Twin Murder Mix-Up, page 11
His gaze roamed the living room for Carter but came up empty. Giggles erupted from the kitchen. When he entered, he found Carter strapped in a high chair, happily sucking on a teething ring.
“There’s my little man.” Keith shuffled over and kissed the baby on the top of the head. His heart swelled at the big toothless grin he received in response.
The clank of plates to his right had him shifting his attention to the most beautiful woman in the world. He almost sighed in appreciation at the sight of her.
“You ready for breakfast, sleepyhead?” Amy’s teasing tone made him smile.
Keith imagined waking up to her playfulness every morning. The idea warmed his insides but soon fizzled out. Amy had made it clear that her forgiveness didn’t extend to his faux pas with her twin. Something he prayed she’d look past in the near future, but he wouldn’t hold his breath.
“Sorry. I don’t know what happened. I normally don’t sleep that late. I should have been up to help you with Carter.”
Spatula in hand, Amy popped her wrist on her hips. “You’re injured and need time to heal. I’m used to taking care of Carter.” The unspoken word alone hung in the air. “We’re fine, and you’ll get your fair share of parenthood soon enough.”
“I’m sure I will.” Keith ran a hand through his wet hair. “How did you escape unscathed from our adventure? I feel like I ran a Spartan Race.”
She laughed and flipped the sizzling bacon in the pan. “Are you kidding? I can barely move my arms and legs.”
At least he wasn’t the only one. “Please, tell me how I can help.” He inhaled the meaty aroma. He’d wash dishes for a month if she’d be generous with his helping.
“Right now, you can sit and drink a cup of coffee before your grumpy alter ego shows up.”
“Yes, ma’am.” So she hadn’t forgotten his quirks. A thought that made him happier than he intended to admit.
“What time are we leaving for the café?” She filled a plate and placed it in front of him.
He sipped the dark brew, allowing the caffeine a chance to take hold. “I thought we’d arrive around 11:30 a.m. Give the mayor ample time to get comfortable with his family and best friend.” Keith bit off a chunk of bacon, then pulled apart the steaming flaky biscuit Amy had placed on his plate and slathered it with butter. The biscuit melted in his mouth. “Wow, everything is so good.”
“Thank you. I like to cook, but I don’t get much of a chance since it’s only Carter and me.” Washcloth in hand, Amy wiped Carter’s face. “By the way, I confirmed with Ian that he’s available to watch Carter while we’re gone.”
He swallowed then wiped his mouth with his napkin. “I have a feeling Dad will take any opportunity to love on his grandson.”
Amy’s movements halted.
When would he learn not to push Carter’s parentage? Each time Keith brought up the fact that Carter was his, Amy bristled. No doubt experiencing the hurt of his actions all over again.
She quickly cleaned the little guy, slid him from his high chair and held him close. “I’m sure he will. I’ve prepped lunch for the two of them.” Tears glistened in Amy’s eyes. She shoved Carter at Keith. “Here, take over your fatherly duty while I go get ready.”
He dropped his fork and fumbled to hold his son.
Handoff made, Amy pivoted and hurried from the room.
“Well, little man. I think I stepped in horse manure with your aunt...your momma... I’m still not sure what to call her.” The statement gave Keith pause. Now that Stacey had officially identified him as the baby’s father, where did that leave Amy?
He didn’t have time to ponder the legal implications. Because if they didn’t discover and stop whoever intended to kill Amy, the issue was a moot point.
* * *
The short time away from Keith to dress and gather her thoughts had improved Amy’s mood. Dealing with Carter’s newfound parentage resembled walking across a frozen lake. One step, solid and comfortable. The next, a crackle and her foot plunging through the thin ice. She prayed she’d come to grips with the information and learn how to respond without hurtful words.
God, this one is on You. I don’t know how to do that.
She sat in Keith’s rental truck and watched the trees and flowers zip by.
Silence filled the cab as they made their way to the diner.
Slipping from the truck, Keith escorted her down the sidewalk and pushed open the door to the café. He gestured for her to go on in. Several patrons shifted their attention to the entrance and smiled. Keith raised a hand, acknowledging them, then placed his hand on her lower back, leading her toward the rear of the restaurant.
