Chapter 7
Chapter Seven
Charlie grabbed her camera and the second bag she’d brought with her. It held her laptop and some additional clothes. She didn’t know how long she’d be staying in Pine Haven so she’d come prepared.
Ryan took the bag and stowed it in his truck while Charlie grabbed her sunglasses from the center console.
As she opened the console, she froze at what she saw there. Lying on top of her sunglasses was a photo, an old Polaroid. She recognized the picture because she’d taken it with her new camera. That had been the year before Abby disappeared.
“What’s wrong?” Ryan’s voice hovered somewhere close by.
Charlie reached for the photo and brought it into the morning light. That innocent moment in time had been desecrated by a red marker. Someone had put an X across Abby’s smiling face. Above Charlie’s were the words, “You’re next.” She dropped the photo and turned away, slamming into Ryan.
He reached up to steady her. She went into his arms and held him tight.
Ryan’s arms tightened around her holding her close. “It’s going to be okay,” he whispered against her hair.
She’d give anything to believe that was possible, but the past seemed to be barreling full speed ahead toward a deadly ending.
Charlie slowly stepped back and turned toward the photo that now lay on her driver’s seat. “He’s been here. In my car. He left another message.”
“Let me see.” Ryan gently moved her aside.
Charlie couldn’t look at the photo again.
“I’ll bag it and have Doug dust it and the vehicle for prints.” He reached inside his pocket and pulled out an evidence bag, securing the Polaroid inside. “Lila has security cameras around. Let’s see if we can find out who left it.”
Ryan ushered her inside. Charlie felt as if she were caught up in a nightmare.
Lila spotted them as they entered the café. She rushed over. “What’s wrong?” Her attention was on Charlie. “You look so pale.”
“We need to look at your security feed. Someone left a message for Charlie inside her SUV.”
Lila’s hand flew to her mouth. “Oh, my gosh. But how? I was here all day yesterday and this morning.”
“I’m sure whoever did this waited until a busy time. Can we take a look?” Ryan asked.
Lila gave herself a mental shake. “Of course. It’s this way.” She looped her arm through Charlie’s and headed back through the kitchen. She opened the door to her office. “Excuse the clutter. I’m not much for order.”
Lila moved to the laptop on her desk and brought up the feed. “You think he did it last night?”
Ryan asked if Charlie had checked the vehicle after he left.
“No. Lila and I talked until late and then I fell asleep.” She’d been exhausted. Learning of Pete’s death had wrecked her. The trip was filled with emotional moments. Then the break-in at Pete’s cabin and the message that seemed directed at her.
“Let’s start with last night,” Ryan stood beside Lila as she brought up the time on the feed.
Charlie watched as the crowds that had been at the café when she’d arrived slowed until it was closing time.
Lila and several of her employees were the last to leave. The cameras showed different angles around the café. Once Lila and the other employees were gone the cameras picked up the motion of traffic along the road in front.
And then. . .
A figure emerged from the corner of the café near the stairs leading to the apartment. Charlie shivered when she considered how close the suspect had been to where she slept completely oblivious to the danger.
The person moved to her car and opened the door. Reality washed over her. She’d forgotten to lock the doors. She’d given the man who wanted her dead easy access to her vehicle. What if he’d done more than leave a photo?
“I can’t believe I forgot to lock it,” she whispered.
Lila reached for her hand. “You’d had an awful shock. It’s understandable.”
“But I always lock my vehicle.” It was something Pete had drilled into her head all her life.
“I can’t see his face,” Ryan was saying.
Charlie leaned in closer and realized the man was dressed in dark clothing. He wore gloves. A hoodie pulled up over his head and a mask that hid his face. “He made sure we couldn’t ID him.”
“Most businesses in town have security cameras. If he’s a local he’d know that.”
From the look of the man when he headed away from the Pathfinder, Charlie believed he was around five-foot ten or eleven. Not a big man but fit she’d say.
Not much to go on.
“I’m calling Boone.” Ryan stepped away to make the call.
Charlie couldn’t stop shaking. “I don’t understand. Why target me? I don’t know anything about the case.”
Lila placed her arm around Charlie’s waist. “He doesn’t know that.” She indicated the person whose image was paused on the screen.
Ryan returned. “Boone’s on his way over. I had Will run by my place and grab some things. We’ll leave as soon as they arrive.” He focused on the screen and then Lila. “We’ll need the link to the video feed.”
Lila didn’t hesitate. “Yeah, sure. Of course. I’ll text it to your phone.”
She picked up her cell phone and performed a few keystrokes. An answering ding on Ryan’s phone confirmed the link arrived.
“Thanks, Lila. I hate that our presence here is going to cause you some gossip,” Ryan told her.
