Bitter Past, page 22
“Edward knew. Or at least suspected. That’s why he left her.”
“Think of the lives that could have been saved if he’d turned her in.”
“When I talked to him tonight at the ranch, he told me he still loved her. That he’d always feel he needed to protect her.”
“Twisted.”
“I agree.” He polished off his beer. “How about you come into the shower with me?”
“That could be the best offer I’ve had all weekend.”
*
One month later
Zak took a bite of his burger. Lots of lettuce and tomatoes and absolutely no onions. Just the way he liked it. Beside him Nadine was letting Jett have his first introduction to French fries. The kid was impressed.
It was Friday, lunchtime, and they were seated on the family-friendly patio at the Dew Drop Inn. The intense hot spell was behind them, Vera Cocker was in state prison, and life had gone back to its usual slow and steady pace.
“How’s your burger?” Nadine asked.
“Perfect. What time did they say they were going to meet us again?”
“Twelve-thirty.”
It was almost one now. He and Nadine had gone ahead and ordered lunch because Jett had been getting cranky. Now Zak wondered if Tiff and Kenny were even going to show. Usually they were punctual people. But, as he and Nadine could appreciate, new babies could make even a Swiss watch become unreliable.
“Awl dun, awl dun!” Jett announced from his high chair. His way of telling them he was “All done.” Zak unstrapped him and let him run around the enclosed place. He was immediately attracted to a water fountain that had been set up in the middle of the patio. Fortunately the fountain was too high for him to splash in, but he clapped his hands with glee as he watched it.
Finished with his burger, Zak took a refreshing drink of his lager. In this moment he felt relaxed, happy, and lucky. Just look at his wife. So beautiful in her denim skirt and tank top. Her skin was golden from the sun and her blonde hair, for once, was not tied up in a practical bun or ponytail but trailed down her shoulders. He touched a strand. “If Tiff and Kenny aren’t going to show up maybe we—”
“Hey there! Sorry we’re late! Just as we were getting into the car, Holly decided she had to eat again.” Tiff, in a light pink sundress, and a cute straw hat, cruised up to their table, carrying a denim diaper bag. Behind her, Kenny, with their newborn baby tucked into a snug carrier, walked more sedately. He had both of his hands wrapped protectively around the baby, holding her close to his chest.
“Is it normal for babies to eat every two hours?” he asked Nadine.
“I’m not sure there is a normal for babies,” Nadine said.
“I’m glad I’m breastfeeding,” Tiff said. “Or when Kenny is around, I’d never get to hold her. Every time we go out, he insists on being the one to wear the baby carrier.”
Tiff’s loving smile, however, belied the complaint. Zak could tell she was glad her husband was so besotted with the baby. At one point Kenny hadn’t been sure he wanted a family, and their relationship had almost ended because of it.
“Oh, Holly!” Nadine exclaimed over the baby. “Look how red her hair is. And she’s got so much of it.”
“We can’t figure out where the red came from,” Kenny said, holding out a seat for Tiff, then taking the chair next to Zak. When one of Keith Dewy’s daughters, Mari, came to the table, Tiff ordered a clubhouse sandwich and milkshake, while Kenny opted for a burger and water.
“What a summer,” Tiff said. “Mom and I are so relieved that Vera opted to plead guilty and avoid a trial.”
“That’s for sure,” Zak agreed. Vera wanted to spare her family the grief and humiliation, but the benefits percolated down to his office, because now they didn’t have to go through the onerous process of gathering evidence for a trial.
“I’m pretty sure we could have nailed Vera with Eve’s homicide,” Nadine said. “The team from Missoula found her buried remains and ballistics testing determined that the bullet found in Eve’s chest cavity had been fired from Vera’s Smith & Wesson.”
“Yeah, but Brent’s and Sam’s deaths would have been more challenging,” Kenny pointed out.
Neither Zak’s office nor the Missoula team had been able to find enough of Sam’s remains to determine his cause of death, and Flathead County sure hadn’t gathered much in the way of evidence for Brent’s homicide.
“In some ways a trial would have been satisfying,” Nadine said. “But at least the families have closure.”
“Plus I get to clear a cold case from the Ford–Butterfield years,” Zak added.
