Fool's Deadly Gold, page 27
“I already told you all that,” Gus said. “I did it, and I’ll take my medicine. But I didn’t kill anyone. I was only trying to scare you off.”
“I understand that,” Roger said.
“Well, I don’t understand why I had to sit in jail all these weeks when you didn’t have a case against me,” Gus said. “I could have told you that the evidence was planted.”
“I tried, but your attorney here wouldn’t let me question you.”
“Do you mean that if I’d talked to you earlier, this might have all been taken care of weeks ago?”
“That’s right,” Roger said.
Gus turned to his attorney with a snarl. “You’re the reason I spent all this time? I thought you were supposed to help me.”
Edgar Perkins’s face grew red. “It is never wise to allow a defendant to talk to the officers when it could result in an adverse admission. I was looking out for your best interest.”
“But I didn’t kill nobody. You had no right to not let me tell my side of the story to Detective Koltun,” Gus said angrily. “I could have been outta here a long time ago. You can go now. I don’t need no more of your help.”
“I think you need to have me here. These are pretty serious charges you’re still facing, and I think I can help resolve them,” Perkins said.
Gus pointed to the door. “You made me think it was all your doing that got the charges dropped. Now I know better. Go on. Get out of here. You’re fired.”
“Gus, this isn’t wise,” Perkins said.
“Go. I don’t need your help,” Gus said, his face dark with anger and his bulbous nose bright red.
Edgar Perkins left, mumbling as he did so. After he was gone, Gus said, “He really messed me up, didn’t he?”
“He did what he did. But I could have resolved this if I’d spoken to you earlier, that’s for sure,” Detective Koltun said. He was as angry with Attorney Edgar Perkins as Gus was. If it had not been for him, the real killer of Bridgette Tansey might have already been arrested. Valuable time was lost. But now he wanted Gus’s help.
“What exactly happened that made you decide to believe me?” Gus asked. “Mr. Perkins made it sound like he’d backed you into a corner and you had to admit he was beating you in court.”
“No, that’s not at all how it was. Would you like me to explain?” Roger asked.
“Please do,” Gus said, much calmer now.
So Roger did exactly that. “It appears that Cutler Pike, for some reason, wanted you to be arrested for the murder. He likely planted the boots and knife in your truck.”
“I was right, wasn’t I? I told you in court that I thought it might have been Pike that did that to me. So it was really him that killed Mrs. Tansey, wasn’t it?”
“I don’t know if it was or not.”
“But he had the boots and the knife,” Gus argued.
“True, but he might have taken them from the real killer.”
“If that’s true, why didn’t he say so? Why didn’t he call up the cops?”
“Perhaps he was afraid of the real killer,” Roger said. “Or perhaps he simply did not like you. You told me before about some tension between you and Cutler Pike. Did something happen that could have made him mad enough to do what he did even if he knew you hadn’t killed Mrs. Tansey?”
Gus slumped in his chair. “Yeah, me and him, after we got into it at the bar in Hanna that night, we later had a fight up in the hills. It was before the Tansey lady died. He threatened to kill me then. And, well, I guess I also threatened to kill him, but I wouldn’t have done that. I ain’t no killer. I’ve done lots of bad stuff, but mostly I just want to find me some gold.”
“Gus, let me make you a proposal. I have the authority from the county attorney to do this,” Roger said. “If you will help me nail down the real killer, whoever that is, we’ll drop the remaining charges against you.”
Gus nodded. “I guess I can try. Are you sure this won’t make Tansey mad?”
“He agrees with it,” Roger said. “So it’s up to you.”
“What do you want me to do?” Gus asked apprehensively.
“First, you knew about Tansey’s mine. How did you know where it was?” Roger asked.
“Well, after me and Pike had that fight up in the hills, I kept on watching him, being careful he didn’t ever see me. I’d started digging at that place we had the fight before he did. So I kept watching him working there. It wasn’t long till he lost interest in that place. I wondered why. So I kept an eye on him after that, a real close eye, if you understand what I mean.”
