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Keir nodded. “Pick one I can get into unobserved.”
“Try the Cut-Rate Inn. It’s got exterior entrances to the rooms, front and back,” Hoyt suggested. “Get a room in the rear and Keir should be able to get in and out with no one seeing him if he’s careful.”
Keir smirked. “I’m always careful.”
“Thinking like that can get you dead,” Hoyt replied acerbically.
“Yeah. Sorry.”
“You have a phone?” Hoyt asked Keir.
“Yep. Two. I’ll give you the number to the throwaway. And I need your number.”
Hoyt gave it to him and vice versa. Then he suggested they call an end to their meeting as there was nothing more to discuss until everything was set up, and he needed to get back to work. “But keep in touch. Both of you. Teague, let me know where you end up.”
“I will. Hopefully at the Cut-Rate.”
“Shouldn’t be much of a problem with that,” Hoyt told him with a grin. “They get one and two-star ratings on the travel sites and it’s not ski season yet. They’ll probably greet you with open arms.”
“As long as it’s clean, I’m good.”
“Clean is a relative term, but it’s not a roach motel.” Hoyt stood, saying, “Okay, I’ll see both of you later,” as he headed toward the kitchen, cup in hand.
Teague put his half-empty cup down on the counter when he got to the kitchen.
“Slow drinker,” Hoyt commented, winking at him.
“It’s not like we were here all that long,” Teague protested.
“True. The last time we drank coffee together things were, well, maybe not more relaxed but…Yeah, they were relaxed. At least until we started talking about the case again. As I remember, you managed to down two cups of coffee that night.”
“Guess I did at that.”
“You two going to stand there all day reminiscing?” Keir asked, chuckling.
“Kids,” Hoyt grumbled, opening the back door so they could leave. For a second his gaze met Teague’s and Teague thought he saw a flash of desire in Hoyt’s expression. One he felt as well and quickly tamped down.
I’m sure I was imagining it. I’m tired and stressed and it’s telling on me in ways it shouldn’t. With luck we’ll catch the bastard we’re after and then I’ll be gone. Back home and back to work. Still…
Teague quickly joined Keir, who was already waiting at the rear of Hoyt’s property. Teague turned back for a moment and saw Hoyt still standing in the doorway. They nodded to each other and then Hoyt went inside, closing the door behind him.
Keir looked knowingly at Teague as they began to walk back to the car. “You’re interested in him.”
“Not really.”
“Yeah, really. There’s nothing wrong with that.”
“There is. I’m only going to be here long enough to catch the man who killed Lee Grimes, and, hopefully, get a lead on who killed the other boys twenty plus years ago in the Collingswood area.”
“A man who’s probably dead by now,” Keir replied.
“That’s what I have to find out,” Teague said tightly.
“I know. But damn it, Teague, just because you’re here to do all that doesn’t mean you can’t have a personal life, too. If you and the detective want some down-and-dirty, go for it. Who knows, maybe you’ve finally met a guy who would be good for you.”
“Halfway across the country,” Teague replied sourly.
Keir grinned. “So you are interested?”
Teague shrugged. “Maybe.”
“That’s better than ‘Not really’.”
Teague shot him a disgusted look, then grinned. “Where’s your bow and quiver of arrows?”
“In my backpack,” Keir replied without batting an eye.
“Smartass kid.”
Keir just laughed as he got into the car, since they were at it by then. Fifteen minutes later they got out in a darkened corner of the motel lot. Keir scurried to the motel’s service entrance while Teague walked around to the front, went in and up to his room. He wasn’t terribly surprised to find Keir was already inside.
“Snagged my other keycard when I wasn’t looking?” Teague asked.
“Well duh. You left it sitting on the dresser.”
Teague shrugged. “It was for you anyway. Go get changed, and then I’ll drop you off at the park.”
