Czytaj książkę: «The Coltons of Red Ridge»

Chapter 1

“It’s official.” Chief Finn Colton faced his K-9 officers in the morning briefing. “The Groom Killer has claimed a fourth victim.”

Brayden Colton remained silent throughout the buzz of conversation that followed. Four dead men...and this time it felt personal. Again. The first victim had been the half brother of a cop. This time, the murdered guy was an ex-cop. Although he shared the shock and grief that gripped his colleagues, Brayden had even more reason to feel anger and frustration.

He was aware of the chief watching him closely and guessed Finn was concerned about how he would react to this latest bombshell. Brayden was aware of his role. He knew how he was supposed to play this. He should keep an open mind, stay professional. Although the evidence against his kid sister was stacking up hard and fast, inside this building he was a police officer first and Demi’s brother second. Right now, he should be doing everything he could to convince his cousin, the chief, that he was impartial.

Reaching out a hand, he placed it on the head of Echo, his K-9 partner. As always, the dog’s calm, quiet presence soothed him. Brayden made sure his gaze was steady on Finn’s face as the chief continued with the briefing. Crime-scene photographs appeared on a large screen behind him. “Like the other victims, Jack Parkowski was shot through the heart. A black cummerbund was stuffed in his mouth. He was forty-eight years old, born and raised in Red Ridge, but hadn’t lived here for over twenty years. Came back six months ago in preparation for his marriage to Sarah Mull. She was the one who found his body.”

“How is she?” It was a voice from the back of the room. Sarah Mull had to be about the most popular person in Red Ridge. She had been Brayden’s first-grade teacher.

“Not good. She’s being treated in the hospital for shock. As far as the Groom Killer case goes, there is nothing new to report. Since we have another murder, let’s recap on why finding Demi Colton is our priority. When the first victim, Bo Gage, was found, he had written Demi C in his own blood. Then, a gold heart necklace with the initials DC was found under a pickup wheel near Bo’s body. We also have a witness who saw Demi close to the scene just before the murder. When we add in the fact that she went on the run as soon as we got a warrant for her arrest, it’s hardly surprising that every finger in town is pointing her way. Last month, a witness also claimed to see her shoot the third victim—a witness who ended up dead soon after. However, the FBI reported a sighting of Demi across the state at the time of that murder.” Finn’s gaze moved purposefully around the room, lingering for a second on Brayden. “So, just because we are focusing our resources on the search for Demi, I don’t want anyone to stop looking at other angles.”

“There are rumors that Demi is pregnant,” Officer Juliette Walsh said. “If that’s true, we have to hope she’ll seek medical help at some point. Is there an alert out to the medical centers in the region?”

Finn nodded. “Demi’s photograph has been circulated throughout the county.”

“Demi Colton is half feral. Why would she care about the welfare of her baby?” The sneering voice came from behind him and Brayden kept his head down, riding the wave of anger that swept over him. This was the way it had been from the minute Demi took flight. This constant fight between his job and his loyalty to his sister. It was getting harder each day.

“We suspect that Demi is pregnant with Bo Gage’s child and is several months along. All we know for sure is that Bo ended their relationship and became engaged to another woman. Unfortunately, that speaks to Demi’s motive.” Finn’s voice was firm.

“Yeah. But then again, Bo might not be the father. Anything is possible with Demi—”

Brayden was on his feet before he had time to think, swinging around to face the unknown speaker. “What are you trying to say about my sister?”

Among the faces looking back at him, one stood out. Lucas Gage, Bo’s brother, was a bounty hunter who had been deputized to the police department. Since Demi was in the same profession, they were fierce rivals and Lucas had been convinced from day one that Demi was the killer. Although Brayden couldn’t be sure Lucas was the person who had spoken, the other man stared back at him, provocation in his eyes. It was a challenge Brayden was more than happy to take.

To hell with impartial. To hell with all of it.

“My sister is not a killer.”

“Let’s calm this down.” Finn’s cool, authoritative voice cut across Brayden’s overheated senses. “Personal comments have no place in this investigation.” His gaze swept the room. “They have no place in this department. I hope that’s clear to everyone?”

There was a general murmur of agreement as Brayden returned to his seat. His fingers sought the reassuring softness of Echo’s fur and the dog gave the inside of his wrist a quick lick.

When the briefing ended, Finn spoke quietly to Brayden. “My office.”

With Echo keeping close to his heels, Brayden followed the chief to his room. “I know.” He spoke as Finn was closing the door. “I was out of order. I shouldn’t let it get to me.”

