Every Deadly Suspicion

Chapter 16

CHAPTER 16

H ANNA NEEDED TO WASH AWAY the specter of death. It haunted her when she thought of Joe Keyes and, sadly, Nathan. Old death, and now new death.

Fatigue and a heaviness in her soul descended on Hanna when she had the house to herself. It took all her energy to get up, clear the table, and head to the bathroom to run a bath. Sprinkling eucalyptus-scented Epsom salts into the water, she breathed deeply and worked to relax. Once the tub was full, she stepped in, carefully, because the water was hot, as hot as she could stand it. Steam rose from the liquid and Hanna sighed as she settled in for a soak. “Oh, Lord, I pray for peace and clarity.”

Her body relaxed but her mind would not quiet. She’d read the paperwork Giles had given her and kept thinking about Joseph Keyes dying of cancer. All these years, knowing that he was in prison, he’d lived in a safe, locked-up compartment in her mind. Someone she’d never meet. He was a two-dimensional figment of her imagination.

But now he wasn’t. He’d jumped off the page of that letter. In her mind’s eye she pictured the mustached, smiling man from the photo she’d seen so many years ago.

“... terminal cancer... receiving a compassionate parole... requesting release into your custody...”

My custody.

The father I’ve never met wants to die in my custody.

Hanna draped her arm on the edge of the tub and rested her head there, closing her eyes. She didn’t know what to feel. The anger and shock were gone. Nathan had told her to talk to Pastor Rick, get sound Christian counsel before making any decision. Maybe she would, but she knew what he would say. “Honor thy father and mother... Forgive as you have been forgiven.” She knew these truths, and she wrestled with them. Her thoughts were twisted in slippery knots as if they were mud wrestling.

In truth, the shadow of her father and what he had done had been a cloud over her whole life—a dark cloud, complete with thunderstorms, where her mother was concerned. Sometimes Hanna still wept for her mother. Her heart attack had been sudden and massive. There was no time for goodbyes, discussions about faith, or forgiveness.

I can’t give him my mother’s forgiveness. I’m not even sure I can give him mine.

It all came down to a very simple truth: she knew exactly what she should do, and she did not want to do it. He was a killer, he destroyed her mother’s life and Amanda Carson’s life. She had been two when her parents were murdered. Not to mention what Joe did to Everett Buckley’s family and life.

I don’t want to do him any favors. I don’t want a killer in my home. Everyone should understand that, most of all God.

That was the decision she stuck with as she climbed into bed and went to sleep.

Sleep was a phantom for Hanna for most of the night. She dozed here and there between tossing and turning. For the first time that she could remember, she was relieved when the alarm went off. Rubbing her eyes, she threw off the sheet and sat up. Stretching mightily, “Ow, ow, ow” squeaked out when the side she’d bruised yesterday protested painfully.

After the stiffness and discomfort eased, in a few minutes, she felt ready to get up and face the day. On Saturday mornings, she’d meet with her best friend, Amanda, for a brisk walk. Mandy lived a block over and would walk to pick up Hanna.

She strode into the bathroom, yawning, then rinsed off her face and pulled on her workout gear. The doorbell rang; Mandy was always on time. Hanna grabbed her phone, shoes, and socks and trotted to the front door.

“Sorry I’m a tad late,” Hanna said as she pulled the door open. “I didn’t sleep very well.”

Mandy stretched. “That’s okay, I’m moving slow this morning myself.”

Hanna closed the door and sat on the porch bench to put on her shoes.

“Why are you moving slow today? Missing Brody?” Mandy’s husband was a cycling coach, currently riding in Europe with his team.

“Yeah, that. But we had a good Zoom call yesterday. What kept me awake is I’m worried about Edda. Losing sleep over it.”

Hanna looked up from her laces. “Edda? Why? She’s the most stable, reliable person I know.”

“Maybe. But she met some guy online, and I think she’s being bamboozled.”

“Online?” Hanna almost laughed, the thought of Edda being caught up in Tinder or Match.com being so absurd. Mandy’s face made the laugh die in her throat. “That doesn’t sound like Edda.” Hanna tied her laces, grabbed her phone, and stood.

Mandy leaned against one of the porch pillars, tension stiffening her shoulders. “It doesn’t. Apparently, it’s been going on awhile. I thought she was a little distracted lately. I wished I had pressed her on it awhile ago. But...”

“You didn’t want to meddle?”

“I’m more than her boss. I’m her friend. I should have meddled.”

“So, how’d you find out?”

“I caught her on the laptop in a chat room. It was like pulling teeth to get her to tell me what was going on. She said the person contacted her on the memorial website she set up for Bobby.”

“What were they chatting about?”

“At first she thought the guy was struggling with addiction, like Bobby. Now she’s not sure. All she would say was that she thought someone was pretending, and she wanted to find out who it was.”

“Pretending?” Hanna slapped her forehead. “Edda sent me an e-mail, said she wanted to talk.”

“About what?”

“Legal help, I think. I never responded. Right after I read the e-mail, I was interrupted. I forgot all about it.”

“Well, talk to her. Her son’s death really hurt. She’s not over it, and if someone got ahold of her online and is trying to take advantage, they need to be stopped. What if she thinks she found Bobby’s dealer?”

“Why would you say that?”

“No specific reason. I’m just worried. I should have paid more attention.”

Hanna took a step and stood next to Mandy. “Agreed. I should have answered her e-mail.” She couldn’t remember the exact wording of the e-mail now. Could Edda have been trying to find the man responsible for Bobby’s death, or was it something more dangerous?

