Framing the Marshal, page 14
If they didn’t find evidence to exonerate him, he’d face prison for a crime he hadn’t committed, while Eliana’s business would soar as an acclaimed invention. She’d have immense success while he’d battle for his life every single day in prison.
She remained facing out the window, avoiding him. He had plenty of things to mull over and he needed to do so in the silence of his own mind.
He’d spent the years getting over Eliana, and having the one question he’d hung on to finally answered did absolutely nothing for his heart. She’d kept her distance all these years, then returned for him to help her promote PHACE. But she’d also kept tabs on him. What did that mean? Had grief over the loss of her brother kept her away? If so, why return now? Was he a last resort or just a stepping-stone to where she wanted to go? And why wouldn’t she talk about her brother?
They hadn’t been together long before she’d left, but the heart didn’t require a specified timeline. Riker had fallen hard for Eliana from the first time they’d met. He’d loved no one else because no one else made him feel like Eliana had. No one else compared. For all his training and professional skills, romance was something he’d given up on. Now, he stood falsely accused with everything to lose, all because of a lie that tainted his name with a reputation he hadn’t earned.
By the time Riker pulled onto the street where poverty had struck the neighborhood in the harshest ways, he’d exhausted his brain and set his resolve. He had to find Todd Billings and prove he’d set up Riker for Moneyman’s murder.
“There’s so much sadness here,” Eliana said, breaking the silence.
“Yeah. Let’s look for a safe place to hide you.”
Eliana placed a hand on her forearm. “Please let me go with you.”
Why was she so hard to refuse? Though in his care, she’d be safer than left alone to defend herself.
“Fine.”
Trash littered the area and homeless people meandered the street. He scanned the buildings for address numbers until he reached what he assumed was Todd’s residence. Riker pulled off to the side, parking near the house but not directly in front of it so as not to draw attention to them. His pickup stuck out like a neon sign in the wounded setting.
“This is it?” Eliana asked.
“I’m surprised the city hasn’t condemned this place.”
“No kidding.”
The run-down clapboard’s siding was falling off and a chain-link fence surrounded property where grass had given way to weeds and debris. For a moment, Riker second-guessed his decision, but the demand for the truth and Eliana’s persistence overrode his apprehension.
Riker shut off the engine and reached for his gun, tucking it into his waistband. “Stay close to me.”
“Believe me, I will.”
They exited the vehicle and Riker leashed Ammo before locking the doors. Every instinct blared on high alert as they made their way along the broken sidewalk to the house. He stopped by the black iron mailbox, slanted at an awkward angle, and peered inside. Empty except for several pieces of yellowed junk mail.
“Looks like Todd hasn’t been around for a while.” Riker held open the gate for Eliana. “Stay behind me.”
They stepped through the overgrown weeds to the crooked porch steps where a moth-eaten sofa sat beneath the window.
Ammo whined and Riker wondered if he’d detected explosives. He faced the dog and, offering the hand command, ordered, “Search.”
The K-9 sniffed the perimeter, where the windows were barren of screens and several were broken. The house sat between two old brick buildings, crumbling from neglect and long ago abandoned. A stack of junk leaned against the backside of the house and a broken fence revealed the alley. They made their way back to the porch without indication from Ammo.
“Think it’s safe?” Eliana asked.
“He hasn’t showed any sign otherwise,” Riker said as they climbed the porch steps.
The boards beneath them creaked, warning they’d give way under their weight.
Riker kept Ammo close beside him and knocked on the door.
Eliana glanced at him, wariness in her expression. “Um, we’re being watched,” she whispered.
In Riker’s peripheral vision, he spotted a couple of young men walking by, their interest focused on Riker and Eliana. The hairs on his neck prickled. They were sitting ducks exposed on the porch. They needed to get inside. Since it appeared no one had been in the house recently, Riker tested the knob. Unlocked. The door swung open with a screech.
“Act natural, like we belong here.”
“Um, isn’t this breaking and entering?”
“Probable cause. Ammo was acting strange. Maybe explosives.”
“That’s a reach.”
“Go with it.”
They stepped inside, assailed by the stench of trash and urine.
Eliana put a hand over her nose. “Eww.”
Stained wood peeked from beneath the ripped shag carpet and an aged sofa with gutted cushions sat against the wall. An old box television set with a hole shot through the middle stood at the opposite side. They crept through the living room to a small kitchen where the refrigerator door hung wide open, permitting a full view of the sparse remains of rotting food. An ancient table leaned heavily on three of its remaining legs.
Ammo sniffed in double-time action. “Poor guy is going to have olfactory nightmares from this place,” Riker said. “Did you know once a dog smells something, the scent is locked in their memory?”
Eliana gasped then coughed and covered her mouth. “Poor Ammo.”
Turning the corner, they entered the single bedroom containing an old double bed. A shredded and unkempt quilt partially covered the stained mattress. Opposite the bedroom was a cramped bathroom. The sink and toilet lay on their sides in the filthy tub.
No personal effects were present in the house and anything of worth—had there been any to begin with—were gone.
