be happy.”
Silent Rain Page 15
