Off the Record (An Avery Shaw Mystery Book 10) Read online

  “Exactly.”

  “She was very outgoing, unlikely to look away if someone stared while she was out,” Lee supplied. “She was a pretty girl, so people often stared. She stared right back. If someone whistled or yelled something when she walked by, she yelled back at them. She had a mouth that would make a construction worker blush.”

  “Do you think she was confrontational?”

  Lee shook her head. “She only fought when she had to.”

  “So, if she was leaving the pub late at night and thought someone might be following her, what do you think she would’ve done?”

  “I … .” Lee broke off, shrugging and looking at the palms of her hands. “I don’t know. She was a bold girl, but she was also a smart girl. She knew how to read people. If she sensed danger, she would’ve run.”

  “And if she ran to this side of Gratiot, whoever chased her would’ve found himself in a whole lot of trouble,” I mused, rubbing the back of my neck. “Either the person who killed her knew that or he got extremely lucky.”

  Lee looked genuinely intrigued. “Which do you think?”

  “I don’t know, but I’m going to find out.”

  I SPENT TWO hours with Lee, collecting a bevy of photos from her before leaving. I promised to get them back to her as soon as possible – and it was a promise I would keep. By the time I finished it was too late to grab lunch, so I headed straight for the sheriff’s department. I was early for the conference, but if I was lucky Jake would stock the room with cookies and juice so I could find something to munch on.

  I parked in the lot, making sure to hide the photographs under the passenger seat so they wouldn’t absorb too much heat, and locked the car before heading toward the building. I pulled up short when I realized I wasn’t alone, and the face staring at me from the sidewalk next to the west entrance was more unwelcome than any cop ever could be.

  “Cara.” I fought to keep my voice even as I forced a smile. “Fancy meeting you here.”

  “I don’t know what’s fancy about it,” Cara shot back. She seemed annoyed, which was normal for her. A lot of people have Resting Bitch Face. I’m pretty sure Cara has Attack Avery Face. What? I’m not being dramatic.

  “I’m just confused about why you’re here,” I said, giving the dark-haired woman a wide berth as I stepped toward the sidewalk. “I was under the impression you and Jake were no longer spending time together.”

  “You were under the impression?”

  I definitely didn’t like her tone. “Actually, Jake told me he dumped you. He also said you haven’t been taking it well and you’ve been badmouthing him at fundraisers. Just for the record, that makes you look bad, not him. He’s beloved in this county. You won’t hurt him by running your mouth.”

  “If you believed that you wouldn’t have brought it up.” Cara’s eyes were full of hate when they locked with mine. “So, Jake told you about our breakup? Does that mean you two are together?”

  “No.”

  “No?”

  “No.”

  “But … I thought for sure he’d finally admit that he loves you.” Cara was half-talking to herself, but the conversation was beyond uncomfortable. “I thought you two would end up together.”

  “Jake and I are friends,” I shot back. “We love each other as friends.”

  “No, you inserted yourself in our relationship every chance you got. You wanted to be more than friends. Don’t bother lying about it.”

  “I may have inserted myself in your relationship, but not for the reasons you think,” I said. “I want Jake to be happy. I knew he wouldn’t be happy with you. That didn’t stop me from trying to get along with you. That didn’t stop me from putting up with a bunch of crap that I wouldn’t have put up with from anyone else.”

  “You ruined my relationship!” Cara’s lower lip quivered. Instead of making me feel sorry for her, it enraged me.

  “You ruined your relationship,” I barked back. “You were jealous, suspicious, demanding, bossy and rude.”

  “You’re all of those things – and he loves you!”

  Hmm. She had a point. “Yes, but we’ve had a relationship since we were kids … and it’s no longer a romantic one. Jake and I are friends, so he puts up with that crap. We could never date because I’m all of those things. He understands that.”

  “He still loves you.”

