Devils Among Us (Devin Dushane Series Book 1) (5 page)

As twilight settled in, Devin collapsed into a chair on the
front porch with a diet soda, almost wishing it were something stronger. She
was now filthy, but the house had been improved 110%. The hundreds of tiny white
tiles that covered the bathroom floor and half the wall sparkled after she had
scrubbed each and every one, and she looked forward to sinking into a hot bath
in that heavy porcelain tub.

The retro appliances in the kitchen still worked, and once
she scrubbed the Formica counters down and discovered the pale green boomerang
pattern, the room had a hip vibe that she thought would be complemented nicely
with some fresh apple green paint. Most importantly right then, her
grandmother’s roomy bedroom that looked down into the front yard and the street
had been scrubbed, aired out and outfitted with fresh linens. The aged green
and gold wallpaper had darkened over time and made the room feel like a cave. She
was itching to tear it down and paint the room an airy ocean blue and replace
the heavy golden drapes with long gauzy white curtains. She wanted to sleep in
a room she could breathe in, might as well soak in the country air while she
was here. Tonight though she was so exhausted it wouldn’t matter if she slept
in a cave, on the beach or up in a tree, as long as she had a place to lay her
head.

As she sipped her soda, Devin admired the freshly mowed
grass. Henry had insisted on mowing the grass for her and trimming the hedges.
Looking around she was glad she hadn’t protested too hard. Cleaning up the yard
had made a huge difference in the appearance of the house. Once she got the
flower boxes planted and the shutters painted, it would look downright pleasant.
Housework and home décor was not usually Devin’s cup of tea; she was better
with handguns not hand scrubbing. She had accompanied Marcy on a few of her
weekend Pottery Barn runs, but she preferred to spend her Saturday mornings
shooting hoops at the local Boys and Girls Club. But there was something very
satisfying in bringing this ghost of a home back to life, maybe because it
housed the roots of her family.

Devin thought ahead to Monday morning. What would Sheriff Bittner
be able to tell her? Would he be willing to tell her anything? Small
communities like this could be very tight-lipped. She would have to be very
careful in how she handled the sheriff. If he thought she was there out of curiosity,
and not criticism, he would be much more likely to open up his resources to
her.
Charming
and
charismatic
were not always adjectives that
could be used to describe Devin, but when she wanted something badly enough and
turned those things on, she could be hypnotically persuasive. That would be the
approach she would take on Monday. What was the saying, you can catch more bees
with honey? Devin smiled to herself.
I wonder what the queen bee uses to
attract worker bees?

Chapter
6

Devin parked her car along Main Street. As she fed the meter
she could feel a dozen pairs of eyes on her. In a town this small, it was major
news when a stranger showed up headed for the sheriff’s department, and this
sultry summer morning was no different.

She had opted for her normal work attire—dark blue jeans
with a maroon t-shirt topped off with her favorite chocolate-brown blazer.
Devin thought it was best not to carry her service weapon, since she was on a
mandatory leave but she had clipped her badge to her belt.

Leave or not, I’m still a cop; they owe me that much,
she thought grimly.

Remembering her strategy, Devin softened her expression and
tried to leave the massive chip from her shoulder in the car as she swung
through the double doors. The secretary at the desk looked up at her in
surprise and placed a bookmark in the romance novel she was reading. Devin
wondered if the surprise stemmed from having a visitor or the appearance of the
visitor. Devin smiled warmly as she slid her sunglasses off, hooked them on her
shirt and fanned herself with her hand.

“Whew! Already a scorcher out there!” Devin knew from
experience that connecting personally, even over something as simple as the
weather, created familiarity.  She glanced at the name plate on the desk.
“Marlene Dellinger? I believe we spoke on the phone. I’m Detective Dushane from
Richmond and I’ve got an appointment with Sheriff Bittner this morning.”

Marlene obviously enjoyed being remembered and was all
smiles for her new guest. “Of course, Detective. We’ve been expecting you this
morning. I hope you didn’t melt this morning on your drive over from Richmond. That must have been quite an early morning for you.”