“It’s okay. Nothing wrong with a little gossip.” When he started to speak, Lila held up her hand. “Don’t worry. I won’t say a word about what’s really happening.”
“Good. I don’t want to give the perp a heads up about our investigation.”
A siren blaring outside the café had them stepping from the office.
By the time they reached the front door and stepped outside, Boone was there along with the crime scene tech.
“Wait in here where it’s warm. I’ll be right back.” Ryan waited for Charlie to respond. After a second, he stepped outside and she felt his absence.
“How about some coffee while you wait?” Lila pointed to the vacant booth near the door.
Charlie slipped into it without answering. Her brain was spinning over the things that had happened. Now, more than ever, she wanted to know the truth about what happened to Pete because she believed his death hadn’t been caused by a heart attack.
Sure, he hadn’t been himself the last time they’d spoken, but as far as she knew, Pete didn’t have a heart problem.
He’d always been in good shape. After he left the sheriff’s office, Pete jogged regularly.
He skied and mountain climbed. She found it hard to believe her larger-than-life uncle had been taken down by a bad heart.
“Here you go.” Lila handed her a cup then slid into the booth opposite. “How are you holding up?”
Charlie wrapped both hands around the cup for warmth. “Like I’ve been hit by a train. Like I’m not sure I can go through this again.”
Lila patted her arm then focused on what was happening outside the café. “It’ll be okay. You’ve got Ryan and Boone. They’ll figure out who’s behind this. And you have me.”
Charlie smiled. “Thanks.” She wanted to believe her friend. “I hope you’re right.”
Lila’s attention shifted to the door. A smile broke out across her face. “Look who’s here.”
Charlie looked up and saw Eddie Hawthorne come in. The second he spotted her, tears filled his eyes.
Charlie rose and let him embrace her in a tight hug.
“I can’t believe he’s gone. My best friend. I’ll never see him again.” Eddie sobbed earnestly. Soon, the tears that Charlie had tried to contain wouldn’t stop. A dam broke loose and her body quaked with the weight of the loss.
“I miss him, too,” she said in a broken voice. “So much. I wished I’d come home sooner.”
She struggled to gather herself before stepping back while wiping her eyes. “I’m sorry I haven’t called you yet.”
Eddie waved off her apology. “Nonsense. You have a lot on your mind.” His attention went to the activity outside. “What’s going on out there?”
She turned and saw Ryan—tall and handsome as ever—speaking to the sheriff. Looking at him now reminded her of all her mistakes.
Charlie struggled to come up with an answer.
Lila interceded when she couldn’t. “Someone broke into Charlie’s vehicle.”
Alarm flashed on Eddie’s face while his attention fluttered between them. “You’re kidding?” His mouth thinned. “This town. Too many bad elements coming here if you ask me.”
Charlie was saved from the need to respond when Ryan came inside. He shook Eddie’s hand before asking her if she was ready to go.
“Yes.” She turned to Eddie. “We’ll catch up soon, okay?”
Eddie nodded. “I’d like that.”
With a parting hug for Lila, Charlie started to follow Ryan out when she remembered what Lila had said earlier about Eddie mentioning “the case.” She asked Eddie if Pete had said something to him.
Eddie shook his head. “No, but he was unusually jumpy in the days before. . .” He shrugged. “Well, you know.”
Charlie frowned. “Did you ask him about it?”
Eddie confirmed he had. “Several times, in fact. He just told me the case had him distracted but he never said why.”
Charlie’s spirits sank. Another dead end. “Thank you, Eddie.” She patted his arm before she and Ryan went outside. He waited until they were out of earshot before telling her Boone had found a place for them to stay.
“It’s his old family farm. He goes out there sometimes to get away from everything. It’s isolated, though.”
Charlie glanced at him because of the edge in his tone. “That’s not a good thing?”
“Not really. It’ll take longer for backup to respond if needed. Boone can have Will stop by from time to time to make sure everything’s okay, but it’s a good twenty-minute trip from town.”
That reality settled around her.
“Hopefully, it’s only a temporary arrangement.” He glanced her way before opening the passenger door for her.
Temporary. What did that mean?
Charlie settled into the seat and waited while Ryan climbed in beside her. She’d hurt him. Badly by leaving. Would he be glad when she left Pine Haven?
Charlie kept her attention on the passing scenery as he drove.
All this time, she’d been running from the past. Trying to rationalize her actions because of everything she’d been through. She’d always thought seeing Ryan again would be hard because she believed he’d been pining away for her.
What if she’d been wrong? What if Ryan couldn’t wait for her to leave so that he could be rid of the reminder of a troubled past he just wanted to keep in the rearview mirror?