Secrets Never Told Read online

  And, why had their sister Kimi re-emerged as Heather and bailed Troy out? Where was she? Where did she get the money? Who had called in the tip that alerted Cade that Josh was the killer? Did someone in Madden want Josh out of the way? Or was it someone from his past life out West? All the questions were pressing against his throbbing temples, as Josh pulled the piece of paper Karla had given him from his shirt pocket.

  “Sheriff Hart, come in. This is dispatch.”

  Josh put the paper back in his pocket and pressed the button on his police radio. “Go ahead.”

  “They got a blonde woman in custody. She’s in holding, waiting on you.”

  “I’m on the way.” Josh turned on his blue light and sped toward the sheriff’s office.

  ◆◆◆

  The blonde in the interrogation room looked younger than the nineteen years indicated on her arrest sheet. Josh turned to the deputy. “You can wait outside.”

  The woman glared at Josh. “I don’t know why I’m here.”

  “Have you been read your rights?”

  “I suppose so.”

  “Yes or no?”

  She shook her blonde hair back from her face. “Yeah, okay. I know my rights.”

  “Do you want an attorney?”

  She shook her head.

  “Answer me, please.”

  “No, I don’t need no attorney.”

  Josh looked at her arrest sheet again. “Darla. You got a last name, Darla?”

  She just stared at Josh.

  “It says here you were with an older man when they apprehended you. Where is he?”

  She shrugged. “Dunno.”

  “He your father? Your pimp?”

  She sat upright in the chair. “I ain’t no whore.”

  Josh pointed to the paper on the table between them. “Says here he got away. Not much of a guy to run off and leave you.”

  “He’ll be back.”

  “Why did you and your friend kill Sheriff Waters?”

  “I didn’t shoot nobody.”

  “But you handed your friend the shotgun. That’s the same as killing him.”

  She shrugged.

  “Are you related to a woman named Angel?”

  Darla’s eyes widened. “No. I don’t know anybody named that.”

  “Then why were you at the 7 Crows Farm? Were you and your friend squatting there?”

  Darla looked down at the floor.

  Josh put her arrest sheet back in the folder and stood to leave. “When you’re ready to talk, let us know. You’re going to a lineup shortly. If the witness picks you as the killer, you’re going to jail. I’d suggest you think about what kind of life that will be for a pretty blonde like you.”

  Darla’s hands were in handcuffs, so she curled her head down toward her shoulder to wipe away the tears streaming down her face.

  CHAPTER 51

  Enid’s drive to the Bowman County sheriff’s office was short—less than thirty minutes. She avoided the highways and took the back roads instead. She had not grown up around farms and open land, but over the past couple of years she had learned to appreciate the beauty and serenity of the area. The new distribution center, though it provided needed jobs, had spawned housing developments that were encroaching on the farms. Piles of cut trees by the road, now brown and dying, were a reminder that progress would soon change much of the landscape.

  Her mother used to say that change is inevitable. To a small child, change sounded like an adventure—a new place to explore, new ideas, new things to do. But later, she learned that change can also be scary. Sometimes change means loss and heartache.

  Enid switched the radio station from easy listening to a rock station. She needed to energize herself and shake off this feeling of impending doom. There was no reason to assume she and Josh would have to change their relationship. But if she were honest with herself, it had already changed. Ever since Cade had told her about investigating Josh, she had been uneasy. As a reporter, she wanted to know all the facts, but she had resisted doing her own research into Josh’s life. Maybe she just didn’t want to know. She pushed those thoughts aside.

  She pulled into the parking lot beside a red brick building several times larger than the Madden police station. She gathered her tote and took a deep breath. Everything is okay.

  Inside, she was greeted by a female deputy. “Can I help you?”

  “I’m looking for Sheriff Josh Hart.” It sounded funny to even say that.

  “His office is upstairs. Just take a right off the elevator and someone will help you.”

  As instructed, Enid walked off the elevator and turned right. People were scurrying around with far more activity than she was used to seeing in Josh’s old office. “Excuse me, I need to see Sheriff Hart.”

