Authors: Karin Salvalaggio
Macy stands just inside the doorway with her hat in her hands and watches as Elizabeth walks into the kitchen. Macy is finding it difficult to hide how angry she is.
“Grace has had a difficult life.”
“It is true that she’s had more than her fair share of problems.”
“Did you know that Dustin Ash tried to rape your niece when she was fourteen and that he returned to Collier intent on rekindling their relationship?”
Elizabeth puts a hand over her mouth.
“He took those photos you found in Arnold’s office.”
“I swear I had no idea.”
“Maybe you just pretended it wasn’t happening.”
“What do you mean? I would never do that. Not with Grace.”
“Elizabeth, the man you were married to for thirty-three years ran a sex trafficking operation. You knew something was going on but chose to ignore it. I need to know who Arnold was working with. Whoever murdered Leanne is still out there and Grace won’t be safe until we catch him.”
“It wasn’t Dustin?”
“We have reason to believe it was someone else.”
“I’m not sure who was involved. As a rule Arnold and I never spoke about it.”
“I want names, Elizabeth. You must have had your suspicions.”
“Sometimes, I overheard them talking. Much of it didn’t make sense but I know Brady Monroe and Walter Nielson did a lot of the runs over to Canada. I was always convinced that Scott Pearce and Dustin Ash were involved.”
“What did Dustin Ash do?”
“He used to be an accountant, so I imagine he took care of the money.”
* * *
There’s a long silence on Warren’s side of the desk when Macy tells him that Dustin Ash murdered Molly Parks and tried to rape Grace when she was fourteen.
Warren sounds frustrated. “But she said she didn’t recognize her mother’s killer.”
“Grace is adamant Dustin isn’t the killer.”
“Why should we believe her?”
“She has no reason to lie.”
“She might have been worried her past with Dustin would have come out. She let the man back into her life. Who knows? Maybe she’s in love with him.”
“If that were the case, she wouldn’t have called me to come get her when Dustin showed up at Martha Nielson’s house. Grace hid in the pantry for nearly an hour. Apparently, she and Dustin had a very long conversation through a closed door.”
Warren crosses his arms. “And during this little confessional with Dustin did she think of asking him who killed her mother?”
“He wouldn’t tell her.”
“They never make it easy for us, do they?”
Macy tries her best to keep her face neutral. The stomach cramps she felt earlier have returned. “It gets worse. Leanne’s killer has the photos of Grace that were taken from Arnold’s office.”
“And who’s to say it wasn’t Dustin who took them? If he’s the man who killed Molly Parks, we have physical evidence that he was in Grace’s house.”
“Fair enough, he may have lied to Grace about being in her bedroom. She told me the messages written on the wall were from a poem he’d written her.”
“So much for restoring my faith in mankind.” Warren leans back in his chair and closes his eyes. “I think he’s living out in one of the cabins at Olsen’s Landing, acting as a caretaker or something. I’ll need to do some checking.”
“Warren, we can’t leave it until tomorrow. Someone might tip him off. We need to do this tonight.”
Warren reaches for the phone. “You hang tight. I’ll get it organized.”
Macy excuses herself and goes straight to the office they cleared out for her. Closing the door behind her, she doubles over in pain. Grabbing the back of her chair, she takes deep breaths until the cramping sensations pass. Her phone rings and she has difficulty keeping her voice steady. The officer who’s keeping an eye on Grace’s apartment reports that Grace returned home a few minutes earlier.
“That’s a relief,” she says, opening the door to her office to let Jared in. “Whatever happens, make sure she stays there.”
Macy starts in on Jared without saying hello. “Where have you been?” she says, sitting down heavily in the chair behind the desk. “I’ve been trying to reach you for the past half hour.”
“Look, I’ve got better things to do than to stand here and listen to you yell at me.”
“And here I was thinking you gave a shit.”
“You know damn well that my problem is that I give too much of a shit.”
Macy waits a few seconds before speaking. “I’m sorry, I’m upset. I shouldn’t take it out on you.”
“You want to tell me what’s going on?”
“Do you know Dustin Ash?”
“Yeah, sure. He’s not been around much in the past few years but seems a decent enough guy.”
