Secrets Never Told Read online

  “I’m going to get some coffee, and I’ll bring you a tea if you’d like.”

  “I can get it.”

  “What? You think I’m too highfalutin’ now to fetch coffee?”

  Josh returned shortly with a cup of coffee and a Lady Grey tea. He put the cups on the table and sat behind his desk. “I assume you want to interview me about developments in the case, and I’m happy to answer whatever questions I can.” He paused. “But first, let’s get something clear. As far as I’m concerned, nothing has changed between us. Yes, I admit, we’re going to have to make sure we maintain our boundaries, but we were doing that before I, you know, before I became sheriff.”

  “I don’t even know what to call you.”

  “Sheriff Joshua Hart, at your service, ma’am.” Josh laughed. “Don’t look so serious. I’m kidding. I’m still Josh. That’s what I’m trying to tell you.”

  Enid pulled her notepad and pen from her tote. “Okay, Josh. I have some questions for you. And, just to let you know, I’m doing two articles I need to get information on. The first is about you. The citizens of Madden would like to know more about your new role and how all of this will affect them, like who will be their new police chief? And I’m also doing a follow-up on the bones at the inn. Has any progress been made on the case?”

  Josh put his hand on his heart. “Ouch, that hurts. You’re asking if we’re doing anything, anything at all, to solve that case.”

  Enid tried not to smile. “Well, yeah, something like that.”

  After a series of questions about his appointment by the governor and the process for appointing a new police chief, Enid flipped to a new page in her notepad. “Now, let’s talk about the bones found at the inn. What progress has been made?”

  “Madame Reporter, can we go off the record? Just for a minute?”

  Enid put her notepad on the desk and picked up her teacup. “Sure.”

  “You know as well as I do that identifying old bones isn’t a top priority. SLED is assisting, but the sheriff’s office has the lead on this. If nothing else was going on, then perhaps the case would get more resources or attention.”

  “But those ‘old bones,’ as you put it, were once someone’s sister, wife, or mother.”

  “I know, and I want to find out who they belong to. But we’ve got no DNA match, we can’t find a family member, and no dental records have been located, not yet anyway.”

  “Have you considered facial reconstruction?”

  “Actually, Boogie had put in a request.”

  “And?”

  “It’s being considered. But, you know, lack of funds. We don’t have the population or resources Richland, Greenville, and Charleston have.”

  “What if there was a private citizen who would pay for it?”

  Josh tilted his head. “Did Jack give you a big raise?”

  “Not me, silly. But I know someone who might.”

  Pete came in to remind Josh of a meeting with the mayor in fifteen minutes. “Thanks, I’ll be there.” Josh turned his attention back to Enid. “Would this ‘someone’ be a pediatric oncologist, by any chance?”

  “Maybe.”

  “Have you already discussed this with her?”

  “Maybe.”

  Josh unlocked his desk drawer and got his pistol. “I’ve got to go to my meeting. If Dr. Jean is willing, then so am I. I’m not sure what the procedure is for this kind of thing, but for a while at least, I can get away with claiming not to know any better.” His hand brushed her shoulder as he walked out of the office. “Take your time and finish your tea. I’ll see you later.” He called over his shoulder, “But don’t report that we’ve hired a forensic sculptor. Not yet, at least.”

  ◆◆◆

  Enid was sitting at her desk at the newspaper office when her cell phone rang. She didn’t recognize the number, but it was local. “Hello.”

  “Ms. Blackwell, this is Pete.” He giggled like a teenager. “I mean, this is the acting police chief of Madden.”

  “Pete, that’s great! I’m so happy for you.”

  “Yeah, thanks. But that’s not why I called. Chief Hart, I mean, Sheriff Hart wants you to meet with him and Dr. Jean.” He gave her the address in West Columbia. “That’s where this facial reconstruction guy lives. He said you’d know what it was all about. That address is his art studio, but he lives upstairs. Can you bring Dr. Jean with you?”

  “Of course.” She jotted down the time and details of the meeting. “We’ll be there.”