  The deputy pointed to the next doorway. “You can see the desk clerk in there.”

  Enid walked through the door and saw a dozen people sitting in chairs against the wall and others waiting in a long line. She should have made an appointment, especially since she didn’t even know if he was in. Looking around again, she decided to leave.

  Back in her car, she called Josh on her cell phone. Several rings later, his voice message responded.

  “Josh, I need to talk to you. I just left your office, you know, the new office. I don’t even know if you’re there. Just call me. I miss you, and I need an update on the bones story.” She then added, “I miss us.”

  ☐ ☐ ☐

  Enid called Jack from the car and told him she had been unable to talk to Josh to get an update on the bones. She promised to keep digging and to have an update for the next news edition. She tapped on Jean’s cell number, and Jean answered quickly.

  “Hi, Enid, I was just getting ready to call you and then your call popped up.”

  “What’s going on? Everything okay? You sound . . .”

  “Nervous is probably what you’re hearing. I’ve got to go to a lineup. They’ve arrested a woman they think was one of my father’s killers. They want me to identify her. And I was wondering, could you go with me?”

  “Sure, where do you have to go?”

  Jean gave her the address of the sheriff’s department, where Enid had just left.

  “I’ll meet you there,” Enid said. “I’m not far away.”

  ◆◆◆

  Enid had been waiting about twenty minutes when Jean Waters arrived at the Bowman County sheriff’s office. Jean approached Enid and hugged her. “Thank you so much for coming. I’m so scared.”

  “What are you afraid of?” Enid asked.

  “I don’t want to make a mistake.” Jean glanced at her watch. “I guess I’d better check in and let them know I’m here.”

  Enid waited while Jean talked to the front desk. She checked her phone. No text or call from Josh.

  Jean walked back and sat down in the chair next to Enid. Unlike the metal chairs in the Madden police station, these had upholstered seats and padded arms. “They said they’ll come get me in a few minutes.”

  “Have you heard anything from the facial reconstruction artist?”

  Jean pulled her phone from her purse. “Actually, I saw a message from him, but I haven’t listened to it yet.” She held the phone between them so Enid could hear the recording also. “This is Alex. I’ve got some preliminary results and have notified Sheriff Hart. Give me a call when you get a chance.”

  Jean put the phone back in her purse. “We can call him after we leave here. I hope they let you go back with me.”

  “I’m sure they won’t, but you’ll be fine. The people in the lineup can’t see you.”

  “I’ve watched enough TV shows to know that, it’s just that . . . What if I can’t remember her face? Or what if I pick the wrong person?”

  Enid put her arm around Jean’s shoulders. “Stop worrying. You’ll do fine. I know you’re used to having people’s lives in your hands, but you’re not alone in this.” She squeezed her shoulders again. “Josh and I are right beside you.”
/>   A deputy approached them. “Dr. Waters. They’re ready for you.”

  “Can my friend come with me?”

  The deputy turned to Enid. “I’m sorry but you’ll have to wait here. It shouldn’t take long.

  ☐ ☐ ☐

  It was nearly an hour later when Jean joined Enid. “I’m finished. We can leave now.”

  Enid put her files and papers back in her tote and stood. “Well, what happened?”

  “I’ll tell you outside. Let’s get out of here.”

  A gust of wind tugged at Enid’s hair as they walked to their cars in silence. “There’s a cold front coming through tonight. How about we stop by the inn and get some of Theo’s soup du jour to have tonight?”

  Jean stopped walking and turned to look at Enid.

  Enid put her arms around Jean and held her. “What’s wrong? You’re shaking like a leaf.”

  Jean held onto Enid and sobbed.

  “Come on, let’s sit in the car and wait until you feel better. We can even leave your car if you want to and pick it up later.”

  Jean nodded and followed Enid to her car. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to fall apart on you.”

  “You’ve been through a lot. No need to apologize. Come on, I’ll take you home.”

