Lost in the Dark, page 12
part #1 of Camden Point Romantic Suspense Series
He went back over statements in his head as he drove to the outskirts of town to The High Tide Tavern. A dive by any standard. His shoes stuck as he walked across the floor. A faint odor of smoke clung to the walls even though the state had passed a no-smoking law twenty years ago, give or take a few. Neon signs flickered as they advertised the beer on tap. Half the chairs were still on top of low, battered tables. Tommy O’Riley, the owner, stepped out of the back room with a bucket of ice.
“We’re closed for another hour,” he yelled, then looked up as he set the bucket on the bar. “Sorry, didn’t recognize you at first.”
Nate wouldn’t call himself a frequent flyer customer, but he’d been in a time or two. The last time had been a month or so ago, when he stopped in after work and ran into Ashley. They’d shared a beer, shot a game of darts, and exchanged police war stories. Until last night, it’d been the last time they were together. That was the night she’d called an end to their friends-with-benefits arrangement. But that was neither here nor there, especially after last night. He pulled up the stool Tommy indicated, accepted the black coffee offered, and took out his notebook.
“So, what happened?” Nate asked.
Tommy leaned back against the counter with his own cup of coffee and lit a cigarette. What the heck, it was his place and wasn’t currently open to the public, so Nate kept his mouth shut.
“Couple of idjits thought they’d strike it rich this morning.”
“Did they?”
Tommy laughed. “Like I said, couple of idjits. They got my opening till money. $250 bucks and a bottle of Jack.”
“How’d they get in?”
“That’s on me. Normally, I lock the back door as soon as I come in, but I was expecting a delivery.”
“You think whoever did this knew your schedule?”
“Easy in a town like Camden Point. But if they did, they’d also know that I stop at the bank every night on my way home. Hitting me in the morning? Idjits.”
“Good point.”
“I set the bank bag on the bar and was in the middle of pulling chairs down. Stopped for a minute to hit the head. As I came out, I saw them. Yelled. They took off, but not empty-handed.”
“Did you get a look at their faces?”
“Sort of. Neither turned around, but they were facing the mirror behind the bar.”
Tommy gave him the description. Both had lean, tall builds with dull brown hair.
“Anything else? Recognize either of them?”
“I don’t remember seeing them in here before, but the weekends can get pretty busy. Guessing they were related. Kind of looked alike. Maybe a few years difference in age. The older one? He had some acne scars. The younger one didn’t that I could see.”
Nate had an idea of who they were dealing with. He flipped back through his notebook to the May Day Fair and the two guys who got into a brawl in the bar tent. Brothers. Jonah and Drew Barrett. And idjits definitely fit. Nate promised he’d have the report filed later that day if Tommy wanted to stop by and sign it.
On the way to the address he’d taken down the day of the brawl, he called in for backup.
Wyman and Navarro met Nate in front of a small bungalow with pretty, colorful flowers lining the walk and outlining the house. A faded blue Toyota Corolla sat in the carport. Navarro went around back, while Wyman took the side yard as Nate knocked. After a few minutes, the door opened to reveal a white-haired woman approximately eighty years old.
“Ma’am. I’m Detective Nate Daines with the Camden Police Department. Are you home alone?”
“I am. What’s this about?” She stood up straight, all five feet one—if that—of her and squared her shoulders. “I paid that speeding ticket I got last month.”
Nate smiled, let his hand shift away from his gun. Something—probably the sudden haughty attitude—told him she hadn’t actually paid that ticket, but that wasn’t his concern. “No, ma’am. I’m not here about that. I’m looking for two brothers, Jonah and Drew Barrett. They gave this address as their current residence.”
“I’ve lived here for the past thirty years. Ever since I retired and my sweet Edwin passed away. We weren’t blessed with children.”
“You’re not renting out rooms or have family visiting?”
“Goodness, no.” She gave a little fake shudder. “I moved here to get away from family. Especially that sister of mine. Never could keep her nose out of other people’s business. She tried to tell me that I should move into one of those retirement communities.”