Ammo moved to the living room window, facing the front yard of the house. His low snarl was unmistakable.
“What’s wrong?” Riker inched closer to peer through the window.
Bullets tore through the house in rapid fire from all directions.
Riker tugged Ammo and Eliana to the floor. “Stay down!”
TEN
Mildewy trash odors filled Eliana’s senses as she and Riker low-crawled from the room, seeking shelter in the hallway. Gunshots pinged from every side and Riker kept Ammo close as they squatted, arms wrapped over their heads in protection against the raining debris.
“We gotta get out of here!” Riker returned to the low crawl position and Eliana followed suit.
They made their way to the back bedroom, Riker leading. At the window, he rose slowly as bullets continually pelted the front and sides of the house.
“We’ll have to climb down that pile of junk.”
“Okay.” Eliana stood, and Riker helped her through the window. Together, they lowered Ammo outside with Riker exiting last.
Eliana spun, and they sprinted for the six-foot fence barely standing along the back of the yard. They paused beside the open gate.
Riker peered out before waving her through.
Gunfire echoed from the house, propelling her forward.
She followed Riker, ducking and weaving around the dumpsters, old cars and stacks of trash. They stopped at the end of the alley that opened onto a side street.
Pressing against the remnants of a brick building, she asked, “How are we going to get to the truck?”
“Stay here and let me check to see if they’re gone.”
Eliana listened. The gunfire had ceased.
Riker crept and gestured for her to join him behind a rundown jalopy. They peered over the top as two vehicles screeched away from Todd’s house.
Riker and Eliana sprinted toward his truck, which had sustained some cosmetic damage but appeared drivable. They quickly loaded up and Riker shifted in to Drive.
“Ammo, buddy, you just earned yourself a steak dinner for that.”
“No kidding.” Eliana snapped her seat belt. “Eww, I can’t get that smell off me.”
“Same here.” He rolled down the windows and sped from the neighborhood. Once they were on the highway, he said, “I’d better call it into Walsh.”
“Will you tell him where we were before or after telling him the Nites tried to kill us?” she reminded him.
“Ugh. Right.”
“Blame it on me. I’m the one who pushed for our visit.”
“No. I’ll own it. Besides, some good came from the trip. We learned Todd is in trouble with the Nites.”
“How do you figure that?” Eliana asked.
“They were watching for Todd to return.”
“You ascertained that from our life-threatening visit?”
“The place was deserted, had been picked over, and left uninhabited for an extended period. That tells us Todd’s on the run, or he’s hiding out,” Riker said.
Eliana considered his reasoning, concluding he was right. “Can’t argue there. If the Nites believe you killed Moneyman, why would they be after Todd?”
“My first guess is because they think we’re the same person,” Riker said. “In all seriousness, are you okay?”
“Yeah, I think I’m getting the hang of this running-for-your-life thing,” she quipped. “But I respectfully request we drive straight to your parents’ house now.”
“Most definitely.”
Eliana shifted in the seat to get more comfortable. “Todd obviously doesn’t have money, so how would he hide?”
“He’s a criminal. There’s no lack of rocks for him to crawl under.”
“Let me play this out.” Eliana contemplated her next words. “What if he’s on the wrong side of the Nites through no fault of his own?”
Riker snorted. “Are you defending this guy?”
“Not at all. Let’s consider all possibilities,” Eliana continued, unable to stop herself. “We can’t assume he’s guilty. Todd could’ve been an easy target for the Nites.”
“And how does that fit into framing me?”
“Hmm. Noella and Marvin exchanged looks. What if he is in on this? Noella could’ve offered up Todd, and they started a snowball that got out of control.”
“Or Todd decided to move himself up the Nites’s hierarchy and used me as a stepping-stone,” Riker argued.
“If we understood why, that would explain a lot.”
They continued debating the possibilities until they reached the South Dakota border.
“Tell me about your folks,” Eliana said.
Riker seemed to consider her question. “They’re very down to earth.”
“And?”
“That’s about it.”
“Um, I’m assuming you’ve told them we’re co-workers? I’d hate for them to get the wrong impression.” Was it her imagination or had a flash of hurt crossed Riker’s face?
“I’ll make it clear.”
“Are you upset with me about something?”
“Not in the least.” But his tone and demeanor did not match his words.
By the time they entered Lark Point, the sun hung low in the sky, nestled in the soft glow of pastel oranges, blues and pinks. A series of gorgeous homes lined the Missouri River and Louis and Clark Lake. She’d never been to Riker’s home, but Eliana secretly surmised his parents owned the most elaborate one with floor-to-ceiling windows, multiple balconies, a four-car garage and a flowing fountain.
Instead, Riker surprised her by turning in to an older neighborhood with modest homes built in the 1950s or ’60s, shifting Eliana’s focus.
Riker parked on the narrow driveway of an adorable red-brick bungalow with white trim. Neatly clipped rosebushes lined the front of the house, and a square concrete patio with three steps led to the door. A yellow glow emitted from inside, visible through lace curtains. Wood flower boxes hung below the windows, housing purple and pink pansies that peeked between creeping Jenny plants that draped to the ground.
