by Leanne Davis
She drove towards Lance’s house. Out front, police cars and two trucks with Fish and Wildlife insignia—Ryder and Crystal, no doubt—were parked. She stopped pretty far back, beyond their line of sight and watched the cops moving in and out of the premises. Seeing so many of them, a general sense of unease ruffled through her. She didn’t fail to realize she was the reason for this barrage of law enforcement crashing down on Lance. But it wasn’t just her decision. She merely floated the idea to Ryder. No one would have been here if others hadn’t found it plausible and a likely possibility.
Chloe was stalling. Lost and unsure of what to do with herself, she felt as if she were watching this as an out-of-body experience. She knew why too. It was because she still couldn’t emotionally deal with it. And if something did happen to Tara, she would have to endure the pain and horror all over again. She would be reliving the entire experience of losing Ebony from start to finish. This time, however, she would not have been spared the cushion of three and a half years to get used to the idea of living without her loved one. Not that it offered any more understanding of the violent murder that took her sister so abruptly. What about Wyatt? Oh, God! Wyatt! He could not lose another mother figure. Not twice at such a young age.
Why Ebony? Why Tara? Was it just a coincidence that Lance targeted both of Ryder’s spouses? Although Tara and he weren’t quite married, they already lived together as such. What the fuck was going on? Why?
She gasped when she saw Lance being led out, his hands cuffed behind his back. She sucked on her lower lip and a weird, involuntary moan escaped her mouth. She gripped her steering wheel. Oh, God! God. That meant… did that mean they had the man who killed her sister in custody now? Right there? He was standing right there?
She didn’t know how to handle that realization and started to cry. Uncaring, she ignored the tears that flowed over her cheeks. Murderer. But was he the murderer?
She anxiously drove off, going nowhere really, but ended up at her parents’ house. She entered through the front door and sat down without comment. They were both inside the dark house. Lately, no one ever opened up the windows or the shades. The TV blared all day long with the usual talk shows of people constantly yelling at each other. She stared at her feet. How strange that they didn’t comment upon seeing her. Did they care? They didn’t even acknowledge her presence.
“Tara’s missing. They arrested Lance Huskin, and are doing so right now, as the prime suspect in Ebony’s murder.”
Both of them were suddenly startled out of their apathy. Their exclamations shocked Chloe, especially when her mother’s voice rose as she cried and exclaimed, “Oh, God! I prayed, I prayed so hard for this! I can’t believe—”
“It’s happening right now. I went there to see. I know nothing else though. No details.”
“Wait. What did you mean when you said, Tara was missing?”
Chloe shrugged and big tears plopped down her face before landing on her lap. “I don’t know. She didn’t show up for work, but called Petra saying Ryder and she were going on a surprise romantic getaway. They weren’t though. He’s freaking out. First, because of the lie about where she is, then about her being physically unaccounted for; it’s all so much like—”
“Ebony,” her mother finished for her and Chloe nodded.
“Yes. Ebony.”
“It’s happening again?”
“Possibly. But maybe they have the murderer in custody now. Maybe they can make him confess to her whereabouts.”
Silence followed in the wake of the newest bombshell.
“Do you think she’s—” her dad asked softly.
“I don’t know. Would you two mind getting Wyatt and keeping him for a while? Let him stay here, where he’s safe and try not to scare him or arouse his suspicion. And buck up, okay? Just act normal. Engage with him. Smile at him. Talk and play with him and please try and fucking act like you love him even if you don’t anymore. Do that at least for Ebony. Put some clean clothes on him, and for God’s sake, feed him at regular intervals.”
They nodded eagerly and their eyes were huge when she stood up. “I’m not kidding. You owe Ebony that. Do it right. Her son has already lost a mother, now he might have lost the only one he actually remembers. Please don’t fuck this up.”
