Chapter 12
Savvy
I drop my head in my hands, frustrated and overwhelmed.
It’s been nine days since Franklin Wyatt’s body was found floating in Watts Lake, and I have made little headway in tracking down his killer.
Then yesterday afternoon, Ben Rogers’s remains were found in a dried-up creek bed in the woods behind the mobile home community where he lived.
Aside from a traumatic head injury to the back of his skull, which probably would’ve been lethal on its own, the man looked like he had been severely kicked and beaten.
There was damage all over his body, including several obvious broken bones.
Other than the fact we haven’t seen many violent deaths in Edwards County, and now we suddenly have two in short succession, there really isn’t anything obvious connecting them.
That doesn’t mean there isn’t—it could be we simply haven’t found it yet—but I have to work these murders as separate cases.
I don’t have enough manpower and there aren’t enough hours in the day for me to do either of these victims justice. It sucks, because it means I’m going to have to call in help from the CID, the State Patrol’s Criminal Investigation Division.
“I heard about Ben.”
I look up to find my father standing in the doorway of my office.
“Dad. What are you doing here?”
I’m equal parts annoyed and relieved he’s here. I’ve been doing this job for several years now, and I do a damn good job, if I say so myself. But this is a lot to shoulder.
“Thought you might want to use me as a sounding board. Talk through things, bounce ideas off me. Whatever you need.”
He takes a seat in the chair across from my desk and looks at me with concern.
I hate this. I really do. Asking for help or accepting it is hard for me. But I have to recognize the limitations of this department as well as my own, and something has to give.
“Do you have any reason to think these two cases are connected?” he asks.
I shake my head. “Nope. And until I learn differently, these are two separate investigations.”
He grunts.
“I’ve decided I’m calling in the CID,” I add.
Dad nods, studying his folded hands. “Don’t think you have a choice, Savvy,” he agrees.
“I know.”
“But—if you don’t mind me making a suggestion—run the investigation into Ben’s death yourself.
You’ve dealt with him before, you know his background, all the people he regularly associates with.
You’re better equipped to investigate that case, and let the CID handle the Watts Lake murder.
Divide and conquer, and if it turns out the cases overlap you can join forces. More eyes on the ball.”
“That’s what I’m aiming for.”
Dad’s lopsided grin makes an appearance.
“Phil told me not to come. Actually, she told me to quit meddling in business that wasn’t mine anymore.
She said you’d have a handle on things and don’t need me looking over your shoulder.
” He pushes up out of the chair and leans forward on the desk.
“Phil is a wise woman, and I should’ve listened.
However, me showing up here is not because I doubt your professional capacity in any way, but you’ll always be my daughter, and I’ll always want to look out for you. ”
I flash him a smile of my own as I get up from my chair and round the desk.
“I know, Daddy, and I love you for that.”
A brief shadow passes over his expression before he straightens up and turns to face me. I lift up on my toes and kiss his stubbled cheek.
“I’ll leave you to it.” He moves toward the door where he stops and glances back over his shoulder. “But you know where to find me.”
As soon as he’s gone, I bite the bullet and make the call.
Next, I summon KC to my office.
“I need you to make copies of everything we have on the Watts Lake case and get a file ready for the CID.”
He looks puzzled. “CID?”
“Yes. They’ll have a team here in the morning.”
“They’re taking over?”
“I called them in for support, and they’ll be taking lead on the Watts Lake case, yes.”
My young deputy does not look happy, and I can’t really blame him. He’s put a lot of hours in on that case, even attended Franklin Wyatt’s initial autopsy. He’s eager, and a bit cocky at times in his youthful enthusiasm, so I can see how stepping aside would not sit well with him.
Truthfully, my pride is a little dinged as well, but I can’t let it get in the way of doing what is best for the case and the victim. I guess that’s why they pay me the big bucks. Ha.
“It’s bullshit,” KC reacts, shocking me a little since I’ve rarely heard a curse word from his mouth. “We could’ve done it. Worked double shifts or whatever. We never get cases like this and now you’re giving it away. That’s bullshit,” he repeats vehemently.
“Deputy Kingma, may I remind you who you’re talking to?” I sternly call him to task.
I’m all about keeping a relaxed atmosphere here in the office, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t behave professionally. I will not tolerate insubordination.
