Jack glowered. “You told Elliot that Roy killed the women. You have no proof of that.”
Sheriff Flynn bent toward Jack. “Do you think I don’t know what you people are up to? You’re like a cyclone tearing through this town and leaving death in your path.”
He had their attention now.
“You went on TV and made a fool of yourself over a pretty reporter and bragged to everyone how you’d bought a house. But there was somebody who knew that house hid his murder victims. The next thing you know, somebody cut the brakes to your truck. You ended up broken, but your brother is dead.”
His crudeness made Kate gasp and Sara looked like she was going to faint, but Jack didn’t so much as move a muscle. He was just staring at the sheriff.
“Then you snoops went to an old-age home to visit a neighbor of the murdered girls. What happened? When you got there, she was dead.”
He picked up a file folder off his desk. “See this? It’s an autopsy report of the late Mrs. Ellerbee that I ordered. Cause of death? Asphyxiation. She suffocated. I was told that she’s old and accidents happen. Maybe she got twisted up in the sheets. But it’s also possible that someone put a plastic bag over her head to keep her from talking.”
He glared at Jack. “And you bribed the video guy to give you a copy of the tapes of who visited the home that day. Yes, that’s right. I found out about that, too. A man who can be bribed isn’t one to keep his mouth shut. It’s quite possible that a murderer knows that you have him on film.”
Sheriff Flynn went to the far side of the room. “I’ve got people calling me at home, in the office or wherever I am. I can’t take a piss without someone reporting on something else your Scooby-Doo gang has done.”
He turned around to them. “Not that you’ve waited for the results, but the skeletons found under that tree are Verna and Cheryl Morris. And yes, they were murdered. The girl was hit over the head—blunt-force trauma. Died instantly. Verna was stabbed. I guess that wasn’t enough to kill her because she was also strangled so hard the bones in her neck were broken. Someone strong and really, really angry killed those two.”
He looked down at his desk, then back at them. “Twenty years ago, something truly awful happened in this town and nobody knew it. The evidence was buried. It was all a real shame.”
He leaned toward them. “But now you interfering busybodies are stirring up that evil. You’re asking questions, making people remember nasty little things about their time in high school. It’s like you’re stoking a fire that’s already burned people up. Four—four!—people have now died because of whatever happened at that damn tree.” He glared at Jack. “Evan! Your little brother. I remember how you used to ride him around town on your bike. And Mary Ellerbee. I knew her. Very nice woman, but she must have known something about the killer, so she had to go.”
For a moment the sheriff paused. “I want you to stop. I’m sorry the Morris girls were murdered. It’s a tragedy. Edison shouldn’t have believed that jealous Upton girl. He should have looked into it all and taken care of it back then, before it all escalated.” He took a deep breath. “But that was a long time ago and it’s done. I care about now. Today. I care about people who are still alive and I want them to stay that way. Am I making myself clear?”
Through all of this, Jack, Sara and Kate had said nothing, just sat there and listened. At the sheriff’s question, they gave silent nods. Yes, they understood.
“That’s it,” the sheriff said. “I hope I don’t need to come up with any threats to make you lot mind your own business. But if I have to, I will. Now get out of here. I’ve got a dozen calls I have to answer. Krystal and Donna are stirring up the town. And that girl Gena thinks she’s going to be blamed for the murders—or be sacrificed to the murderer. She wants me to arrest Jim Pendal’s wife, for God’s sake. But if there are any arrests made, it will be your little Junior Detective group. For your own protection.”
The sheriff stood there, waiting for them to leave. Jack took his time getting up on his crutches. Kate’s heart was beating hard. Had Jack known the truth about his brakes being tampered with? Sara had told her that they believed brake fluid had drained when Jack drove over some rocky terrain, but now the sheriff said they’d been cut. Everything had just become much more serious—and dangerous.
Sara looked like she was about to collapse
from shock.
Kate was the last one up. She reached for her handbag, which she’d set on the floor, but the sheriff did a deft little kick and sent it skidding under his desk. She looked at him in surprise but then understood. He wanted to see her alone.
Outside by the truck, Kate said she’d forgotten her bag and needed to go back to get it.
“I’m going to take Sara and your car home. I’ll come back to pick you up.”
With a nod, Kate turned and went into the office where the sheriff was waiting for her. He no longer wore his look of anger. Instead, he seemed to be a deflated balloon. She took a chair across from him and waited in silence for him to tell her what he had to say.
“That wasn’t easy for me.” He looked at her. “You’re the only sane one in your little trio and I need your help on this. Those two have so much baggage hanging around their necks that they can’t think straight.”
Kate wanted to lighten the air—for her own sake as much as his. “To be fair, I have an equal amount of very annoying baggage. But the airlines lost mine. If it ever shows up, I’ll be up that creek. No paddle has been made that can get me away from my baggage.”
It took him a moment but the sheriff did manage a bit of a smile. “This whole thing started with Jack slobbering over that reporter. And now he’s got you following him.”
“Jack and I aren’t an item, if that’s what you mean.”
“That’s good. Saving yourself for a Stewart. Wise choice.”
Why were the people in this town so obsessed with who she was or wasn’t dating? Exasperated, she said, “Would it do any good to say that today women make their own futures? Men are just desserts? I believe in feminism, in women’s power.”
The sheriff had a full-on smile. “You are so much like your father.”
“You knew him?”