Keir did. When he came out of the bathroom he was a whole new person—visually. His medium-length brown hair looked as if it could use a good combing, his jeans had definitely seen better days, and the dark gray hoodie he was wearing was faded in spots, with holes at the elbows. Even his tennis shoes were far from pristine. “Ta da,” he said, spinning around.
“Looks good to me.”
Keir grinned, asking, “So how are you going to change your appearance?”
“I haven’t decided yet. Since I’ve been here, I’ve been wearing slacks and button-down shirts. Sort of the businessman passing through town look.”
“Then go casual, if you brought other clothes. And shave. The beard and mustache thing you seem to have going makes you stand out. That’s what people who’ve seen you will remember. That and the hair. Get it cut. How far is the next town?”
Teague chuckled. “About twenty miles from here, bossman.”
“Good. As soon as you check out in the morning, go there and…”
“Damn, Keir, I really do know how to go undercover and what it takes.”
“I know, sorry.”
Teague patted his shoulder. “No problem. Like you told Hoyt, you are better at it than I am. Now if you’re ready, let’s get moving. And be careful. What do you have in the way of protection?”
“Presuming you don’t mean rubbers, I’ve got my knife—” Keir put his hand at the back of his waistband, “—and pepper spray.”
“Good.” Teague unlocked the door, watching while Keir moved quickly down the hallway to the fire stairs. Then Teague left the motel via the front entrance. When he got to the car, Keir was waiting. A few minutes later Teague dropped the young man off by the park, but well away from its dimly lit parking lot. “Be—”
“Careful. Yeah I know. You wouldn’t have hired me if you didn’t know that I know what I’m doing.”
“True. Still…” Teague chuckled when Keir lifted his middle finger before disappearing into the trees that filled the park.
* * * *
Chapter 6
Early the next morning, Teague packed and checked out of the motel. Once he was on the road his first stop was the county airport. As much as he hated giving up his Trek for the duration of his time in the area, he knew it was too recognizable. So he parked it in the long-term lot and rented a car. With that done, he continued on to the small town he’d passed through on the way to Faircrest. He found the one and only barbershop and, as per Keir’s suggestion, had his hair cut much shorter than he normally kept it. He got a shave as well—something he would have done before leaving Faircrest, but he didn’t want to change his appearance at that point.
With that taken care of, he stopped at a gas station/convenience store on the way out of town to change from his more formal clothes into jeans, a plaid flannel shirt, and sneakers. Then he took out his contacts, replacing them with the dark-rimmed glasses he carried in case of emergencies. After checking the results in the washroom mirror, he decided he’d done the best he could on short notice.
When he got back to Faircrest, he located the Cut-Rate Inn, which was at the tag end of town, well away from Main Street and the road leading to the ski resort which he knew was ten miles north of the town. He chuckled to himself when he was greeted enthusiastically by the desk clerk, remembering Hoyt’s comment that it would probably happen. After asking for and getting a room on the ground floor at the backside of the motel, he drove around, got his bag from the car, and went inside.
Not as bad as I expected, or a good as I’d like, he decided, looking at the cigarette burns on the edge of the nightstand and a stain of undetermine
d origin on the carpet. Despite those quibbles, the sheets and bedspread were clean, if obviously old, and the bathroom was in decent shape except for a rust stain around the shower drain.
Once he’d settled in, he called Keir. It took the young man so long to answer Teague began to worry. Relieved when Keir did, Teague said, “I hope you have your phone on vibrate.”
“Well duh. And I didn’t answer until I was sure there wasn’t anyone around.”
“Are you in the park?”
“Yep,” Keir replied. “Hunkered down by a stand of bushes that served as my, you should excuse the expression, bedroom. I gotta tell you, there wasn’t much going on around here, but then, it was a Monday night.”
“Makes sense. I’m at the motel Hoyt suggested, if you want to come by and catch some real sleep.” He told Keir how to get to it from the park when the young man said that sounded good to him.
After they hung up, Teague called Hoyt. The detective answered on the first ring, asking right off the bat if everything was all right.
