11

That s enough.

The fiercely growled statement had Vera pivoting in the direction of the voice. Bent had come out of nowhere and was herding Patton and her cameraman back around the house. Vera followed.

When had he gotten here? She hadn t heard his truck, but then she d been a little distracted. She d checked out the window before coming outside and hadn t spotted him or his vehicle, so obviously he d only just arrived. Since she hadn t seen Patton or a news van either, apparently she and her colleague had walked from wherever they d parked. Evidently Bent had as well.

Once he had the two herded into the front yard, Bent warned, If you come on this property uninvited again, I will arrest you.

Patton smiled knowingly. I m sure you will, Sheriff.

With that and a final parting glance at Vera, she walked away. The man carrying the camera followed. Sadly this would not be the last time Patton crossed the line. She had a reputation for just this sort of strategy. You didn t rise to the top of the heap in her business by pulling any punches.

Vera should ve thanked Bent. Instead, she glared at him. They were already leaving. It wasn t necessary for you to make a show of force.

He cocked his head and studied her. You worried she ll think you actually do have an in with the local cops?

How the hell long had he been listening?

Long enough, obviously. She shouldn t be surprised or worried that he d heard anything he didn t already know. The whole country knew about Memphis. He couldn t have missed it if he d wanted to. At least not if he watched the news. Like everyone else, he might not be aware of all the details, but he had the gist of the story.

Vera had made a mistake. A terrible, tragic mistake by not seeing what was right in front of her. Her gut clenched, and the acid from that one hasty cup of coffee she d downed burned its way up her throat.

Why are you here, Bent? I was heading to the cave. She wanted to see inside . . . to know what they d found.

Can we take a minute? Have a cup of coffee?

She blinked, dismissed the realization that there was still something about his eyes that drew her in the same way it had all those years ago. How pathetic was that?

Don t even go there, Vee.

His showing up and wanting to have coffee could only mean one of two things. He had news or he had questions. Maybe both.

Of course. She turned and walked to the porch. I sent you a text to see if there was news.

I decided to answer in person.

Great. At the front door the knob turned without resistance, and she realized that she and her sisters were still operating under the assumption that Fayetteville was so safe, no one needed to lock their doors. Fayetteville might well be a very safe place to live still, but with all the reporters around, it was definitely not safe for the Boyett family. Not right now. From this point forward it was essential that the doors to their home be locked. She would talk to Eve and Luna about staying on top of the situation.

You should keep your doors locked, Bent echoed her thought.

She made a sound of agreement. More a grunt.

Vera led the way to the kitchen and popped another pod into the coffee maker. She placed a mug where the carafe would generally sit and pushed Brew. The smell had her stomach burning again. Not a good sign.

Cream? The only thing she d ever seen him drink was beer or whiskey. She had no idea how he took his coffee.

No thanks.

Well now she knew. How exciting. He took his coffee the same way he did his whiskey: straight. She silently scolded herself for being so snarky, even if only in her head. Eve seemed to believe Bent was a good sheriff. Vera should be grateful he was in charge, if for no other reason than the fact he might have some amount of guilt related to their past that could potentially work in her and Eve s favor.

A big if , but she would take it. At this point, any glimmer of hope was better than none.

Once the coffee maker stopped sputtering, she passed him the mug and slid onto a stool across from him. He d settled at the table and placed his hat on top. Even all those years ago he d worn a hat similar to that one. Fancied himself a cowboy, she supposed. Lots of guys around Lincoln County cherished their hats, whether the cowboy style or the baseball type.

You want to talk about it?

She stared at him in confusion. It? He meant Memphis. She understood this, but she had no intention of showing as much.

Memphis.

After one, two, three seconds of pretend consideration, she lifted her chin. No.

All right then. He picked up his mug and tested the coffee. Winced and placed the mug back onto the table. Let s talk about the last few months before Sheree disappeared. Go over what you remember from that time.

Vera nodded slowly. I get it. You have to keep asking that question because you were gone. Poof! Just vanished. So you have no idea what happened those last months I was home.

He flinched.

Okay, that was low, but she hadn t been able to help herself. He d disappeared on her-ghosted her before ghosting was a trendy thing. If not for her determination to find him and that run-in with his daddy, she wouldn t have had a clue if he was dead or alive. Most days she had hoped for the former. Okay, not true, but it sounded good when she was angry.

We can talk about that too, he offered, if it ll make you feel better. Clear the air. Maybe.

Vera waved a hand in a whatever gesture. The air is just fine from where I sit. There was no way she intended to admit how badly he d hurt her.