Her mom gasped. “I won’t. We won’t. We never considered the possibility that anyone else could be in danger. Not Wyatt. Or you. And this monster has been living here the entire time?” They shuddered but it was good for Chloe to observe. At last, they were drawn out of their lethargy.
“I don’t know what to do with myself, but I’m going to contact Ryder and see what we can figure out.”
They nodded. “We’ve got Wyatt. You just go help Ryder. And keep us informed.”
Chloe rose to her feet, astonished when both of them did too and even kissed her on the cheek.
She did what she probably shouldn’t have. She went to the police station. Ryder’s truck was parked out front. Entering, she was instantly recognized, and she saw her face plastered on their files as the locally murdered girl.
“Is Ryder Kincaid in? Please tell him Chloe’s here,” she said to the woman manning the front desk.
The woman smiled kindly as she got to her feet. “Of course.”
Ryder appeared from down a corridor. He embraced Chloe hard but without comment as he pulled her into an adjoining room. His eyes were red-rimmed, his jaw locked, and his skin was so pale, it almost seemed yellow. Her stomach twisted. “You still can’t find her.”
“No. But we have Lance. They’re questioning him now. He talks in circles. But he won’t tell them where she is. I have to get back now. Watch out. The minute they know, I have to get to her…”
“He did it?” Shocked, Chloe was numb.
“He had… he had her ring, Chloe.”
Chloe glanced up, puzzled. “I thought her rings were found in the bottom of the swamp.”
“No. Just her wedding ring was. The search warrant produced her ring. It was right there in his fucking room. Barely hidden.” Cringing, he scowled. “Look at that, I already identified it as hers. There is no mistaking it. I’m sure they’ll want more proof than just my word. But I know it was hers. It was the same ring she wore before we got married. And it took only a half hour to find.” Footsteps outside thundered past as if the person they belonged to were in a panic. Something was going on. Ryder stared after them, clenching his jaw tightly before he jumped into action. He was already at the door as he yelled over his shoulder. “I have to go.”
Ryder left before Chloe’s brain could register what he just said. She rose to her feet, leaning with her hands on the table. They got him. They caught her sister’s murderer. But what about Tara? Tara was still missing. If they had the murderer in custody, how could Tara be missing? Her stomach knotted. That meant statistically speaking, it could suggest some really bad things. No wonder Ryder looked so grave.
She shook her head as his words floated around in her head. “The ring she wore?” she repeated out loud. Why did the damn word ring keep coming up? Now it showed up at Lance’s house? In his room? But Crystal said it was found in the swamp. And Ryder claimed that only her wedding ring was. A minor detail, really. Suffering from grief, Ryder couldn’t have been expected to remember everything about Ebony’s crime scene. Not like he might have recalled another crime, one that didn’t affect him so personally. There was no way for him to be neutral now, so of course, he might not have clearly recalled all the facts. He could have gotten that part wrong.
Yeah. There was no ring on or near Ebony’s body. Not while it was in the swamp, because the murderer had it. Lance had it. And he hid it in his room.
Chloe slowly rose and her stomach was nearly heaving.
Crystal mentioned the ring on two occasions, two, calling it the ruby ring. She knew all about the ruby ring and mentioned it twice. How many people would have known about it? Crystal did.
No. She was being stupid. Hysterical even. Crazy. Cr
ystal was an agent of the law. She was Ryder’s friend too. His partner and, well, his very good friend. Long before he married Ebony, they were friends. “No!” she whispered out loud.
She had to be full of shit. There was no way. None. No. She had to be mistaken somehow about all this ring stuff.
The door opened suddenly and Chloe stepped back, shuddering to see the same person she was fretting over standing before her. Crystal. She was still wearing her uniform, of course, and she smiled, looking exactly as she did earlier. There was no evil glint in her eye. No nefarious cackle of glee.