  ◆◆◆

  Art by Alex was in a studio filled with watercolor paintings, as well as clay sculptures. A few wood carvings were in the corner, which Jean admired. “These are exquisite.” She waved her arm, gesturing around the room. “Did you do all this?”

  Alex smiled broadly. “Yes, ma’am. I did. Thank you.”

  “Your work is beautiful,” Enid said. “Sheriff Hart will be here shortly. He asked me to apologize for being late. As you may know, he’s just been appointed as the Bowman County sheriff, so his plate is rather full.”

  “No apologies necessary. I totally understand. I sleep late and work until the wee hours, so I’m in no hurry. If you’d like, I’ll tell you about some of my work while we’re waiting.”

  “That would be great, thanks,” Enid said. “I had no idea that forensic sculptors were artists, as well, but I guess that makes sense.”

  “I imagine our days are numbered. Much of the reconstruction work is now done digitally using reconstruction software programs.”

  Alex was telling them about his technique for painting eyes when Josh walked in carrying a big cardboard box. “Sorry I’m late.” He put the box on the floor and held out his hand to Alex. “Thanks for seeing us this afternoon.”

  “My pleasure.”

  “You were recommended to us by several people in the state. I understand you worked for the FBI and even taught forensic facial reconstruction at the academy.”

  “Yes, that’s right. I have a folder of my credentials and past work that I’ll give you before you leave. You may need it later.”

  “Thanks. This project is being funded by a private citizen, Dr. Jean Waters.” He nodded toward Jean. “She has generously agreed to pay your fee, and I understand you two have worked out an amount.”

  “We have,” Jean said, “and Alex was kind enough to give me a civilian discount.”

  Alex turned to Josh. “Do you have permission and access to the skull found at the inn?”

  “I’m going to ask forgiveness rather than wait for permission. For now, I have full access. You’ll need to preserve the chain of evidence, but, of course, you know all about that.”

  “Yes, of course.”

  Josh knelt down and cut the evidence tape on the box. He pulled the skull out and removed the protective wrapping before handing it to Alex. “Here she is.”

  “Are you sure it’s a female?”

  “The DNA says so.” Josh studied the skull in Alex’s hands. “But that’s about all we know for sure.”

  CHAPTER 48

  Josh drove back to Madden with a lot on his mind. He wished Boogie was around to help him learn the new job, but instead, Josh would have to rely on his own instincts and experience. He hoped the county deputies would accept him. If they branded him as an outsider, the job would be twice as hard. If one of those deputies had hoped to be appointed, Josh would face some tough resentment.

  But it was Josh’s personal life, not his new role as sheriff, that kept invading his thoughts. How did Karla know his sister Kimi? And who confessed to killing his wife’s murderer? He wanted to push the pause button on his life and catch up, but he would have to figure it all out on the fly. And then there was Enid. What would happen to them as a couple? Their relationship was strained, but with all the changes, maybe that was to be expected.

  His police radio crackled. “Hey, Sheriff, this is Pete. Are you headed back? There’s been a sighting of that intruder who broke into Dr. Jean’s house. Oh, and I f
orgot to tell you, Sheriff Waters had a camera on a tree near the road. It was one of those wildlife cams and camouflaged pretty good. One of your deputies has a video of the guy. It was grainy, but your office put out a BOLO on him. Just a little while ago, an out-of-town, off-duty cop on vacation spotted the intruder at a convenience store and called it in. The cop had his family with him and was out of his jurisdiction, so he didn’t try to stop the guy.”

  “That was a good decision. Do they know which direction he went in?”

  “The guy and a blonde girl headed north. I’ll send all the details to your phone.”

  ◆◆◆

  After checking in with the sheriff’s office, Josh made arrangements through Miss Murray, the Madden town historian, to meet with Karla. He was uncomfortable that Karla only interacted with the townsfolk through an intermediary. Perhaps Karla just wanted her privacy protected. Otherwise, she had given him no reason to question her or her motives.