She stiffened at his touch. Her anger simmered beneath the surface. All these years, she’d wanted him to take her out on a date, treat her like a woman. Instead, he’d chosen her sister. The pain ran deep. But right now, they had a job to do. She swallowed her pride and shook off the betrayal. She had to focus on the reason they’d come to the diner. To face Mayor Taylor.
Amy leaned in and whispered, “You think he’ll talk to us?”
“I don’t intend to give him a choice.” Keith pointed to a large table on the left. “Over there. Looks like everyone’s here except his son, Trevor. Come on.”
Amy clasped her shaking hands in front of her. Was she about to meet a murderer? She glanced back at the door. Her mind and body warred with each other, but Amy hadn’t come this far to quit now. Stacey’s killer deserved to be caught. Amy soaked in the strength from Keith’s touch and held her head high.
Each step closer to Mayor Taylor’s table felt like stepping off a cliff and plunging to her death.
“Try to relax. He won’t hurt you with all these people around.” Keith’s breath tickled her ear.
Yeah, right. What about afterward with no one as a witness? “I’m good.” Not exactly, but she didn’t have a choice. “Let’s find out what he knows.”
Keith flashed her a grin, and for a moment, her world settled.
Standing next to the mayor’s table, Keith stuck out his hand. “Good morning, Mayor.”
“Ah, Detective Young. Nice to see you.” The mayor stood and shook Keith’s hand. The man’s eyes drifted to her. “And who is this lovely lady?”
She studied his eyes. No hint of worry or deception in them. “Amy. Amy Baker.”
“It’s nice to see Detective Young in such fine company.”
“Thank you, sir.” Funny. The man didn’t repulse her like she’d expected. Maybe he poured on the syrupy sweetness too thick, but other than that, he seemed genuinely nice.
“Please, call me Nolan.”
“All right, Nolan.”
Mayor Taylor lowered himself onto his chair then shifted his attention to Keith. “And to what do I owe the honor of your visit?”
“I’m working on a case, and your assistant’s name came up.”
The man furrowed his brow. “Debbie?”
“Yes, sir. Do you know where she is?”
“Debbie? What about her?” A tall, younger version of the mayor patted him on the shoulder, then made his way to Sheila, the mayor’s wife, and kissed her on the cheek. He then shook hands with Christopher Dayton, the mayor’s best friend, and sat next to Sheila.
“This is my son, Trevor,” the mayor said. “Trevor, I think you know Detective Young, and this is Ms. Baker.”
Trevor nodded. “Nice to meet you.” He unrolled his silverware and placed the napkin in his lap. “Now, what’s this about Debbie?”
“I was just asking if your father knows where she is.” Keith’s gaze went from Trevor back to the mayor.
Mayor Taylor took a sip of his coffee and placed the cup on the table. “Why, yes I do. She’s visiting her great-grandmother in Phoenix.”
“How long has she been gone?”
“Around four months. Her nana, as she called her, broke her hip. Since the girl’s mother and grandmother passed on, she requested time off to go and help.” Mayor Taylor shrugged. “I granted it.”
“That’s awfully nice of you,” Amy said. She noticed the way Nolan’s voice softened when he spoke of Debbie. Not like a man hiding murder.
“Debbie’s a sweet girl. A hard worker.” He shrugged.
Keith remained all business. “So, she requested the time and left?”
Nolan’s head tilted to the side. “No. Not exactly. As I recall, one day, we discussed her nana, and a few days later, she texted me that she needed to help the older woman. Said she’d keep me in the loop.”
Keith crossed his arms. “And has she texted you since?”
“Yes. Once every couple of weeks. Gives me an update and thanks me for being so understanding.” The mayor’s gaze narrowed. “Detective, what are you fishing at?”
“Skeletal remains were found yesterday, and we have reason to believe it’s her.”
Nolan Taylor’s voice rose. “Not possible. I texted with her yesterday.”
