Love Inspired Suspense June 2021--Box Set 1 of 2, page 50
“He’s alerting!” Justine cried.
Using his phone’s flashlight app, Trey illuminated the inside of the silo. A familiar form lay still on the ground. “Will!”
Trey squeezed through the space and moved to Will’s side. A big gash on his head bled profusely, but his pulse was strong. “We’ll have to work together to get him out of here.”
Trey gently lifted him and walked to the windows. He and Justine shimmied Will through and lowered him to the ground.
Will groaned.
“He’s coming to.” Justine ran to the garage and returned with a first-aid kit to cleanse the wound.
“What happened?” Will asked groggily.
“I was going to ask the same question,” Trey said.
Will blinked, squinting at him. “A man. Saw him for a second. Then everything went black.”
The same intruder? “Do you remember anything about him?”
“No. Something woke me up. I walked outside and got whacked upside the head.”
“What time was that?” Trey mentally established a timeline.
“Not long after I’d gone to bed.”
Trey helped Will to his feet, and they walked to the porch swing. Justine grabbed bottles of water from the fridge.
“We should get you to a hospital. You need stitches,” Justine said.
“I ain’t going to no hospital. Slap a Band-Aid on it, and it’ll be fine,” Will groused.
“Sorry, man. She’s right,” Trey said.
Will shook his head. “Can’t afford no more bills.”
“Why didn’t you tell me you were having money issues?” Justine asked.
Will’s neck jerked up. “Who told you?”
Justine bit her lip and looked at Trey. He sucked in a breath. She’d said humility was a great trait, though he doubted Will would agree.
“After the last break-in, I installed cameras on Justine’s house and the barn,” Trey confessed.
“Did they catch the creep that did this to me?” Will asked. Then, as if a light bulb appeared over his head, Will’s eyes narrowed.
Trey braced for the explosion.
“Wait a minute. You spied on me?”
“It’s not like that,” Justine interjected.
“I wasn’t sure you were trustworthy, Will. I misjudged you, and I’m sorry,” Trey said. “By the way, I owe you a new Stetson.”
Will opened his mouth, then closed it again. After a few seconds, he said, “No idea what that means, but I can’t fault you for wanting what’s best for Justine and the boys. So, uh, you saw me, uh, talking to the boys?”
Trey grinned.
Will sighed. “They’re good listeners, and they don’t charge me to whine.”
“Canine therapy is the best,” Trey agreed, ruffling Magnum’s fur.
“Yeah, I s’pose you get that. Fact is, I’m embarrassed.”
Justine touched his shoulder. “Don’t be.”
Will shrugged. “May as well come clean. Truth is, I’ve taken every job possible, but there ain’t enough hours in the day to get them all done. And I didn’t want to leave you in a lurch.”
“I’m truly sorry, Will. I should’ve told you about the cameras.” Justine shook her head.
“It’s on me,” Trey said.
“Nah, this is your property. You got the right to have surveillance equipment, although if they didn’t catch the guy, seems they weren’t installed properly.” Will flicked a glance at Trey.
He absorbed the hit. It was true. The three cameras should’ve caught something to help them identify the intruder. “He knew to avoid them.”
“You think he scoped out the place first?” Will asked.
“Must’ve.” Trey rubbed the back of his neck.
Will frowned. “Could’ve come around when I wasn’t paying attention. That’s on me.”
“You’ve been a godsend to me, Will. I’m grateful for all that you’ve done. Whoever is out to stop this investigation has made it their personal mission to destroy me. I wouldn’t blame you for running for the hills right now.” Justine glanced down.
“I don’t run from nothin’ and no one,” Will asserted.
“Your insurance should cover the repairs,” Trey said. The reply was weak and offered no real solution.
“Let’s hope,” Justine agreed. “But Will can’t wait on a settlement’s slow progress. I’ve got a little savings. We can use whatever’s there to get started.”
“Nathan Yancy owes me. I’ll drag his young self out here to help,” Will said.
Trey nodded. “With us in your corner, we’ll figure something out. One day at a time.”
“Can’t take ’em no other way.” Will snorted.
Trey chuckled and offered Will a handshake. “So, you’re in?”
“You ain’t seen nothin’ yet. This old dog’s still got some fight in him.”
ELEVEN
Justine’s breath hitched in her throat at the long rows of headstones and the spattering of color where loved ones’ flowers spoke of their losses.
“You okay?” Trey asked, parking the truck.
“Yes.”
“Will and Slade have things under control at the ranch. We have bigger fish to bake.”
“Fry,” Justine corrected.
Trey laughed. “Oliver’s colloquialisms are wearing off on me.”
Susan and Fredrick stood beside the large tractor prepared to tear into the ground.
“Nice to see their out-of-state trip allowed them to return in time for this,” Trey said.
After asking for Susan to be brought in for questioning, Trey and Justine learned the Nolans had called Sergeant Oliver to notify him they’d be coming straight from the airport, having been out of town for a fundraising event. Their social media pictures provided proof of their airtight alibis for the night of the fire.