“This has got to be hard on you, Bray.” The change in Finn’s manner told Brayden this was his cousin speaking, not his boss. “You’re one of the best officers I have, and I need all the friends I can get. The Groom Killer case is the biggest thing to hit Red Ridge since I took over as chief. If I start taking officers off the investigation because of family loyalties, we’ll struggle to keep up with what this murderer throws at us next. Not to mention our regular caseload.”

Brayden knew exactly what he meant. “While this is going on, the Larson twins are stepping up their criminal activities.”

“Our attention is split two ways.” Finn’s expression was grim. “We have a killer with a grudge against engaged couples, and the Larsons, who are intent on growing their crime empire. Our resources are stretched to the limit. In addition to that, you are the lead search-and-rescue officer on the team. I’ve never doubted your loyalty and you know the problems I face.”

Finn didn’t need to elaborate. The mayor, their uncle Fenwick, was breathing down their necks to get an arrest in the Groom Killer case. The Colton-Gage feud that had torn Red Ridge apart for a century was alive and well right here in the police department. The tensions were never far from the surface. The Gage officers on the team would grasp any opportunity to stir up old hostilities.

“You have a temper, Bray. You’ve said publicly you believe in Demi’s innocence. Don’t give anyone a chance to push you on this.”

It was good advice. Brayden couldn’t help Demi by getting himself thrown off the force. And Finn was right about the search-and-rescue side of his job. The pressure increased as summer approached. The Coyote Mountains attracted large numbers of tourists. There were always the inevitable cases of inexperienced hikers wandering off the trails, falling or staying out after dark. Brayden and Echo were often all that stood between them and disaster.

“You want me to focus on the Larsons?”

“If you can. Obviously, if anything comes your way to do with the Groom Killer case, you’ll need to follow it up. And, Bray?” Brayden paused with his hand on the door handle. “Esmée da Costa tells me she’s having trouble contacting you.”

That would be because I’ve been ignoring her calls. Apparently, Esmée da Costa, the documentary maker who wanted to make a film about the Groom Killer, couldn’t take a hint. So, instead of respecting Brayden’s privacy, she had gone to his boss. His antagonism toward the woman he’d never met spiked higher. He was the Colton cop from the wrong side of the tracks. His sister was on the run, wanted for a series of grisly murders Brayden knew she wasn’t capable of committing. He was half out of his mind with worry for Demi, as he tried to focus on his job and deal with the taunts of the Gages and the arrogant skepticism of his better-off Colton relatives, and he was also aware that the eyes of the town were upon him wherever he went. Why the hell would he want to put his feelings on the record for a true-crime documentary film? If Brayden ever did come face-to-face with Ms. da Costa, he would give her his opinion of how she made her living. He doubted she’d enjoy hearing it.

Brayden smiled for the first time that morning. “You know me. I’m not much of a talker.”

* * *

As she pulled into Hester Mull’s drive, Esmée da Costa gripped the steering wheel so tight it hurt. Determined not to cry in front of Rhys, she battled back the tears. Her son had seen too much high drama in his two years. While Esmée knew it wasn’t possible, or healthy, to cocoon him from every negative emotion, she did her best to keep his world on an even track.

Even so, hiding her sorrow was tough. She supposed it was because, until now, she hadn’t really believed Jack Parkowski was dead. It had been impossible for her to accept that the big, strong man who had been such a powerful force for good in her life wouldn’t be there forever.

Seeing Sarah, Jack’s fiancée, her face pale and her smile strained as she lay in that hospital bed, was what had made it real. Esmée had held one of Sarah’s icy hands in her own while Hester, Sarah’s sister-in-law, held the other. As they talked, Rhys had played one of his noiseless games with the wooden animals he took everywhere. That was when the truth had come crashing down on Esmée, gaining speed until it reached the full force of an avalanche. She would never again see the man who had been there for her and Rhys when they had most needed a friend.

“The dog show is one of the most popular events in Red Ridge.” Hester’s voice brought Esmée back to reality. She had stowed a large picnic basket in the trunk of the rental car and was getting into the passenger seat.

“And you’re sure all the K-9 officers will be there?” Esmée asked. She wasn’t interested in all of them, but Hester didn’t need to know that.

In the course of her research about the Groom Killer case, Esmée had learned that there was one man who was prepared to speak out in support of Demi Colton, the chief suspect in the murders. Despite his job as a member of the K-9 police team, Brayden Colton was brave enough to declare his belief in his half sister’s innocence.

