Grave Instinct Page 8

  Nikki pulled the door shut and escaped into the deserted hall. Sonja often told her to be careful but Nikki didn’t trust anyone so it was a rather gratuitous warning. People always disappointed her whether it was intentional or not. Erin certainly hadn’t planned to disappear. However her mother and father had made their own decisions. And trusting people, loving them, only led to pain.

  She followed Gunner down the hall. He led the way, nose to the floor as he trotted toward her office. Then he sat and waited in front of her door, his all-clear sign apparent. Unlike humans, he was alert even when diligence wasn’t required.

  “Good dog,” she said, pressing in the electronic code and waiting for the beep. At Robert’s advice, she’d installed heavy security doors and locks, partly to protect confidential files and also because people could turn downright nasty. She still used the codes but with Gunner around she no longer worried about strangers bursting in, red-faced and arm-waving because an insurance company had voided their claim. Or because a wronged spouse had sued for divorce. Gunner’s presence tended to keep everyone calm. Best of all, bill collecting had turned into a breeze.

  The only thing he couldn’t help her with was surveillance. She could pull on a wig and sunglasses and alter her appearance. But it was impossible to disguise Gunner. And a parked car could quickly turn into a sweltering oven.

  Some day she hoped to afford one of the air conditioning units that the K-9 vehicles had. Some had an alarm that signaled when the interior was too warm, along with a button to remotely open the dog’s door. And the GPS tracking monitors were very cool, the kind that could measure a dog’s temperature and let the handler know if the dog was overheating. Gunner deserved that. And more.

  Perhaps if she could land more police contracts, her business would finally take off. That type of work would certainly be more fulfilling. Despite the horror of finding Savannah’s body, helping to nab a killer left her with a heady sense of accomplishment, not to mention that Savannah’s family would have a level of closure. Right now, that probably didn’t matter much to them. But down the road it would. She knew that for a fact.

  She pushed open the door and plunked down behind her desk. After the highs and lows of yesterday, returning to her current caseload wasn’t very motivating. She didn’t care if Steven Foster had wrenched his back making on-the-job deliveries or if Anita Harrington was really screwing her muscle-bound chauffeur.

  She wanted to help people in a more significant way. And after Gunner’s tracking success yesterday, her mission to find Erin’s abductor had risen back to the forefront.

  She powered on her laptop and scrolled over the latest news. Savannah’s face was everywhere. Nikki didn’t want to read the human interest reports detailing the girl’s academic achievements—straight ‘A’s’ except a C in history. Or how Savannah had won three blue ribbons at a state horse show and taught her little brother to swim. It was too close to Erin’s story and only scraped the wounds buried deep in Nikki’s chest. Even so, it seemed disrespectful to ignore the details of such a tragically shortened life.

  So she read every word, aching for Savannah, her family and her friends, barely aware that Gunner had pressed his head on her lap, trying to absorb her pain.

  The door clicked open. “Hey,” Robert’s empathetic voice said. “Bad time?”

  She kept a box of tissue on her desk for upset clients and now she snatched one, blotting her eyes before glancing up. “I’m fine,” she murmured, clearing her throat. “Come in,” she called, her voice more assertive.

  Robert had seen her cry a few times before, the first when she’d flipped over the front of Erin’s too-big tricycle and smashed her nose, the last when her sister had disappeared. He knew she rarely indulged in tears. Luckily it wasn’t Justin who had dropped by her office. He might not let her help on police cases again if he saw the raw emotion they dredged up.

  “I was afraid a missing rider would bring back nightmares,” Robert said, his forehead creased with worry. “But I have information that might make you feel better. This case bears no similarity to Erin’s. They retrieved the victim’s body yesterday. The killer is a slam-dunk. In fact, he already confessed.”

  Nikki kept her expression impassive but her fingers squeezed the tissue, turning it into a soggy ball. So Matthew Friedel wasn’t fighting the charge. How fortunate for the family that there would be no dragged-out court case. Naturally Robert had no idea she and Gunner had been allowed to help in the search. Or that she’d driven out to the stable against his advice.