  At first, he suggested they meet at the Madden police station, but then he realized it wasn’t his office any longer. It was Pete’s. Besides, he didn’t want Karla to feel like she was being interrogated. Karla suggested they meet at Glitter Lake Inn, so Josh called ahead to alert Theo they were coming.

  As Josh pulled into the inn, he looked around the parking area. He saw a couple of cars he didn’t recognize, but they could have been guests. Rather than alarming folks by having a uniformed policeman show up, Josh decided to go to the back door.

  “Hey, Chief Hart,” Theo said as he greeted Josh, dishrag in hand. “Oh, sorry. Sheriff Hart. It’s going to take me a while to get used to that. Congratulations on the new job. Although, I really hate to see you leave Madden.”

  With all that had been going on, Josh had not thought of moving, although he did need to be closer to the sheriff’s office. Relocating was just another issue he’d have to address later. “Is Karla here yet?”

  “Oh, yes. She’s out on the library balcony. There’s a bit of chill in the air today, so if you’d like to move inside, I’m happy to take care of it. Miss Karla said she was fine.”

  “Then I’m sure I can handle it. Thanks.”

  Josh walked down the hall to the library and then through the French doors onto the balcony. Karla was sitting at the small round table covered with a crisp, white linen tablecloth. “Sheriff Hart, how nice to see you again.”

  “Likewise.” Josh sat at the table. “I don’t usually take my coffee in real china in such fancy settings. I’m more of a chipped mug kind of guy.”

  Karla laughed. “This place is good for the spirit, even with what happened here. Whatever negative energy that might have lingered is gone now. Theo brought peace and serenity with him. He’s a good soul.” She paused. “But you’re here because you want to know about your sister Kimi.”

  Josh nodded. “You said she changed her name to Heather.” He smiled. “She had a picture of an English countryside from a magazine taped to her wall. She loved the purple English heather, said she wanted to go there one day to see it herself.” He paused. “Is she alive?”

  “Very much so.”

  “Why hasn’t she contacted me or anyone else in the family? Is she ashamed of us?”

  “On the contrary, she’s afraid of the family’s reaction to her running away.”

  “I don’t understand.”

  “Heather left because she couldn’t handle life on the reservation. Even at her young age, she knew that many Native American women suffer some kind of physical or sexual assault, especially on the reservations. Four out of five women are victims. One of her best friends was raped, and Heather vowed to leave and find a safer life. But she thought the family would consider her disrespectful for abandoning them.”

  Josh pushed his chair back. “I remember when her friend was assaulted, but I had no idea it had such an impact on her.” He poured another cup of coffee to buy some time before responding. “I’m disappointed she didn’t trust me enough to confide in me. I must have been a crappy big brother to her.”

  Karla put her hand on Josh’s. “Don’t judge yourself or her harshly. That’s exactly what she was afraid the family would do.” She reached into her pocket and gave him a slip of paper. “Here’s her cell phone number. She’s willing to talk to you if you want to contact her.”

  “Does Kimi, rather Heather, know about my wife’s murder and the killing of the suspect?”

  Karla nodded. “She does.”

  Josh’s head was spinning as he tried to process all that Karla had said. “You’ve been in the area for years. When did you make the connection that I was Kimi’s brother?” Josh didn’t believe in coincidences.

  “I met Heather when I was doing a spiritual healing workshop in New Mexico. We started talking, and she asked me if I knew you since I lived near Madden. As I’ve said, the Native American population isn’t that large. She might have been out of touch, but she’s kept up with all the family members. At the time I didn’t know you, but I told her I’d look you up. She asked me not to tell you she and I had met. I honored that commitment until I began having dreams about you and Enid. At that point, I contacted Heather and told her I needed to reach out to both of you. She understood.”

  “Enid mentioned your dreams. I must admit, that’s a bit weird for me.”