“For your information, our department will continue to focus on the murder of Ben Rogers. And, not that I owe you any kind of explanation, but I have a responsibility to both the victims as well as the residents of Edwards County, and trying to juggle everything ourselves would be a disservice to them all.”
His cheeks stain a ruddy color and his lips press thin, whether from anger or embarrassment I’m not sure, but his apology sounds sincere.
“I’m sorry, Sheriff. I was disappointed, I didn’t mean to be disrespectful.”
I wave him off. “I get it. Now, if you wouldn’t mind getting that file together, I need you to follow up with some of the Rogers’s neighbors we haven’t spoken to yet after you’re done.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Call me if anything pops up. I’m heading over to The Kerrigan to see when the last time was they saw Ben.”
The Kerrigan is his favorite hangout and I know the owners well. Jacob and his wife Stella are good friends of my father’s, and Dad still plays poker Thursday nights in the smaller back room of the bar.
“Anything pressing before I head out?” I ask Brenda on my way out the door.
“Nothing Hugo or I can’t handle,” she returns. “About time you took an early night. Not to push my luck, but you might want to consider a proper meal too. Judging by the food wrappers in the trash bin, you’ve been eating like crap.”
She’s not wrong. I’m feeling perpetually bloated with all the unhealthy takeout I’ve consumed over the past week or so.
“Yes, mother,” I mock her. “I have to stop into The Kerrigan anyway. I’ll see what special Stella has cooked up for today.”
I could do with one of her hearty stews or scrumptious lasagnas.
My stomach is already growling when I walk in the pub ten minutes later.
Nate
“Dad?”
“Yes, Tate.”
I’m balancing my phone between my shoulder and my ear while I load my tools in the back of my truck.
“Naomi’s mom invited me to stay for dinner. Can I?”
She’d mentioned yesterday Naomi Battaglia had offered to teach her some of the youth group’s dance routines before they meet again next Sunday.
She’d called me once again already during her lunch time, asking if she could go home with Naomi.
That resulted in me asking for a number to get hold of one of the girl’s parents to make sure they’re okay with my daughter showing up, and I ended up talking to Roy’s wife, Maggie.
She told me she’d be fetching the girls from school, and I told her I’d swing by after work to pick Tate up again.
“Yeah, if she’s sure.”
“Wait, she wants to talk to you.”
I hear rustling as her phone changes hands, and Maggie’s bubbly voice comes on.
“Hey, Nathan. Listen, on Monday nights Naomi and I are usually on our own, because it’s Roy’s dart night, so we’d love for Tate to hang out for pizza with us.
The girls can do their homework together.
Oh, by the way, you didn’t tell me you and Roy used to be friends.
I mentioned your name when I had him on the phone earlier, and he told me you were once thick as thieves. ”
A snort escapes me at his description of us. I hope to God she has no clue how accurate it actually is.
“I wasn’t sure if he’d remember me.”
Or if he’d care to, for that matter.
“Of course he does. You should totally drop in for a beer. The guys usually congregate at the bar after work and grab something to eat before they play. Roy would love it.”
Sweet of her to think so, but time will tell. I didn’t exactly make an effort to stay in touch or leave a forwarding address when I left Silence. I bailed on him too.
Of course, if our daughters are becoming friends, chances are I’ll bump into him at some point, and I’d rather get any potential confrontation out of the way on my terms before that happens.
“I may do that. Where are they at?”
“The Kerrigan.”
Figures.
With my luck, Roy won’t be the only pissed-off blast from the past I’ll be bumping into.
Oh well, may as well get it all over with at once.
“Sounds good. I’ll swing by for Tate around eight thirty?”
I might as well grab a bite at The Kerrigan if I’m heading there anyway. From what I recall, they had pretty decent wings.
We’ll see if I’m welcome.
Not sure what I was expecting walking into The Kerrigan, but no one really paid any attention to me.
That is, until Roy noticed me, stood up from the table, and abandoned his buddies to come and greet me.
“Well, fuck me sideways. Nate Gaines. I didn’t believe Mags at first, but I’ll be damned, it is you!”
His loud, booming voice is accompanied by a wide grin, a big bear hug, and several bone-jarring slaps on my shoulders and back.
I’m actually stunned into silence. I definitely hadn’t anticipated a greeting like this and it’s taking me a moment to process.
“Back in Silence,” Roy continues undeterred. “I didn’t think we’d ever see you again, man. You left nothing but dust clouds and hurt feelings, but I tell you, I’m sure glad to see you back and in one piece. Mags says your daughter is a sweet kid. How’d you manage that?”