  “The victim and the stable owner had been having an affair,” Robert went on. “She was pregnant and when she told him, he panicked. Strangled her and hid her body in some quarry runoff.”

  Nikki leaned back against the chair, her hands fisted below the desk. Robert’s information was always bang-on. He’d been a police officer for nearly twenty years and still had reliable sources deep in the department. The fact that Savannah was pregnant explained why Matthew had been so desperate to hide her body. DNA evidence would point directly to him. He’d probably copped a plea in exchange for a lesser charge. The scumball might be out in less than twenty years while Savannah’s life had been snuffed.

  “It wasn’t an affair,” she said.

  “My sources are quite certain.”

  “You can’t call it an affair,” she snapped, driving the ball of tissue into the trash can with a jarring plunk. “Savannah was sixteen, an impressionable kid. That creep took advantage of his power and position. He preyed on her!”

  A red stain climbed Robert’s neck and she immediately regretted her burst of emotion. He’d called in a favor, then hurried over with the news, hoping to make her feel better. He was the last person she’d ever want to hurt.

  She pulled in a calming breath before speaking again. “It’s just that Savannah was a horse nut. She didn’t care about boys and she wasn’t a consenting adult—”

  “You’re right.” Robert raised his palms in agreement. “It definitely wasn’t an affair and I apologize. Even though I mentored you myself, I sometimes forget your legal training. And as usual the killer was someone close to the victim. If only it was this simple back with Erin.”

  “It would have made things easier,” Nikki said. “But the barn owners were a lovely gay couple who Erin and I barely knew.”

  “They were out of state then too.” Robert sank into the chair, giving a resigned sigh. “At first I thought your friend Justin Decker was good for it. So did your mom. We remembered Erin’s flirting and how he acted around her.”

  “Wait…” Nikki froze, her hands re-clenching on her lap. “What do you mean? How did he act?”

  Certainly all the older girls had been infatuated with Justin, trying countless ways to gain his attention. The shyer ones had simply blushed when he strode past; the bolder girls had tried a variety of tricks. But unless it was a horse question, he never responded. And he’d fired the stable worker who kept dressing inappropriately.

  “Justin never spoke much,” Nikki went on. “Only when he was teaching. Or if someone wasn’t treating a horse properly. He didn’t encourage flirting. In fact, he never seemed to notice that sort of thing.”

  “Oh, he noticed all right.” Robert’s mouth flattened into a disapproving line. “Erin was a beautiful girl. Your mother always fretted about her clothes and how she insisted on showing off her figure, especially at the barn.”

  Nikki rubbed her forehead. That was true. Erin had worn tight breeches even when she mucked out stalls. She remembered worrying that her sister might start wearing a skimpy top too. She hadn’t realized Erin had been trying to get Justin’s attention, had thought she was just copying the older girls.

  “I remember the tight breeches,” she said slowly. “But I never understood the reason. I thought it was all about fitting in with the boarders.”

  “That’s because you were focused on the horses. Your father had a singular focus like that too. And he was just as stubborn. When Paul
met your mother she was dating someone else. One thing for sure, he wasn’t a quitter.”

  Nikki’s expression turned stony and Robert clamped his mouth shut, realizing he’d made a mistake. The office was silent except for the whirring of the air conditioner.

  “Sorry,” Robert finally said, his voice gruff. “Guess he did quit. I know you don’t like to hear about your dad but he was my best friend. And you remind me of him, so much.”

  “We need to talk about Justin and Erin,” Nikki said. Not her father who she barely remembered. Her mother had never recovered from his suicide. She’d sunk into a deep depression and eight years later died from pancreatic cancer. Nikki used to dwell on how different life might have been if her father had chosen to live. Now she never thought about him. Not much anyway.

  “Well,” Robert said, shaking his head. “We know Justin had nothing to do with Erin’s disappearance. Your statement put him in the clear.”

