Traces of Guilt

TWO

Gabriel Thane

Gabriel Thane liked being sheriff, but there were days he wished he wasn’t tethered to the phone and the job. Last night’s date had ended abruptly so he could go break up a bar fight. And now, a Saturday, his grass had to be mowed and gutters cleared before the rain came in, yet he wasn’t making much headway. He killed the mower as his cellphone rang yet again, tugged out his phone, and tried to sound polite as he said, “Sheriff Thane.”

“Got yourself a problem, Son, out on County Road 62 near the old bridge. Lady hit herself a deer. Only she isn’t here at the wreck. I’ve got a blood trail that seems to indicate she’s walking toward town.”

“How bad is it, Dad?” He left the mower mid-strip in the backyard, headed to the garage, the phone tucked against his shoulder. He grabbed the red medical backpack and a blue one of general supplies out of the old refrigerator, and a jacket from the mudroom.

“Big buck came through the windshield,” his father was saying, “airbags deployed, she put the car into a tree. Found her busted phone on the passenger side floorboard, along with a spilled purse. That’s how come I know it’s a she. Driver’s license reads Evie Blackwell, thirty-six, a Springfield address.”

“I’ll head that way from here. Call the Tanners, Delaines, see if she knocked on a door.”

“Those are the next calls. Bring your med kit. The blood already feels tacky. An hour ago, I’m thinking.”

Gabe clicked off, headed to his sheriff-issue truck, tossed the gear in, reversed out of the drive, and turned north.

His street became County Road 62, and the bridge his dad mentioned was within half a mile of the turnoff to his brother Josh’s place. Had she walked north rather than toward town, she would have had help within minutes. She was looking at six miles of asphalt road and not much traffic since the new bridge and highway extension had been completed. Now he felt irritated with himself for being irritated at the interruptions. This was the job, and he liked to think he was as good at being sheriff as his father had been before him.

He gave it a couple minutes and hit redial. “Anything, Dad?”

“No one’s seen her. They’ll walk down their lanes to the road.”

“Not good. She passes Delaine’s, there’s nothing until town.” He turned on his flashers, added speed to close the distance to the crash. “Describe the blood trail.”

“I’m thinking she’s got pressure on a pretty serious cut. I’ve got multiple drops with every pace. She’s walking reasonably straight, no weave to her steps, heading south to town.”

“An hour, she could be at two miles or four.” Gabe thought she’d probably sat down, woozy from the impact and the walking, putting her somewhere on the side of this road, hopefully still conscious.

“I’m now driving south,” his father said. “Aaron’s coming out to haul in the vehicle, and Henry’s going to deal with the buck.”

“Good.” He caught the turn and shifted rapidly to brakes. He said into the phone, “Found her, Dad! Just east of Kimble’s land. It looks like a pint of blood dumped down her front. I’ll need your help here. She’s got dogs. Two of them.”

The German shepherds, both anxious, were pacing around her as she took each unsteady step. Five-foot-three, short brown hair, charcoal dress slacks and matching casual jacket, a red blouse, bloodstains now a much darker red. A holstered handgun on her right hip, just visible under the jacket.

She looked as startled to see his truck as he was to see her. He quickly pulled to the side of the road, out of the way of any traffic in the turn but angled out some to protect her-the shoulder here wasn’t that wide. He stepped out, but wary of the dogs, not walking forward. “Ma’am. We’ve been looking for you. It looks like you need some help.”

“I don’t hunt deer. I think it’s nature’s joke that I take one out that size at the start of my vacation.”

He let himself smile a bit. “Yes, ma’am. I’m told he was huge.” He reached for the backpacks, the jacket, moving slow because the dogs were now standing between him and her. “The reason you are armed, ma’am?”

“Illinois State Police. Evie Blackwell. My badge is in my pocket… I think, maybe.” She tried to concentrate. “Yeah, jacket pocket. I need to sit down.” She did so where she was, and the two dogs whined and crowded her.

“Want to tell your dogs to relax for me? I’ve got a first-aid kit. I need them to let me near.”

“You look familiar. You’re somebody I’m supposed to know. Boy, I have one nice-size headache.”

“Reassure the dogs, Evie.”

She said something, and the two dogs both dropped to a watching rest, their attention on him. He wondered how hurt the dogs might be. Likely in the backseat of the car, they would have been flung around during the crash. He wished Will was here right now. His brother wasn’t a vet, but he knew enough animal husbandry that the town vet often called him when the creature needing treatment was wild. Will was good with anxious animals.

“Anything else hurting besides the headache?” Gabriel carried the backpacks and jacket over with him.

“Everything, but nothing feels serious.”

She shook her head at his offer of the warmer jacket, then quickly lifted her hand to her forehead at the pain of the movement. He opened a water bottle from the supply pack, handed it to her, opened another, then dumped out the case holding flares to use as a drinking bowl for the dogs. Between them, the dogs drank down two more water bottles.

The blood had done a good job of dripping down the shirt. Gabriel studied the hand towel she was pressing against the side of her face. He wanted his dad here before he moved it. If the towel stuck on drying blood and she cried out, the dogs were liable to snap at him-or worse. He listened for his dad’s truck with its distinctive old motor.

“You’re on vacation, Evie?” he asked, trying to get her to focus on him so he could see her eyes. The idea of getting her back on her feet before help arrived struck him as a bad idea in case she passed out. The dogs would be a very serious issue then.