  Karla smiled. “You’ve lost your connection to the old ways. Your ancestors wouldn’t think it was so strange.” Karla rose from her seat as graceful as a dancer and someone half her age. “I’ve enjoyed my years in Bowman County, but I will be leaving soon, as I have work to do elsewhere. Please give Heather my regards if you connect with her. If you ever need me, Miss Murray will know how to reach me.” She took Josh’s hands in hers. “You’ll find your way, Joshua Hart. Trust your instincts.”

  CHAPTER 49

  Nothing made sense any more. That’s all Josh could think about after he left his meeting with Karla. He wanted to run to Enid, bury his face in her copper hair, and never leave her side. But he had to face this situation, and there was no need to drag her into his chaos.

  Josh had been avoiding his new office, because it still felt like Boogie’s. But Josh had to face it. He needed to meet with the deputies and begin building relationships with them. He also needed to follow up on the bombshell the governor had dropped on him. Someone had confessed to the killing of his wife’s murderer. Had there really been an arrest? Or were they conveniently dropping the case against him so he could be sheriff? He had no reason to question the governor’s integrity, so Josh pushed those thoughts aside.

  Still, Josh needed to get to the bottom of it. He pulled into a small roadside diner on the state highway. The only vehicle was a rusted red pickup near the back, probably the owner’s. Josh went inside and stood near the cash register until an elderly man appeared.

  “Whatcha need, son?”

  “Coffee to go.” Josh looked around. “I need to make some calls. Am I the only one here?”

  The man chuckled. “Yeah, unless you see something I don’t. I’ll put it in a go cup in case someone comes in. I’ll be in the back. Just holler if you want a refill.” He poured coffee into a large paper cup and set it in front of Josh. “On the house. You know, support the local police.”

  “Thanks.” Josh put a couple dollars on the counter after the man left and then settled into one of the back tables. The coffee was dark and bitter, but it helped clear Josh’s head. After drinking several swallows, he pulled out his cell phone and called one of the numbers in his contact list. After a few rings a familiar voice answered.

  “I figured you’d call soon,” Troy said.

  “What the hell is going on?” Josh tried to keep his voice low.

  “Good to talk to you too, big brother.”

  “Let’s not play games,” Josh said.

  Silence.

  “Troy, who was arrested for the killing? And why didn’t you let me know?”

  After another brief silence, a painful sob filled the airspace. “I’m sorry. I’m so
sorry.”

  “You did it, didn’t you?” Josh asked.

  “I loved Serena. She was like a sister to me, and I couldn’t stand that the man who killed her was laughing and walking free.”

  “Did you kill him?”

  No reply.

  “Did you kill that man, Troy? Answer me. Now.”

  Another loud sob. “I’m sorry. I didn’t think they’d come after you. After all, you’re a lawman. Why would they suspect you?”

  Josh didn’t bother to explain that the spouse is always the first suspect, and a spouse with a need for revenge was a slam dunk. “But someone thought I did, and called in an anonymous tip, didn’t they?” He regretted the bitter tone in his voice. “Do you know who did that? Was that you too?”

  “No, man, I swear, I don’t know anything about that tip.”

  “If you confessed, why aren’t you in jail?”

  “I’m out on bail.”

  “You don’t have anything. Who posted for you?”

  No reply.

  “Dammit, Troy. I’m so tired of your games and lies. Tell me how you got out.”

  “Look, I don’t know, okay. They told me some woman named Heather posted bail for me. I don’t even know who she is.”

  Josh’s hand starting shaking. He took a deep breath to steady his nerves. “Everything will be fine. I can’t come out there now. I’ve been appointed sheriff here, but when things settle, I’ll come see you. Text me your lawyer’s name, and I’ll do what I can to help.”

  “I got a court-appointed lady, but she’s real nice.”

  “That’s good Troy, that’s good.” Josh’s limbs felt heavy. He wanted to curl up and sleep. “I gotta go. Call me if you need anything or something changes.” Josh recalled Karla’s final words to him. “We’ll find our way through all this.”

  CHAPTER 50

  Josh’s head throbbed as he drove to the sheriff’s office. How could Troy have done such a thing and then kept quiet? Troy had always been emotional and irresponsible—a bad combination.