  I wanted to argue, but when Jake was shot saving my life several months ago, he admitted that to me. “And part of me will always love him,” I said, licking my lips as I tried to calm myself. “That doesn’t mean we can be together. We’re moving forward with a friendship. He and Eliot are getting tighter. They’re almost really good friends now.”

  “Which makes it easy for you, because Jake will be around.”

  “If you think that’s easy for me, you’re wrong. I’d love for it to be easy for me. It’s not, though. Jake is one of the best friends I’ve ever had. But we’re not together. We’re not going to be together. I want Jake to be happy. That’s very important to me. It’s clear he’s not going to find that happiness with you.”

  “Because you ruined my relationship!” Cara sounded like a spoiled brat. I had to clench my fists so tightly to refrain from punching her that my fingernails bit into the palms of my hands. “This is all your fault!”

  “If you believe that, you’re worse off than I realized.” I stepped on the curb, anxious to put distance between us. Surprisingly, I stopped myself before I could storm away. “You lost Jake because you thought you deserved him. You don’t. He’s too good for you. He’s too good for me. He’s one of the best men I’ve ever met.

  “Jake believes in doing right by people, and he tried to do right by you,” I continued. “You wouldn’t let him. You kept making demands that he couldn’t meet.”

  “All he had to do was cut you out of his life,” Cara countered.

  “And he couldn’t do that because he’s loyal. His loyalty is one of the greatest things about him,” I said. “Do you ever wonder why I didn’t demand he cut you out of my life? If I’m as powerful as you claim, I should’ve been able to pull it off.”

  Cara shifted from one foot to the other, suddenly uncomfortable. “I … you probably did.”

  “I didn’t. I would never do that. Jake deserves the right to plot his own course. You ruined your own relationship because you didn’t respect him enough to do that.

  “I didn’t like you from the first, I’m not going to lie,” I continued. “I thought you were full of yourself and you were so insecure it was almost painful. That crap you pulled when you wanted to be best friends was so transparent ghosts were making fun of you.”

  “You were important to him,” Cara sniffed. “I thought we would have something in common.”

  “No, you didn’t,” I countered. “You wanted to keep an eye on me and dictate the sort of friendship I shared with Jake. I’m not an idiot.”

  “Well, you won. What does it matter now?”

  “It matters because I want you to stop going after Jake,” I replied. “He doesn’t deserve it. He won’t say much – because it’s not his way – but I can tell he’s miserable because of whatever you’ve been pulling.

  “Jake isn’t the sort of person to threaten people, but you need to stop,” I continued. “I’m not above threatening you, and if you don’t leave him alone I’ll make your life hell.”

  Cara snorted. “And how will you do that?”

  “Oh, I have my ways.” I smiled as a few ideas popped into my head. “Jake is too much of a gentleman to say anything, but I’m exactly evil enough to do the opposite.” I locked gazes with Cara, enjoying the way her shoulders shuddered. “Leave Jake alone … or you’ll be sorry.”

  “Is that a threat?”

  “It’s a promise … and I always keep my promises.”

  With those words, I turned and headed toward the sheriff’s department. I was feeling pretty good about myself … until I realized I had no idea why Cara was at the sheriff’s
department. Her visit couldn’t be a coincidence, and that couldn’t be good.

  She was up to something, but what?

  17

  Seventeen

  I recognized the deputies behind the protective bubble of bullet-resistant glass when I sauntered into the sheriff’s department. I couldn’t muster names for the faces, but I was pretty sure these particular deputies weren’t members of my ever-fluctuating fan club. They were stuck on bubble duty – the lowliest placement for the low – so I had a feeling they weren’t favored employees.

  “I’m here for the conference.”

  The woman behind the bubble, a thoroughly surly sort that reminded me of a stereotypical representation of a high school gym teacher, fixed me with an unreadable look. “Name.”

  Was she kidding? “Dan Rather.”

  “I don’t see your name on the list,” the woman drawled, glancing down at the bare desk and then back up at me.