The walk to the grave was somber, and they stood at a distance, watching as the tractor’s jaws removed layers of dirt, revealing the casket beneath. The worker hoisted the box from the ground and placed it on the trailer.
Trey and Justine returned to his pickup and drove to the Omaha hospital where Taya McGill-Stryker prepped for the exam.
Entering the area just outside the pathology lab, Justine rushed to hug her friend. “Taya, thank you so much for coming.”
They exchanged pleasantries and Taya said, “The remains should be ready. There was a little delay in getting them here. Something about car trouble. However, you won’t be allowed in the lab. You can watch through the glass though.” She disappeared through the swinging doors.
Justine and Trey moved to the lab viewing-room window. A steel table and a rectangular tool tray sat beside the casket. Taya entered, and the assistant lifted the lid.
A long pause.
“What’s going on?” Trey whispered.
“I don’t know.”
Taya shook her head. She removed her gloves and exited the lab. Within a few seconds, she walked over to Trey and Justine. “We have a problem. There’s no body.”
“What?” Trey and Justine chimed in unison.
“The casket’s empty.”
“How’s that possible? We were there when it was dug up,” Trey insisted.
Taya lifted her hands. “All I can tell you is it’s empty now.”
“Was it left alone at any time?” Trey pressed.
“Only with the driver.” Taya paused, then scurried out of the room.
Trey and Justine followed her to the loading area. The driver and truck were gone.
“Guess that explains the delay in the delivery.” Taya shook her head.
Trey slammed his hands on the wall. “Unbelievable!”
Justine slumped onto a hard plastic chair. Her cell rang, interrupting the conversation, and she glanced at the screen before hitting Ignore.
“The Nolans got to the casket and stole the body,” Trey said.
Justine’s phone rang again with the same number. “Excuse me.” She hurried from the loading dock, answering the call. “Justine Stark.”
“Miss Stark, this is Mr. Krendal. I’m sorry to bother you during your time of mourning, but I’m the funeral director at Dearly Departed in Omaha, and your name is listed as the guarantor for the Grammert funeral.”
“I beg your pardon?”
“Mrs. Victoria Grammert advised you’d be responsible for the bill. I’m sorry, but I must insist on payment before the services today, or we will not be able to fulfill our commitment.”
Justine sucked in a breath. “What are you talking about? Ignaseus Grammert is dead?”
“Yes, ma’am, and the services are this afternoon at four o’clock. Without payment—”
“Do you have a number for Mrs. Grammert?”
“Yes.” Mr. Krendal rattled off the ten digits.
“Please give me a moment. I’ll call you right back.” Justine disconnected and dialed the number.
“Hello.” Victoria’s quivering voice carried through the line.
“Mother, this is Justine. I just spoke with Mr. Krendal.”
“Don’t worry—I didn’t tell him the great Justine Stark, criminal psychologist, was related to the lowly convict Ignaseus Grammert. I simply listed you as the guarantor of the services. A good daughter who would pay for her daddy’s funeral.”
How did her mother have the power to use Justine’s achievements as swords to attack her with? Trey exited the loading dock and paused.
Justine shook her head and held up a hand, signaling him to stay back. “When did he die?”
“Why do you care? You wrote us off for that hag, Mrs. Scranton. But the least you can do is pay for your father’s burial. You won’t even have to leave the comfort of your home to do that.”
The words were tiny daggers to Justine’s heart. “When did he pass?” she asked again.
Trey moved closer, but Justine couldn’t look at him. Yet she didn’t walk away.
A part of her needed his comforting presence.
“Last week.” Victoria sniffled.
Always the actress.
“So? Are you going to do the respectful thing? It’s a daughter’s duty.”
Guilt swarmed Justine. She strove to behave honorably in everything. Did she owe it to her parents to absorb the costs? For once, maybe her mother had a point. Justine swallowed hard. “Yes. I’ll handle the payment.”
“Good.” Victoria disconnected.
Justine pocketed her phone, her gaze fixed on the small octagon floor tiles. Her father was gone.
“Justine?” Trey slid beside her. “Are you okay?”
She turned as the ground gave out beneath her. Trey caught her in an embrace. Justine clung to him, allowing the tears to fall freely.
They stood that way until Justine could speak again.
“What happened? Who died?” Trey spoke softly, caressing her hair.
“My father.” The words were so foreign. She backed away and dug out a tissue.
“Oh, I’m so sorry. Do you want to talk about it?”
She withdrew her phone. “Give me a few minutes alone, please. I need to call Mr. Krendal.”
The need to be in control had Justine shifting into professionalism.
Trey nodded, then shoved his hands into his pockets and exited the room.
Justine secured the total amount for the funeral and agreed to meet Mr. Krendal at the home an hour before the services. She’d pay her respects without the other attendees seeing her and slip out before her mother arrived.
But the cost would drain a huge part of her savings account. What would she do about the ranch? How would she cover Will’s labor and the supplies? Her head ached with the overwhelming questions stacking in a towering pile.