“You stalked him,” Detective Koltun said.
“Yeah, I guess I did. It worked though. One day he led me right to that mine. And I saw him go in it, so I knew that it was some place special.”
“Do you have any idea how he found out about it?” Roger asked.
“Well, I’ve been thinking about that. I’ve had lots of time to think, you know. And anyway, I think I might have figured it out,” Gus said thoughtfully. “See, this one day, I followed him to a trailhead. I knew his truck wasn’t there, but there was this old green Ford Bronco. He sort of sneaked over to it, watching all around him. I made sure he didn’t see me. I could hardly believe my eyes, but he had some kind of skinny, long thing in his hands, and somehow, he used that to break into the car without actually breaking anything. Then he started snooping around in that there old Bronco. And he comes out with a piece of paper.”
“Did he take it?” Roger asked.
“Oh no, but he copied something out of it onto a paper he had in his pocket. Then he shut the Bronco, and he headed back toward me. I hid myself, but I could see he had this big grin on his face. It was the next day that I followed him to that place where the mine was.”
“So you believe he learned the location of Tansey’s mine from a paper in the Bronco?”
“Yup. I know it sounds crazy, but I do.”
“Do you know who that Bronco belonged to?” Roger asked.
Gus shook his head. “Nope.”
“I happen to know that the Bronco belongs to Sylvia Parris. She’s the cousin, and I guess you could say the archenemy, of Cutler Pike. They both had a relative from years ago who knew Caleb Rhoades very well. But they hated each other, and each of them thought they were going to find the Lost Rhoades Gold Mine.”
“There may have been more than one mine, you know,” Gus said.
“That’s true, but they both thought they would find one of them, and each of them was committed to ensuring the other one didn’t,” the detective said. “Now, Gus, I’m going to let you out of jail, but you need to be very careful. Sylvia Parris is an extremely dangerous woman. I have a warrant out for her for killing Mr. Pike.”
Gus’s face paled. “She did that?”
“Yes, she is very good with a crossbow, and she shot him with it right there in front of that mine of Dade Tansey’s. Then she buried him in the trees not too far from where I arrested you.”
“So she might want to kill me?” Gus asked, with wide eyes.
“Let’s just say I haven’t been able to find her, and yes, she could be a danger to you. To begin with, I would suggest you don’t go near that mine again,” Roger cautioned. “She’s like a ghost. She sneaks around and no one sees her, but she sees them.”
“Did she kill Tansey’s wife?” Gus asked.
“She is my prime suspect, but there are some others as well. You just be careful.”
“Hey, detective, I don’t mind the food in this jail. Fact of the matter is, I’ve kind of got used to the place. Maybe I should stay here until you catch her. I don’t need no arrow in my back.”
“But I intend to drop the charges against you now.”
“Don’t do it yet,” Gus begged, his face white with fear. “You can do that after you catch that Parris woman.”
“Are you sure that’s what you want?”
“I want to live. And I want to hunt for gold. But for now, I’d just as soon be in jail.”
“I could sure use your help,” Roger said.
“Ask me any questions you have, and I’ll try to answer them. Just don’t make me leave the jail yet.”
“Okay, have it your way, Gus,” Roger said. “You have been a big help already. I need to go now, but I’ll check back with you later and maybe you can help me then.”
***
Lauralyn had gone to Dade’s house, but he and Lizzie were not at home. So she dialed Darlene’s phone number.
“Are you okay, Lauralyn?”
“No, I’m not. Do you have a minute?” Lauralyn asked.
“Sure, what’s going on?”
As soon as Lauralyn explained, Darlene insisted that she come to Vernal to the apartment she was renting there. “Come prepared to stay until the cops catch Jake. You’ve had enough stress in your life. You don’t need more.”
“I hope he doesn’t follow me there,” Lauralyn said.
“Just keep an eye out and come as soon as you can,” Darlene told her.
