38

Benton Ranch

Old Molino Road, Fayetteville, 10:30 p.m.

Vera stood on the porch. She hadn t knocked yet. The house was dark. Bent could be in bed already.

She closed her eyes and drew in a deep breath.

She shouldn t have come. But after visiting the Fraleys, Eve had decided to go to Suri s. Luna was still staying with Jerome, and suddenly Vera hadn t wanted to be alone with her thoughts anymore.

What the hell was she doing here ?

The porch light came on. She blinked at the brightness.

The door opened, and Bent was there, a wide smile on his face. I was in the office, but I heard you turn into my driveway.

Besides being startled, now she was confused. How could he hear her half a mile away?

At her look of confusion, he went on, I have an alarm and cameras that let me know when someone turns into my drive. Sheriffs aren t loved by everyone.

She understood. Made sense he probably had a camera on the porch and watched her indecision about knocking.

It s late. Not that late but . . . it was the only thing she could think to say. Funny, she d had this list of items she wanted to talk with him about, and suddenly her mind was blank, or maybe she was just too damned afraid to start spilling and end up saying far too much.

He reached for her arm and tugged her across the threshold. Coffee? Beer? Something stronger maybe?

Stronger, I think. She watched while he closed the door and then walked over to the kitchen area.

Part of her wanted to collapse on his sofa, but she couldn t be that still with all the scenarios spinning in her head. Instead she started to pace. Beatrice Fraley knew the whole story. Damn it. Was the former sheriff covering for her? His theory about how the bodies got into the cave was reasonable but only pointed to her father s involvement, not her mother s-which, she supposed, would by association implicate his wife.

The idea that Walt knew what his wife and Florence Higdon had done and still protected them disappointed Vera, no matter that, in his position, she would likely do the same. She d been protecting Eve for decades . . . except apparently it wasn t Eve who had needed protecting where Sheree was concerned. It was their father. Eve s confession had rocked Vera to the core.

Why, oh why had her sister not told her this in the first place?

Irrelevant. Move on.

Here you go.

She jumped. She d been so deep in thought she hadn t realized Bent had appeared next to her. She struggled to recover and accept the tumbler, filled with something amber that promised relief. She sipped it, then indulged in a deeper swallow. The burn that rushed down her throat warned it wouldn t be long before that edge she tittered on would vanish, or at the very least soften.

What s going on, Vee? His hand was on her arm again, guiding her to the sofa.

She eased down onto the cool leather, and he settled next to her. His closeness had her going for another generous swallow.

Eve and I stopped by to see Walt and his wife. She took a breath, hoped it would shore up her wobbly composure. I wanted to know why he d told me there were no unsolved missing persons cases on his watch-which as we know isn t true. He claimed it wasn t his case, it was FPD s.

The urge to tell him the rest was so abrupt and so strong, she barely held back. Would unburdening herself make her feel better in the end? She wasn t sure anymore. Couldn t trust herself to make the right choice.

Bent mulled over her words for a time before responding. Vera downed the last of her drink. Wished there was more but recognized the danger in going there.

I can see his point, Bent said. No one wants an unsolved case on their books. He told me the same thing when I called. But I m not so sure that s his only motive.

Eve had been right. Bent really was a good sheriff. She studied his face, the lines and angles she had never been able to evict from her memory. Why wasn t he married by now? He was clearly a great catch. The sheriff . . . handsome as hell. Her gaze traced his beard-shadowed jaw, roved over his full lips. The remembered feel of those lips-

Vee, you need to stop looking at me that way, or I m going to get the wrong idea.

She blinked, told herself to shift her attention from the movement of his lips to his eyes. That piercing blue color zoomed into vivid focus . . . the move didn t help.

I should go. She stood, swayed a little. Damn, maybe she should have taken a little more time with that drink.

He stood, set his glass on the coffee table, then did the same with hers. I know this thing is getting more complicated every day.

For a moment she had no clue what he was talking about, then the image of the cave tumbled into her rambling thoughts. Complicated is one way to put it.

The cell phone stuffed into her back pocket vibrated. She snatched at it, needing two attempts to drag it free.

Eve.

What now? Vera was so weary of the damned drama.

Is everything all right? she said instead of hello, when she wanted to demand what the hell had happened now.