“A working vacation.” Her brows furrowed and she straightened a bit. “You’re Sheriff Thane.”

“Yes.”

“Ann said to find you.”

“Ann?”

“Falcon.”

“You know Ann and Paul Falcon?”

“Yes. Sorry.” She pressed her hand again to her head. “This headache is like eating ice cream fast, times a zillion.” She turned her face upward to see him. “A case. We’re working a case in Carin County. Two.” She was mildly slurring her words as she said, “She’d better tell you. I’m fumbling.”

“You’re doing fine.” She had startlingly green eyes, still focusing, if rather damp with earlier tears. He heard his father’s truck. “When the doc stitches that cut, they’ll also give you something for the headache.”

Her eyes filled with a touch of panic. “This is like the vacation from hell.”

Oh, he could sympathize. “We’ll do what we can to turn that around so it ends nicer. Think your dogs will go with my father?”

She hadn’t noticed the truck, but the dogs had. His dad parked on the opposite side of the road, stepped out, and Will pulled in right behind him. Both dogs surged to their feet, and the men wisely stopped where they were.

Will crouched down where he was, studied the animals. “Evie, what’re their names?”

“Apollo. Zeus.”

“War dogs?”

She gave a little nod, looking surprised.

He whistled softly, and both dogs whined in reply.

“Tell them to relax, Evie,” Gabriel instructed. The smell of blood obviously had them knowing they needed to defend her, but they were anxious about how. She spoke to both, the words sounding foreign to his ears, and the dogs dropped down once more into a watching rest.

Will, a retired combat medic, should be the one dealing with this cut, but calming and checking out the dogs was also his domain. Gabriel wanted a look at the cut to know what they were dealing with, and then he’d get her to his truck and the doctor, see that it was properly stitched.

He waited until the dogs had accepted Will’s presence and allowed him to carefully look them over for injuries, then turned back to Evie with some wet paper towels. “Ease off the towel, Evie, and let me see.”

He didn’t allow what he discovered show in his face. He carefully used the damp towels to soak away the crusted blood around the long gash by her eye. She blinked fast as it stung, pulled in a breath. He knew it was painful, and fresh blood began to trickle.

She’d needed stitches an hour ago, but the gash was clotting over, and he could butterfly it closed. He got it clean, then used gauze and pressure, a hand behind her head to brace her as he stopped the last of the bleeding. She didn’t resist, but she held her breath against the pain.

She did have rather distinctive green eyes, now wet with more tears. He pulled the cut closed with thin butterfly bandages, opened fresh gauze, placed it over the wound, took her hand and instructed her to hold the bandage against her head while he tore tape strips. She pulled in an easier breath, no doubt relieved he was about done. “This will hold until the doctor can do a proper job.”

She tipped her head back to look at his father. “You look like him.”

“Caleb Thane, ma’am,” the man said, hunkering down in front of her. “Father of these two.”

“I know your name also… I think. I have a question for you about… Oh, brother, I can’t remember right now.”

“I suspect that headache makes a lot of things hard to remember,” Caleb reassured her.

“My dogs?”

“Will is going to take good care of them,” Caleb promised.

“Evie, were the dogs trained in Dutch?” Will asked.

“Yes.”

“I thought so. I’ll get them settled for you.” Will walked toward his truck and called the dogs. They whined and looked at Evie, who rubbed fur, stroked ears, reassured them, and then gave them an encouraging command to go. They left her, reluctantly looking back as they trotted over to Will. He opened the back passenger door on his extended cab truck, and the dogs jumped in with ease.

Gabriel thought this was the best he would get for now-the dogs calm, Evie patched together. “I want you to stand, Evie,” he said, reaching for her arm. “Let’s walk over to my truck.” She nodded. His father helped from the other side, and they lifted her up. She blanched.

“Easy!” Gabriel got a chest full of bloody shirt and weaving woman.

“Back stiffened up,” she managed to say. Her hand curled tight into his shirt. “Ouch!”

“Walk it off. We’ll help.” Ten steps and he could put her into his truck, get her settled.

She gingerly stepped forward, her hand began to relax its grip, took another step, nodded, and they walked slowly to his truck. Gabriel removed her firearm, passed it to his father, then lifted her onto the passenger seat, used his jacket to cover her, pulled the seat belt across. He covered her hand with his and squeezed gently. A lousy opening day for a vacation. He wasn’t going to let it end that way. “Dad, the crash scene, can you make sure anything personal is recovered before her car gets hauled in?”

Caleb nodded as he handed back the holstered firearm, and Gabriel tucked it behind her seat. “Will do, Son. Clinic or the hospital?”

“Hospital. She’s got a nice concussion under that headache.”

“I suspect you’re right. I’ll see you there. Drive slow.”

Gabriel climbed into the cab, looked over at Evie. Her eyes were closed, the bruising and swelling around the gauze distinct. He started the truck, reached over and killed the radio, made a three-point turn, and headed back into town.

“I smell of sweat and blood,” she said.

He smiled at the soft complaint. “After the doctor, there’s a hot shower in your future.”

“Excellent.” She was quiet a moment. “I probably shouldn’t have left the crash site, stayed with the car-”

“Actually, I would have done the same thing. Not much traffic, houses a ways off. Walking didn’t help your wound, but we’ll have you fixed up soon.”

She lapsed into silence. He made himself relax.