  “What do you mean? My statement? Didn’t other people see him in the arena?”

  Robert shrugged, focusing on calling Gunner around to the side of the desk. Gunner, for his part, was happy to walk over and have his ears scratched. But it was obvious Robert was evading her question.

  “Other people saw Justin that day, right?” she persisted. “Boarders? Barn workers? Someone besides me?”

  “There’s no sense digging this all up.”

  “But I’d like to know. I don’t remember what I told the police.”

  “Of course you don’t remember,” Robert said. “You saw everything through the eyes of a traumatized twelve-year-old. Let’s just leave it. But I find it surprising that they let Justin have the case yesterday…considering.”

  Nikki picked up a pen, rolling it between her fingers. Some of the events around Erin’s disappearance were crystal clear, others blurry. She remembered accusing Justin, saying it was his fault because he’d let Erin skip barn work and go on the trail ride. And she’d forever regret that she’d lashed out like that, desperate for someone else to blame. He’d just nodded, full of compassion, understanding her guilt and willing to shoulder the blame. Then he’d hugged her and she felt him shaking, and it was clear he was just as affected.

  Besides, he’d been in the arena the entire afternoon.

  But who had he been teaching? She’d cancelled her lesson, needing the time to clean Erin’s stalls. Someone had been riding though. She remembered the rhythmic thud of hooves and how the sound kept her company as she pushed the wheelbarrow up and down the aisle. Adding shavings to the stalls was usually tedious work but she’d been grateful to see the wheelbarrows had already been filled. She’d even had time to practice braiding Harry’s mane, and it hadn’t looked half bad.

  Had she even looked in the arena? Or had she been too preoccupied wondering when the riders would return and hoping Erin was having a good time.

  Justin certainly hadn’t been coaching when she found him later that day. He’d been outside by the paddocks. She remembered how he’d leaped onto Diesel’s bare back, guiding the big horse with only a rope and halter. The paddocks were close to the trees… And the trail.

  She didn’t like the direction her mind was spiraling and she twisted her chair to the right, to the left, then back again. But her dark thoughts wouldn’t leave. She remained silent for a long minute. The only sounds were Gunner’s satisfied groans as Robert scratched the base of his ears.

  Finally she looked at Robert. “I’d like to read the barn interviews from that day. Is there any way you can arrange it?”

  She knew she was asking a lot. Cold files were kept in secure storage. She didn’t want to know the names of Robert’s inside contacts. But he always seemed to know what was going on. And Robert had never disappointed her yet. Not only did he help drum up business but he was a gold mine of advice, and when necessary, inside information.

  “I won’t be able to get the actual file,” Robert said, “now that my buddy has retired. But I could probably get pictures. Why don’t you drop by for supper tonight and hopefully I’ll have something. But aren’t you and Justin friends? Are you sure you want to dredge this up?”

  “Absolutely sure.” She folded her arms across her chest, smothering the apprehension hidden behind her words.

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  Nikki always enjoyed visiting Robert and his dog friendly property. He’d fenced a section of his yard, separating the swimming pool from the grassy section where Gunner was free to roam. The pool held many wonderful memories. It was the place where she and Erin had learned to swim, squealing in childish delight when Robert tugged them around on a bouncy float.

  But today she was too apprehensive to step out and relax on the patio, despite the refreshing breeze that gusted through the screen door. Surely someone else had seen Justin that horrible afternoon when Erin had vanished. Worse, what did it mean if she’d been the only one to provide him with an alibi?

  Her gaze shot to Robert’s cell phone, her fingers clicking an impatient dance on the kitchen counter. “Has anything come in yet?” she asked.

  “From what?”

  “Your contact in cold cases.”

  Robert snapped open two cans of beer, poured them into chilled glasses then scooped up his phone and checked his messages.

  “Not yet,” he said, peering up from the screen. “But the shift hasn’t changed yet. It takes time to pull the file and take the pictures. And he won’t send everything. Just the interviews from the people at the barn.”