“He tried to rape Grace when she was fourteen.”
“Isn’t he a family friend?”
“They’re usually the ones to look out for. After he left town four years ago he murdered Molly Parks and abused two other little girls. We’ll need to get DNA from him for confirmation but I know I’m right. When he returned to Collier a couple months ago he told Grace he’d found God and wanted to make a new start with her. She’d forgiven him because he convinced her it was just that one time that he lost control. It was only when the news carried stories about Molly Parks and the other two little girls that Grace realized she’d been lied to.”
“I don’t get it. Was Dustin trying to have a proper relationship with Grace?”
“By making things right with Grace he believes he’ll be forgiven for his past sins and won’t be tempted again.”
“Why would Grace ever let him near her?”
“She’s lonely and vulnerable. A soft target. It’s how they pick them.”
“But Grace said no this time.”
“That’s right. She did.”
“Why didn’t she just tell someone what happened?”
“Shame. Fear. A warped sense of loyalties. Who knows?”
“Will he be arrested tonight?”
“We should be heading out in a few minutes.” She looks up at him. “I’m sorry I lost my temper. The fact is I like having you around. I’ve missed you.”
“Macy, are you saying what I think you’re saying?”
“Jared, don’t flatter yourself. I’ve missed you as a friend. That’s as far as it goes.”
Jared comes around to Macy’s side of the desk. “You know I’m going to have to hug you.”
“If you think you can pry my big ass from this chair, you’re welcome to try.”
* * *
A half hour later Jared drives Macy’s patrol car to Olsen’s Landing. Next to him Macy roots around in the glove compartment until she finds a candy bar. She rips off the wrapper and offers half to Jared.
“No thanks. You okay?”
She takes a bite and talks with her mouth full. “My boss is coming up to Collier tomorrow.”
“You deserve better.”
“We all do,” she says, grabbing hold of the handle above the door when Jared swings around a corner.
In front of Trina’s store, sheriff patrol cars sit parked out in the open with their lights flashing. Macy imagines they all arrived with their sirens on. “I bet half of Collier knows what we’re up to by now.”
She grimaces and takes hold of her stomach.
“What’s wrong?”
“Just a bit of indigestion.”
“You’re sure?”
“Sure I’m sure.” Moving as quickly as she’s able, Macy exits the cab and heads over to a group of officers. They’re all heavily armed and wear bulletproof vests.
Sheriff Warren Mayfield has a map of Collier spread out on the hood of a patrol car. “Just so you know I pulled Dustin’s DMV photo and we got a positive ID from the little girl who lives down in Shelby. The judge signed this a few minutes ago.” He takes an arrest warrant out of his breast pocket and hands it to Macy.
Macy looks it over before handing it back to Warren. “Much as I’d like to join you I think I better sit this one out.”
“You’re going to miss out on all the fun.”
“I’ll have to watch it on the news like everyone else.”
Warren indicates the location of the entrance to Olsen’s Landing at the rear of the parking lot. “This should be pretty straightforward. There’s only one access point and we know he’s home. I had a guy go along on foot to check. According to Trina, Dustin Ash is living here, in unit thirty-two. It sits right on the edge of the forested area. I suggest we go in on foot from the entrance, fanning out so we’ve covered all possible escape routes. I’ll station some men along the access road below the central bridge in case he tries to make a run for it across this open field. There’s no way he can cross the river.” He runs his finger along the long arc of the Flathead. “In this section the ice is still too thin. It would be suicidal to try.”
Macy points to the central bridge. “This is as good a vantage point as any. I think I’ll park up here and keep an eye on things from a safe distance.”
Twenty minutes later the two patrol units in front of Macy’s car exit onto the access road below the central bridge but Macy continues driving straight, slowing to a crawl when she hits the span.
Jared points off to the left. “That’s Olsen’s Landing just beyond the field.”
Macy pulls up onto the curb and they get out and stand at the railing. Ahead of them the full moon leans heavily on the trees, fenceposts, and overhead cables, casting solid black shadows across the brilliant white field. One hundred feet away a few of the summer cabins that sit nestled among the trees are just visible. Lights are showing in only one set of windows. The rest of the cabins look uninhabited. To the right, the Flathead River is a patchwork of ice floes. To the left is the tail end of Main Street and the beginnings of Route 93.