That is what Lauralyn did. Once there, she finally felt like she was safe. At least for the time being.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Roger contacted Dade as he left Duchesne and told him what Gus had revealed to him. “I think we need to go to the mine and check your cameras,” he said. “Sylvia Parris might be hanging around there since Mikel and his people are gone.”
“When?”
“Is it too late to go today?” Roger asked.
“Lizzie and I have been in Vernal and are almost home,” Dade said. “I think there’s still time.”
“Did Lauralyn contact you guys?” Roger asked. When Dade said she hadn’t, Roger briefly explained the note Lauralyn had received. “She was going to stay at your house, but when you weren’t home, she called Dr. Fletcher and asked to stay with her. Anyway, bring Lizzie here to my house, then we can take off. We can make it if we hurry.”
“I’ll call Lauralyn first and make sure she’s still safe,” Dade said.
“That’s good. After you do that, grab your pack and your gun and meet me at my house in about thirty minutes. We can go in my vehicle,” Roger said. “The sheriff told me we need to take Deputy Alec Harris as backup. He will meet us at my place at well. And one more thing, Dade. We will all wear armored vests. We’re just heading there to check the cameras, so I’m not anticipating that this will turn ugly. But still, that deadly Parris woman has a way of sneaking up on people with that crossbow of hers, and I don’t want any of us caught unawares.”
It was well into the afternoon by the time the three men reached the area near the mine. Sylvia’s Bronco had not been at the trailhead, but that didn’t mean she wasn’t in the area. She could have parked at other trailheads, or as with Viola and Ian, she may have changed vehicles. They entered the area with extreme caution, circling all the way around before actually approaching the clearing.
Dade inspected the opening to the mine. “Somebody’s been in here,” he said. “And it’s been recently.”
“But there’s no one in there now?” Roger asked.
“No, you can’t conceal the entrance like this from the inside.”
“Okay, why don’t you check your cameras while Alec and I keep watch?”
Dade unfastened the first camera. Then he plugged it into the laptop he had brought. “Roger, you’ve got to see this,” he said a minute later.
“Keep a close eye,” Roger told Alec. He stepped over to where Dade was sitting on a log, the laptop on his knees. He groaned when he saw what Dade had seen.
“This is the most recent time the camera was activated,” Dade said.
“That fool is probably Jake Holt with his long hair and thick beard,” Roger said bitterly. “And the woman pulling the bolt from his chest is none other than Sylvia Parris. Jake must have come up here thinking he would hurt you by stealing your gold.”
“He had the equipment,” Dade said. “So you’re probably right. Let’s keep watching to see what Sylvia does.”
Right after pulling the bolt out and wiping it off on Jake’s shirt, she pulled his body into the mine. Then she carried all of his equipment in as well. She placed the brush back in place and kicked dirt over Jakes blood. She finished by sweeping the area with a branch she’d cut from a fir tree. Then she left.
They finished watching to the end of the video. “She hasn’t been back, but you can bet she will be,” Roger said. “She’s not going to leave Jake’s body in there. I’m sure she wants your gold, but maybe she needs some time to figure out what to do with Jake’s body. She probably figured out that we found Pike’s body, so she might not want to bury Jake nearby.”
“Let’s back this video up now and see if there’s any activity previous to this,” Dade said.
Sylvia had been there on Saturday. She had entered the mine and spent several hours in there. From time to time, she would come out, look around, and then go back in. Dade downloaded the video and put the camera back where he’d had it before. He retrieved the other camera and downloaded it as well.
Once that camera was also back in place, Dade said, “I guess you will want to go in and get Jake’s body.”
Roger shook his head and lowered his voice when he spoke. “No, I think we’ll get out of here for now. But I need to be here when Parris comes back, and I need to have reinforcements. So let’s hike out now, then Alec and I will return during the night with some more officers. We’ve got to catch this woman before anyone else dies. We know she’s already killed two men, and I believe she may be the one behind the death of your wife, Dade.”
