Chapter Seventeen #3
“Here it is,” Raine said. “In one car, the one with the brothers, Ray and Doug Camello, they found coffee from the Blue Heron Bakery. A coffee mug bearing the logo of the Blue Heron Bakery was found on the ground just outside of the wrecked car of Malone Armstrong. The last victim, Tammy Dailly, had a coffee mug also from the Blue Heron Bakery. The reason I flagged this was because Rafferty targeted Shabina’s business but not the Blue Heron Bakery.
If he was going to implicate someone or someone’s business, it shouldn’t have just been Shabina’s. ”
Harlow knew the least little thing could be the deciding factor for Raine’s analytical brain to suddenly snap all the pieces together.
She was slower than usual, the meds making her foggy right along with the pain.
Harlow could certainly understand why Raine wasn’t her usual self.
Being a nurse, she often witnessed people in difficult situations having problems with brain function.
That would be the ultimate worst thing for Raine.
She was used to her brain analyzing data at a rapid speed.
She saw patterns in things others didn’t.
She believed it was her brain that made her invaluable to people, not the woman as a whole.
Shabina shook her head. “We all go there for coffee when I’m closed. They’ve been in business forever, and they’re very sweet people.”
“They know Alek serves coffee at the Grill,” Vienna said helpfully.
“Madge and Leon Bower?” Zahra shook her head. “No way. The two of them have been friends with Alek for years. I heard a rumor that Alek actually helped them start their business.”
“You don’t seriously think either or both owners of the Blue Heron had something to do with the vandalism at the Grill, do you?” Stella asked. “I know them.”
“You knew Denver,” Raine pointed out. “But no, I doubt that they’re behind this. I’m just saying the four people who died ate at the Sunrise Café and got coffee at the Blue Heron. Locally, in Knightly, before they left town.”
“What would those four people have done to cause the killer to choose them?” Harlow asked. “That’s the million-dollar question, isn’t it?”
“He must have had some interaction with them,” Raine said. “If we’re going to assign a perceived reason rather than believing his victims are random, there had to be a time when the killer met each of those four people.”
All of them turned toward Shabina as if she could provide answers.
She shook her head. “I was in the café when the brothers were having breakfast. No one stopped by their table and spoke to them.” She frowned.
“Now that I think about it, the lone backpacker, Malone Armstrong, stopped Miguel Valdez as Miguel walked past his table. They had a brief exchange, but it seemed friendly. Miguel knows all the trails and best climbing areas. I assumed Malone was asking him about the best trails to go backpacking on.”
Miguel was one of the best personal trainers and guides in the area.
All of the women went to him for training when they had the time.
He tended to be hard on them—with the exception of Zahra, who rarely had to do the same reps as the rest of them.
But he kept them in shape, reducing the possibility of injuries when they climbed, bouldered or backpacked.
“No way is Miguel killing people,” Zahra said staunchly. “He looks tough. Acts tough, but he’s really a softie.”
“The woman, Tammy,” Shabina continued, “was seated alone at our smallest table on the patio. It’s possible someone spoke with her, but I only went out briefly to welcome people to my café. I have so many customers inside that I tend to spend a long while interacting with them.”
The back door opened, and Rush strode in. Raine glanced over her shoulder at him and immediately closed her laptop.
“Give me some time,” Raine said to the others. “I’ll get the security footage from the Blue Heron and see if I can spot all four having interactions with the same person.”
Rush didn’t even slow down. He simply lifted her, careful of her leg, nodded to Vienna, who was already collecting Raine’s things, and strode out with her.
“That man is decisive,” Stella said.
“I’m going back to the old barn,” Harlow announced. “I missed something important. It’s nagging at the back of my mind, but I can’t move it forward where I can figure out what it is.”
“I’ll go with you,” Shabina volunteered.
Harlow shook her head. “I’m not going to climb, just look around and take photos to compare with the ones I took weeks ago.”
“I’ll still go with you,” Shabina insisted.
“I’m going as well,” Zahra stated, a small challenge in her tone, as if she thought Harlow would object to her presence.
Harlow was grateful to the two women. She didn’t want to go alone when there was a killer on the loose.
Still, it wasn’t a good idea for Shabina to go.
Rainier might object to the trip, and she needed to figure out what she’d missed.
She just had that foreboding feeling she couldn’t quite shake.
On the heels of that realization, her phone went off, showing a text message from Wilder.
At the same time, Shabina’s phone played a little melody, and she glanced down to read her text.
Harlow read hers from Wilder.
Will be home late. Don’t wait up for me if you’re tired. Definitely will be coming home.
Shabina glanced at her watch, but Harlow shook her head. “If you come, Rainier will send an army, and I want to take my time. You know I love you, but he’s very protective.”
“True, but he just texted me and said he’ll be home super late. It’s the perfect opportunity for me to get a good look at the property.”
Her phone pinged again, and Harlow glanced down. Love you, mon rêve. Be good until I get home.
I’m always good. You’re the one off doing nefarious things. She sent several laughing emojis because she had no idea what he was up to. Please be careful. Rainier’s a wild one and could lead you astray.
“You know I’m not a climber, but you talked so much about the boulders, I would like to see them,” Shabina continued.
Harlow didn’t argue. She thought that the timing to go out to the old barn was perfect. Heading out to the property would occupy her brain enough that she wouldn’t freak out with worry about what Rainier and Wilder were up to.
“We can leave from here,” Harlow said.
—
As Harlow turned onto the narrow dirt road leading to the barn and boulders, she noticed a sign hanging on a post that previously hadn’t been there. She slowed to view it. No Trespassing. Violators Will Be Shot. Her heart leapt, and she turned to look at the other two women.
“That’s new.”
“Well, we did make inquiries to buy the place. Maybe the owner isn’t so happy with us,” Zahra said. She waved toward the road. “Keep going. See if he put up more than one.”
“This is bizarre. You’d think the owner would have sent word through his trustee that he has no interest in selling,” Harlow said. “Why put up signs now that no one should trespass?”
“I believe, a few years back, there were no trespassing signs,” Zahra reminded.
“But I see we’re forging ahead and violating the law,” Shabina added.
“Well, yeah,” Harlow said. “You don’t have to get out. I just want to remind myself of what I saw here. I know I missed something. If the owner shows up, at least we’ll know who he is.”
“If we’re still alive,” Zahra said.