“The Florist family…” she said quietly. “That’s what I wanted to ask your dad about.”

Just the mention of the case caused his muscles to tighten. “I know it. A deputy disappears, his wife and eleven-year-old son-it’s never gone inactive.”

She carefully turned her head his way. “I remember now. I’ve got two weeks’ vacation, plus weekends on either end, so sixteen days, enough time to see what might be there. Ann’s going to help me.”

Evie’s here to look at an unsolved case? Ann Falcon’s coming down to help her? It raised a lot of questions. Gabriel looked over, met her gaze. Not so clear and focused now. “Evie? Hey, look at me.” Her eyes cleared some. “We’ll talk about work after the doctor is done. Where are you staying? Did you check into a hotel?”

“Umm, rented a house.”

“Yeah? Where?”

She looked confused. “I don’t… I’m not sure.”

“Will Ann know?”

“Yes.”

“Close your eyes. Just let the next hour or two pass. It’s going to get better.”

“Promise?”

He didn’t think it could get much worse. “I can promise that.”

Gabriel walked through the rather large ER in their small-town hospital. Carin County, with its major lake surrounded by state parks and private campgrounds, had an economy built mostly around vacationers and tourists, with family farms spread across the rest of the county, interspersed among a dozen more small towns and villages. This hospital was the center of the area’s medical care. Severe sunburns, bad sprains, broken bones, asthma attacks, beestings, poison ivy, the occasional heart attack, all kept this place hopping during the summer months, and farm accidents added intense adrenaline spikes year-round. The most serious injuries were airlifted to the regional trauma center in the state’s capital, Springfield, yet the majority of patients were treated right here.

He stepped around the ER curtain for number sixteen. Evie’s eyes opened, and she looked his direction, nearly focused this time. “You’re looking more awake,” Gabriel commented, pleased.

“What did they give me?” she asked.

“Tylenol with codeine. Your body just needed some rapid rest, and out you went as soon as it got an excuse.”

She lifted a hand briefly to the bandage. “How many…?” Her voice drifted off.

“Twelve stitches.” He’d answered that a couple of times already, but he thought this time she’d probably remember. “Getting hungry?”

“Want out of here.”

“Another hour after the doctor comes by, he’ll spring you,” he reassured.

“Hey, Evie” came from the other side of the bed.

She turned her head. “Ann… how long have you been sitting there?”

Ann simply smiled. “I saw a photo of the deer.”

“Yeah. A shame. What a way for him to go and for me to begin a vacation.” Her voice became more animated. “Pretty scenery, heavy trees, some sunlight filtering through, a glimpse, and then wham”-she struck the mattress to illustrate-“he comes right across the hood and smashes into the windshield. Huge buck. The car collided with some trees, and I about killed my dogs. Tossed them forward like tumbling socks in a dryer.” She looked at Gabriel. “How are they?”

Each of Evie’s reports was getting more detailed as her brain became clearer. She hadn’t mentioned the sunlight coming through the trees before or provided the sound effects. A few hours, the doctor assured them, and most of the impact symptoms would pass.

Gabriel pulled out his phone, scrolled to a picture, turned it toward Evie. “That would be my brother Will’s porch they are guarding so faithfully, along with two of his lambs. Maybe their sheepherding genes? He fed the dogs the steak I was supposed to be sharing with him for dinner, so they’re being nicely pampered.”

She smiled at the photo.

“Will says they’ve got some painful bruises,” he said more seriously. “They’ll need a few days’ rest, but they survived the crash fine.”

“Oh, I hope so. I totaled my car, didn’t I?”

Gabriel considered it possible, but he only said, “I haven’t heard the official answer yet. New radiator, new windshield, some bodywork-maybe you get it back.”

“Yeah…” She closed her eyes with a sigh. “You promised a shower.”

“It’s still coming.” The bloody shirt was gone, replaced with a clean one Ann had brought in from her luggage, but Evie’s hair was matted, and he knew she wasn’t going to feel normal again until she could get that hot shower, soak out the aches. They could cover the bandage with waterproof tape. He glanced at the woman also watching Evie. “Ann, you want to get some coffee?”

“Yes. Evie, rest for now. We’ll be just down the hall and back shortly.”

“I didn’t get to go flying with you today,” she murmured, eyes closed.

Ann covered Evie’s hand with hers, smiled. “Consider it rescheduled. The week will be filled with other gorgeous days.”

“Promise?”

“That’s an easy one. We’re going up as soon as Doc says yes.”

“I feel like a dropped ice cream cone-splat and busted.”

Ann chuckled. “Get some rest, Evie.”

Gabriel handed Ann a coffee, poured one for himself. “You don’t come this way often, but when you do, it tends to be memorable. Sorry I missed your arrival. There was a note at the office that you’d been by. And Josh said you were out to visit him this morning.”

“Evie wanted to introduce herself to you first, present the task-force mandate, ask about the cases. We were planning on treating you to dinner this evening to discuss the details.”

“I’ve filtered pieces of it together now. But for clarity’s sake, tell me what Evie would have said had she not met that deer.”

“Our governor-elect wants a task force to take another look at unsolved missing-persons cases across the state-not surprising given his family’s history. And Evie’s boss wants her on it next year when it officially begins work. Sharon Noble out of Riverside PD is going to lead it. Noble’s decided working county by county, looking at open cases five to fifteen years back, would be the place to begin.