  I narrowed my eyes. I wasn’t in the mood for games. “Do you want to do this the easy way or the hard way?”

  “Ooh, chick fight.” The guy in the bubble was young, and his eyes lit up when he realized there might be a confrontation. “I’ll get the pillows.”

  “I’m betting that explains why you got bubble duty,” I shot back, amused when he had the grace to look abashed and lower his eyes.

  “There’s no Dan Rather on my list,” the woman repeated. “I’m afraid I can’t allow you entrance to the media area.”

  I pursed my lips. I had a few options, and because I was early I could play with them. “Fine.” I yanked out my phone and punched in my cousin Derrick’s number before pressing it to my ear, never breaking eye contact with the female deputy. I can posture with the best of them.

  Derrick didn’t sound happy to hear from me when he answered. “What do you want?”

  “Hello to you, too.”

  “I’m sorry. You’re right. Hello. What do you want?” Derrick was clearly agitated. That was hardly outside of the norm. He was an expectant father, after all. He was probably scared to death about what was to come, and fear makes people difficult to deal with. Not me, mind you. I’m difficult on principle alone.

  “The female gym teacher in the bubble won’t let me into the conference room. She says I’m not on the list … even though she doesn’t have a list.”

  “You must be talking about Sawyer. She’s a real piece of work. She makes you look pleasant.” Derrick sounded bored. “What do you want me to do about it?”

  I ran my tongue over my teeth as I narrowed my eyes. Sawyer – if that was really her name – seemed to be enjoying my growing anger. “I want you to either order her to buzz me through or come up here and collect me.”

  “And why would I want to do that?”

  “Because if you try to keep me from the conference I’ll file a complaint with the state.” It wasn’t an empty threat. I’d fire off a letter without thinking twice … or considering whether or not I would feel guilty after the fact. I find guilt a useless emotion, so there’s no sense wallowing in it.

  “And what do you think the state would do?”

  “You can’t bar me from a news conference,” I reminded him. “I’ll write a story and cause a huge firestorm to fall on this place when I contact the ACLU because you guys infringed my First Amendment rights.” I had no idea if the ACLU would care, but I have no problem making stuff up when I issue threats. It often works to my advantage.

  Derrick heaved out a sigh. “You would do it, too, wouldn’t you?”

  “Yup.”

  “Fine. I’m on my way. Try to refrain from getting in trouble while you wait.”

  “No promises.” I disconnected and sent a sneer in Sawyer’s direction. “I have a personal guide coming to get me.”

  “How great for you,” Sawyer drawled.

  “When I tell him how I’m going to file a formal complaint for discrimination, I’m guessing you won’t even get bubble duty. What’s worse than bubble duty?”

  “Body cavity inspection duty,” the younger male deputy offered helpfully.

  “Thanks for the suggestion.”

  Sawyer’s smile dipped as I moved toward the locked door that led to the bowels of the sheriff’s department. Derrick opened the door and ushered me inside relatively quickly, shooting a dark look in Sawyer’s direction before following me down the hallway.

  “You know where the conference room is,” Derrick said. “You’re early, so you’ll have to sit there alone and be a good girl while amusing yourself.”

  That didn’t sound anything like me. “I thought I’d wait in your office.”

  “I’m busy with work.”

  “You can multi-task.”

  Derrick made a growling sound but he didn’t put up further argument, instead stalking into his office and letting loose with a loud groan as he threw himself in his desk chair. I was much more ladylike and demure when I sat across from him, crossing my leg over my knee and smiling.

  “So, how is your day going?”

  Derrick scowled. “You suck. You know that, right?”

  I shrugged, unbothered. “I have no idea what you mean.”

  “I mean that you tied our homicide to one in Port Hope – without any evidence, mind you – and now we’re dealing with panicked women of a certain age and race who think there’s a serial killer on the loose.”

  “Hey, I never used that term,” I countered. “I merely pointed out that the carnival company running things at our festival happens to be the same company that was in Port Hope. And, looky-looky, a woman died under mysterious circumstances there, too.”

