Chapter 8
Evan parked in front of the Eagle’s Nest Police Department.
It was a small building from the previous century, its name on the glass door along with Truman Daly, Chief of Police.
The department was on the main street along with most of the other small businesses in town.
Café, general store, post office. Noelle spotted green Saint Patrick’s Day banners in the department windows, and a few large four-leaf clovers dotted the door.
“Why doesn’t our department have sparkly green decor?” asked Evan as he stepped out.
“Go for it,” answered Noelle. “I won’t complain.”
She pulled open the door and was instantly greeted by Lucas Ingram, who sat behind the reception desk.
The big man had been a high school football star but had found his true calling when he took over the front desk after his grandmother retired.
There was nothing he enjoyed more than keeping the department organized and interacting with the locals.
“I told the chief you were on your way over,” said Lucas.
“But right now he’s talking to a guy Royce arrested this morning.
A domestic violence call.” He rolled his eyes.
“Dude is a piece of work. I wouldn’t have believed it if I hadn’t heard it myself, but the guy actually said his girlfriend shouldn’t have been disrespecting him. ”
Noelle grimaced. “Victim blaming. She okay?”
“She’s at urgent care. He slapped her and choked her.”
“Jesus,” muttered Evan.
“‘I found her sleeping under a bridge in Texas,’” Lucas said in a country drawl, apparently imitating the man. “‘I gave her a house and two big-screen TVs. But she fucked her boyfriend under the bridge a lot more than she does me. That’s not right.’”
Noelle stared. “He did not say that.”
“He did. Several times. He’s pretty indignant about the whole situation.”
“He bought her a house?” asked Evan.
“Nah. She moved in with him. He does have the two TVs, though.”
A door slammed, and Truman strode down the hall toward them, fury on his face. Lucas took one look at him, grabbed a cookie from a pink bakery box on his desk, and held it out.
“I need the whole box,” said Truman, taking the cookie and then the box. He tipped his head at Noelle and Evan. “Follow me.”
He led them down the hall to his office, where he closed the door and handed the box of cookies to Noelle. “They’re from Kaylie’s. Have a seat.”
Noelle sat, opened the box, and immediately recognized the chunky peanut butter chocolate cookies from the Coffee Café. She took one and passed it to Evan.
Truman sat down in his chair, leaned back, and took a bite. Crumbs fell on his shirt. He neatly plucked them off and popped them in his mouth. The earlier anger on his face had subsided into a look of disappointment. “I never know what will happen on this job day to day.”
“That’s one of the benefits,” Noelle said around a mouthful of cookie.
Truman sighed. “How did it go at the Hamptons’?”
Noelle and Evan exchanged a look. “Fine,” said Evan. “RJ said he didn’t notice anything odd when he was there on Saturday night. He gave us a few more names of people who were there.”
“Think your victim had been dumped by then?” asked Truman. He started a second cookie.
“I hate to think that a bunch of partying teenagers wouldn’t notice a body nearby, but I guess I shouldn’t be surprised,” said Noelle.
She slid a piece of paper across the chief’s desk.
“Here’s RJ’s list of names, and we added the ones we got from Emma Chambers.
We were hoping you could prioritize one or two for us? ”
Truman picked up the list. “Put this kid at the bottom,” he said immediately. “He’ll catch hell from his father if he talks to you, and he knows it. You won’t get anything out of him. It’ll be a big waste of time.”
“Sounds like some good parenting going on there,” said Evan, sarcasm heavy in his voice.
“Yes.” Truman scanned the rest of the list. “Don’t know who Trevor Baylor is.”
“RJ said he’s older. Graduated a few years ago.”
“And still hangs around with high schoolers?” Truman made a face.
“I’d try the Linville kid first. He’s the type of teenager that knows everyone and what they’re up to.
” He handed back the paper. “I saw the press release from county. I assume you don’t have any good leads yet if you’re interviewing teenagers. ”
Noelle’s phone vibrated, and she glanced at the screen.
“Text from Dr. Lockhart.” She tapped her phone and found herself looking at a closeup of a tattoo.
“Victim’s chest tattoo. That should help.
Looks like a thin tree towering over a brick wall.
” She handed her phone to Evan. “She also said his height is five ten.”
“No age?” asked Evan, studying the tattoo and then passing it to Truman.
“I guess she can’t offer a range at the moment. She also said she can’t get to the autopsy until tomorrow but wanted us to have this information to help with our identification.”
“I couldn’t guess at his age this morning,” said Truman, looking at the tattoo. He gave a shake of his head. “It looks like a flower, not a tree,” he said. “But that would be a big-ass flower if that’s a stone wall.”
There was a sharp rap on the door, and it swung open. Ben Cooley peered in. “Oh good. Lucas said you were back here, Detective Marshall. Hey, Detective Bolton. Good to see you.”
“Come in, Ben,” said Truman.
The older officer stepped inside, his cowboy hat in both hands and his gaze locked on the pink box. He swallowed and then looked at Noelle. “Did you go inside Emma Chambers’s home when you dropped her off?” he asked.