“Carin County has two cases that fit that profile-the missing six-year-old Dayton girl who was the focus of an AMBER Alert, and the Florist family disappearance. Evie planned to use her vacation to do a trial run of sorts, dig into the files, see if this approach could work. She’s rented a house here in town to avoid a poor hotel housekeeper getting startled by a wall of crime-scene photos. Evie was going to ask you for assistance, copies of your case files. I brought down duplicates of the FBI files with me, and she’s arranged for the state files to be sent over.”

Gabriel nodded at the summary but with a frown. “I’m surprised she didn’t call weeks ago to get this request in the works.”

“She wasn’t certain when this vacation window would open up. She’s Lieutenant Evie Blackwell, Illinois State Police, Bureau of Investigations. Her job can be as disruptive to schedules as yours. Don’t let first impressions fool you, Gabriel. She’s very good. Paul figures she’ll head up the BOI one day.”

“I saw resolve today, courage, and stubbornness-trying to walk to town with her dogs after that kind of injury.”

Ann smiled. “Okay, that description would be on target. Add curious and it’s a decent sketch. Evie didn’t call you in advance because she didn’t want to get a no. You might have felt obliged to let family in the area know, and they might have convinced you to rescind your cooperation and give it a thumbs down. That’s a big downside for merely saving some hours of copying time.”

Gabriel considered that, tipped his cup slightly in Ann’s direction to acknowledge her point. “You know how significant the Florist family case is to this community, to my department. I don’t want to see the case reopened on a whim. I don’t want family members having to deal with the questions, have their hopes raised, if it doesn’t make sense-unless there’s something new to work.”

“That’s one of the reasons why I offered to bring the FBI files down myself,” Ann replied. “To reassure the Florist family this isn’t being done for form’s sake. To reassure you and your father that this isn’t going to be an exercise repeating what has been done before, where everyone says, ‘Good investigation, sorry it’s not solved,’ and it’s all boxed away again. We’re going to rethink the case, figure out why it hasn’t been solved, and solve it, Gabe. Evie’s the right person. I’ve seen her work.”

Gabriel sighed, sipped at the coffee. “You don’t often put yourself that far out on a limb, Ann. We seriously want this case solved, but it hasn’t cracked despite intense efforts. I don’t need expectations raised like that. I appreciate the sentiment, but I know the case.” He considered her. “You’re going to be around helping Evie if we do this?”

“Yes. I’ll be in and out over the next two weeks-it’s a quick flight down. And with Paul providing FBI data searches, research, lab work as needed, we’ll have the tools required. We’ll also take a hard look at the Dayton girl’s disappearance. Governor Bliss wants to know if the investment of a core group of experienced, focused detectives can clear unsolved missing-persons cases, and I’m committed to showing him that it can. Carin County is a test case. I want a win here, Gabriel. For its potential and also for your sake.”

Gabriel recognized the sales job she was doing, and Ann acknowledged this with a small smile of her own. “Seriously, Gabe, that’s why I suggested they start here. Two cases, with a lot riding on what can be done. Evie believes in this enough to give up her vacation to get a head start on the work. I believe in it enough to be down here helping. We just need you to say yes.”

The second case Evie was interested in, the missing Dayton girl, would be easier to give her, as it didn’t have a strong local connection, at least in the known facts. A vacationing family from Florida, traveling to Chicago, had stopped at a hotel just off the Interstate for the night when their six-year-old daughter was snatched. An AMBER Alert was issued across several states on the assumption it was an abduction of opportunity by someone also traveling. Gabe and his father both had substantial time working the case, but he’d always known both the victim and her abductor were likely long gone from their county, even the state. The Florist family, however, remained an intensely local and emotional matter.

Gabriel realized saying no wasn’t going to fly in these circumstances and so shifted to the implications of his saying yes. “I want to be in on the work. I was there at the Florist house after the disappearance. My father about put himself into an early grave working it. I want us in the middle of it, day one.”

“We’ll need you,” Ann agreed, accepting the condition.

The Florist case mattered for both personal and professional reasons. It wasn’t his personal white whale, didn’t keep him awake nights, but it certainly bothered him. And he knew it still haunted his father. Gabriel wouldn’t let his hopes rise. He’d concluded after the last review that it was going to take a significant break, like the discovery of bones, to solve the case. And if Evie and Ann wanted to look deeper, he’d certainly support them and be right there with them every step of the way. He’d be able to satisfy himself as well as tell the community there was nothing else that could be done unless and until new evidence turned up.

“Evie’s probably told you she’s rented a house-47 Kearns Road,” Ann mentioned. “We can set up there. Or we can work downtown if you prefer.”

“For this,” Gabriel decided, “the old post-office building might be best. It’s been stripped down to a large open room, and there are tables still set up from last month’s flea market. I can put a retired deputy on security while the case files are laid out. If you want to speak to deputies who’ve worked the cases, they can walk over from the sheriff’s office for a conversation. You’ll be having quite a few of those, I imagine. Evie can take what she wishes back to the house-I know she’ll be working all hours on this if she wants to get through it in just sixteen days. I know the place; it’s one of Trina’s. She owns most of the block around her home, rents them out to tourists and families. Evie will be more than comfortable there.”

