Chapter Two

Black River reminded James of one thing: murder.

Hidden in dense foliage, the river stretched out far beyond his view and also happened to be a perfect spot to dump a body. He had no doubt there had been many missing people over the years who wound up weighed down by rocks at the bottom of the river until their flesh disintegrated into nothing.

His boss, Donald Abrams had a bad habit of telling him about their worst cases, probably to freak him out. The sicko with the garden of people floating upright like weeds was particularly gruesome. The chills he got from that one made the hairs on his neck stand up. However, since Manorview’s crime rate was low, James wasn’t entirely sure if the stories were folklore or not. 

“Congrats on your last case. I heard you’re a big boss detective now,” Rick said, as he reeled in his empty line. 

James impaled a worm on his hook and swung the line out into the water. “Thanks. I wouldn’t say big boss though. More like maybe I’ll get to keep my job.” 

“Have you ever caught anything here?”

“No, but I hear there’s trout.” 

And bodies.

“A fat trout would be nice to bring home for dinner.”

James swallowed, imagining bodies suspended over the river bottom. “It sure would.” 

“And Lily helps with your cases?”

“Yes, after we discovered she had a talent for it. I’m not thrilled about it though.”

“I bet. After what happened to Andrea, I’m sure your work is the last thing you want Lily involved in.”

James pressed his lips together. Tight. The death of his previous girlfriend had been his fault. He allowed her to be in the wrong place at the wrong time in crossfire and she was killed. Not only did he have to live with himself for not being able to protect her, but he’d been letting Lily creep dangerously close to that line as well. He hadn’t slept well in a long time.

“You’re right, I don’t want Lily involved but I’m not sure I can stop her either.”

“I’d like to help with your case but without fingerprints it’s not going to be easy.”

James sucked in a breath. “I know. The forensics report didn’t help much. I was hoping there would be some prints somewhere but no such luck. Whoever did it knew what they were doing.” 

“No other clues?”

“None. Lily will talk to the family. That won’t be easy.” James felt a few wet raindrops slide down his neck as he reeled in his line. The worm had vanished. 

“Are they biting them off yours too?”

“I stopped trying. I don’t think there’s any fish in there. How ’bout a brew?” Rick tossed a can of beer to James. 

“Sounds good—starting to rain anyway.” James dropped his fishing pole and hooked his finger under the pull-tab. He snapped it forward, letting the gas escape. 

Rick took a long swig of his beer. Then wiped his mouth with the back of his meaty hand. He put his baseball cap on and sat on top of the cooler they’d brought. “But seriously, how are things?”

“Good. Quite a change from the big city but that’s what I wanted. And then I met Lily.”

“I tell you, I wasn’t expecting you to meet someone so fast. I thought if either of us was going to meet someone it would be me.”

James wiped away the moisture from his eyebrow. “I’m better looking.”

“Maybe. But I’m a better detective and by default my checkered past makes me more interesting than you,” Rick said, taking another swig.

“You don’t have a checkered past. We have no control over who raises us. So your family made some mistakes. You’re the total opposite. You’re in law enforcement.”

“But you know what they say.”

“What’s that?”

“The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.”

James laughed. “I don’t have time to investigate you. I’m too busy dropping worms into the river. Plus, who’s going to watch over things here when Lily and I go on our honeymoon?”

“Does she know?”

“No, it’s a surprise and you better not tell her.”

All kidding left Rick’s face. “But does she know?”

James watched his buddy’s dark eyes. He knew what Rick referred to but decided to play dumb. Rick knew all about his past and having him enter into his new life meant opening up old wounds.

He gulped down some beer. “Does she know what?”

Rick’s eyebrows shot up. “Does she know about everything?”

James looked toward the large raindrops breaking through the river’s surface ahead. The silvery-green water reminded him of Lily’s eyes and how he’d crumble if he lost her. “No, I haven’t told her.”

“Don’t you think she has a right to know since you’re married now?”

“She has the right but I’m afraid once she finds out all the things I did to comfort myself after Andrea’s death she’ll leave me. The drugs, alcohol, and total self-destruction. I don’t want her to think she’s married to the wrong guy.”

“It was a long time ago, buddy. But I wouldn’t blame her if she was upset that you didn’t tell her before she decided to marry you.”

James stared at the muddy puddles starting to form by his feet. “Will you do me a solid and tell her for me?”

Rick shook his head. “I’m the single one, remember? You don’t want me doing the dirty work.” He walked over to James and slapped him on the back. “If she loves you, she’ll understand. We all have a past. I bet she has one, too.” 

“She does—a dark one. But mine is full of mistakes I made. There’s a difference.”

“Geez.” Rick pointed toward the river. “Don’t jump in. I don’t want to have to go in after you and get my leather jacket even more soaked.”

“No, you’re right. I should’ve told her. But I don’t want her to think I’ll ever go down that road again.” 

“Will you?” 

James watched drops dangle for a second. The question scared him. What would drive him to the path of self-destruction again? He knew the answer—losing Lily. And would she leave if she found out he’d been withholding the ugly side of him? He shuddered. She might. “Will I ever go down that dark path again? I don’t know.”

****

“I’m so sorry this happened.” Lily said to the frowning woman. “I assure you, we’ve never experienced anything like this in the fifty years we’ve been in business.” 

“And yet it happened. Klaus deserves better than this. He worked hard all his life in that no-good factory for thirty-five years. The least we could do is give him a peaceful afterlife.” She pushed a tissue under her eye to catch her tears. 