“Yeah, I’m hoping you’ll talk to her and maybe look into this guy she’s been conversing with.”

“Consider it done. I’ll drop by for a visit after church tomorrow. Ready?”

Mandy nodded and together they hopped off the porch. She changed the subject. “I know you had quite a day yesterday. Braden is a handful for any babysitter.”

News always traveled fast in Dry Oaks. It was no surprise that Mandy knew about the incident.

“Yeah, the boy has endless energy. I hope that accidently falling from a cliff is the extent of his mischievousness.”

Falling into step with Amanda, they headed for the local high school to walk the track.

Saturday was a light day for both of them. Amanda was an avid cyclist. Hanna’s exercise of choice was running, and a normal run for her was around six miles. To mix it up, on Tuesdays and Thursdays she swam in the local pool.

While vigorous exercise always helped clear her head, Saturday was a welcome break. The pleasant easy walk and chat with Mandy helped center Hanna, especially when the workweek had been tough. She was certain she did the same for Mandy. Her friend ran a local crisis pregnancy center, and often Hanna could feel the hurt and sadness radiating from Mandy. Too many young women saw abortion as the only option, and it weighed on Mandy and, to a certain extent, Hanna as well. Saving and protecting the innocent was a central reason she went into law enforcement.

This morning, the most pressing thing on Hanna’s mind was Joe. Mandy was more than Hanna’s friend. She and her grandparents were family to Hanna. Joe murdered Mandy’s parents. How could his probable release not affect her? Hanna wasn’t certain how to broach the subject.

“Braden only suffered a broken arm?” Mandy asked.

“Yeah, besides that, just bumps and bruises. He got lucky.”

“Did he say how he ended up on the ledge?”

“Chasing the dog, who was chasing a squirrel. Cassidy couldn’t keep up.”

“Hmph.”

For a few minutes, they walked in companionable silence. Hanna had the sense that something was on Mandy’s mind. Was it still Edda?

“Sounds like there is more to follow,” Hanna said.

“Yeah, but it doesn’t make sense. It’s certainly not a Christian thought. It’s the Buckleys. Well, it seems sometimes as if they are cursed.”

“Cursed?”

Mandy waved her hand. “I know, I know, we don’t believe in curses. But so much tragedy for that family. First Chase, then Chase’s son, then Braden’s mother, then Scott...”

“As a law enforcement officer, I could say there is nothing cursed about it. Just a lot of bad life decisions and unfortunate situations. Chase hung with the wrong crowd, his son was an unfortunate victim of a motorcycle accident, and Braden’s mother never had both feet on the ground—”

“Okay, okay, I hate it when you get all official and pragmatic on me. Whatever the reason, it’s sad. And I hope this tumble is the worst thing that happens to Braden for a good long time.”

They started their first lap around the track. Hanna could never do this boring type of workout without Mandy.

“Speaking of bad things and curses,” Hanna began, “I got a strange visit yesterday.”

“Visit? From whom?”

“The Department of Corrections.”

“What?” Mandy stopped, and so did Hanna, a couple of feet ahead of her. She turned back.

“Did he die?”

Mouth half open, Hanna looked at her friend. Was there hope in that question or sorrow? She shook her head. “Not yet. But he is dying. Cancer. They want to grant him compassionate parole.”

Mandy frowned. “Huh? What is that, how would it work?”

Hanna shrugged and started walking again, and Mandy hurried to catch up. “They want to send him to me. On hospice.”

“You’re kidding.”

“I wish I was. My answer is no. I’m too busy. Running a PD means I’m at work most of the time, for heaven’s sake. I don’t even have time for a dog. Besides, he’s really nothing to me.”

Mandy grabbed her arm and they stopped again. “Don’t tell them no, Hanna. Don’t.”

“What? Why not?”

“Because. He’s at the end. Maybe he’ll finally do the right thing and tell me where my parents are.”

Hanna saw desperate hope in her friend’s eyes. Surprise hit like a blow. “Wow.”

“What?”

“I never looked at it that way, from your perspective. I—” The sound of a car pulling into the school parking lot stopped her. It was a county car. Nathan. That he was here, now, meant not-good news.

Mandy jerked around and followed her gaze. “I sincerely hope he just misses you.”

Nathan got out and walked toward them. He looked tired. His clothes were rumpled, and the shadow of a beard darkened his jawline. Hanna bet he’d not been to sleep yet.

“Good morning. I thought I’d find you two here,” he said as he approached.

“What gives? You look like you’re the bearer of bad news.” Hanna tried to keep her tone light even as her stomach turned.

He nodded, expression grim. “Afraid I am.” He looked away from Hanna, and his voice softened. “Mandy, we found a body last night. Another woman.” Nathan took a deep breath. “There is no easy way to say this. It was Edda.”

“Huh?” Hanna felt as if all breath left her body. Auntie Edda? The pain she felt was real and ragged, but she held on to her emotions and watched the color drain from Mandy’s face. Reflexively, she reached out and gripped her friend’s elbow.

“You’re sure?” Mandy asked, voice soft, unsteady.

“As sure as I can be. I talked to her enough. I know her son is gone. Is there any other family I need to notify? News agencies were all over the scene. I don’t want any of her family to find out from a news broadcast.”

Mandy shook her head. “Her husband passed a while ago. She spoke of a niece in another state, but how close they were, I’m not certain.” Her voice broke, and Hanna felt for her friend. Then Mandy seemed to brace herself and swallow the tears.

“I know who did it.” She folded her arms, anger rapidly replacing grief. “I tried to warn her. It’s a guy she met online. Someone named Diego.”