Visions Of The Past

by Elizabeth Mahood

  “Was that before or after my father retired?” Cade asked questioningly. The deputy got his drift.

  “After sir, before you were elected.” Deputy Barns said snidely. Cade nodded.

  “So, while Chief Deputy Rogers was acting Sheriff?” Cade asked again. The deputy nodded and then realized he had just revealed something important. He cleared his throat and looked away.

  “Huh.” Said Cade. He left his statement up in the air because he didn’t want to tip his hand and have Deputy Barns spilling his guts to Hank.

  “Ok, so I need everyone else to clear out and let the FBI, Dr. Ridley and I have the room” Cade said. The majority of the room cleared but Deputy Barnes and Deputy Trimble remained. Cade raised an eyebrow at them.

  “Gentlemen.” He said. They looked at each other and then at Cade.

  “Sir, we just don’t agree with your decision to fire Chief, he’s a good man and deserves his retirement. He did a lot for your father. We heard you punched him in the face.” Deputy Barns said puffing out his chest. Cade folded his arms over his chest.

  “Both of you feel the same way?” Cade said, looking between the two men. They nodded.

  “I have an active investigation in which he contaminated a crime scene, he’s harassed Dr. Ridley and assaulted me outside a restaurant during my personal time. I would be happy to reassign both of you to other duties, but right now we are short-handed and I can’t afford to lose any more men.” Cade stated hoping that the men would still be slightly loyal. “I appreciate your loyalty to Hank. I know he didn’t take the loss well but I have a job to do and I need all the good men I can get.” Cade encouraged. Deputy Barns stood, took off his badge, gun and patrol belt and walked out. Deputy Trimble did not. “Sir, I…I don’t know what to do here. I need my job. My wife just had a baby. I can’t afford to walk off the job.” Deputy Trimble stated looking down at the table.

  “I realize that Tom. Can I count on you to do your job or are you going to go behind my back?” Cade asked. Deputy Trimble sat straight up.

  “I would never be disloyal to you sir. Nothing will ever make me do that, not even Chief Deputy Rogers. I promised to serve you and serve this town. I won’t let you down.” Deputy Trimble stated with conviction. Cade nodded.

  “Good, I would like for you to be in charge of making sure that Dr. Martin is protected. Contact Chief Darringer at the Badger Falls PD.” Cade said keeping eye contact with Deputy Trimble. “If I find out you are playing me and Dr. Martin gets hurt, you and I will have a personal problem, are we clear?” Cade stated with authority. Deputy Trimble stood and saluted.

  “Yes Sir.” He turned and walked out of the conference room. Ellie had been quiet through the entire confrontation and Cade hadn’t realized he had been holding his breath.

  “Wow.” Was all Ellie said. Cade looked to the Agents.

  “You might have a problem on your hands Sheriff. Do you even know who you can trust?” Asked Brody. Cade ran his hand through his hair as he stared at the white board. It was starting to fill up and they had no other suspects, but how could he put people on the board if he didn’t know if he could trust the other men and women that worked for him.

  “Cade, you have good enough instinct to know who is being honest and who isn’t.” Ellie stated behind him. He turned to see her watching him. He felt her energy.

  “Yeah, you are right. Deputy Trimble is a good man. He kind of fell into the posse because he was new and Deputy Barnes was his preceptor. I think he has a good enough sense of loyalty that I can trust him. I have two others I know that have my back. I can’t afford to let people go at this point.” Cade stated rubbing his face. Agent Hardy stepped forward.

  “What do you need us to do Sheriff?” He said with sincerity. Cade looked at both men.

  “Dr. Ridley’s grandmother is being exhumed today. It could cause some trouble in the community especially with Pastor Ridley. Dr. Mendoza from Wausau will be taking over for Dr. Martin while she recovers and may need a hand. I would also like to know what he finds during his autopsy.” Cade stated. Brody and Hardy both wrote in their investigation books. Brody looked up.

  “Sorry Sheriff, I was out of line.” He stated holding his hand out. Cade watched him.

  “It’s not me you should apologize to Agent Brody.” Cade stated, looking towards Ellie. Ellie wanted to shrink into the ground. Agent Brody might be apologizing to the Sheriff, but she felt like it was a show because Hardy had chewed him out. She felt the same malice towards her that she had felt from the beginning but against her better judgment she put her hand out for him to take.

