Shirlee McCoy - Die Before Nightfall

“She was murdered?”

“No one knows. Could be she ran away. Could be she was abducted. Could be she was killed. All anyone knows for sure is that she was here one day—the next she was gone.”

“Isn’t that old news?”

“Stories like that one get told over and over, the plots twisted and changed until the facts are layered with so much embellishment it’s hard to tell where one begins and the other ends.”

“You must have an opinion about what happened or you wouldn’t be warning me to be careful.”

“Actually, I would. I’m the cautious type—just ask my wife.” He smiled, his face softening.

“I am, too, Sheriff. So don’t worry, I’ll be careful.”

“Call me Jake. Everyone else does. And make sure you’re as careful as you say you’ll be. Ben would never forgive me if I let something happen to you.”

“You and Ben are friends?”

“Friends and fishing buddies.”

“I wouldn’t want to ruin that.”

“Me, neither.” He smiled again. “I’d better get back to work. Nice meeting you.”

“You, too.” Raven took a step away, then turned back. “Jake?”

He stopped, half in, half out of the cruiser. “Yeah?”

“Who was the woman? The one that disappeared, I mean.”

“Theadora Trebain. Use to live in the cottage you’re renting.”

A sudden chill raced up Raven’s spine, and the fine hair on her arms stood on end. She didn’t realize she’d swayed until Jake strode toward her and put a steadying hand on her arm.

“You okay? You’ve gone pale.”

Raven straightened, stepped away from his touch. “I’m fine. I just wondered if the woman was related to my landlady, Nora Freedman.”

“Nora’s husband was Thea’s cousin. He took care of the property after she disappeared. Guess he always hoped she’d come home.”

“Her disappearance must have been hard on the family.”

“It was. Though if you ask Nora she’ll say the one saving grace was that Thea’s mother passed away before it happened.”

“It’s still a sad story. Whether or not the mother was around to know what happened to her daughter.”

Jake didn’t respond, just watched Raven, his gaze sharp and focused. Could he hear her heart pounding in her chest? Did he sense that she was withholding information? Should she tell him about Abby’s strange ramblings?

The shrill ring of a phone saved her from making a decision. He shifted and grabbed a cell phone from the cruiser. “Reed here.”

He listened and smiled, the expression on his face changing so dramatically that he looked like a different person.

“Sure, babe. No. I’ll be home in a couple of hours.”

His gaze shifted to Raven. “No, no crime. I did meet Ben’s sister…me, too. I’ll tell her.”

He threw the phone back onto the seat. “My wife. She said to tell you hi. Says she hopes to meet you soon.”

“Oh, I—”

“Better get used to it. It’s the way of things around here. Everyone knows everyone.”

Raven nodded. “I got that impression from Nora.”

“Nora Freedman’s a great lady. And now, I really do have to go. Take care.”

Raven watched the cruiser disappear around a curve in the road and only then did she do what she’d been wanting to do all along. She turned toward the field and waded through knee-high grass. The far slope was just beginning to bloom with tiny purple flowers and tall, fluffy dandelions sparse but evident among the green. Raven could imagine what it would be like in a few weeks, the profusion of colors and textures beautiful and tempting.

Had the woman who disappeared seen it this way? Had she wanted to breathe in the soft scent of flowers and earth, and collect some of the beauty that dotted the hillside?

Theadora. Like Raven’s own name, Thea’s wasn’t that common. Raven shivered, her gaze traveling the width and breadth of the field. Questions filled her mind, then scattered as she hiked across the lush landscape, cresting the far hill and slowing as a white farmhouse came into view. A wide porch stretched across the front of the house, and two rocking chairs sat empty on either side of a small table.

“Good morning!” A tall, auburn-haired woman called the greeting as she rounded the corner of the house. “You must be our new neighbor.”

“Yes, I’m Raven Stevenson.”

“Tori Riley. I heard you’d moved in. What was it? Yesterday?”

“Yes.”

“How about some coffee?”

“I—”

“Juice, then? I’m sure you’re busy, but Pops will have my head if I don’t invite you in.”

Before Raven could ask who Pops was, Tori strode to the front door, shoved it open and called inside. “Hey, Pops, we’ve got company.”

“So don’t just stand out on the porch, come in.”

The voice was gruff and Raven wasn’t sure she wanted to meet its owner. “I really don’t want to disturb your morning.”

“You’re not. Pops always sounds like that.”

Tori led the way into a bright, airy kitchen. A man stood by the stove, his face lined with age, his eyes deep brown and curious. “This the new neighbor?”

“Yep. Raven Stevenson, meet Sam Riley. Otherwise known as Pops.”

“Nice to meet you, Mr. Riley.”

“Sam to my friends.”

“Sam, then.”

“Sit down. I’ve got coffee or juice. Pancakes, too, if you’re hungry.”

“Juice would be nice, thanks.”

He nodded and poured a glass of orange juice, then slid it onto the table in front of her. “Looks like you were out for a run.”

“Yes, it’s a beautiful morning for it and the scenery’s great.”

“Still gotta be careful running by yourself.”

“Jake Reed was just telling me that.”

“Guess he told you about Thea Trebain.”

“Pops, don’t start.” Tori slid into a chair beside Raven, a plate filled with pancakes in her hand.

“I’m not starting anything. Just warning her to be careful.”

“You’re getting ready to spin one of your tales.”

“It isn’t a tale. It’s God’s truth.”

“Your truth, you mean.” She turned to Raven. “Don’t believe a word my grandfather says about Thea Trebain. He likes to make it sound more mysterious than it is. Most people think she got fed up with small-town life and left.”

“Without telling her family? Without packing her bags?”

“None of that is fact, Pops, and you know it.”

Their argument seemed an old one, well worn. Their affection for each other peeked through the words, even as their so-alike brown eyes shot flames. The similarity between the two was obvious, the connection between them filling Raven with longing.

She pushed away from the table and stood. “I hate to drink my juice and run, but I’d really better get home.”

“Now look what you’ve done, Tori. You’ve chased her off.”

“Me? You’re the one trying to scare her.”

“Warn—not scare.”

Raven smiled at the banter, forcing aside her own feelings of loneliness. “Neither of you chased me off. It’s just time for me to go.”

“Now, don’t go rushing off, Raven. I’ve got something for you. A welcome gift. Something a woman who likes to run shouldn’t be without. Come on out to the barn, I’ll get it for you.”

Raven opened her mouth to protest, but Tori shook her head. “You may as well go with him. If you don’t, he’ll be pounding on your door this afternoon. I’ve got to run. Work won’t wait. Much as I’d like it to sometimes. Maybe we can have lunch.”

“I’d like that.”

“Great. I’m in the book.” She paused, glanced at Sam who was stepping out into the hall. Then she whispered, “And listen, if Pops gives you a gun or a sword, just take it and smile. He means well. I’ll get it from you when we have lunch. Gotta run. Bye, Pops.” She rushed forward, kissed her grandfather on the cheek, and was gone.