  Nikki nodded and rolled her shoulders, unable to remain still. She swung open the bottom cupboard, searching for Robert’s wooden salad bowl then realized it was already on the table. Turning, she pulled open the cutlery drawer, needing to keep her hands busy.

  “The patio table’s already set,” Robert said, waving the barbecue tongs. “I just need to grill the steaks. Why are you so impatient anyway? There’s nothing new.”

  She picked up her beer, pressing the cold glass against her cheek. Of course there was nothing new. But she was an adult now, with a different perspective, and the rare opportunity to read her interview—along with those of the other kids’—was all consuming. After seeing the stable again and re-acquainting herself with its labyrinth of trails, maybe she’d see something that would provide fresh insight. There was no question she totally trusted Justin. But it bothered her that she couldn’t remember who else had been at the barn that day, other than the three girls who had gone with Erin on the trail ride. There had to be someone else who had confirmed his presence.

  “I’m just eager to see the interviews from all the kids,” she said. “Including me.”

  “And that’s the information I requested.” Robert’s voice turned distracted as he dug into the freezer then triumphantly pulling out a meaty bone. “I’m going to take this out to Gunner,” he said. “It’s a special cut, organic kangaroo. The people at the store told me that dogs love them.”

  Some of her worry softened as she glanced out the wide French doors. Gunner sat outdoors on the patio, staring patiently through the screen, aware Robert never failed to bring him a bone. It was as much a ritual as her ice-cold beer.

  “I’m surprised you didn’t ever get a dog of your own,” she said, once Robert slid the door shut and stepped back inside.

  “I love dogs,” Robert said. “But it wouldn’t have been fair. Police work involves a lot of night shifts and overtime. When I left and started the detective agency, it was more of the same. Maybe if I had someone home to help, it would have been different.”

  “You think I’m not fair to Gunner?”

  “Not at all. You always put his needs first. But I didn’t want to have to hurry home. Or miss a golf tournament because I had a dog that needed a walk. How many activities have you turned down because you wanted to be with Gunner?”

  Nikki gave a rueful tip of her glass. There was no doubt that Robert enjoyed an active social life. He was a competitive golfer and still very fit. The silver hair around his temples, ins
tead of making him look older, gave him a distinguished look. She’d always hoped her mother would see him as more than a friend but that had never happened. She suspected it was because Robert had been her father’s best friend, and they hadn’t been able to move past that. Her mother had died six years ago and Robert had given the eulogy. Everyone in the church had cried.

  She reached over and squeezed his hand. “You’ve always been so supportive. I don’t know what we would have done without you.”

  “You’d have managed. You’re the most capable woman I’ve ever met.” But his eyes glistened even as a smile worked over his face. “And please don’t ever give me a puppy.”

  She laughed. They’d had this conversation before, right after he’d added the fence for Gunner and she thought it would be great if he owned a dog too. But admittedly puppies were a lot of work and he didn’t have a friend like Sonja. Her farm, along with its motley group of animals, had been a godsend for a lively Shepherd. Robert’s pool deck was too pristine, the flower gardens a little too immaculate, and though he gamely tried to hide it, it was obvious he wasn’t a fan of Gunner’s heavy shedding.

  He stepped outside to barbecue the steaks and she wandered into the living room, reassured that the pictures on the mantle remained unchanged. Robert was intensely loyal and not the type to sweep someone’s life beneath the carpet. Her mother and sister smiled back at her, still occupying their place of honor. They looked so alike with their fair skin and blond hair. She refused to look at the square picture to the far left.

  The patio door slid shut.

  “It’s not healthy to pretend he never existed,” Robert said, walking up to stand beside her. “I’ve never had a braver friend. Paul was always there when I needed him.”

  Nikki’s mouth tightened. “He wasn’t a good father though,” she said. “Or husband. Mom was never the same afterwards. She loved him so much.”

  “He was a handsome devil.” Robert’s sigh was long and low. “Some people have one love in their life, and he was hers.”