  “Please accept my apologies Dr. Ridley. I didn’t mean anything by it and I hope we can continue to work together without any issues.” He said. His words did not match his eyes and Ellie hoped Cade could sense it. Everyone left the room and Cade turned to write on the board.

  “What do you think?” Ellie asked him. He put the marker down and turned to face her.

  “I think Agent Brody is full of shit and doesn’t mean a damn word he says. I just don’t want to get into it with him and as long as he leaves you alone and doesn’t say another disrespectful word, I could care less.” He said, moving forward and kissing her softly on the lips. She smirked at him.

  “My hero.” She stated, winking at him. “Now what?” She asked. He sighed.

  “Now, we go hunt down some leads before any more bodies end up at the morgue.”

  Chapter 24

  Megan was sitting up in bed when Ellie and Cade walked into her room at Badger Falls General. She smiled and waved then grimaced as they made it to her bedside.

  “Hey you guys?” She said weakly. Cade leaned in and kissed her cheek as Ellie took her hand.

  “How are you Megan.” Ellie asked. Megan sighed.

  “I’ve been better. Who knew getting shot in the back was going to be this big of a pain? They have had me up walking all morning and I’m exhausted. On a side note, that gorgeous police officer out there has me very well protected and giving me great fantasies so it’s not so bad.” She stated winking. Ellie turned to see the police officer standing outside the door looking up and down the hallway trying to pretend that he hadn’t heard his principal call him gorgeous.

  “I agree, not bad eye candy if you have to be stuck in here.” Ellie stated playfully. Cade nudged her.

  “Hey I’m right here.” He said. She looked up at him worried he was serious but saw a smirk on his face.

  “When can you go home?” Cade asked. Megan closed her eyes and then opened them again.

  “The doctor says probably tomorrow or the next day depending on my energy and my wound. I won’t be allowed to go back to work for several weeks so hopefully Andre doesn’t mess up my office too much.” Megan stated talking about Dr. Mendoza. Cade nodded.

  “We have our two FBI agents going over there today to talk with him and make sure nothing else comes up missing and Nora’s grandmother will be arriving this am for him to do the autopsy.” Cade stated. Megan looked at Ellie.

  “Are you sure you are ok with this?” Megan asked with concern. Ellie took a breath.

  “I don’t have a choice. People are dying, my visions are getting worse and someone is trying to kill me and now you. If something in her autopsy can reveal anything new to us, I think my grandmother would approve.” Ellie stated. She meant it. Her grandmother had saved her and made her embrace her visions instead of fear them. She had been the only one to not shun her, except Cade.

  “Let us know when you get released so we can take you home. Someone will be with you 24/7 either outside or in the apartment. I don’t want you alone.” Cade stated. Megan smiled.

  “I appreciate it Cade. Hey, I heard someone took shots at you at my apartment. I hope you at least got the thumb drive before you had to get out of dodge.” She said sounding excited. Ellie nodded.

  “Cade got it. We haven’t looked at it yet, who is it?” Ellie asked. Megan used her finger to gesture them closer. Both of them leaned
in as Megan looked around to make sure know on else was listening.

  “Blain Rogers.” Megan stated. Ellie felt like she had been punched in the gut. Blain Rogers had been the victim out at her property and his blood had been smeared on her wall. “The thing is the blood on the bricks from your house is pig blood, not human but the blood from the bricks at the crime scene and the blood on the wall of your room at the B&B match the body of Blain Rogers. It’s also a DNA match for a sexual assault that was reported in 1996. The rape kit was taken but it was put in evidence as anonymous.” Megan finished. Ellie looked at Cade.

  “Blain Roger. Oh my god. I can’t believe it.” Ellie said breathlessly. She looked up at Cade.

  “That might explain his father. If he knew his kid had raped and fathered a teacher’s baby, it could have very well made him lose his job as Chief Deputy and a chance at being the Sheriff. My father retires and I come along and ruin his chances at finally making it. Damn it I have to go talk to Hank.” Cade stated rubbing his eyes. Ellie put a hand on his arm.