  Derrick didn’t look convinced of my innocence. “You caused a panic.”

  “That wasn’t my intention.”

  “Yes, well, you hardly ever intend to wreak havoc before you do it.”

  That wasn’t even remotely true. Most of the havoc I wreak is intentional. He knows that. He must be off his game. Impending fatherhood and the presence of our cousin Mario, who was fighting with his father and rebelling by moving in with Derrick, was clearly sucking the fun out of Derrick’s life. “I think the women in this area – especially the black women – should be on the lookout. Teyona Davidson was taken from a street in the middle of town, a street she walked four nights a week, and no one noticed.”

  “We know that,” Derrick barked. “Good grief, we’re working the case. We’ve barely had it twenty-four hours. What do you expect from us?”

  “Perhaps you’re so good at your job I expect miracles.”

  “Don’t shine me on,” Derrick said, making a face. “You knew yesterday about the carnival’s connection to another death, but you sat on the information. We could arrest you for lying to law enforcement.”

  “I don’t lie to law enforcement.”

  Derrick scorched me with a dark look.

  “Okay, I haven’t lied to law enforcement about this particular case,” I clarified, rolling my neck until it cracked. “I told Jake about the dead woman in Port Hope. I told him before we discovered Teyona’s body. It’s not my fault he forgot.”

  “You could’ve reminded him.”

  “That’s a fair point,” I conceded. “I could’ve … but I didn’t.”

  “Why didn’t you remind me?”

  I cringed when I heard Jake’s voice in the open doorway. I hadn’t seen or heard him approach, so I didn’t realize he was listening. I hate being caught off guard. “I … forgot.”

  “Don’t do that.” Jake’s expression was dour as he scuffed his shoes against the floor while entering the office. He sat in the chair next to me, his eyes furious. “You scooped everyone today. You’re the talk of political and media circles from one end of the county to the other. Unfortunately, you did it while creating a panic. You must be so proud.”

  “I wasn’t trying to start a panic,” I argued. “That’s the last thing I want. I think that those murders are connected, though.”

  “How do you know they’re both murders?”
>
  “Because I’m not stupid.”

  “I sometimes doubt that, but I’m dying to know why you believe these are not only two murders, but connected,” Jake pressed. “Wow me with your magical mind.”

  I leaned forward, agitation washing over me. “Off the record?”

  Jake arched an eyebrow. “Shouldn’t I be saying that to you? Perhaps I’m simply too busy looking for the knife in my back to focus on that. Hmm.”

  That did it. I was officially ready to fight.

  “Listen, I don’t need the attitude! I’ve already had a long day,” I snapped. “I had to interview a woman who just lost her daughter, move my office stuff, deal with the possibility that my mother might be haunting my new house and I now owe Marvin a favor … which could end up being gross and involve stripper glitter if I’m not careful.”

  Jake wasn’t moved by my plight. “Why?”

  “Because it’s obvious,” I replied after a beat. “They both had neck injuries, suggesting that someone tried to strangle them. Whoever it is got overzealous with Tansy and broke her neck. Both bodies were hidden to some degree. Also, both were killed in the middle of busy areas, which suggests the killer assumed he’d get away with it … probably because he’s gotten away with it before.”

  “How do you know it’s the same killer?” Jake’s voice was deathly calm.

  “The odds of two killers being with the same carnival group have to be astronomical.”

  “How do you know the killer is tied to the carnival?”

  “Because one woman died at the carnival – there is no getting around that, so don’t bother trying – and the other was very close to the same carnival. She would’ve passed the carnival on her way home the night she died,” I replied. “I talked to her mother. Teyona was the type of girl who made eye contact, but didn’t try to start trouble. She wasn’t afraid of walking across Gratiot alone in the middle of the night.”

  “What does that prove?” Derrick asked, steepling his fingers as he rested his elbows on the desk.