Instead, her tone was kind as she said, “Ryder told me you were here. He asked me to come over and keep you company. This might turn out to be a very long evening and could possibly go all night. But he understands why you’d need to be here. Incredible tip, by the way, Chloe. You broke this wide open. It was unprecedented that you managed to make the connections no one else could. And now—”
“Now Tara is still missing.” Chloe kept her voice even, letting her emotional wall down slightly but showing no fear. How could she fear the woman before her? That was crazy stupid since she was in the safest place to be: a police station! With dozens of eyewitnesses, and many from cooperating agencies, everyone was there to learn more about the suspected killer they now had in their grasp. But an icy chill coursed through her. She kept her breathing low and even, trying not to appear flustered or unsure. Her head hurt with a blinding flash of pain. She needed to talk to Ryder. She had to get to Ryder.
But he was in the back, trying to persuade a potential killer to tell him the location of his beloved fiancée. And Chloe was emotional, unclear, and shaking now. She didn’t know what she was but she needed to talk this through, and think it over very carefully. She needed a logical mind and the best person for that was Chet. Yes. She had to stay calm.
“I think… I think I should go and check on my parents. This has been so hard on them.”
“Of course, honey. Of course. Let me drive you.”
“No. No, I can drive myself,” Chloe insisted, pushing past Crystal to get to the door. She started to cry. For real. But it would have only supported her act that she didn’t suspect anything else. Because she still didn’t know if she should have suspected Crystal. So she couldn’t just outright blame her. She couldn’t keep flinging horrible accusations at people. Having already done so and not even six hours ago, she had to stop. Besides, Crystal? A fellow officer? They were all going to get a good laugh at her expense, but in a good-natured way. They could finally take off their kid gloves, realizing she was just crazy with grief and emotions from the stress of the day. They would never consider her words as anything more threatening than crazy.
Crystal set a hand on her arm. Gently. Without pressure. Like a concerned friend might respond. “Chloe, don’t be silly. You’re shaking. Your sister’s murderer is only a few feet away from you and he’s someone you’ve known almost his entire life. Tara is missing. No wonder you’re a mess. I would be abandoning my duty as a friend and a police officer if I failed to take care of you.”
She sounded so normal. Like every other time Chloe talked to her. Chloe’s head was muddled. Why would she suspect Crystal of hurting anyone? It was crazy… and so…
Right.
She fucking knew she was right. That ruby ring. No one else mentioned it. Only Crystal knew and she talked about it twice. Twice! That mattered. She must’ve planted it on Lance because she was an agent of the law, and most likely, given primary access out of consideration of her rank in the local law enforcement community. She was so well respected and Ryder’s good friend.
Licking her lips, Chloe briefly considered screaming her head off. But she didn’t think anyone would believe her. The ring was found in Lance’s possession. There would be nothing to trace or lead them to Crystal. She was sure of that. Except for what she knew. But everyone would surely think she was crazy, what with practically accusing Lance and now what? Crystal? Tara was out there, somewhere and Crystal was the first one to get to Tara’s house. Her breath increased until she was nearly panting.
She didn’t know what to do. She needed to find Tara’s location in that exact moment. Not thirty seconds from now, but now! Should she keep faking it? And playing it cool? And then what? Where was Tara? All that mattered was finding Tara now. She sucked in a deep breath.
Her joints relaxed, she loosened her jaw and her eyes gleamed. Her cell phone was missing and now she knew it was because of Crystal. Earlier today, she must have taken it out of Chloe’s car, while Chloe was in Ryder’s house looking for Tara. Crystal was the reason Chloe was without a phone now, and essentially helpless.
Except, what Crystal might not have known was that Chloe was carrying burner phones everywhere with her now. She kept one on her person at all times. Even now, there was one neatly tucked under the band of her bra.
But more importantly, her loaded gun was stashed snugly in her purse, and she hugged it tightly as she stared at Crystal. Tears streamed down her cheeks.
She had to find Tara. And help Tara. That’s all that mattered now. Wyatt could not lose another mother, not when Chloe knew this is the woman who snatched Ebony from her. She had to let Crystal take her somewhere, or they might never find Tara, even if they apprehended her.