“I promise we will do everything we can to find Klaus and give him the burial you wanted, Mrs. Gusev. Free of charge.” 

Her eyes perked up a bit. She began dotting the wetness from her other cheek. “That’s generous of you. Have the police found anything?”

“They are working very hard on this case. As part of the investigational team I want you to know I will do anything in my power to find Klaus.” 

The corner of her mouth lifted. “You’re a cop?”

“Well, sort of. I’ve been recruited to help solve these types of crimes but I’m not officially on their payroll yet. I guarantee I am as good as their best detective. Maybe even better.” 

Mrs. Gusev’s right eyebrow rose. “If you are part of the investigation, then what have you found?”

“Honestly, not much. No fingerprints were left at the scene. No items were left behind that could identify our thief. But we’re still looking and part of that means asking for your help as well.”

“Call me Katia. What can I do to help?”

Phew.

Lily’s shoulders relaxed a bit. She had succeeded in pacifying her client and convinced the grieving woman she could be as helpful as any cop. “Do you think there is anyone out there who may wish Klaus harm? Maybe they’d been planning some kind of revenge after he passed?”

Katia’s gray eyes focused on the ground. “Klaus was a good husband as far as I can tell but he didn’t tell me everything. He ran with a few characters.”

“Would those characters ever break the law?”

“I can’t say for sure. There are a couple I think should be questioned.” She leaned forward. “As long as you don’t mention my name. I run in close circles. I don’t want to be ousted by my own group.”

“Understood. Your identity won’t be revealed.”

“Do you have a pen and paper?”

“Certainly.” Lily opened the drawer on the left side of her desk. She pulled out a notepad and handed Katia a pen. 

She watched Katia hesitate on producing the names. This seemed like a lead Lily could sink her teeth into. Thoughts popped around her mind like popcorn. Maybe there was a group of outsiders who she could put the squeeze on to talk about the crime. Maybe Klaus had some enemies looking to humiliate him. She had read his death certificate. It had been ruled a death from natural causes but who knows? All Katia had to do was write a list of names and the flood gates could swing wide open right before her very eyes.

“This is strictly confidential,” Lily added. “Your identity will never be revealed to those people.”

Mrs. Gusev offered Lily a crooked smile. “They’ll know I said something. The question is, do I care?”

“If it leads to an arrest and finding Klaus, then it’s worth the risk. We can offer you protection.” Lily assumed that was the case. She’d make sure James authorized it. 

Katia began scribbling on the notepad. After, she stared at Lily with her hand posed over what she’d written. “I hope you’re right.” She removed her hand and slid the notepad to Lily.

“You have done a good thing. We’ll look into this and get back to you if we find anything.”

Katia’s eyes teared up again. “Please find Klaus.”

“I will. I promise. Thank you for your cooperation.” 

Katia gathered her purse and grabbed another tissue from the box on the desk as she stood. 

Lily walked her to the front door. “As soon as I hear something I will call you,” she told her. 

“Thank you,” Katia said as she walked to her car. 

Lily watched her get into the car as if checking to make sure she was well enough to drive. She couldn’t believe this terrible mess. If she were in Katia’s shoes, would she be as reasonable? Probably not. 

“Is that the wife?”

Lily jumped. Rick had snuck up behind her. “Yes.” She closed the front door with force. Even though he’d been staying in Shanna’s room, Lily hadn’t quite gotten used to the idea of having him around. 

“Is she pissed?” he asked.

“Wouldn’t you be?”

“Yes, but you never know. Maybe she did it.”

“Katia? No. I haven’t been investigating for very long, but I know my clients. She didn’t do it. She may know who did though.”

Rick pursed his lips and chuckled. “Sounds like you have a lead. Although, you know how those go. You think you’ve got a lead and then it turns out to be something else altogether.”

Lily examined her husband’s friend from his shiny scalp to his combat boots. Who is this guy?

“Does that happen to you often in the field?”

He shrugged. “It happens. Katia is probably emotional right now. All she wanted to do was bury her husband in a reputable funeral home and the guy gets kidnapped? How often does that happen?”

Lily cocked her head. “Not often but thanks for the recap.”

“It reminds me of a cold case I had a few years back in The City. A hospital worker wheeled several deceased bodies out of the hospital on their stretchers. No one ever saw the dead people again.”

Lily’s eyebrows shot up. “That’s crazy. What were they doing? Selling organs?”

“Probably. Maybe. I had no idea. We never found any of them.”

“Are you saying the thief might work here and I should look within the company?”

“I’m not saying that.” He shook his head. “I’m saying that case dragged on forever.” 

“So you never caught whoever did it?”

“No, the case went cold. For years I chased it and never got anywhere. I was so frustrated at how often I would chase leads that would never pan out. I almost walked out on law enforcement. It drove me mad.”

Lily stared at his dark eyes. “That’s not very encouraging.”

He put his hands up in surrender. “Just saying.”

She barely knew him but something about him seemed off. He seemed to be putting her off the case. But why? Was he confused by her participation in the case? If so, he had another thing coming. 

“I’ll take my chances. Katia deserves to know what happened.”

He bowed his head and walked back up to Shanna’s bedroom.

Her eyes narrowed as she studied him. She couldn’t quite put her finger on it. But she couldn’t shake the feeling that there was more than meets the eye with Rick. And she had to trust her instincts.

They hadn’t led her astray…yet.