He nodded slowly, as she had before. Tell me the details about life in this house those last few months. You can break it down into just before and right after Sheree disappeared if you d like.

If she d like? She didn t like any aspect of this, but clearly she had no choice. If she refused to answer his questions, he would eventually compel her to do so.

She forced a smile. Why don t we just go back to the beginning? We wouldn t want to overlook any aspect of relevancy. If you want details , I mean.

He gave a nod. Even better.

Deep breath. Focus on the facts. Say no more than necessary.

When Sheree first arrived, Vera began, Daddy was overjoyed. She pretended to want to fulfill his every wish. She d take credit for whatever dinner Eve and I had prepared and practically hand-feed him. Then they would disappear into the bedroom and leave us to figure out how to avoid the sounds they made.

The memories sickened her.

For those first two months after her mother died, Vera had been devastated. Lost. But so had Eve and their father. Somehow, the shared suffering made going on easier. They were a team-still a family. Then Sheree became a part of their family, and everything changed. Eve s and Vera s lives became the stuff bad fairy tales were made of. If not for Eve, Vera would have taken off. But she couldn t leave her sister alone with their wicked stepmother.

And where would she have gone? Vera had never gotten that far in the what-if process because she d realized it was an impossible idea.

How long before things changed between Sheree and your father? Bent tested the coffee again and this time took a long swallow.

Sheree had Luna six months after they married. Vera rolled her eyes. Which meant their father was sleeping with her at least a whole month before their mother died. Even at sixteen, the reality was a huge letdown. He wasn t the superhero they d believed. His immature behavior all those months with his new wife stole the remainder of their happy, innocent childhoods . . . prompted feelings that she and Eve had never felt before. Hatred. Disgust.

Their mother would have been disappointed by that most of all.

Anyway, Vera continued, after Luna was born, she-Sheree-was suddenly unable to do anything but lay around on the sofa and be waited on hand and foot. Which really wasn t a change other than the fact that she continued this behavior after their father came home each evening. Daddy treated her like a helpless princess.

I m sure it was difficult for you and Eve to watch.

He had no idea. We survived.

Did she ever show any real affection for Luna? he prodded.

At first, Vera admitted-though she hated giving the woman any sort of credit- Sheree was sort of captivated with the baby. But the fascination didn t last long. Within a few weeks Eve and I were taking care of the baby, and Sheree was MIA. I can remember coming home from school and finding Luna screaming in her crib. Alone. She would be hungry, and it was obvious she d been wearing the same diaper for hours. Sheree would just leave her. We told Daddy, but Sheree always insisted we were lying, and he took her side.

Bent grimaced. Not exactly the sort of childhood you were accustomed to.

He knew it wasn t. This was another thing that had drawn Vera to Bent. He had known her mother. She hired him to help with the gardening that final summer of her life. Sometimes he wouldn t show up, and Vera would tell her mother she should hire someone else, because everyone knew Gray Benton was no good. Vera had heard rumors about him. But her mama would always smile and say Bent was a good man, he just needed someone to show him how to be as good as he really was.

The truth was that Vera had been attracted to him on so many levels that it had terrified her. He represented everything she had been taught to avoid. No matter that he was the most handsome guy she had ever seen and that just being in the same room with him made her shiver, she sensed that he was dangerous somehow . . . maybe only to her innocence.

After that summer, Vera hadn t really seen Bent more than twice. Once in town hanging with his buddies, then another time when he d been standing outside the house, staring up at her mother s bedroom window. Vera had stayed home from school to take care of her. Her mother insisted she would be fine, but Vera knew better. She was really, really sick from the chemo. She asked Vera to push back the curtains and open the window so she could smell the air. Vera did so, and that was when she spotted Bent standing under the big oak her mother loved so much. She told her about him being there, and her mother asked Vera to let him in.

When he came into the bedroom, her mother insisted Vera give them a few minutes alone. Vera was, of course, incensed, but she did as her mother asked. Though she didn t go far. She had stayed right outside the door, and to this day she would swear that she heard Bent sobbing like a child. At first she thought it was her mother, but when she started to come into the room, her mother had asked her to wait outside. Her voice didn t sound like she d been crying.

She didn t see Bent again after that . . . not until months later. Her mother had been dead and buried, and her father and Sheree were married, and Luna had been born. Everything had so abruptly and so dramatically changed, and Vera wanted to glom on to anything that connected to her mother. She had missed her so much.

The memories flooded her now . . . sending so many emotions whirling through her that it took a moment for her to find her voice again.