Ann nodded her agreement with that plan, but then hesitated. “Gabriel, don’t miss the tree for the forest,” she advised. “Solving this case requires finding one right idea, not comprehending everything that has been done on the case to date. When Evie locates that answer, it will be on a specific hour of a specific day. Sixteen days can be enough for that to happen.”

“Got it.” Gabriel forced a smile. “If nothing else, the next two weeks will not be boring.” He refilled his coffee. Ann declined. “What were you out talking with Josh about?” he asked. “He said something about Grace Arnett coming back to town.”

“Grace doesn’t want it widely known, but she’ll be in the area in a few days. Josh is going to help her out with something. He’ll explain after she’s here.”

“It will be good to see her, Ann. She’s been missed.”

Ann looked troubled. “I’ve got some serious reservations about her coming back, but I haven’t been able to talk her out of doing so.” She glanced over, caught his gaze. “We’ll need to discuss those concerns, Gabriel, probably fairly soon.”

He lifted an eyebrow. “Something else to fit into our otherwise normal, uneventful day?”

She chuckled. “If I didn’t show up and create a commotion occasionally, you’d become a bored small-town sheriff,” she joked. “When are you getting married anyway? I heard via Iris you were out on a date with Joanne Liffe last night.”

He winced. “Please protect me from gossiping staff. Joanne’s a lawyer in Decatur, nice enough woman, works in Springfield when the legislature is in session. I have a feeling I’m a little too rough-and-tumble for her taste. She thought ‘sheriff’ meant some glamour to go along with the authority. The date ended when I got a call to take care of a bar fight. I’m not brokenhearted about it, though. This date was mostly to quiet down Mom, who’s been asking me if I’ve been on one lately. I’m not looking to catch someone.”

“Hmm,” Ann murmured. “Marie’s got three sons, none of whom have found ‘the one’ yet. That has to be a trial for her.”

“So she tells us. Rather often, I might add.”

Ann chuckled, offered an apology that he waved off.

Gabriel understood his mother’s point of view-she wanted to know each of her sons had found someone to love, and she wanted grandchildren. That he’d found someone years ago, loved her only to lose her, underlined his mom’s concern that he wouldn’t try again. He accepted the fact he wasn’t in a hurry to do so.

But it wasn’t just his mom interested in the subject. He happened to be the sole remaining bachelor in the Carin County sheriff’s office now that Henry Gonzales had remarried his ex-wife. Law-enforcement jobs were notoriously hard on relationships. Being the only single guy around the office was a rare happenstance-a divorce or death of a spouse was inevitable, but for now he was the center of some unwelcome attention. Knowing they were well-intentioned, he tried to be polite with the “helpful” introductions coming his way. He knew he would choose a lady one day. He considered himself marriage-minded, just not in a hurry. The job and its demands, the time and energy a good marriage required, took some finessing. He wasn’t sure he wanted to take on that complicated equation right now.

He’d been surprised, in fact, when Ann had married Paul. She’d always had similar reservations about how to make a marriage work when one was a cop. She’d ended up marrying a cop and immediately retiring, so they didn’t have quite so many competing pressures on the marriage. It seemed to be working for them. Ann and Paul were in the marriage-success column of friends he knew well. But he didn’t think that step was for him, at least for now.

“I’m thinking Will and Karen might be the first to tie the knot,” he mentioned to Ann. “My brother is smitten.” He smiled as he said it, liking the word. It did a nice job of describing his otherwise rather quiet brother. Karen had arrived in town just over a year ago, taken a job as a cook at the Fast Café, rented half a house, and become part of the community. His brother had spotted her early and staked a claim, much to the frustration of other single guys who would have liked a chance.

“That’s another conversation we should have, Gabriel,” Ann said quietly, and the way she said it had him snapping a hard glance her way.

“Karen? What’s the story there?”

She glanced around. “A long one, and not for public ears.”

“Now I’m just going to worry myself into knots until we have the conversation.”

“Once Evie is settled for the night, I’ll come find you for some ice cream, fill you in. Karen’s got history Will is going to need to know-you as well-if the relationship is going somewhere. It’s another reason I’m here. Karen wants to discuss how and what to tell Will, or if I think it best she say nothing, which has been my advice up until now.”

“Come on over tonight. You’ve got my number and address. I’ll pick up the ice cream, we’ll talk.”

“Deal.” She rested a hand lightly on his arm. “We’ll talk about Karen, about Grace. I’ll dump those problems off my plate onto yours, then I’ll help Evie start to dig into the two cases. It will be a typical week for us.”

Gabriel had to laugh. “Been there, done that, haven’t we? Just don’t give me another dead body, Ann, like the last time you dropped by. It’s been quiet-I’d really like it to stay that way.”

“I’m retired.”

“Sure you are,” he said with a wry smile. “The governor-elect merely has your phone number, and anytime the FBI has something sensitive, Paul sends you out in advance to give us a heads up. You’re retired only in the sense you now pick and choose what you want to do.”

Her eyes glinted with humor. “The perfect definition.”

They saw Evie’s doctor coming down the hall, and their conversation shifted.

“Do you want to drive Evie over to the house or have me do it?” Gabriel asked Ann.

“Why don’t you drive her and I’ll follow you. I’ve got her things your father brought in my rental, along with the FBI case files I brought down. I’ll take the files by the old post office after she’s settled, if you can arrange for me to have keys.”

“I’ll do that. Just to satisfy my curiosity, where are the state files?”