  “I’ll go with you.” She said watching him nod. Megan sighed.

  “Well this is a bad time for me to be down. I have all those other people to identify but I figure I can work from a chair if I have to. I haven’t been able to identify the other victim of the brick bashing. Nothing in the system anyway as far as prints and no teeth or skull left to help identify him. I’ll keep Mendoza working on it.” Megan stated.

  “We talked to Mr. Edwards your security guard. Did you know that your computers were scheduled to be down?” Cade asked Megan. She nodded.

  “Yes, I was upgrading my system but they weren’t supposed to be down until Saturday night and only for 30 minutes. Why?” She asked. Ellie looked at Cade.

  “Apparently it started at 5am and ended just after you were shot. The only film we have is of Mr. Edwards waking up and tending to you.” Cade said. Megan closed her eyes.

  “What the hell is going on?” She asked on a whisper. She had a small hitch in her voice and it was the first time Ellie had seen any fear in the doctor.

  “I don’t know Megan but we will figure it out. Just get better ok. We need you.” Cade stated leaning in and kissing her cheek again. They left the hospital and as they drove out of the parking lot, Ellie turned to Cade.

  “Now what?” She said. He sighed, looked at her and then back at the road.

  “We better go see Hank. I’m not looking forward to it but it will come out eventually and I would rather be the one to tell him. I owe him that much.” Cade stated. A muscle in his cheek ticked and she knew that dealing with Hank Rogers was going to tough for Cade.

  “Well I will be with you so you won’t have to do it alone.” Ellie stated, taking his hand and squeezing.

  The drove in silence through town and down a few sides streets. Deputy Rogers lived in a middle-class neighborhood and as Ellie looked around, she realized that she had never been in the neighborhood before.

  “Is this a newer neighborhood?” She asked. Cade nodded.

  “Yeah, it was developed about 10 years ago. This used to be the parking area that was the entrance to the hiking and biking areas, remember?” Cade asked. Ellie tried to remember and realized that this neighborhood was exactly 15 minutes from her house. Something familiar was niggling in her brain but she couldn’t figure out why. They pulled up in front of a grey house with white shutters. A beat-up blue Ford F150 that was slightly rusted from the salted roads in the winter sat in the driveway. The garage door had seen better days and Ellie wondered why the Chief had let everything go. They reached the door and Cade pushed the doorbell. A pathetic ring that sounded like a howling cat rang behind the closed door. Cade pushed the button again. Footsteps sounded and the door flew open. Hank Rogers stood in a pair of sweat pants, a torn Green Bay Packers sweatshirt and old torn slippers. His eyes were bloodshot and his face was sporting a few days of scruff.

  “What the fuck do you want, Sheriff.” Rogers said on a slur. Clearly, he had been drinking already.

  “Hank, we need to talk.” Cade stated trying to push his way into Hanks house. Hank blocked the door.

  “Do you have a warrant to come into my house?” Rogers stated trying to stay steady on his feet.

  “Hank Goddammit this is serious. It’s about Blain.” Cade said, hands on his hips holding his ground. Ellie saw Hanks eyes change and he looked between her and Cade.

  “What about my kid? You gonna arrest him too?” Hank said. He stepped back and Cade moved inside the house. Ellie looked around as she followed Cade towards the back of the house. Photos along the flowered wallpapered wall showed family and a hunting picture. The house looked like it was from the 80’s with its shag carpet and paneled walls. The smell of alcohol and cigarettes assaulted Ellie’s nostrils and it almost made her gag. They reached the kitchen where the smell of burnt coffee seemed to replace the cigarettes and alcohol smell. Empty beer bottles and dirty dishes littered the counter tops and an overused cat box sat in the corner next to an overflowing garbage can by the back door.

  “What the hell happened in here Hank?” Cade asked. Hank swiped bottles off the table and pulled out a chair towards Ellie. She was worried about sitting on anything in Hanks house. Ellie shook her head that she was good and Hank raised a right shoulder as if saying, suit yourself.

  “What’s going on with Blain? He get arrested again? Look I did my best after his ma died but with my hours, I just didn’t have time to raise him right.” Hank said taking a swig of a beer. Ellie felt Cade tense.