As she delved deeper, Esmée would need to talk to all three of Demi’s half siblings, but Brayden was the one who fascinated her. He must be going through hell right now. His sister was accused of murder, with most of the town happy to vocalize her guilt, yet Brayden had to turn up for work each day and investigate the crimes. He had to hear the details and listen to the theories about Demi’s guilt. How did that make him feel? How did he balance the two different sides of his life? Colton and cop. Which did he put first?

Brayden’s was the voice Esmée wanted to hear, his was the story she wanted to use as her starting point. If she could only get in touch with him.

“Oh, yes. Chief Finn Colton insists on it. Part of the trust that funds the unit provides for the K-9 team to do outreach work in the community.”

Esmée and Hester had only just met and the circumstances hadn’t exactly been pleasant. Sarah Mull had been happily married to Hester’s older brother until he died in a car crash a few years ago. Now, Hester was helping her sister-in-law recover from another shock death, that of her fiancé, Jack.

Esmée, having met Hester a few times at the hospital when she visited Sarah, had instinctively liked the other woman. Hester was warm, kind and she had offered to show Esmée and Rhys around Red Ridge.

Before Hester had retired, she’d been a police officer herself, so Esmée was confident she knew what she was talking about. “The police dogs take part in demonstration events, and the officers are there to answer any questions members of the public have about the unit.”

Hester turned to wave a hand at Rhys, who was in his safety seat.

“Rhys will enjoy today,” Esmée said. “He loves all animals, but he really likes dogs.”

“Such a pity he can’t talk.” Hester lowered her voice to a whisper as she fastened her seat belt. “Isn’t there anything the doctors can do to cure him?”

“Rhys can talk.” Esmée dealt with this all the time. People meant well, but they didn’t understand. “There’s nothing wrong with him,” she explained to Hester. “He had a very bad experience when he was just twelve months old. Before that, he made the usual babbling noises all babies of his age make. Then he went quiet. Not speaking is his way of dealing with the trauma. It’s called selective mutism.”

“Oh.” Hester cast a sidelong glance at Esmée, obviously wondering what to say next.

“It’s okay.” Esmée placed her hand briefly on the older woman’s knee. “You didn’t know and I don’t mind talking about it.”

It was true...in a way. Of course she minded that Rhys didn’t talk. But she had always been open about it, even if the reason for his emotional distress filled her with guilt. The toxic downturn in her relationship with Gwyn Owen, Rhys’s father, had been gradual. Even so, the deterioration into violence had taken Esmée by surprise. It was only Jack’s intervention that had saved her from serious injury. Her old friend had come to her rescue, removing her from the scene of a vicious attack and helping her deal with the aftermath. But the damage had been done. Rhys had witnessed his mother cowering with her hands over her head as his father punched and kicked her.

“Why don’t we go see some dogs?” Change the subject. Yeah, that always worked. For a while.

Rhys clapped his hands together before holding up both hands with his fingers curved as he imitated a begging dog. Esmée’s heart expanded with pride and love and she clapped her own hands in response. It was important to praise any efforts he made to communicate, even if they weren’t verbal. She wanted to use the dog show to meet Brayden Colton and set up an interview, but the most important thing was for Rhys to have a good time.

Her sweet, silent boy spoke to her in his own way. And one day he would use words. She had to stay positive that it would happen. Every time she looked into his dark eyes, thankfully like her own rather than his father’s, an icy shard of guilt pierced her heart. She should have gotten away sooner, should have known it was never going to have a happy ending...

Hester laughed delightedly. “He’s so clever.” Esmée already liked Hester, but her admiration for Rhys sealed the deal.

She chatted to Rhys as she drove, describing the late-afternoon scene. Hester picked up on what she was doing and joined in. Esmée didn’t need the psychologist and the speech therapist who saw Rhys regularly to tell her that he needed lots of talk to stimulate him. She was his mom—her instincts told her what to do. At the same time, talking to Rhys, singing songs to him and telling him stories were all reminders of her own childhood. Esmée was a talker. It was who she was, and it made Rhys’s silence so much harder to bear.

The dog show was held at the K-9 training center. Located at the far end of Main Street, the center was a large one-story brick building that edged onto the woods. They got out of the car and headed toward a large backyard with a five-foot-high wooden fence all the way around. The gates were open and the event had spilled out onto the surrounding grass with stalls lining the route all the way to the trees.

Hester explained that the major part of the K-9 unit funding came from a trust left by Mayor Fenwick Colton’s late first wife. “That’s him.” Even though the man she indicated was too far away to hear, Hester murmured the words out of the corner of her mouth.