  “No, just give me a minute, and then I can drive.” Jean shifted in the seat to face Enid. “I know you want to know what happened.”

  “Only when you’re ready to tell me. Maybe later tonight you’ll feel more like it.”

  Jean leaned back in the seat and closed her eyes. “I can still see her. In my memory, she was a monster, the woman who handed the shotgun to the man who shot my father. But that wasn’t the same woman I saw in the lineup.”

  Enid stiffened. “You mean you couldn’t identify her as the killer?”

  Jean opened her eyes. “Oh, it was her alright, the same person. No question. But instead of a monster, today I saw a scared young woman. I saw it in her eyes. She’s a victim, too.”

  CHAPTER 52

  Outside, the wind howled, and rain pelted the windows. Enid and Jean sat at the small dining table enjoying Theo’s chicken enchilada soup when the doorbell rang. “It’s nearly eight o’clock,” Enid said. “Who could that be this late?”

  “Don’t go to the door,” Jean said, her eyes wide. “Maybe we should call someone.”

  Ignoring the warning, Enid walked to the door and looked through the peephole Jack had installed for her. “It’s okay,” she said to Jean as she unbolted the door. “Josh, what a nice surprise.”

  Josh walked in and greeted Jean. “I hope I’m not intruding.”

  “No, let me get you a bowl of soup,” Jean said. “Theo gave us more than we needed.”

  Josh sat down at the table. “Best offer I’ve had all day.”

  While Jean was getting Josh’s bowl from the cabinet, Josh kissed Enid lightly on the lips. “Sorry I didn’t get to call you back. One of those days.”

  “I understand.”

  Jean put the steaming bowl in front of Josh. “Here’s some bread Enid baked to go with it. It’s great with this honey butter.”

  Josh looked at Enid and grinned. “Wait, Enid made bread? This Enid?” he said, pointing to her.

  “Stop it. I can cook . . . sort of.” She made a face at Josh. “Okay, it was frozen dough, are you happy now?”

  “She did make it, and it’s good, so you two behave and let’s eat,” Jean said. She put her hands over her face. “Oh, God, I just realized I don’t have any makeup on. I must look a fright.”

  “You’re beautiful,” Josh said.

  “Puffy eyes and all?” Jean asked.

  “Well, now that you mention it, you do look a little puffy. Is everything okay? I know today must have been hard on you,” Josh said.

  “I wasn’t prepared to see the helplessness on that child’s face.”

  “First of all, she’s not a child,” Josh said. “According to our records, she’s nineteen. And she’s far from being a helpless victim. She knows how to get sympathy and work the system. Don’t let her play with your head.”

  “Josh is right,” Enid said. “You can’t forget what she did, even if she’s not the one who pulled the trigger.”

  “I’m sure you’re both right,” Jean said.

  Enid looked at Josh. “The facial reconstruction artist called Jean today, and he said he had left a message for you about some preliminary results.”

  “Ah, yes,” Josh said. “With everything that’s going on, I almost forgot about it. I have an appointment to see him tomorrow.”

  “Can Jean and I go with you?” Enid asked.

  “Of course Jean can go. After all, she’s footing the bill for this. But would you be going as a reporter or as Jean’s friend?”

  Enid stood up and collected the empty soup bowls. “I’m both.”

  CHAPTER 53

  Josh was waiting for Enid and Jean when they arrived at the art studio in West Columbia. He looked at Enid. “I wasn’t sure if you were coming.” Looking down at his feet, he added, “I’m sorry for that crack I made last night. I was just tired.”

  “You had every right to ask,” Enid said. “I won’t use anything without your permission.”

  “I asked Enid to come today,” Jean said.

  Alex came from the back of the studio, wiping his hands on a towel. “So good to see all of you again. Coffee? Tea?”

  Josh spoke first. “I’ve got a bit of a tight schedule, so if you don’t mind, let’s see what you’ve got.”

  “Of course,” Alex said. “Come this way.”

  Josh, Enid, and Jean followed Alex down a dark hallway to a back room. It was locked with a huge padlock. Alex fished the keys from his pocket and opened the door.