He laughs heartily at his own joke and claps me on the shoulder again for good measure, while I swallow the unexpected lump in my throat.
Luckily, Roy’s boisterous personality makes up for my silence as he starts dragging me toward his table of friends. Before I know it, I’m being introduced to Larry, Omar, and Tim, pushed down in a chair beside Roy, and served a beer from the large pitcher in the center of the table.
Conversation around me resumes as if I’d been sitting here all along.
The subject is rather predictably sports, although they also briefly discuss the suspicious death of an old drunk who was a regular here, and some ongoing issues Omar is apparently having at his place of work.
I don’t really know a whole lot about records and stats, the dead guy’s name doesn’t ring a bell, and I don’t have a clue where Omar even works, so I simply resign myself to an occasional grunt.
But I listen, learn, and sip my beer, and when at some point several baskets of wings and a boatload of fries are set down on the table, I dig in right along with them.
Even though I’ve always been a bit of a loner, it feels kind of nice being one of the guys.
“Play darts, Nate?” Larry asks at some point.
“Not with any kind of accuracy,” I admit.
I mean, I could probably hit the board, but that’s the extent of my abilities.
“He couldn’t throw a ball to save his life either,” Roy jokes.
He’s referring to the one time I had the misguided idea to try out for the school football team, because the players got all the hot girls. What little appeal I might’ve held to the opposite sex at the time evaporated during the two hours of those tryouts. My athletic ambitions did as well.
“Yeah, well…all it takes is a little practice,” Larry suggests, following it up with, “You’re welcome to join us any time. Monday nights, come early like today for drinks and some food, and the games start at seven and run to ten, ten thirty.”
“You should,” Tim, who seems to be the quiet one in the group, contributes. “It’d be nice to have an extra player.”
Roy gets to his feet and also pipes up, a teasing grin on his face as he shakes his head. “Y’all, this guy will need a ton of practice. Don’t say I didn’t warn you lot.”
I ignore him, but turn to the other three. “I’ll think about it. I’m still settling in.”
Sort of.
Mostly, I’m not sure if I want to commit to something that requires me to show up at The Kerrigan on a weekly basis.
It would only be a matter of time before I’d be forced into a confrontation with some of the town’s old guard.
I’d rather that not be in front of this group of likable guys who—other than Roy, of course—didn’t know me back then.
“You gonna stick around?” Roy asks.
I glance at my watch and shake my head. “I told your wife I’d swing by to pick up Tate. Another time.”
He claps me on the shoulder and starts heading toward a dart board at the rear of the bar. Omar and Tim follow him, but Larry hangs back.
“Nice meeting you,” he says, holding out his hand.
“You too,” I return.
“Whenever you’re ready, you know where to find us.”
“Appreciate it.”
When he heads after the others, I pull my wallet and toss a few bills on the table, before turning toward the exit.
That’s when I notice Savvy sitting at the bar by herself, picking at the fries on a plate in front of her. Her back is turned to me, but her head swivels around when I walk up to her.
“Hey.”
She sounds surprised. I guess she hadn’t noticed me either.
“We’ve gotta stop bumping into each other in bars,” I observe.
She flashes a tiny smile. I can read the strain and fatigue on her face.
“I know. Did you just come in?”
I shake my head. “No, I was sitting over there with Roy and his buddies. I’m actually on my way out. I need to go pick up Tate from a friend’s house. What brought you here?”
“Work. My latest victim was a frequent visitor here.”
“I see. Guess when it rains, it pours.”
She chuckles. “You can say that again. It’s disturbing.”
Without thinking I brush a strand of hair that slipped from her stubby ponytail behind her ear. When she turns her eyes on me, I try to read the message in those deep, dark pools.
“You should get some rest,” I suggest gently.
“I should,” she agrees. “And you should go and pick up your daughter.”
Shit. Tate, that’s right.
“Yeah. Hey, call me when you have a chance or need an ear or something. Okay?”
“Sure.”
She turns back to her half-empty plate.
It may be my imagination, but I’m almost positive that’s disappointment I hear in her voice. I brace my hands on the bar on either side of her and lean in, my mouth brushing the shell of her small ear.
“Day or night, Savvy.”
Then I kiss the sensitive spot behind her ear, my lips lingering against her skin to feel the slight tremble, before I tear myself away and walk out the door.