You need to come home, Eve said, her voice too quiet.

What is it? Fear blasted away the effects of the alcohol.

I had to come back by the house for my phone charger and found Luna here. She is really upset. Someone was in the house again.

On my way. Vera shoved the phone back into her pocket. She steadied herself and met Bent s expectant gaze. I have to go.

When she swayed, he took hold of her arms and steadied her. Hold up a minute. What s going on?

Someone broke into the house again. Damn, she should have considered that he would need to go too.

His expression hardened. I m driving.

Boyett Farm

Good Hollow Road, Fayetteville, 11:50 p.m.

Bent had searched the house and yard and found nothing except a broken pane of glass in the back door-the entry point.

Luna had calmed down after Vera s arrival. A fight with Jerome had prompted the mutual decision that a cooling off period was necessary, so she d come home for the night and bumped into an intruder. Like the one Vera encountered: tall, muscled, outfitted in a black ski mask and gloves.

They-all three sisters-sat on the sofa, Luna wrapped in Vera s arms as if she were two years old again. Eve as usual looked stiff and uncomfortable at the closeness. She wasn t much of a hugger. Hadn t been since their mother died. Vera thought about that for a moment. Eve really had changed after that painful day. Vera reached her free arm out and draped it around her and pulled her closer, whether she appreciated it or not.

This is weird, Eve muttered.

Vera smiled, her lips pressed against Eve s hair. Little bit. She eased away, removed her arm.

Eve grinned at her. Thanks for the thought though.

It s always the thought that counts. Vera dropped her head against the sofa. This was so much like when they were kids. She glanced down at Luna. Except she had been a baby rather than a grown woman on the verge of marriage.

Luna was the baby of the family, yet she was the only one to get this close to marriage. Spoke volumes about just how screwed up Vera and Eve were.

Thanks, Dad.

Then again, for Eve apparently it had started with their mother.

And here Vera had been confident their childhood in the before period had been pretty perfect.

Bent entered the room, and they rose from the sofa in anticipation of whatever he had to say. For Vera her attention first swept from hair to boots and back before landing on his face. He really was far too handsome for his-or Vera s-own good, with her teetering in such a precarious emotional place right now.

So very clich , Vee.

What happened with the security system installation? This question he directed at Eve, who had volunteered to take care of that detail.

They can t come until next week, she said with equal measures impatience and frustration. She glanced at Vera.

She was supposed to have told Bent but forgot. Oh well. A lot of crazy shit had happened. Sorry. Vera raised her hand. I was supposed to tell you that.

He gave a nod. I ll take care of the back-door repair in the morning. For now, I have it secured in a temporary manner.

Vera had heard a power drill. She suspected he d picked through her father s tools until he found what he needed to secure the door closed.

We appreciate that, Vera said.

After Bent s thorough look around, she and her sisters had explored the house and determined that nothing appeared to be missing. Evidently whatever the intruder had been looking for he didn t find, or what he found was something they hadn t yet missed. Vera was glad he hadn t ransacked their parents bedroom again. She d only just gotten it put back together.

You ladies should get some sleep, Bent suggested. I ll be on your couch tonight.

I m going back to Suri s. Eve was heading out of the room as she spoke. Night, y all.

Good nights were called after her. Vera knew better than to try to stop her. She wondered if Eve would tell Suri that Vera knew about the rapist.

Didn t matter. She could not think about that again tonight.

Luna folded her arms over her chest. Thank you, Bent. She looked to Vera, smiled sadly. Night.

There had been no time to discuss whatever had happened between her and Jerome. Hopefully nothing major.

Vera returned her smile. Night. She watched her go, wishing she could make her feel better about her fianc , but that was way beyond her control.

With her sisters gone, Vera figured it would be in her best interest to go as well. I ll get you a pillow and a blanket.

Bent analyzed her for a long moment, then he nodded. That works.

As Vera walked away, she wondered if he d hoped she would invite him upstairs.

Oh yes, this whole situation just kept getting more complicated.

And maybe a little more dangerous than she wanted to admit.

What was the intruder looking for? There had to be something here, or he wouldn t have come back. Assuming it was the same guy. But what could it be? Vera had searched the house thoroughly.

She had a feeling the answer to that question was the match point in this game.