Before she could go on, he turned and signaled to Wyman to go around back. “Ma’am. I’m sorry. Can you tell me your name?”
“Dolores Garcia.”
“Mrs. Garcia, do you mind if my officers and I take a look around? Double-check the house?”
“Knock your socks off.” She stepped back to allow him entrance into the house. “I’ve got nothing to hide.”
Five minutes later, Nate, Wyman, and Navarro stood on the street by his car. “Keep an eye out for these two. If you spot them, call for backup. Navarro, do me a favor and run them through the system. Let’s see if anything pops.”
Before Nate left, he gazed around the neighborhood. Quiet. Older homes, all in good repair. A few yards had toys lying about, but he’d guess most of the residents were retirees like Mrs. Garcia. Still, something had his Spidey senses tingling.
Ashley leaned back in the plush desk chair, eyes closed, and said a little prayer. For guidance. She’d told Nate she was in. How could she be anything else after their night together? Great sex aside, it didn’t change that they were setting themselves up for heartbreak. But she couldn’t help asking herself what if… what if he was the one? If she didn’t give them a chance, would she spend the rest of her life with regrets? It was a lot to contemplate on little sleep.
She’d asked for more in her prayer. Like for a clue. For a day without cold spots and wispy visions. Actually, now that she’d thought about it, the day had been normal. Like as in pre-dying normal. A small part of her dared to hope that whatever gift or curse she’d carried since that fateful day was gone. She could prove to everyone she was fit for duty and return to her regularly scheduled life and the police force without worrying. Or have a dinner date without listening to a one-hundred-year-old fisherman sing off-key.
But first, she had to find Hailey.
The quiet whoosh of the door opening had her sitting up straight, looking professional. The last thing she needed was a new client or for Mr. Sweeney to think she was sleeping on the job. But when she looked up, Nate’s smile softened everything inside her.
“Sorry about canceling last minute this morning.”
“No worries. Any serious injuries from the car accident?”
“Other than a dent in a couple of teens’ social plans, no. Thankfully, it was pretty mild.” He leaned over to brush his lips across hers. A spark of desire flared in his bloodshot eyes. “That’s better.”
“Rough morning?”
“The usual.” He sat on the edge of the desk across from her and let out a weary sigh. “Bad news. The boyfriend’s alibi checks out. Convenience store security footage puts him exactly where he said he was… four hours away.”
She headed to the coffeepot, offered him a cup before pouring her own. “That’s a shame. I really don’t like that guy.”
“Me neither, but unfortunately, there’s not a law against being an asshole.”
Ash handed him his drink before leaning back against Kat’s desk, letting her knees bump up against Nate’s, instead of returning to her chair where she’d been working. She wanted his nearness. The comfort of his scent, of knowing she could reach out and take his hand. She’d woken that morning and stared at the empty space in her bed, wishing she had been in Nate’s. Kicking herself for going home. And that had scared the crap out of her, but not enough to run. “So, back to square one.”
“Yep. Anything new this morning?”
“It’s been almost a week, and Mr. Sweeney hasn’t received a ransom demand. That rules out kidnapping for money. And after finding the car, I’m convinced Hailey didn’t leave on her own.”
“Same.”
Ash nodded. She liked that she and Nate were on the same page. It made things easier. “First, we got the phone records. Having the phone in Mr. Sweeney’s name helped speed that up. Last activity was Thursday night around 6 p.m. when Hailey called her dad. That matches up with what Mr. Sweeney has told us. She was in Camden Point at that time. After that, no calls, no texts.”
Nate took a sip of his coffee as he processed what she’d told him. “So, the next question is, did she turn her phone off and drive to Groton, or did someone else?”
“I’m guessing someone else. The question is… who? Also, my friend got access to Hailey’s computer. Unfortunately, there’s nothing there to lead us to her. Just the usual. Junk emails. Search history looks like it’s mostly related to schoolwork and getting familiar with UConn and the surrounding area. Pretty tame stuff.”