Amy took a chance and placed her hand on Nolan’s forearm. Confusion danced in his eyes. “Could we look at the message she sent you?” Amy hadn’t waited on Keith. She had to see for herself.
“I can assure you the person isn’t Debbie.” Muscles twitched in the man’s jaw.
“Mayor.” Keith’s tone softened. “I’m not saying you’re lying. But it will help ease our worry if you showed us that text message.”
“I don’t know what you think you’ll find, but I don’t see any harm in showing you.” Mayor Taylor extracted his cell phone from his pocket and tapped the screen a few times. “Since I use my phone for work, you can’t have access to all my communications. But here’s her last text and my response.” He held the device out.
“Dad, I don’t think that’s a good idea.” Trevor’s voice held an edge to it.
The mayor waved him off. “Nonsense.”
Trevor scowled at his father but kept his mouth shut.
Amy scanned the others at the table. Sheila, the mayor’s wife, sat preoccupied with her cell phone, and the mayor’s friend glanced around the table, then picked at his food.
Odd reactions for hearing that someone they knew could be dead.
His hand on the bottom of the phone to steady it, Keith’s focus lasered in on the words.
Amy joined him, reading the text. Sure enough, Debbie’s note said her nana had caught pneumonia, and it would be a while longer. She’d claimed she might have to stay indefinitely. Nolan’s message clearly stated that her job would be there when she returned.
“Thank you.” Keith nodded, and the mayor retracted his phone. “Had Debbie ever told you she wasn’t coming back?”
“On several occasions she expressed concern as to how she’d take care of her nana long-term. But I told her not to worry, to take all the time she needed to work things out. That she’d have a place when she returned.”
How thoughtful of him. But who did that? Especially someone in a political role who needed his staff present every day. Amy met Keith’s gaze. If the mayor was telling the truth, someone had done a great job not raising any flags concerning Debbie’s death.
The mayor’s wife, Sheila, stood and kissed her husband on the cheek. “I’m sorry to eat and run, but I have an appointment.” The elegant woman turned to Amy and Keith. “Nice to see you both.” With that, Sheila waltzed out of the café.
“Now that you have the information you need, we’ll be leaving. If you’ll excuse us.” Trevor gripped the mayor’s elbow, and the older man went without argument.
The friend, Christopher, rose and paused next to her and Keith. “Debbie’s a sweet girl. And very fortunate to have Nolan for a boss.”
“I’m sure.” Amy stared at the man’s back as he exited the building. “Well, that was not what I expected.”
Keith ran a hand over his face. “I really thought we’d ruffle the mayor’s feathers, but instead, his response was calm. Insistent that Debbie’s alive and well with her great-grandmother.”
“What employer keeps a job open indefinitely?” Amy pivoted to face Keith. “You don’t think he had an affair with Debbie, do you?”
“It would explain Sheila’s icy exit. But I met Nolan when I moved to Valley Springs a few years back, and if I had to make a statement about the man, it would be that he’s loyal to a fault.”
“Yeah, well, you never know what someone is capable of.” Like lying and cheating on your best friend. Okay, so Keith hadn’t cheated on her. It only felt that way. But still.
He opened his mouth then closed it.
Amy shouldn’t have baited him, but she couldn’t help herself. She mentally shook the thoughts from her mind. “How do you suppose the mayor got those texts if Debbie is dead? Or do we have it all wrong?”
“No, I’m 99 percent positive it’s Debbie.” Keith pulled his cell phone from his pocket and tapped the screen. “Something weird is going on. A dead woman can’t text. I intend to find out who is impersonating our victim.” He held the phone to his ear. “Jason, get me a warrant for Debbie Ackers’s phone records and access to her GPS location.” After a moment, Keith hung up. “My partner’s on it.”
“What’s next for us?”
Hand shooting out to grip the back of the empty chair the mayor had occupied, Keith’s shoulders slumped. Fatigue laced his features. “Not much we can do until we hear from Mel on the positive ID.”
The strong, vibrant man she’d known most of her life appeared ready to drop, but he’d never admit it. “Let’s get out of here and regroup at your house. I could use a break. The events of the last couple of days are catching up with me.”