“It is. I got a room at the Cut-Rate, in back. Number 110.”
“Using your name?” Hoyt asked.
“A variation. Don Teagan.”
“That works. What do you look like?”
Teague chuckled. “I’m six-one, blond—”
“That is not what I meant and you know it.”
“Yeah, I did. My hair is short now. No beard or mustache. Dark framed glasses.”
“Glasses?”
“I have a pair in case something happens and I lose a contact.”
“You wear…? Okay, obviously you do from what you said. The glasses will do a lot to keep people who’ve seen you from recognizing you now. Good ploy.”
“Bad eyes,” Teague countered with a laugh. “But yeah, I’ve done this before and it does help. Right now I look sort of like a studious professor heading home before classes start up again.”
“That would be a good cover story,” Hoyt commented. “Especially around here. There’s a small university about forty miles to the west. We get profs coming in for winter break to ski, so people are used to seeing older college types in the area.”
“Maybe I should gray my hair and get one of those jackets with the leather patches on the sleeves and smoke a pipe.”
Hoyt snorted. “Let’s not get carried away.”
“Don’t worry. Among other things, I don’t smoke so I’d probably spend half my time coughing when I inhaled.”
“Which wouldn’t work for the image,” Hoyt agreed before changing the subject. “Have you been in contact with Keir?”
“Yep. He said it was a slow night. I should get more of report when he shows up to get some decent sleep.”
There was a long moment of silence on Hoyt’s end before he replied coolly, “Let me know what he says.”
“Of course.” Teague frowned. “Is something wrong?”
“No.”
“Hoyt…”
“I said no!”
“Wait a second. Okay, maybe I’m misreading this, but just so you know, Keir’s like a son to me, and a damned good employee. Nothing more.”
“Did I say differently?” Hoyt asked calmly. But Teague thought he heard relief in his voice.
“No. I just wanted to make that clear.”
“Thanks for…All right. Yeah, I got a twinge of…jealousy.” Hoyt huffed out a small laugh. “Not that I should have.”
“I might have myself, if the situation was reversed.”
“Really?”
“Yeah, really.” There was a soft tap on the door just then. “Hang on. I think my employee—” Teague emphasized the word, “—has arrived. Do you want to come by and hear what he has to say?”
Hoyt chuckled softly. “No, that’s all right. Among other things, I probably should stay clear of any even semi-public contact with you, and him. All things considered.”
“Yeah. Okay, I’ll call to give you an update.”
“Thanks. Go let him in before he wonders if he’s got the wrong room. Talk to you later.”
Teague hung up and went to open the door, making certain it was Keir, saying as he did, “You look beat, to put it mildly.”
“I’m out of practice sleeping rough. I spent half the night with one eye open. Used to be it was instinctive, knowing if there was someone around I had to worry about.” Keir yawned prodigiously, flopping down on one of the beds. “I’ll be fine.”
“Before you pass out, did you see anyone who tweaked your radar?”
Keir shrugged. “Like I said when you called, it was slow. After midnight there were only three, four men at best, one walking a dog. He stopped to talk to another guy, but as far as I could tell they were just friends. I was sitting by the edge of the river at one point and a dude walked by, giving me the eye. I started to get up and he hurried away. Either he wasn’t looking or he decided I wasn’t going to be his flavor of the night after all. Oh. There was another kid hanging around. Looked worse than I did. So at least I wasn’t the only one crashing there.”
“Was he hustling, too?”
“Hard to tell, since when I saw him we were the only two people around. He gave me a nod and kept going. He headed into the trees like he knew what he was doing so I’d bet he’s sort of a regular. At least until he decides to move on.”
“All right. Get some rest. It’s noon now. I’ll wake you around four.”
Keir nodded, toeing off his shoes, then sliding under the comforter. Seconds later he was asleep.