Why did you come to see my mama that last time?

She d never asked him about that day. Talking about her mother had been far too difficult for her to bring up the subject. Besides, they didn t spend very much time talking when they were together. This was actually the first time Vera had thought about that day in all this time. How strange for the memory to pop into her head at this precise moment.

Your mama was nice to me. Mine died when I was just a little boy, and my dad, well you know what a mean bastard he was. Evelyn wanted to help me, I think. She kept telling me what a good person I was. Always had. As far back as I can remember, whenever I would see her, she would smile and tell me how handsome or smart or good I was. He breathed a sound, a sort of gutted laugh. I just let her say whatever she wanted. I didn t want to hurt her feelings by telling her she was wrong. That my no-good daddy had beat all the good out of me by the time I was old enough to go to school.

The confession startled Vera . . . struck some place deep inside her that still dared to feel compassion for this man. She tried to think of some meaningful response, but nothing came.

He looked away, blinked as if he, too, was overwhelmed by some powerful emotion. And all this time she had been certain he was not capable of such a thing.

Evelyn was very good to me, he repeated. She treated me like I mattered, and I appreciated that kindness more than you can imagine.

Vera blocked the second round of emotion that wanted to rise inside her. Damn it, she would not allow herself to be pulled into a compromising position by the past. Not to mention it was too bad his appreciation hadn t filtered down to Vera. He d sure as hell left her high and dry no matter how good her mother had been to him. She forced the thought away. Refused to acknowledge how he d devastated her.

So, yes, she said, going back to his question, which now felt like a much safer place, everything about our lives changed with Sheree and Luna. Eve and I lost our father, really, but we dealt with it. What else could we do?

Did you ever hear your father and Sheree arguing?

Voices and images filtered through her mind. Obviously. He eventually saw through her lies and started demanding she stay home and take care of Luna. This resulted in several ugly confrontations.

Did these confrontations, he asked, choosing his words carefully, ever become physical?

Vera recognized where he was going with his questions. No. Never.

You re sure, Bent pressed. Just so you know, I reviewed the case file thoroughly, and there were folks who stated that they saw Sheree with bruises on more than one occasion and with a black eye once.

What folks? Vera demanded.

Folks who knew Sheree back then, he explained. There were witness statements in her case file. Sheriff Fraley had taken statements from several of her friends after she disappeared.

What friends? Sheree had no friends, as far as I recall.

There were a couple of women who frequented the same places she did who claimed to be her friends, Bent explained. One has since died, and the other moved away.

Vera waved her hands, dismissing the idea entirely. I m sure she had so-called friends that she hung with, but not a single one ever came around here. Any bruises or black eyes these friends saw came from whatever Sheree did during all those times she disappeared, leaving me and my little sister to take care of her baby. Daddy would never have hit her.

You and Eve weren t home all the time, Bent reminded her.

I am telling you unequivocally that he did not hurt that woman. He would have done anything to keep her happy, but that was an impossible task for any mere mortal. Her frustration and disgust were showing, but she didn t care. This was the truth.

Bent picked up the mug and cradled it in both hands. Still, I have to talk to him. See what he remembers.

Vera laughed. Good luck with that. Most days he doesn t even remember his name. Funny how it was so much easier to laugh a little rather than to stop and think about the fact that her father was for all intents and purposes gone. But then, really he d left a long time ago.

But, professionally speaking, you understand that I have to try. He knocked back a slug of coffee without ever breaking their mutual gaze. His eyes were the palest blue.

Not what she needed to be thinking about just now.

As for his question, yes, as an investigative analyst, she understood-even if she didn t like it. I do.

He set his mug aside. Then you ll consent to the questioning and go with me?

She turned her hands up. Sure. I will gladly help you waste your time. She was being overly sarcastic, but it was true. Unless, of course, her father said something odd, the way he had last evening. She supposed it was a necessary risk. Better that he be questioned by the devil she knew. I ll have to run it by Eve and Luna first.

What about allowing me to have a look around the house? Maybe a check of his room to see if there s anything that might tell us what the two of them were up to just before she vanished. A note. A receipt. Something.

Vera needed to buy some time on that one too . . . just in case. Again, I ll have to talk to my sisters first. Make sure the idea is okay with them.

He gave a nod. I appreciate your help.

Despite her efforts to stay completely calm, her pulse had started to gain momentum. This was really happening. The realization still startled her.

This situation was the last thing she needed at the moment.