A knowing lopsided grin greeted her words. “Then, by all means, let’s go.” He escorted her out the door and to his truck. Once inside his vehicle, he turned to her. “Thanks.”
She splayed her hands out, palms up. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
Keith shook his head, then started the engine and pulled from the parking spot. On the short drive home, his eyes darted from the road to his mirrors.
Amy sensed the tension flowing from him. Her nerve endings sparked like live wires. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing.”
“Don’t give me that.” She stopped herself from laying into him. He knew better than to keep her in the dark. She hated lies, even those by omission or under the pretense of protection.
The muscle in his jaw twitched. “I’m concerned that we poked the bear back at the café. If the mayor is our killer, he’ll be out to stop us from continuing the investigation. Especially if he thinks you can identify him.”
She bit her bottom lip and processed Keith’s words. Replaying the conversation with the mayor in her mind, she recalled his actions. Things didn’t add up. “I don’t believe the mayor hurt Debbie. In fact, he seemed a little too caring about her.”
“You may be right, but my gut says trouble is coming in a big way.”
The truck stopped in front of Keith’s house, and Amy scanned the surrounding woods before opening her door. If Keith’s suspicions were correct, danger lurked nearby.
Had they made a mistake confronting the mayor and placed a bigger target on her back?
TEN
The burn in Keith’s shoulder had intensified during his short outing. His body craved ibuprofen and rest. A nap was out of the question. He had too much to do. But taking a few minutes to unwind and let the medicine take effect was doable. He headed into the kitchen and grabbed the bottle of pain reliever and dropped two into his hand. Nope, he’d take the doctor’s advice. He shook out a third and fourth tablet to join the other two. He swallowed the pills and prayed the prescription dosage took effect soon.
Ambling to the living room, he collapsed in the recliner, cradled his arm and closed his eyes. The hall clock ticked, and the bathroom door opened and closed. Quiet descended. He inhaled and allowed his body to relax.
No sooner than Amy’s shower kicked on, cries emanated from the extra bedroom. Keith rubbed his eyes. So, this is what it’s like to be a parent. He traipsed up the stairs and peeked into the room Amy shared with Carter.
The baby’s cry grew stronger.
“Hey, my man, what’s wrong?” Keith scooped Carter from the portable crib, along with his stuffed elephant and blanket. His hand instantly discovered the problem. The little guy’s diaper had leaked through and soaked his shirt and shorts. “I think we found what’s causing the fuss. Didn’t we?”
The baby’s sobs eased as he stared at Keith. Carter lifted his chubby fingers and stuck them in Keith’s mouth.
Keith chuckled. “Tell ya what, how about we take care of your diaper and clothes. Does that sound good?” He grabbed a diaper and new outfit then laid his son on the bedspread. “Can I tell you a secret?” The little boy kicked his legs. “I worry about your aunt—mom—aunt. We’ll figure that out later. Anywho, I hope I can protect her. She means an awful lot to me, and I’m afraid I’m going to let her down.”
His gaze drifted to the window. The sensation of eyes on him caused the hairs on the back of his neck to stand at attention. Was the killer out there ready to strike, or was Keith paranoid? He’d call Mel for an update on the autopsy once he finished with Carter. Hopefully, she’d identified the body, and he’d have confirmation that the remains were, in fact, Debbie’s.
He undid the diaper. A foul odor filled the room. “Dude, that’s disgusting.”
Carter grinned and babbled to his stuffed elephant while Keith worked on cleaning up the mess.
He lifted the child onto his shoulder and took inventory of the bed, and sighed. “Well, I guess I need more practice.” Keith chucked the diaper into the lidded waste can and turned back to the bedspread. What a mess, all over his mother’s beautiful quilt. But he doubted she’d mind since it was her grandson. Pain gripped his heart. Another missing piece in his life. How he wished his mom could see her grandchild. He shook the thought from his mind and moved Carter to his sore shoulder. Scooping up the quilt and his son’s dirty clothes, Keith headed for the laundry room.