With nothing else to do until late afternoon, Teague decided to check out Faircrest as if he was a tourist. That way he could test his new look in the process. His first stop was the motel he’d been staying at previously. When he walked into the lobby the desk clerk who had been there that morning glanced up from her computer. She frowned momentarily, as if she thought she recognized him, then with a shake of her head she asked, “Are you looking for a room?”
“Perhaps,” Teague replied, coming closer. “What are your rates?” When she told him, he smiled wryly. “Sorry, that’s a bit too steep for my budget.” She suggested two other motels in town that were more affordable. He thanked her and left.
Other than that first second, she didn’t connect the new me to the old one. Probably told herself I reminded her of a dozen other guys who’ve stayed there in the past.
His next stop was the restaurant where he and Hoyt had eaten dinner two nights earlier. Unfortunately neither the hostess, Kelly, nor the waitress they’d had were on duty at the moment. The bartender, who’d served them their drinks while they waited for a table, was there however. Teague took a seat at the end of the bar and ordered a beer.
“So, I’m at the tag end of a vacation,” Teague said when the bartender came back with his drink. “Are there any spots I should check out?”
“Depends on what you’re interested in,” the man replied, leaning against the bar. “If you’re into sports you can go white water rafting or mountain biking. There’s historic spots like the old hotel on Main Street. It’s got rooms dedicated to famous people who stayed there, like Will Rogers. There’s a couple of museums and the usual compliment of art galleries if that’s your thing. You can get a brochure at whatever motel you’re staying at that can give you better info.”
“Good idea,” Teague said. “Thanks for the ideas though. I hadn’t thought of rafting, but then this is my first time visiting the mountains. I bet you really get hit during ski season.”
Teague kept the man talking long enough to know that the guy didn’t remember him. After paying for his drink, leaving the half-empty bottle on the bar, Teague took off. Since he was hungry, and he was certain Keir would be when he woke up, Teague stopped by the restaurant where he’d eaten his first day in town. Again, the people working there didn’t blink twice when they saw him, even though he had to wait for his to-go order so they had plenty of time to look at him.
Certain now that his cover was working, Teague drove back to the motel. After s
etting out their meals, Teague shook Keir’s shoulder to wake him, jumping back quickly when Keir came out of what seemed to be a deep sleep with his knife in one hand.
“Whoa, it’s just me,” Teague said sharply.
Keir sheathed the knife with an abashed smile. “Sorry. Old habits kicking in.”
“Not a problem. I’d rather that than someone being able to take you by surprise and you not reacting. I’ve got food if you’re hungry.”
“Lead me to it. Well, after I hit the john.” Taking his backpack with him, Keir went into the bathroom. Teague heard the shower running, but when Keir finally reappeared a few minutes later Teague wouldn’t have thought he’d done more than wash his hands and face—and none too well at that. When he asked, Keir showed him a small, empty baggie that had obviously had dirt in it. “Trick of the trade,” Keir said with a grin. “I hate feeling dirty, but I know I have to look like I haven’t bathed in a while.”
“Works for me,” Teague said. “Let’s eat and then we’ll figure out the plan for tonight.”
Twenty minutes later they were tossing the detritus of their meals in the trash after rinsing out the containers to avoid the possibility of insects invading.
Teague turned the desk chair around, sitting with his arms across the back. “Now down to business.”
“Meaning you hitting up the park, looking to hook up with someone,” Keir replied, leaning casually back against the wall behind the head of the bed.
“I think tonight, being new in town, I’ll just stroll through like your average tourist. Maybe check out some of the guys, if there are any around, but only in a casual, ‘he’s interesting’ way. I want to establish my presence but not make it look like the only reason I’m in town is to find companionship.”
“Going to check out The Red Calf, too?”
“Definitely, since we don’t know where the killer actually made contact with Grimes. Obviously it wasn’t inside the club, but he could have seen the kid hanging around outside, if the witness the police interviewed was correct about it being Grimes that he saw at one point.”