“Still loaded in a van over in Springfield, I think. She was going to call once she was at the house and have them delivered. I’ll get that done for her, have them brought to the post-office building.”

“I’ll get our case files copied tonight. The staff will appreciate the overtime.”

“Thanks, Gabriel.”

“If we’re going to do this, let’s do it right.”

“We’re in agreement there.” Ann headed toward ER, slot sixteen, Gabriel following. Evie was going through the coordination tests with the doctor again. They seemed simple-he’d hold up a finger and ask her to touch it with hers, instruct her to hold out her arms and bring her index fingers together, drop a rubber ball from one hand and catch it in the other. She hadn’t been able to do the exercises when she first arrived. She was anticipating each one now and cruising through them. The vision tests and memory tests were not as easy for her, but she mostly passed the questions. She was still struggling to hold on to a set of three words at the beginning of a conversation and repeat them back when asked.

“I can go?” Evie asked the doctor.

“You’re going to need to be cautious about that headache for a couple days. Don’t drive until it eases up, alternate ice and heat for the stiff muscles, and come see me if your vision or balance changes at all. But otherwise, you’re sprung.”

The doctor swept aside the curtain as Evie said, “Oh, I could hug you, but I’ll settle for saying a big thanks. Can you do the paperwork fast?” She swung her feet around to sit up on the side of the bed. Gabriel saw her clench her teeth for an instant at the movement, but he could tell she was determined to leave.

The doctor signed off on the electronic chart. “I’ll have the nurse bring in the discharge paperwork and get you prescription samples for the pain-killers so you don’t have to find a pharmacy tonight.”

“Great. Thanks. Ann, do you remember where they put my jacket, my shoes?”

Gabriel caught Ann’s attention, held up his keys, and pointed to the lobby. He’d bring his truck to the pickup lane for Evie. Ann nodded, and he headed out. One problem in this day was nearly resolved.

He had the impression Evie Blackwell would be an interesting woman to get to know. Probably not as interesting as Ann had been in those early days when first making her acquaintance, but worth considering. He wanted to see Evie without that headache scrambling her thinking. Curious. That was the word Ann had used to describe Evie. He’d add pretty. She was easy to look at, mostly those green eyes and that smile he’d caught only a glimmer of so far. It was not going to be a dull few weeks, and that was fine with him.

He started the truck and moved it into place, let it idle. He figured he had a couple of minutes. He picked up his phone and found a number, made a call. “Sheriff Gabriel Thane for Paul Falcon, please.”

“One moment, Sheriff.” Paul’s longtime secretary must have his name on a short list-he always got through immediately.

“Yes, Gabe.”

“Ann is safely here in Carin, which I’m sure you already know. I need a read on an Evie Blackwell. A guy’s read. I’m told you know her.”

“I do. Solid cop, good investigator. Cracks me up with her jokes. Left a shamrock glacier behind in the freezer when she last stayed over as our guest-a painted rock with frozen layers of water coating it. You probably had to be here to appreciate its humor. It was St. Patrick’s Day, the Chicago River was green.”

Gabriel smiled. “I can see it. She had a car accident today, hit a deer, got her brains rattled a bit. I’m trying to get a sense of what normal would look like.”

“She okay?” Paul asked, instantly serious.

“Will be. The doc is doing the release paperwork now. Ann’s with her, so I’d say Evie is in good hands.”

“‘Normal’ for Evie… Curious. Funny. Not too serious about anything.”

“Not words you hear associated with a cop very often.”

“She doesn’t see a need to be serious. She figures crimes are serious enough. She prefers to enjoy the day and the work and solve the puzzle so there’s justice again. She likes everything there is about being an investigator, even the paperwork.

“She’s a sunny-mood kind of lady by nature, likes to laugh, and uses that to her advantage. Ann always carried the weight of a grim bloodstained scene home with her. Evie doesn’t. She lets herself put it aside, like a gift of grace to herself. She’s got the rare ability to be a lifer in the job and not burn out. Don’t underestimate her. But to your immediate question, when she’s laughing again, she’s probably edging back to normal.”

“Thanks. That’s helpful. The one thing I haven’t heard today is laughter.”

There was a slight pause. Then Paul said, his tone offhand, “She’s seeing someone, I think, a guy by the name of Rob Turney, if that would be useful information to have.”

So much for being subtle about why he called. “Yeah. Figures. The interesting ones tend to be seeing someone.”

“He’s not there, and she is, for the next couple of weeks at least.”

“I’m not one to poach,” Gabriel replied, unwilling to ignore that line even for an interesting woman. “Odd, isn’t it,” he said casually, signaling a shift in the conversation, “how I’m the last one to know there’s interest in our little county up at the governor’s level?”

“Comes with the territory-having friends among those whom the governor calls. I like the guy. I voted for him. But a word of advice to tuck away? Bliss is persuasive at getting you to say yes to what you didn’t intend to do when you arrived at the meeting. I don’t think Ann had in mind spending Thanksgiving and Christmas helping get a task force organized so the group could be formally announced in January. Ann’s invested in it now, owns it, but you’ve got our next governor to thank for that. He rolled her up neatly in a bow, made it so it became her idea to volunteer. Then he looked at me, and without having to say more than ‘You’ll help her out?’ had the FBI’s assistance, coming out of my budget.”