“No.” Noelle’s attention homed in on Ben’s cautious expression. “Why? Did you?”
“Yeah, I talked my way in. I can do that pretty much anywhere.”
A faint snort came from Truman.
“You didn’t like something you saw.” Noelle turned in her chair to get a better look at the officer.
Ben scratched his head. “Her daddy is Gage Chambers. You met him?” he asked Truman.
“Never have. Was he there?”
“He wasn’t there,” said Ben. “I chatted with Emma as I unloaded her bike and then asked if I could get a glass of water. She’d been nervous and flighty, so I wanted a look inside.”
Noelle mentally kicked herself for not going in the home.
“I waited outside on the porch but first nearly broke my neck on a rotten step. She said her dad’s been meaning to fix it.
Anyway, I held the door open while she went inside, and I swear the air that came out was almost colder than outdoors.
She put something inside the fridge first, and I got a good glimpse. Those were some bare shelves in there.”
“She’s so thin,” muttered Noelle. “What the fuck does her dad do?”
“Last I heard he worked at the lumberyard, so after I left, I called Nick Walker, who said Gage hasn’t worked there since before Thanksgiving.
He showed up late too many times, and Walker fired him.
He told me he kept him around a lot longer than he wanted to because he knew he had a daughter, but he’d had enough the day Gage strolled in two hours late with the smell of tequila coming out his pores. ”
“Where is he now?” asked Truman.
“Walker said he didn’t know and didn’t care. I didn’t ask Emma about him before I left. I was already making her uncomfortable by being on her front porch.”
“Was the home clean?” asked Noelle.
“Oh, yeah. Spick-and-span. Just cold and empty feeling.” He looked at Truman. “Thought we could do something for her out of the private fund. Maybe some groceries.”
Truman nodded. “Of course. Tell Lucas I said so. Was there a fireplace?”
“I saw a woodstove. But maybe it doesn’t work.”
“Maybe pack up some firewood just in case.”
The officer disappeared, and Noelle studied the police chief. “Private fund?”
He shrugged. “Lucas’s grandmother started it years ago, when she worked the front desk here. Wanted to help the locals that came up a little short on money for necessities.”
Noelle thought she understood. “But there really isn’t a private fund. Let me guess: No one knew the money came out of her pocket, and now the money comes from yours. And lets people who need help keep their dignity.”
“Something like that. I’ve had plenty of folks insist on repaying what they were given, so a lot of it comes back around.”
“Do your officers know?” asked Evan.
“Just Lucas. I think he figured it out when he was ten.” He shifted in his chair. “People know they can come here for help, and it doesn’t end up on the gossip train.”
Noelle looked at Evan. “Small towns,” she said softly.
“I think you mean good people in small towns,” said Evan. “Not all of them have someone like Truman.”
Truman waved a hand. “I didn’t start it. I just keep it going.”
Noelle dug her wallet out of her bag. She counted out ten hundred-dollar bills and handed them to Truman. “Add this to your fund. And get Emma and her father whatever they need. Let me know if you need more.”
“Christ, Noelle,” exclaimed Evan. “Do you always carry that much cash?”
“Depends on the day.” Actually she rarely did, but that morning she’d grabbed a bag she had last used on a shopping trip to Seattle with Savannah. An expensive shopping trip. She’d forgotten about the money until she went to buy her coffee this morning and was greeted with a wallet full of green.
She suddenly wished she could take Emma on a shopping trip. Maybe then people like RJ and his mother wouldn’t look down on her so much.
That teenager needs more than just new clothes.
She stood, ready to say goodbye to Truman, which prompted Evan to do the same.
“I appreciate your donation,” said Truman, shaking her hand.
“Keep me in the loop. I’ll send Ben back to check on Emma and her dad later to see what they need.
” He frowned. “Maybe best if we avoid Gage Chambers. Don’t want to bruise his pride, but he still won’t be happy to come home and find out someone bought a bunch of stuff for them. ”
“What about a woman?” asked Noelle. “Would he handle it better if the donations seemed focused on Emma and were started by a woman? Maybe one of her former schoolteachers?”
Truman rubbed his chin, his expression thoughtful. “Don’t want to imply he can’t take care of his daughter.”
“He isn’t taking care of her,” said Noelle, a sharp note in her tone. “Screw his pride. His daughter needs to eat better. And have a warm place to live.”
“I’ll run it by Ina,” said Truman. “She’s a master at getting people to do what she wants and making them think it was their idea.”
“That’s Lucas’s grandmother,” Evan told Noelle before she could ask. “The one who originally started the fund. She’s a force. She’ll get it done.” He looked at Truman. “Ina doing okay?”
“Her hip replacement made a world of difference,” said Truman. “I think she was hiding a lot of pain. It didn’t dull her razor-sharp tongue, but her overall health seems to have improved.”
“Can’t imagine her without a cane,” said Evan.
“Oh, she still carries the cane,” said Truman. “I don’t think she really needs it, but she likes to wield it to convince people she knows best.”
Noelle grinned. “Sounds like the type of person Emma needs.”
I suspect the girl needs all the help she can get.