Riker turned off the engine.
“Your folks live here?” she asked, amazed.
“Yes. It’ll have to do for the night,” Riker snapped.
Clearly, she’d offended him. “I didn’t mean—”
He exited the truck, ending the conversation, and snagged his duffel bag. Ammo hopped down and Eliana mimicked him, grabbing her laptop suitcase, duffel bag and purse. She stepped away from the truck as a stout, petite woman scurried down the cement porch steps, clinging to the black iron railing. “Riker!”
A man hurried out of the house behind her, wearing an adoring smile.
Riker moved to her side, and released Ammo who barked, tail wagging in recognition.
“Ammo!” The man ruffled the dog’s fur. “How’s my favorite granddog! I’ve missed you too.”
The woman’s face lit with joy as she neared them, and Eliana noticed her stunning silver hair styled in an adorable bob that framed her round face. She pulled Riker into a hug, duffel bag and all. “Am I dreaming? Are you here in person?”
Riker chuckled, his mood opposite from just moments before. “Mom... Mom, let me put my stuff down.”
His parents stepped back, smiling, and faced Eliana with curiosity in their expression. Why hadn’t she insisted on being dropped off at the nearest hotel? Desperate to become invisible or dissolve into the grass, Eliana clung to her purse.
“This is my work colleague, Eliana Daines. Meet my parents, Lorena and Grady Kastell,” Riker said.
Lorena rushed forward, pulling Eliana into a bear hug. “Hello, honey. What a beautiful and unique name. Don’t mind us, we’re huggers. Come on in!”
Grady gathered her suitcase and duffel. “Let’s go inside and you can catch us up.”
Eliana trailed behind the group, searching her brain for intelligent icebreakers and feeling self-conscious.
Riker asked, “Is it all right if Eliana takes Isaac’s old room?”
“Yes, of course,” Lorena gushed. “I’ll show you to it.”
“Ammo, Poppy has treats for you.” His father led the dog into the kitchen.
Eliana awkwardly followed Lorena through the hallway to the first room on the left, where a twin bed positioned against the wall and a small dresser displaying pictures and trophies completed the décor.
“Isaac and Riker were sports fanatics. Don’t mind all those.”
Eliana placed her bags by the closet, spotting Riker in the doorway.
“Let’s get you something to eat.” His mother turned and hurried past.
“You could argue, but she’ll still make you food.” His demeanor had softened.
Had she mistaken his nervousness for standoffishness?
As if understanding her unspoken question, he said, “I’m struggling with this visit.”
“I know. Don’t worry. I’ll smile and nod. Plus, I’m easy to feed,” she replied with a grin. “She’s too cute.”
He nodded.
Grateful he wasn’t crabby anymore, she walked with him to the large eat-in kitchen where a table centered the space. Lorena and Grady placed platters of cheese, meat and crackers along with fruit and bread before them. “I’m sorry. I don’t have anything fancy on hand,” his mother fussily apologized.
“I should’ve called,” Riker said.
Eliana shot him a duh look, to which he mouthed, I know.
“This looks delicious. It wasn’t fair of us to drop in on you unannounced.” Eliana slid into a chair at the furthest end.
Riker sat beside his mother.
“Family doesn’t need an appointment,” Lorena said. “We’re delighted you’re here.”
His father joined them, passing plates. “We expected you’d show up,” Grady said, a serious tone in the softly spoken comment.
Riker’s shoulders slumped. “You saw the news?”
“We weren’t the first to see the story. Doris called and told us,” Lorena said.
Eliana looked at Riker for interpretation.
“She’s sort of the town gossip.”
“She means well,” Lorena replied.
Grady loaded a plate with cheese and fruit, and before the conversation continued, he bowed his head, cueing the rest of them to do the same. He murmured a short grace, to which they all said “Amen.”
“This visit has something to do with those false accusations?” Grady then continued.
Eliana blinked. His dad immediately assumed the best of Riker. What would it be like to have that kind of loving support?
“Yeah. I can’t share the details because it’s an ongoing investigation.” Riker provided a clipped account of the situation, omitting information about the prior death threats and gang attack.
“You’re innocent. The truth will come out,” his mother assured him.
“Eliana is working toward that goal,” Riker said.
With all eyes fixed on her, Eliana gave an abbreviated explanation of PHACE. “I’m wondering if the results are based on a familial connection?”
“Oh, like forensic genealogy?” Grady asked, eyes wide.
Lorena laughed. “He loves crime shows.”
“Yes, exactly.” Eliana explained her theory of a sibling or lookalike who’d framed Riker for the murder.
“It’s no secret we adopted Riker and Isaac. We consider them the most precious gifts God entrusted to us,” Lorena said. “But the adoptions were closed, so we have no contact with the birth mother or information on her family.”
Eliana’s hopes sank, and Riker’s countenance must’ve mirrored her own. Without the familial connection, they had nothing to go off of with Todd Billings. The discussion returned to lighter topics, but Riker wasn’t interacting much. Maybe her presence hindered him, especially if there were things about his life he didn’t want to share.