Shutting her eyes despite her streaming tears, her shoulders wilted in defeat as she said, “Oh, Crystal, you’re right. You’re right. I’m losing my fucking mind. I can’t believe this, after all these years, we know who killed my sister.”
Crystal’s arm wrapped around Chloe’s shoulders. Chloe cringed, but she managed to resist the urge to throw her off, grab her sidearm, scratch her face, or better yet, shoot her right in her fucking face. But instead of everything that came naturally and everything she needed to do and everything that was right, Chloe huddled against Crystal and let her guide her out of the police station, leading her to her truck once more, and tucking her in before driving away from the police station. She glanced back only once, and fought the impulse to fling herself out of there as she stared with longing at the building where safety awaited.
Tara. Tara wasn’t safe.
Should she keep pretending? Yes. She had to keep up the act for as long as possible. She had to get Crystal talking, but about what? What should she say? She wasn’t clever or even remotely sleuth-like. She had no persuasive acting skills. She had zero on her side. Nada. None. She was used to being out there with whatever she felt and thought, from exuberance to sadness, and she rarely hid either. So no, no real drama skills. But she had to be convincing now. This time, it meant life and death. Her own and Tara’s lives were in jeopardy, since Ebony’s was already gone. Hatred seethed and filled every vessel of Chloe’s body.
Ebony. She had to do this for her sister. In honor of her sister. She intended to save the woman who helped heal the man that Ebony once loved. Ebony would want her to do that. She knew in her heart Ebony loved and adored Ryder. If she could speak from heaven, for Chloe knew she was there, she would have told Ryder to move on and be happy, urging him to find love and joy once again, as he did with Tara. She’d especially want that for Wyatt. Tara, not Ebony, would be the mother that Wyatt remembered. And it was up to Chloe now to make sure that happened.
Resolute, and shored up, she sniffled and slouched, playing up her grief. “Do you think… do you think Tara might still be alive?” Glancing over at Crystal, Chloe nearly winced at her performance.
“I hope so. I hope we got to him in time. Now they just have to break him. Decipher his incessant babbling. He was crying hysterically last time I glanced in on them.”
Chloe cringed. That was on her. She unleashed a witch hunt on an innocent, child-like boy because he was unusual, and she suspected him for that reason. So what if he were odd? That was also how some people saw Chet. She longed for him now, and wanted him. She sighed.
“Could I use your phone? I need to text my boyfriend and tell him what’s going on. I seemed to have misplaced my phone an
d I’m sure he’s worried sick.”
Crystal hesitated. Surprise showed on her face. What could she do? How could she say no without it being obvious or strange? “Sure.” Crystal nodded, after obviously concluding it would be harmless.
After all, she was part of the community too, and friends with Chloe. So why would it seem unusual if she borrowed her phone?
It’s Chloe. Lost phone. Have no way to contact you. If you haven’t heard, Tara is missing… just like Ebony… they have Lance Huskin in custody. Leaving police station with Crystal to go see my parents. I’m too upset to drive. Be home by 6.
She pressed send. She knew she would not be home by six o’clock. Maybe Chet would realize how weird her message was. First of all, he knew she had a half dozen burner phones to use as backup cells. That was a critical part of her feeble, pathetic plan. She had to count on Chet noticing all the details, especially about her. She had become obsessed with using cell phones. He had to realize there must have been something wrong because she was using someone else’s phone and claiming she didn’t have one. Crystal glanced down at her phone when Chloe handed it back, quite visibly checking to see what she sent. Chloe nodded, her shoulders slumping in relief. Chloe could only pray her message was benign enough so as not to alert Crystal, but unlike her enough that it would alert Chet.
It was jarring to realize Chet had no idea anything was going on. Not that Tara was missing or she’d been looking for Tara all day, or that Ryder was devastated and then that she’d accused Lance of murder and then gone to the police station… he knew nothing.