“This sounds like a crime of opportunity. Hailey was in the wrong place at the right time.”
“Maybe.” She couldn’t shake her gut feeling that there was something bigger in play. “I checked in with various PDs in the state on missing women to see if I could find a pattern or a match.”
“Anything pop?”
“Not really, at least, not officially. I talked with Troop H up in Hartford. They’ve got nothing recently that fits the MO.”
Nate raised the cup, but paused. “And?”
“I saw a post on social media about a missing woman, but I can’t find a report on her. She’s in the same age group as Hailey, but she’s a brunette, from a totally different area—Waterbury—works at a fast-food place, and didn’t graduate high school. No obvious connection to Hailey, except the friend who made the post said the woman didn’t come home from work one night last week.”
“Just like Hailey.”
“But that’s where it ends. This one is a bit of a partier from what I can see, and Waterbury is over an hour away.”
“Just like our dead girl—Destiny Zagata. At least the partying and distance.” Nate took a few minutes to bring her up to speed on what they’d learned about the woman found in the woods.
The coffee she’d been drinking turned to sludge in her stomach. “You think all three disappearances are connected?”
“It’s possible.” Nate walked over to the window, looked out over the quiet town square. “I’m not ready to rule anything out at this point, other than Hailey didn’t walk away of her own free will.” He turned back to Ashley. “I ran a search in CODIS. No matches.”
Not finding a match in the FBI database was a good thing, as it meant there was still hope that Hailey was alive and waiting to be found. “For the first time in six months, I wish we were in NY. There are cameras everywhere. Camden Point has only a handful.”
“Then we keep knocking on doors and asking people if they’ve seen Hailey until we find that one person who did.”
Ashley nodded, as she’d been thinking the same thing. “Want to start at the apartment complex? They had one creeper. They might have more.”
Nate walked over to set his half-drunk coffee on the desk. He stopped in front of her, his eyes searching, his face full of questions.
“What?” she asked.
“I was thinking. Afterward, you could come over to my place for dinner. Have a quiet night, just the two of us. Let our brains rest.” He took her hand in his, ran his thumb softly over her palm. “Maybe stay the night this time?”
She leaned in closer. “Tempting”
“Just tempting?” He closed the distance, brushing his lips across hers. At first, just a wisp of a kiss, teasing, tantalizing, then he went deeper, hungrier, demanding. He pulled back a fraction. “Just say yes. Don’t overthink it. Go with your gut instinct.”
She kissed him this time, giving him a taste of what could be. For once, not thinking or worrying, just doing as he said, letting instinct rule. “You’re one of those cuddler types, aren’t you?”
His smile said all she needed to know. Oh yeah, he was a snuggler. Probably the type who’d make her breakfast and deliver it to her in bed. If she wasn’t careful, not only would she end up with a broken heart, but spoiled for all other men. She stepped into his space, trailing her fingers up his chest, remembering the feel of his bare skin beneath her palms. Nate gripped her hips and pulled her in tight. Before they could dive back in to that kiss, or she could give him a response, her phone rang. A subtle reminder that she was in her place of employment, making out with a hot cop.
Ashley glanced at the call ID and stepped back, need coursing through her. It was going to be a long day. “Excuse me. I need to take this.” She walked into the back room that doubled as a break room and pushed the door closed.
“Medearis.”
“HR’s breathing down my neck. I need a return date.”
“LT, I’m in the middle of an open case. We’ve got one missing woman and another dead. I can’t give you a date… not yet.”
“Then let me give you one. You’ve got two weeks. I can’t extend your leave any longer. If you’re not medically fit to return to duty—”
“I get it. I’m off the force. You don’t have to tell me again.”
“I’m sorry, Ashley. What happened to you… It’s a risk of the job. It’s why we wear the vest.”
“Too bad he missed the vest.”
“Two weeks, Medearis.”