Gabriel chuckled. “Nice to know you two can occasionally get snookered like that. Seriously, I’ll send Ann safely back your way tomorrow. I appreciate her being here today. It’s been helpful to hear her point of view. And her help with the aftermath of Evie’s accident was invaluable.”

“She was glad to come.”

“Oh, and, Paul, before I let you go-Karen Joy Lewis. Anything you might like to say?”

“Bravest woman I know. Talk to Ann.”

“Intriguing redirect. Thanks.”

“Gabe, don’t forget. You still owe me one decent game of darts and a case of that local root beer.”

“Come down with Ann one evening, you can collect.” Gabriel hung up with a chuckle, lifted a hand to the attendant pushing Evie out in a wheelchair. Ann had married a good man. He enjoyed watching the dynamics between the two of them, considered both of them his friends now. He thought Evie might join that circle over the next couple of weeks. Ann liked her, and that said a lot. He got out and circled the truck to open the door for his passenger.

Rather than taking the shortcut, Gabriel drove down Main Street so that Evie could get a sense of the town. He kept an eye on Ann following behind, slowing when she got caught at one of the town’s few traffic lights, then crossing the railroad tracks. If there was a rich and poor side, they were now on the monied side. He turned onto Kearns Road, drove three blocks, parked on the right side of the driveway, leaving room for Ann to pull in beside him.

Evie hadn’t gone for a small apartment with a few rooms. She’d rented a two-story Victorian on a corner lot, with four bedrooms upstairs and high-ceilinged spacious rooms downstairs. A wide back deck had been added more recently, and a fenced backyard completed the property. Gabriel had been inside the house for several parties over the years. He watched Evie studying it with satisfaction.

“You’re vacationing in style,” he said.

“Eating out, staying in a nice place-there should be some perks to a vacation besides fresh deer.”

Remembering Paul’s comments about her, he appreciated the touch of humor. He came around the truck, opened the passenger door. She sat for a moment, and he could see her considering the stepping-down problem. She gave a half-amused smile. “I need to do this for myself, but it might take a while.” She put a hand on his shoulder, took a deep breath and stepped down, then unclenched her jaw and blew out.

“The stiffness has to show up before it can fade,” Gabe commiserated.

“Yeah. Got that.”

“You’ve got keys?”

“Trina mailed me a set.”

“Then lead the way.”

She studied the walk and carefully took a step. He kept a hand near Evie’s elbow just in case she needed help, though he knew the only way past this was to stretch those tight muscles. He gave her serious points for the focused way she went about it. Her back was bothering her, he knew, but it was to be expected at this point. She took the six porch steps with a firm grip on his arm and her other hand on the railing.

She unlocked the house. It truly was a beautiful historic home, with hardwood floors and a polished banister, long formal drapes highlighting tall multi-pane windows. The furnishings were both formal and modern: long sofas, high-back chairs, bookcases for both books and pottery, cabinetry with clean lines, and fresh flowers everywhere. He looked around with appreciation. “Trina puts out a nice welcome.”

“She called it her summer-house-style package, with food and drink stocked.”

“You chose well, Evie. I’m glad you’ll be enjoying this place. It’s one of the nicer homes in town.”

“Thanks. An added benefit is that Ann won’t fuss about staying with me when she’s here. The dogs will be okay with your brother? I hate to impose any longer-”

“They’ll be fine,” he assured her. “Rest is going to help.”

“Yeah,” she said with a small yawn. Then she looked at the staircase.

“Sorry, there’s no elevator.”

She gave him a glance and half smile. “I’ll manage.” She took in the stairs again. “I hope.”

“The couch is long enough and looks comfortable.”

“Don’t tempt me. I want that hot shower.” She resolutely started up the stairs.

Ann joined him, watching her progress.

“I’ll bring in Evie’s luggage,” he said.

Ann offered keys. “The two black cases in the trunk are hers, and if you could also manage my blue bag, I’d appreciate it.”

He nodded and went to get them.

Evie had disappeared by the time he returned. Ann took one of Evie’s bags and indicated he could leave the other two by the bottom step.

“Anything else I can do, Ann?”

“We’re good. I’ll be by your place this evening.”

“Thank you. We need to have that conversation today, even though we’d both no doubt be better off crashing like Evie.”

“I may catch a brief nap once she’s settled. You?”

“A yard half-mowed is calling my name.”

“Life doesn’t stop just because things get complicated.”

He shared a smile. “How very true. It is good to have you in town, Ann.” He nodded goodbye and headed back to his truck. He looked to the horizon where rain was coming in. It fit the way this day had been going. But, strangely, he found himself kind of pumped. It hadn’t been a boring day. Now, getting that mowing done before the rain hits… he’d need to hustle.

Ann Falcon

Ann was fixing tea when she heard a knock on the front door, figured Gabriel had forgotten something, or maybe Trina was stopping over to see that all was comfortable for Evie. Out of habit, Ann glanced through the side window first and instinctively moved her jacket over her side arm when she saw who it was. She opened the door wide. “Mrs. Thane,” she greeted the woman with a smile.

“Marie, please, Ann. The other makes me sound old.” The two women laughed. “Caleb told me what happened, and I thought some supplies were in order-ice packs, my chicken soup, bread out of the oven an hour ago.” She carried a full picnic basket.

“Evie will appreciate every bit of it, as will I.” Ann invited her inside and accepted the basket. “This also saves me a trip your direction. I was planning on coming out to talk with you soon. Do you have a few minutes?”