The men hiked out, and as soon as they had a signal again, Roger dialed Lauralyn’s cell phone. “Lauralyn,” he said as soon as she answered, “Dade and I and another deputy have been back to the mine. You’re safe now.”
“Was Jake up there?” she asked worriedly. “Did you arrest him?”
“He was up there, but he’s dead. It looks like Sylvia Parris wants that mine for herself.”
Lauralyn was silent for a moment. “Did she shoot him with her crossbow?”
“I’m afraid so. You can relax now, Lauralyn. Jake is no longer a threat. He can’t hurt you, and you won’t have to hurt him.”
***
Roger watched as Sylvia Parris crept into the clearing and over to the opening of the mine before the sun had come up. She looked around, holding a flashlight but not using it. A half-moon lit the area enough to enable a person to move about. It shined from directly overhead, lighting her way. She was carrying her crossbow and had a small quiver of bolts on her back. She also had a shovel, which she dropped near the opening of the mine.
With quick movements, she began pulling the brush away from the opening. After a few minutes, she turned on her flashlight and stepped inside.
Four deputy sheriffs, including and directed by Detective Sergeant Roger Koltun, slipped from the trees and, moving with extreme stealth, took positions outside of the mouth of the mine. A fifth stayed just out of sight in the trees but directly across the clearing from where the others now stood.
That fifth deputy was the first to see Sylvia Parris exit the mine, walking backward and dragging the body of their former colleague. Sylvia was so engrossed in her job that she did not see the little flash of light signaling to Roger and the others that she had almost reached the point where they could jump her.
They waited for a few more seconds. Then Roger shouted. “Police officers! Put your hands behind your head.”
Sylvia attempted to dash away, but the deputies grabbed her and took her to the ground. She fought them like a person possessed, but she was badly outnumbered. Within less than a minute, she was handcuffed. Roger removed the crossbow and quiver of bolts from her back before a female officer stepped forward and made a thorough search of Sylvia’s person. She found two sharp knives and a small twenty-two caliber pistol.
Sylvia cursed and struggled to no avail. They sat her against a tree and then put leg irons on her. While three deputies stayed with her, Roger and Alec went back to the mouth of the mine. Roger shined a bright flashlight at the corpse on the ground. Jake Holt was lying on his back, his legs just out of the mine, his head still in the opening.
Before moving him farther, Roger began to take pictures of the body. “Looks like he was shot in the chest,” Alec said. “Just like on the video.”
“Even if Sylvia Parris hires the best defense attorney in the state, she’s still going down for killing Jake. There’s no way she’s getting out of this one,” Roger said.
Full daylight came an hour later. And with it came the thumping of a helicopter. The body of former Deputy Jake Holt was loaded into the baggage area, and Sylvia Parris was loaded in the back seat with Deputy Alec Harris seated beside her. The female deputy sat in front with the pilot. The others, under the direction of Detective Koltun, processed the scene the best they could. That included taking pictures inside the mine where Jake’s body had been dragged by Sylvia after she’d killed him.
While the others tried to hide the opening to the mine, Roger retrieved Dade’s cameras, as he had promised. They also contained valuable video evidence in the event a defense attorney tried to accuse the officers of using excessive force in the arrest of Sylvia.
***
That afternoon, Detective Koltun spent some time questioning Sylvia Parris. He showed her the video evidence of her killing Cutler Pike and then later Jake Holt. The defiant attitude she had exhibited melted away as she watched the irrefutable evidence of her guilt. Then, having advised her of her rights, Roger said, “Sylvia, you now know that I can prove you are guilty of murder in both cases. I also intend to find the evidence I need to prove you guilty of the murder of Bridgette Tansey.”
She narrowed her eyes. “I might have killed Pike and that deputy. But I did not kill Mrs. Tansey.”
“I believe you killed her because you knew Dade Tansey had filed a claim on the mine before you ever saw it, and you thought he would abandon his claim when his wife died.”