And this man . . . her first love . . . was the last person she needed to do this with. Yes, it was possible he could be an asset, but he could also make her vulnerable. She hadn t realized until just this moment how much he still affected her.

Of course. She straightened. The urge to search her father s bedroom was suddenly pounding in her veins. He wasn t the only one who d had arguments with Sheree. Vera and Eve had gone head to head with her many times, particularly after the birth of Luna. Vera was fairly positive Sheree wasn t the journaling type, but she wasn t going to assume anything. The absolute wrong thing an investigator could do was to operate on assumptions.

She d given Bent something he wanted, so maybe now was the perfect time to introduce that other suspect option-the one that wasn t her father.

Do you remember a man named Garth Rimmey? he asked before she could.

She barely kept her jaw from falling slack. Apparently they were on the same wavelength. I remember there was talk that Sheree was involved with him before. He wasn t happy that she d married Daddy. Otherwise, the only thing I know is that he was a bad guy.

He was a piece of shit, Bent confirmed. He died not long after Sheree disappeared-four or five days, I think. Fraley was always after him. He was suspected of selling drugs and other things, but he was never caught with the goods.

He scrubbed at his jaw. Vera watched the movement with far too much interest.

This was all hearsay, he went on. No one would admit they d bought anything from him. Too scared to do so, I imagine. The rumors you heard were right, he and Sheree were involved. It was mostly off and on. He would beat the hell out of her, and she d leave him, then end up going back. This went on from the time she was sixteen until she married your daddy. Some say Rimmey put her up to go after Vernon just to get money, but there was no evidence confirming the stories.

Vera blinked. Gave herself a mental kick for getting distracted by watching his lips move as he spoke. He was murdered? The casserole ladies had said as much, and her net search had confirmed this, but more details would be useful. As for the gold digger scenario, Vera had always suspected that to be the case.

Someone went into his trailer and beat him to death with a baseball bat.

Vera raised her eyebrows in question. A tough guy like that-who everyone was afraid to rat out-let someone sneak up on him?

The medical examiner said judging by his blood alcohol level, he was probably unconscious when the beating started. There was no indication that he fought back. His killer caught him passed out and did the deed. The bat had been wiped clean, and no other evidence was found. Case is still unsolved.

Vera readily saw the potential setup behind that one too. You think Daddy believed Rimmey had something to do with Sheree s disappearance and killed him to have his revenge? So not her father s style. He wasn t a bully or a murderer. You can t be serious.

It s not impossible, Bent argued.

Speaking in terms of conceivable scenarios, this was true, but she wasn t saying that out loud. Just highly unlikely, knowing my daddy.

Rimmey had a strong history of violence, which suggests he could have killed her. Bent studied Vera s face, her eyes closely as he spoke. Makes sense that he would have placed her body on your father s property to implicate him when or if she was ever found. I can absolutely see him doing something along those lines.

If this theory kept her father off the suspect radar, it worked for Vera.

A plausible scenario, she agreed. Nothing screamed guilt more than jumping too quickly to place blame elsewhere.

Any good investigator, Bent included, would be looking for exactly that. He watched her too closely for her to believe otherwise. The hint of worry in his expression even suggested that he hated the idea, but she wasn t going there. Whatever guilt or debt he felt toward her was not something she wanted to explore. On the other hand, it was something she fully intended to exploit.

How thoroughly was he investigated regarding Sheree s disappearance? She clarified, I mean, really investigated.

He was pretty much Fraley s prime suspect, but he never had the evidence or a witness to prove it.

It s tough to close a case without one or the other, she pointed out.

No question. Rimmey had a friend, Bent said, Pete Brooks. I m working on getting an interview with him. See if he remembers anything else around that time period. According to the statement he made during the investigation, he hadn t seen Rimmey in a couple of weeks. Doesn t seem likely to me, given how close they were.

Pete Brooks. Vera couldn t place the name.

In her hip pocket her cell vibrated. She reached for it, checked the screen.

Eve.

Vera frowned and accepted the call. Hey.

Hey, I was coming back home to get a change of clothes and . . . A sigh echoed across the line.

What? Vera s instincts started to hum. Eve s tone sounded off. Worry? Fear? Something in that order.

Someone ran me off the road.

Are you all right? Fear snaked into Vera s chest. Where are you?

I m okay, yeah. I m on Molino right after the curve.

She didn t have to say which curve. Vera knew the one. I ll be right there.

What s going on? Bent asked as soon as the call ended.

It s Eve. Someone ran her off the road.

My truck s outside, he said, getting to his feet. I ll take you.