Esmée had heard a few things about Fenwick Colton, none of them good. According to the Gages she’d spoken to, the short, skinny man with the blond hairpiece thought he owned Red Ridge. He was a wealthy businessman in his midfifties, with three divorces behind him. Apparently having finally decided marriage wasn’t for him, he now preferred to have a new young girlfriend on his arm, and changed them every few months.

“His daughter, Layla Colton, was supposed to marry Hamlin Harrington, the owner of Harrington Inc., at the end of the year.” Hester’s voice took on a gossipy ring that triggered Esmée’s human-interest radar. “There’s a rumor that Fenwick’s business, Colton Energy, is in trouble. Hamlin has signed the documents that will save Colton Energy once he marries Layla. But since the Groom Killer murders, Hamlin has gotten nervous and called off the engagement. Now the clock is ticking and Fenwick faces losing everything. He needs millions by December 31st or it’s all over. The problem is, if Fenwick loses Colton Energy, the funding for the K-9 unit will be pulled.”

Esmée looked around her at the training center and the people who had gathered to celebrate the work it did. “That would be awful.”

Hester spread her picnic blanket on the ground. “Fenwick is putting pressure on Chief Finn Colton to get a quick arrest. There is no such thing as family loyalty for our mayor. He can’t stand his lowlife cousin, Rusty, who owns a bar, or any of his kids. As far as Fenwick is concerned, he doesn’t care whether Demi is guilty or innocent. He just wants her arrested and locked up so folks won’t be scared of getting married and he can get his money-making plans back on track with his daughter’s wedding.”

“Nice man.”

Hester snorted. “You think?”

Although Fenwick wasn’t the Colton that Esmée was interested in right now, the story added color to her research. There clearly wasn’t much family feeling between the three Colton patriarchs, Fenwick, Judson and Rusty. No wonder Demi had gone on the run. Guilty or innocent, there didn’t seem to be much sympathy for her in Red Ridge. On the subject of the dysfunctional Colton clan...

She looked over at the enclosure in the center of the grass, where the officers were gathering with their dogs. “Which one is Brayden Colton?”

“I don’t see him.” Hester shielded her eyes with her hand as she looked toward the enclosure. Some of the officers were standing in a group nearby. “But it will be easy to pick him out when he does get here. He’s the search-and-rescue officer on the team, so he wears an orange vest over his uniform. His K-9 partner, Echo, is a golden retriever. Echo also wears an orange vest.”

It was a useful piece of information, and Esmée kept checking on the K-9 team as she and Hester took Rhys around the stalls and activities.

Her feelings about Red Ridge were mixed. Jack was the reason she had come to this town. He had worked closely with her mother, assisting Portia da Costa on several of her best-selling true-crime books. After Portia died and Jack left the force, he had helped Esmée with her own research. He had even joined her in Wales, where she’d spent almost two years filming her award-winning documentary, What Remains. When Jack alerted her to the Groom Killer case, Esmée had immediately been intrigued. But arriving in town to find her friend had become one of the victims had tilted her whole world off course. It also made her motivation for staying a whole lot stronger.

Even without Jack’s death and the background of the Groom Killer story, there was enough of an undercurrent here in Red Ridge to stimulate her interest. Esmée’s stories were about the individuals, families and communities that had been torn apart by acts of violence and lawlessness. It was hard to explain to anyone else, but she could also tell when a place was suffering. And, even though she’d only arrived recently, she knew Red Ridge was hurting more than any other town she’d known.

When Jack had called her with the news he and Sarah were getting married, Esmée had just finished delivering an online course to murder-mystery writers. She was in the unusual position of being between jobs.

“There’s a story here, if you’re interested,” Jack had said. “How about a town where folks are scared to get married in case the groom is murdered? Couples are making a big deal of publicly calling off their weddings. Flower stores, cake shops, caterers and wedding-dress designers are seeing their incomes plummet. No one is going on dates or out for romantic meals. Hell, most people are even scared to hold hands with their partner.” Jack always did have a knack for catching her attention and hooking her into a story, making her see the human-interest angle.

Esmée had reached for a notepad and pen. “Red Ridge, South Dakota. The town where romance died?”

She recalled that conversation as she looked around her now. Although there were couples at the show, she noticed a definite lack of any displays of affection. It created a strange, false atmosphere.

Hester entertained her by explaining that there were competitions for the saddest eyes, waggiest tail, floppiest ears and scruffiest dog. “There was a campaign to have a crossbreed disqualified after he won all four categories last year.”

Esmée burst out laughing. “Now that’s a dog I need to see.” She noticed that a tall, dark-haired officer in an orange search-and-rescue vest had entered the K-9 enclosure. “Hester, would you watch Rhys for a few minutes? There’s someone I need to talk to.”