  A large circular table sat in the center of the room. An object sat on it, draped by a cloth. “There she is,” Alex announced as he pulled the cover off the object.

  Jean gasped. “Oh, my.”

  Enid leaned forward. “I’ve seen reconstruction work before, but it’s always shocking to see how you can transform a skull into a person again.”

  “How do you know her skin color and hair color?” Jean asked.

  “I don’t, actually. Her markers indicate she’s of European descent, so I assumed she had Caucasian skin. The dark brown hair color is an educated guess, based on overall hair color statistics and her origin. Most Europeans have either dark brown or black hair. Unless she was Scandinavian, blonde would be rare.” He nodded to Enid. “And only two percent of the population are natural redheads like you. Of course, some women are prone to dye their hair, but the forensic report you gave me didn’t mention any trace of hair coloring in the recovered strands.”

  “Do you recognize her?” Josh asked Jean.

  Jean looked at the sculpture again. “I was a small child when Angel used to come to the inn. It could be her, but honestly, I’m not sure.”

  “Are you finished with the reconstruction?” Enid asked.

  “I’d like to do a little more work, but I know you wanted something quickly.”

  Enid looked at Josh. “May I take a photo? She frowned. “Don’t worry, I’m not going to put it in the paper. Not yet, anyway.”

  Josh nodded, so Enid took the photo from several angles.

  “I’ll include all my marker information in the accompanying report. It will explain how I determined the facial features and all the other technical information.”

  “Thank you so much for doing this. I hope all this eventually leads to justice for my father,” Jean said.

  “I hope so, too,” Alex said.

  Enid and Jean said goodbye, and Josh stayed behind to talk to Alex. As Enid and Jean were leaving the studio, Jean leaned into Enid and whispered, “What are you up to?”

  Enid smiled. “Got time to come with me? I want to show this to Phyllis.”

  ◆◆◆

  Enid and Jean sat in Enid’s living room with Phyllis. “Thank you both for meeting here with me. I know you have
n’t actually met, but you’re both part of this case,” Enid said. “Phyllis is Reggie’s sister. He was convicted of murdering Angel and later died in prison. Let’s just say the case against him is open to debate.”

  Jean looked at Phyllis. “I’m pleased to meet you.”

  “Jean is Dr. Jean Waters, daughter of the late Sheriff Bernard Waters,” Enid explained.

  “Please don’t be hesitant to talk freely about my father’s involvement in this case,” Jean said. “I’m not here to defend him. On the other hand, no matter what, he didn’t deserve to be killed in cold blood.”

  Phyllis nodded. “Thanks. I understand.”

  “Now, for the reason I invited you both here,” Enid said. “These two cases seem to be connected. Reggie may have been framed by the sheriff,” Enid said, looking at Phyllis, “Or Reggie may have actually killed Angel. And then Sheriff Waters was killed by someone living at or squatting on the property where Angel once lived, 7 Crows Farm.” Enid looked at Phyllis. “You suspected some connection with Angel and the farm when those bones were found at the inn. That’s why you came to see me with that riddle about seven crows.”

  Phyllis lowered her head. “Again, I’m so sorry for that whole incident. I should have been straight with you.”

  Jean moved over to the sofa and sat beside Phyllis, putting her arm around her shoulders. “We’re all just trying to figure this out. You wanted to get Enid’s attention, and you did.”

  Phyllis nodded. “Thanks.”

  Enid continued, “To further complicate this story, Jean’s mother, Lillian, is in a nursing home with dementia. Unfortunately, she holds many of the answers but can’t communicate. Whoever those bones are, Lillian had them moved to a walled-off storage area behind the kitchen at the inn when she was working there. During that time, she befriended Angel and wanted to protect her, but from what or whom, we’re not sure.”

  “I had no idea how complex this situation is,” Phyllis said. She turned to Jean, still beside her on the sofa. “I’m sorry for your family troubles. First your mother gets dementia, and then your father is killed.”