“Of course.”

“I’m back here in the kitchen,” she explained, motioning her guest toward the room. “Evie wanted a shower and a nap, then dinner, so this is well timed. I was just looking through the items in the refrigerator for meal options, so your basket will do nicely. Would you join me for tea?”

“Please.”

Ann emptied the picnic basket, fixed tea for them both, got out cookies Trina had supplied, and joined Marie at the kitchen table. She considered what to say first, how to say it, and finally just went to the heart of the matter. “I’m going to disrupt the lives of your sons, and probably yours too, and I thought it only fair to give you a heads up.”

Marie smiled. “A bit of disruption every once in a while can be a good thing to my way of thinking. You’re working on the Florist matter with Evie, my husband tells me, so that would be Gabriel’s disruption.”

“Yes,” Ann said. “Grace Arnett is coming back to town to ask a favor of Josh. And I have some history with Karen that’s going to involve Will.”

Marie nodded thoughtfully. “It sounds like all three of our sons are going to have an interesting month.”

Ann finished one of the cookies. “You’re one of the strongest women of prayer I know.”

Marie looked a little surprised.

“I’ve got two good friends in Grace and Karen, neither of whom believes in God. That’s not unusual, but there are moments in people’s lives when the topic comes back to the surface, and this is one of those times for both of them. I’m floundering, Marie. I’m not ready for what is coming. Would you please pray for me? And them?”

The woman’s expression softened. “You know I will, Ann. I understand the weight you feel. I’ve got two sons who believe and one who does not. I love all three, but I admit a special place in my heart for Will and his struggle with faith.”

Ann hesitated. “Would you mind if Will married someone who also didn’t believe?”

“If you’re talking about Karen, the answer is no. I’d have two people to pray for then. He softens when she’s around, and that’s a good thing. God loves my son, and He loves Karen. I’ve come to accept the fact that God understands better than I ever will how to seek and save Will. Getting married would be good for him-I have no hesitation on that.”

“Things are going to get difficult in the coming days-for him, for all your sons,” Ann said, choosing her words with care. “Will is going to find himself in some deep waters. And Josh is going to be asked to carry a very hard thing. They’ll need family during this time.”

Marie smiled. “A nice way to say they’re going to need their mother.”

“I wish I could explain further right now, but it’s not my place. I just wanted you to know the need was going to be there, and to let you know how much I would appreciate and covet your prayers these next few days. For me and for them.”

Marie nodded. “Karen matters to Will today. I can also say that Grace matters to Josh; that might be mostly in the past, but it will hold for the present too.”

Ann appreciated Marie’s calm and confidence. “I’m grateful for your prayers. It’s been a lot of years since I carried something so heavy as these matters. I don’t want your family to be hurt with what unfolds.”

Marie’s hand covered hers. “You know us well enough to realize we’re tight as a family, thus your desire to speak with me. Let go of some of that concern you’re carrying, Ann. You’ll do with care what you’ve come here to deal with. I recognize a cop doing her job. You might be retired, but it’s still part of you. I’ve had a sheriff as a husband, now a sheriff as a son, and a soldier who’s come back from multiple tours and not ready to discuss matters. I’m the glue of the Thane family for a reason. My sons will be fine.”

“I’m glad they have you.”

Marie laughed softly. “You’ll come to Thanksgiving dinner should you be in town, you and your husband. You’ll join the family for the day. We’d be delighted to have you.”

“Should we be here, Marie, we’d be honored to join you. Paul would certainly appreciate your cooking over mine.”

Marie laughed again as she rose. “You just haven’t cared with a passion about food the way you do about people. Now quit fretting, Ann. You’ve done the important first part. You’ve told me enough that I can pray. God and I have plenty of history regarding praying for my sons and the women-or lack of them-in their lives. You’ll tell me should there be specifics you want mentioned, and I’ll make sure God hears it from me that you need extra strength and wisdom for what is coming.”

Ann rose too and hugged the woman. “Thank you,” she whispered. There was comfort just in talking with the lady she had come to think of as one of her spiritual mothers.

Marie studied her face. “Close your eyes for a moment, Ann.”

She did as asked and then felt Marie’s hands come up to cradle her face. Marie said softly, “Jesus, no one understands a heavy load better than you. No one has ever borne heavier. Bear up under this one with Ann, so she will know her only purpose here is to help others, love expansively, and be your hands and feet, your words of advice and wisdom when opportunities present themselves for her to help Grace and Karen. And yes, Josh and Will and Gabriel. Do whatever is necessary for Ann’s success in the days ahead. Show your love to my friend and comfort her by your Spirit. Amen.”

Ann didn’t bother to wipe her eyes. “The Thane sons have a really great mom,” she said shakily.

“Thank you. Enjoy that soup and the bread with Evie. You’ll be fine, Ann. In the days ahead, my sons are going to come looking for my counsel, and I’ll pray over them and tell them the same as I’ve told you. It’s the mother in me.”

Ann walked with Marie to the door and said goodbye, lighter in heart than she’d been for a while. The Thane sons were in good hands-their mother’s and the Heavenly Father’s.

“God, give me so much of your wisdom it leaks out of me,” she whispered. Will and Josh would have difficult weeks ahead, but it was Gabriel she worried about the most. She would do what had to be done-a lifetime of history for her as a cop had her accepting this. But the reality of what that meant never got easier.