Macy holds up her phone to Jared and frowns. “They must have reached his cabin by now. Something isn’t right.”
Below them on the access road the two patrol cars sweep the meadow with their searchlights. There is no movement, but from the shadows cast down by the trees dark figures emerge. Voices call out to each other just as Macy’s phone rings in her hand.
“Hey, Warren, please tell me we have good news.”
Warren sounds out of breath. “Dustin’s Jeep is here but he’s gone. It might be that someone got to him before we did. There are signs of a struggle. I’ve set up a perimeter along the main road.”
“He’s the caretaker so he’ll have access to the cabins. You’ll need to search every one of them.”
“It’s going to be a long night.”
24
Even though she’s still wrapped up in her coat, Grace is shivering. She’s been back at the apartment for half an hour and she can’t seem to shake off the cold. Exhausted, she slouches down onto the sofa and lets her hopes sink further. There is nothing here she can call home. A few partitions away, her aunt stubbornly sleeps through what is left of her life, capitulating now that her house and husband have both been taken away from her.
On the coffee table Grace finds her aunt’s list of things to do. She stares at the last entry.
Move to Helena
. Wanting to ease her aunt’s load, Grace takes up the pen and crosses out this final task. She looks up at the sound of approaching footsteps. Caught in the dim light of a small table lamp, her aunt’s pale face floats out of the darkened hallway. She emerges with a blanket draped around her shoulders. With her long silver hair hanging loose she looks like a young child who’s aged beyond her years.
“Grace, where have you been?”
“I took a long walk,” says Grace, steadying her nerves. “I can’t stand being trapped inside all the time.”
Elizabeth takes a seat in the reclining chair. “So, you had a nice time with Macy?”
“Yes, I did,” says Grace, thankful that her aunt has left her glasses on her bedside table so she can’t see how much Grace has been crying.
“Grace, please take my hands.”
Elizabeth’s hands are warm, dry, and smell of lavender soap. Her own hands are icy cold, but her aunt doesn’t chastise her this time.
Her aunt speaks slowly. “Your mother called me about a month ago. She wanted to come see you and I told her it was out of the question.”
Grace holds her aunt’s hands a little tighter, but says nothing.
“For years I watched you cry every time you received a birthday card from your mother. She’d not once included a simple message. She’d not once told you she loved you. But what I did was wrong. I should have given you the right to decide for yourself.”
“I wouldn’t have seen her.”
“Pardon.”
“I think I would have chosen not to see her. I feel guilty about it but it’s the truth. I would have liked to have the choice though.”
“If I could change what I’ve done, I would.”
“You were trying to protect me. You did it for the right reasons.”
“I am sorry.”
Grace glances at the clock. “You should go back to bed, it’s been a long day.”
“Are you sure?” Her aunt makes a move to get up. “We could talk for a while, if you like.”
“I’m going to bed soon too.”
Elizabeth kisses Grace on the forehead. “I love you.”
“I love you too.”
The heavy sound of footfalls echo from the apartment above and Grace tracks their progress across the ceiling. Ghostly laughter soon follows. She shifts her weight and her eyes, dropping them into her lap along with her expectations. It is time to leave Collier. She mulls over the idea like she might do with a puzzle. So many pieces slot right into place. Leaving Dustin and the gathering ghosts far behind is the only thing that makes any sense.
Grace throws some clothes into a bag along with the money she found in the trailer. In the kitchen she scribbles a quick note to her aunt and prepares some snacks for the road. The telephone rings and she stands frozen with the refrigerator wide open. She looks down the hallway toward her aunt’s room but there is no telltale slit of light beneath the door. On the sixth ring, Grace picks it up.
It’s a man’s voice she doesn’t recognize.
“Grace Adams?” he says.
Grace grips the phone tightly. “Yes, who is this?”
“Do you know where the old Harris Mill is?”
“I’m going to hang up if you don’t tell me who this is.”
“I want you to meet me there tomorrow morning at ten.”
“I can’t get away. The police are watching me all the time.”
“That’s not my problem. Dustin told me you had the money. If you want what I have you’ll find a way.”