She slumped against the wall. Pressure built in her chest. Air refused to enter her lungs. Two weeks. She had two weeks to wrap everything up and get back. Hailey didn’t have two. Every gut instinct told her that time was running out for that woman. But Nate? Just the thought of him calmed her nerves. Air flowed into her lungs. The room came into focus.
She didn’t know what to do about Nate, but he was waiting for her in the other room and she couldn’t hide in the supply room all day.
Nate looked up as she came out of the back room. “Everything okay?”
“Yeah, it’s fine.” Ashley wanted to turn back the clock. Go to the time minutes ago when Nate kissed her and stay there. She wanted to forget all the demands and expectations and just enjoy a moment of sheer bliss. But that wasn’t how life worked. She needed a moment or five to figure out what the hell she was feeling and wanting, because she was pretty sure she almost had a panic attack a moment ago. “Listen, about tonight and your offer. Maybe we should table it for now. Keep our focus on the case and see how the day plays out.”
For a moment, Nate looked like he was going to argue with her. She wouldn’t blame him if he up and changed his mind. Her hot and cold could give a guy whiplash. Nate turned his back on her.
What was she doing? She was going to blow it and then she’d end up alone with five dozen corgis, and all the neighborhood kids would call her weird and egg her house. She reached for him, but before she made contact, he turned back toward her. The man she’d been kissing was gone, locked away. Nate pulled out his phone, tapped a few buttons, and looked her in the eyes.
“Fine, whatever you say. Look, I got a message that the chief wants to see me. I’ll call you when I’m free to do those interviews.”
Before she could ask him to wait and explain what happened, he walked out the door.
Yep, it was going to be just her and five dozen lap dogs as she sat in a rocker and tried to remember how she ended up alone.
Chapter 9
Ashley had barely taken a breath when the door opened again. It wasn’t the man who had captured her attention and stolen her breath when he kissed her, returning to argue it out.
“Devin.” Ashley hid her disappointment. She didn’t want to be grilled. “I thought you were out of town. Weren’t you checking out some new gallery in Miami, or somewhere?”
“Yes. The gallery is ultra-chic and exclusive and they want to carry a few of my pieces. So, yay me!” She dropped into the club chair as her face lit up. “The weather in Miami was unbelievably gorgeous.”
“Congrats. That’s fabulous news.”
“We should go celebrate with dinner tonight.”
Ash bit down on her bottom lip as she tried to figure out how not to bust her friend’s bubble.
“Or we could do it another night, especially if you have other plans with a hot detective,” Devin continued shrewdly.
Maybe. Who knew after her backpedaling? “No, it’s work. This case.”
Devin arched her brow, then squinted. “Are you sure that’s the real reason? I mean, you two looked pretty cozy a few minutes ago.”
“You saw that, huh?”
“Yeah, I did, and I want details.” She clapped and sat up straight, leaning in. “How long have you and Detective Hottie been a thing? Jeez, a girl goes away for a few days and everything changes.”
“It’s nothing. We’re working together.”
“Sure, I mean the gallery manager and I checked out each other’s tonsils, too.”
For a moment, Ash wasn’t sure if Devin was serious or being sarcastic. After a beat or two, she shook her head. “Right. We’re trying to find a missing person, Hailey Sweeney. It means spending a lot of time together. And life is complicated right now.”
“Isn’t it always?” she asked quietly.
Yeah. Devin had a good point. Two weeks wasn’t enough time to establish a relationship. A snowball in a greenhouse had a better chance at survival. It was best for all parties to keep things platonic. They’d been having sex for months. Last night wasn’t any different. Except it was. The timing stunk. They needed their focus on Hailey. Getting involved just complicated everything, and they didn’t need the distraction. But she wouldn’t lie to her friend.
Through the window, Ashley caught sight of Nate across the town square, where he’d stopped to talk to a mother and her young son. The smile spread before she could stop it.
“Ha! I knew it.” Devin got up and went to the mini fridge in the back room, returned with two bottles of water, and handed one to her. “I’m guessing by your comment, you shot him down. But why?”