  “Hank, Blain is dead.” Cade said. Hank looked to Ellie then to Cade. He turned pale and stumbled. Cade caught him and helped him into a chair.

  “How?” Hank asked with a strained voice. Cade looked at Ellie and then to Hank.

  “Murdered. I don’t think you want details. I’m sorry Hank.” Cade said. Hank looked up at Cade.

  “Are you?” Hank said with a sneer. Cade folded his arms over his chest.

  “Yes, despite what you think I always appreciated the help you gave me when I was elected and my father told me himself that you are a good man. I want to believe that but your behavior lately has left a lot to be desired. I know this isn’t the best time but I need to ask you some questions.” Cade stated. Hank nodded and Ellie thought she saw a wetness in his eyes.

  “When is the last time you saw Blain?” Cade asked. Hank took a breath and closed his eyes.

  “Few weeks ago. We went hunting and he came back to watch some football.” Hank stated. He stood, opened the refrigerator and took out another beer. After opening it and taking a long swig he sat back down.

  “Was he having any issues at work? Involved with anyone that might have gotten him involved in something illegal?” Cade asked. Hank looked up at him.

  “You think my kid was doing something illegal?” Hank said, anger burning in his blood shot eyes. Cade took the chair that Hank had offered Ellie.

  “I don’t know Hank, his blood ended up on the wall of Nora’s hotel room, his body was discovered on Nora’s property bashed in by the same bricks that were thrown through her windows. A lot of things are pointing towards Blain and now he is dead. I’m wondering if he got involved with something and he pissed off the wrong person or persons.” Cade said, looking hard at Hank. Ellie felt a pull towards the woods. She had to stay focused on the interrogation.

  “Hank, Blain was friends with my brother Alex.” Ellie stated and left it hanging in the air. Cade looked at her with a sign of respect in his eyes and a look that said he liked how she had asked the question.

  “Yeah, so what?” Hank slurred. Ellie moved up beside Cade, not only to look Hank in the eyes but to gain his strength. Something was pulling her towards the woods and the voices were getting stronger.

  “Do you know of anything that might have happened in high school that would have gotten them both in trouble?” Ellie asked. Hank looked up at her and she saw a flash.

  “I don’t know what you are talking about.” Hank stated l
ooking away.

  “One of the bodies was a woman named Leslie Cooper. She was a student teacher up at the high school. We have information that says your son and several others sexually assaulted her in one of the out buildings.” Cade said. Hank stood up quickly, threw his empty beer bottle in the over flowing trash and grabbed another out of the refrigerator. He popped the top and took a long drink before glaring at Cade.

  “You know how boys are Cade. That girl was a total slut, luring young boys into having sex with her. It’s her fault she got herself in that position, then went around flaunting that she was having a baby, then took off leaving her poor mother and father to raise the girl.” Hank stated venomously.

  Ellie stepped forward.

  “You think she deserved to be sexually assaulted? If people knew she was sleeping with the students, why didn’t anyone turn her in? She didn’t just leave Badger Falls Chief, she was murdered.” Ellie said, feeling tears sting her eyes. Cade looked at her and placed a hand on her arm to calm her.

  “Hank, Blain’s DNA was a match for a SANE kit that was in the system.” Cade stated. Hank moved forward but Cade put a hand out in front of him to stop him. “You don’t want to do that Hank.” Cade stated. Hank stared him down. Finally, he sighed, ran a hand through his thinning brown hair and closed his eyes.

  “He’s a good kid but got messed up after his mom passed. He started drinking, messing with girls and hanging out with that England kid, Darius Taylor and your brother Alex.” Hank stated, nodding a head towards Ellie. “I knew something had happened at the school so when the girl reported it, I made sure the DNA was administered as unknown. I didn’t want to see my kid or any of them get in trouble for making a stupid mistake. Then that girl got pregnant, had the baby and I thought for sure she was going to claim one of them the father but she never did, then she up and disappeared so we just figured she was a flake or had some kind of mental issues and we never heard from her again. Blain got hired at the query and has been doing that since getting out of high school. I don’t know who he hangs out with or what he does but he checks on me and helps me around here.” Hank stated looking defeated. Cade took a breath.