Chapter 16 Daisy Ann

Daisy Ann had brought her Amber file with her to Gunnison and had arranged to meet with everyone listed in the detective's report. She'd spent the night at the house and Brenda prepared a breakfast of homemade waffles for her. Seeing Brenda again was comforting but staying in the house still didn't feel right. After breakfast she went to the café but didn't learn anything of value. Obviously, Amber had deliberately kept to herself, and other than commenting on how she sucked up to Jake, no one had anything new to offer. Next on her list was Tanya, the woman Amber had traveled with from Nebraska. She pulled in front of the row of townhouses and parked in front. The lawn was well maintained, and flower boxes in the windows showcased purple and yellow petunias. She took a deep breath as she walked to the front door, eager for answers, and rang the bell. A young woman holding a baby on one hip answered.

"Tanya?"

"Yes, ma'am. You must be Daisy Ann. Come on in."

She led Daisy Ann into the kitchen and pointed to a chair at the wooden table. "Please have a seat. I was just about to feed her." She put the baby in a highchair. "Can I get you something to drink?"

Daisy Ann shook her head. "No thanks."

Tanya pulled out a jar of baby food and began spooning it into her daughter's mouth. "So, what can I help you with? You said you were a friend of Amber's?"

Daisy Ann nodded. She had no idea what Tanya's feelings toward Amber were, so she'd decided to take a roundabout approach. "Yes, I'm trying to locate her. Did she keep in touch with you after she left?"

"No. After she moved out of my friend Greta's, where we were staying at the time, we really never heard from her. Greta was pissed. She claims Amber stole some of her clothes. I don't know if that's really true. But I never did understand why she left a good job at D'Jangos to work at the W. I mean no way did she make as much in tips."

"Did she say why she wanted to work there?"

Tanya shook her head. "No, she was kinda cagey about it." She shrugged. "She wasn't one for really confiding much."

"Did you ever see her after she got married?"

"I didn't even know she did get married until I saw that article about the shooting. Terrible thing. I did get in touch with her after to offer my condolences."

"Oh?"

"Yeah, she was pretty torn up about it. Said she couldn't stay here anymore."

"Did she explain how it happened or say anything about it?"

"No. She just kept saying it was a terrible accident. I don't understand how it happened. My husband works for Country Outfitters. At the time of the shooting, we were dating. Anyhow, he said he remembered her. She took shooting lessons from one of his co-workers. The guy said she was good. A deadeye. I was really surprised that she made such a mistake."

Daisy Ann felt her blood boiling. "That's strange. Can you give me the name of her instructor?"

"Sure. His name is Frank Winters."

Daisy Ann stood. "Thanks so much for taking the time to talk to me." She looked at the baby then back at Tanya. "Enjoy that sweet baby."

She drove around the block, parked, and made a call.

"Gunnison Country Outfitters."

"Yes, is Frank Winters available?"

"He's out on a pack trip with a group. He'll be back on Friday."

"Could you please leave a message for him? Ask him to call Daisy Ann Briscoe?" She spelled her name and left her mobile number. "It's important."

"Yes, ma'am. I'll give him the message."

Sighing, she put the truck in drive and headed back to the house. It had been a tough morning with all the talk about her father causing her to relive the whole nightmare again. It felt like all the energy had been sucked out of her, and every inch of her body ached with fatigue and grief. It was time to leave. There was nothing more for her here.

When her plane left Gunnison, Daisy Ann knew she'd never return to Colorado. The house had felt all wrong without her father's large presence, hollow and oddly unfamiliar, despite all the summers she'd spent there. Her mother had died more than thirteen years ago, but there were times it felt like yesterday—times when the grief came out of nowhere, sudden and staggering. Her mother and father were both gone now. She thought about the times she'd heard adults talk about feeling like orphans after the last parent died. It had sounded a little melodramatic to her, but now she understood. She was bidding a final goodbye to her childhood, to the mother and father who had loved her unconditionally—her connection to the past severed forever.

As an only child, Daisy Ann had been both daughter and son to her father. She was in the saddle before she could walk, and by the time she was fourteen, she could shoot a tin can off a fence post at thirty feet. Then there were all those times the three of them would go night fishing on Lake Fork to beat the Texas heat, patiently waiting for the bass to be lured by the noise and vibration of their topwater lures and spinnerbaits. But as much as Daisy Ann thoroughly embraced this Texas cheek and bravado, she was equally at ease with her femininity. It was freeing, actually, to be able to inhabit both worlds, and she was grateful to both her parents for giving her that freedom.

After landing back in Texas and being picked up by Derek, her driver, Daisy Ann was on her way home when her text tone sounded, and she swiped to read it. From Brenda.

I found the number of the man who knew Amber. Good luck.

Daisy Ann navigated to a reverse number site and punched in the number. The result came back immediately. Martin C. Age 28. Eustis, Nebraska. Bingo! She did a quick search on restaurants in the area, then dialed the number. After three rings, a male voice answered.

"Hello."

"Is this Martin?"

"Who's asking?

"My name is Marion Chambers," she began the spiel she'd memorized. "I represent an online shopping marketing agency and you're one of ten customers who have won one of our sweepstakes prizes. It's a five-hundred-dollar Visa gift card. I just need to have you sign for it. Could we meet?"

"Is this for real? Seriously?"

"Yes. It's our customer appreciation campaign."

"How did you get my name? I never signed up for any sweepstakes."

"We entered the names of all our online shoppers, and you are one of the lucky winners."

"So where do I sign this paper? Do I need to come to your office or what?" He still didn't sound fully convinced.

"No, no. I'm one of the sales reps, and I'm constantly on the road, but I'll be in Eustis this Friday. Could you meet me at the Pool Hall? I can never get enough of their cheesy potatoes."

"I don't know. What company did you say you were with again?"

"Brand Marketing. We work with stores to increase traffic. I could mail the card to you if you prefer. I would just need your mailing address."

"Um…I guess I could just meet you."

"Great. Shall we say five thirty at the Pool Hall?"

"Fine."

She leaned back in the car and closed her eyes. A few minutes later, she felt a small bump and opened her eyes as Derek pulled up the driveway. She was tired but knew that Mason would want to talk about how her trip had gone. She ran her fingers through her hair, pulled a lip gloss from her purse, sweeping it quickly across her lips.

He was waiting at the door as her car pulled up and she got out.

"Hi, babe," he said, taking Daisy Ann in his arms. "I missed you. Our bed was colder than a banker's heart on foreclosure day."

She laughed and gave him a tight squeeze. "I missed you too, honey. But I'm afraid you're going to have to miss me for a little longer."

"Why, what's going on?"

"I'm leaving for Eustis, Nebraska, in the morning."