“Their motto must have been: Don’t Dig Too Deep or Work Too Hard,” Tiff said.
Zak laughed. “Yup, that pretty much sums them up.”
“How many of those cold files do you still have in that bottom drawer?” Nadine asked.
“You don’t want to know.”
“I hear Shawn Ward’s been spending a lot of time in Whitefish lately,” Kenny said.
“Hm, I wonder why,” Tiff said. Then they all laughed.
“Joelle was a pain in the ass at times,” Nadine said. “But that was a pretty amazing article she wrote for the Flathead Journal.”
“Plus she did help us nail Vera,” Zak said.
“I thought that was all you, Sheriff.” Tiff nudged him with her shoulder.
“Hardly.” He hoped he never got to be like his predecessor who had always made sure to claim one hundred percent of the credit for every success that came out of his office.
Jett, finally noticing the new arrivals, abandoned the fountain, and beelined to Tiff, who laughed and pulled him up to her lap. “Hey there, Jett. Want to say hi to your new friend, Holly?”
Zak wondered if Jett and Holly would grow up to be friends, the way he and Tiff had. He hoped so. He liked to imagine that one day Jett and Holly would be sitting on this patio with their families. That they would enjoy safe, fulfilling, happy lives, in one of the most beautiful and wild places on earth: Lost Trail, Montana.
The End
Thank Yous
I am so grateful to my agent, Stephany Evan, who patiently read and commented on several earlier drafts of this novel. Thanks to the wonderful team at Tule Publishing, in particular, for this book: Jane Porter, Sinclair Sawhney, Lee Hyat, Meghan Farrell, Cyndi Parent and Jaiden Colling. A special debt of gratitude is owed to the Polson, Montana Chief of Police (and fellow author) George Simpson, who answers all my emails and questions with great expertise and patience. What happens next is all my fault.
If you enjoyed Bitter Past, you’ll love the next book in…
Bitter Root Mystery Series
On the surface Lost Trail, Montana is a picture-perfect western town offering beautiful mountain scenery and a simple way of life revolving around the local ranches as well as a nearby ski resort. But thirty-year old Tiff Masterson and her former school-chum Zak Waller—dispatcher at the local Sheriff’s office—know there is darkness in this town, too, an evil with roots that neither of them fully understands.
Book 1: Bitter Roots
Book 2: Bitter Truth
Book 3: Bitter End
Book 4: Bittersweet
Book 5: Bitter Past
An Anthology: Bitter Root Mysteries (1–4)
More Mystery books by C.J. Carmichael
Twisted Cedars Mysteries Series
Book 1: Buried
Book 2: Forgotten
Book 3: Exposed
Other Titles
Tangle of Lies
More books by C.J. Carmichael
Bramble House Chronicles series
Book 1: Promise Me Please, Cowboy
Book 2: A Merry Bramble Christmas
Book 3: A Baby at Bramble House
Book 4: Promise Me This Christmas
An Anthology: Bramble House Chronicles: Books 1-3
The Shannon Sisters series
Book 1: A Cowboy’s Proposal
Book 2: A Convenient Christmas Proposal
Book 3: A Bachelor’s Proposal
The Carrigans of the Circle C series
Book 1: Promise Me, Cowboy
Book 2: Good Together
Book 3: Close to Her Heart
Book 4: Snowbound in Montana
Book 5: A Cowgirl’s Christmas
Book 6: A Bramble House Christmas
Book 7: Carrigan Christmas Reunion: A short story
Love at the Chocolate Shop series
Book 1: Melt My Heart, Cowboy
Book 12: Sweet Dreams, Baby
Other Title
Letters From Grace
About the Author
USA Today bestselling author C. J. Carmichael has written over 50 novels, including two mystery series, as well as romance and women’s fiction. Three of her novels have been nominated for the Romance Writers of America RITA Award, including A Bramble House Christmas. A film version of A Bramble House Christmas premiered as a Hallmark Mystery movie in 2017.
Married, with two grown daughters and some adorable grandchildren, C.J. and her husband and their Welshie Jazz divide their time between their home in Calgary, Alberta and the family cottage on Flathead Lake, Montana. To be the first to know about upcoming releases and promotions please sign up for her newsletter.
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C.J. Carmichael, Bitter Past