Trey returned with a cup of coffee for her. “I talked with Taya and she agreed to stick around. We’re not letting the Nolans get away with this. I spoke to the hospital security manager and got footage of the driver, Pete Lucas, from their cameras. Sergeant Oliver is sending Eric the Vulture to bring Pete in for questioning.”
“Good.” Justine swallowed the lump in her throat. “Mind if we take a walk?”
“Sure. Let’s get Magnum too.”
With Magnum leashed, they strolled to a nearby park.
“I hate to ask this, but I need a ride to the funeral home later today.”
“Of course. Whatever you require.”
Justine smiled. “Somehow, I don’t doubt you mean that, but you have no idea how much I could ask right now.”
Trey stopped and faced her. “I’d do anything for you. I know that’s corny, but it’s true.”
She shook her head. “Not if you really knew me.”
Trey took her hand, enveloping it with his own. “Try me.”
The need to unburden herself with why her father’s death hurt but not like it would for a normal daughter propelled Justine forward.
They walked to a stone bench and sat.
“Sure you want to hear this?”
“Absolutely.” Trey petted Magnum. “You have our undivided attention.”
She chuckled. “Well, until he spots a squirrel or something.”
Trey laughed. “Fair enough.”
“My father’s name is Ignaseus Grammert. My mother is Victoria. I changed my last name when I was eighteen and took my maternal grandmother’s surname. I divorced myself from my parents.”
Trey didn’t speak and she continued, “You’re probably thinking what an ungrateful brat I am.”
“Actually, I’m wondering what pain caused you to make that drastic change.”
She bit her quivering lip. His compassion squeezed her heart. “My father was physically abusive. Always angry. My mother sided with him. No matter what. Our home put the fun in dysfunction.”
He chuckled. “Sorry.”
She smiled. “No, I have to joke or I’ll cry again.”
He nodded. “I understand. Family relationships are the toughest. The old adage ‘hurting people hurt people’ applies here, because your parents both lived out of their pain. That’s not an excuse.”
“Yes. And I agree with the statement. I don’t think anyone wakes up one morning determined to destroy another person’s life. Even in murder cases I’ve worked, the act itself was rarely premeditated. More like an emotional volcano that burst.”
“Attending your father’s funeral would be closure for you.”
He didn’t understand. She removed her button-up shirt, revealing the matching tank top beneath it, and showed him the burn scars covering her arms. “That night, my father beat me senseless. For the first time, my mother tried to protect me, and he went after her too. We were unconscious when he covered the room in gasoline and lit the house on fire. Our next-door neighbor, a widow named Mrs. Scranton, heard the fire alarms going off and saw the flames.” Justine’s throat tightened. “She pulled us both from the blaze. One of those things where a person gets crazy strong and overcomes natural odds by sheer adrenaline. Anyway, she saved our lives. But my mother defended my father’s actions and stood by him, even after he was convicted.”
Trey’s mouth hung open. “I don’t know what to say.”
Justine donned her shirt again, covering the scars. “I forgave them both years ago. At least, I started the process of forgiveness. Days like today, I feel as though I haven’t made much progress. My mother signed my name guaranteeing the payment for my father’s funeral.”
“If you want to go, I’ll be right beside you. If you decide it’s too much to deal with, I’ll support you. Whatever you need, I’m here for you.” The sincerity in Trey’s eyes consumed Justine.
She looked down, and Trey took her hands in his, grounding her. “Why are you so good to me?”
“Because you’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever known. Inside and out.”
Captured by his words, Justine was flooded with unfamiliar emotions.
Their gazes held while the rest of the world faded away.
Justine surrendered to her heart’s cry, feathering her lips against Trey’s. Their kiss was tender, tentative and full of promise.
* * *
Trey paced outside the interrogation-room door, his patience waning.
“You’re making me nervous,” Justine whispered.
“We know Pete’s involved in the theft of Kayla’s remains. Why is he lawyering up?”
Footsteps at the end of the hallway halted Trey’s words. Alex Duncan approached. “I’ll be Mr. Lucas’s legal representative.”
Trey glanced at Justine. “I should be astonished you’re representing Lucas, but my surprise-meter is flat pegged out.”
Alex held his briefcase with both hands, a smirk playing at the corners of his lips. “I will need a moment to confer with my client.”
“Have at it.” Trey gestured toward the room.
Justine blocked the entry and shifted out of the way, allowing Alex to enter. He closed the door softly behind him.
“This is ridiculous. Why can’t we just haul in the Nolans?” Justine’s question was more comment than inquiry.
Trey resumed pacing the hallway until Alex peered out.
“We’re ready,” he announced.
Justine entered first, and they moved to the chairs across the table from Pete and Alex.
Pete’s knee bounced, and he bit a fingernail with nervous vigor.
Guilty. “I’m curious why you’re his lawyer,” Trey said.
“Pete’s worked for the Nolans in the past, and they wanted to help him,” Alex said dryly.
Trey snorted. “Now that your attorney is here, tell me where Kayla Nolan’s remains are.”
Alex’s blank facial expression matched his monotone response. “My client is only responsible for exhuming the casket, which you both witnessed. He provided that service appropriately and efficiently.”