Devin recognized a dig for information when she heard one, and
she didn’t mind giving Marlene a little inside information if it gave her an
ally within the sheriff’s office. “Actually, I’m staying here in Fenton, so I
just had to come across town this morning.” She leaned in as if she were passing
on top-secret information and lowered her voice conspiringly.  I’m going to be
here for a month or two working on a cold case, the Bennett murder…there’s a
family connection, you know.” Devin worked to keep a straight face as Marlene
nodded sagely, her eyes wide with new juicy gossip. By lunch everyone in Fenton
would know she was there and why; it would save her a lot of introductions.

“Of course, dear.” Marlene was still nodding as the phone
rang. “You go on back. His office is on the far end just past the detectives.
I’d take you myself, but duty calls.” She waved her hand at the phone and
rolled her eyes. “But you be sure to stop and see me on your way out, y’here?”

Devin gave her a wide smile and a wink and headed through
the doorway, tucking her folders and notepad under her arm as she went. Even in
Richmond female detectives were uncommon, so it came as no surprise to Devin
that she was creating a stir as she wound through the desks. A dark-haired
young detective actually leaned back in his chair with his hands behind his
head to watch her approach.

When she reached his desk, he gave her a broad smile.
“Please tell me there’s something I can help you with,” he drawled out.

His accent was heavy even for Virginia, and she could tell
his ego was even heavier. She shot back her dry reply without even thinking.
“Lord, I dearly hope not.” Well, she thought belatedly, maybe there’s such a
thing as too many friends. The blond detective across from him roared with
laughter, and Mr. Smooth’s smile faltered for the briefest moment, but he
regained himself quickly. Before he could try out his next line, she cut in. “I
have an appointment with Sheriff Bittner. I’m looking for his office.”

“And you’ve found it!” a voice boomed from the office doorway
ten feet behind Mr. Smooth. “Come on in, Detective, and make yourself at home.”
Sheriff Grahm Bittner could not have looked more the part of a small-town sheriff
if he’d been cast from Hollywood. He had a large frame, probably no more than
five feet ten inches tall, but his belly entered the room first, followed by
his bushy silver mustache. He motioned Devin to the chairs in front of his desk
and pulled the door shut behind her. “You’ll have to excuse my detectives,
ma’am. We don’t get a lot of pretty ladies wandering around our offices. Now,
that being said, to what do I owe this pleasure? ”

Devin laughed out loud. In Richmond his statement would be
so “un-PC”, but coming from someone who looked like a cross between a
benevolent grandfather and a Santa who had lost his beard, Devin had a hard
time taking offense. Still smiling she started in gently, knowing her request
was a big one.

“Sheriff, my family hails from Fenton. My maiden name was Bennett…
I’m Bobby Bennett’s daughter.” She paused and let that information roll over
him. He leaned back in his chair as if her words had physically pushed him
backwards.

“Bobby Bennett. I haven’t seen him in years, since we had
some trouble with the renters he had at the time.” He reached up to rub his
fingers over his mustache as he travelled back in his thoughts. “As I recall,
they were trying to grow marijuana in the garage with a heat lamp.” He chuckled
at the memory. “How is Bobby? Is he having trouble with his mama’s house
again?”

“He’s doing well, and there’s no trouble with the house,
other than peeling paint. I’ll actually be staying there over the summer.”
Devin’s lie was bordering on a whopper. Her father was anything but fine. Actually
he’d refused her the house when she first asked. He’d been livid at the idea of
her being anywhere near Fenton. Eventually relented to her persuasion, but at
what cost? Would he disappear in a bottle again?

“I was wounded in the line of duty, so I have some time off.
I’ve never really been the type to sit around and knit, so I thought I’d come
out to Fenton and look into my aunt’s murder. It’s a mystery that’s always
plagued my family, and these types of cases are kind of my specialty.”

Sheriff Bittner let out a low whistle. “The Laney Bennett
murder. Boy, does that bring back some ugly memories. I was a young deputy when
all that broke loose. It shook up the whole town, a bright young girl murdered
so brutally like that. I thought we were going to have to bury Bobby and their
mother right there with her, and the boyfriend…you’ve never seen such devastation.”
He shook his head, trying clear the images from his mind, and gave her a hard
look. “Are you sure that’s something you want to get into? It was the most
gruesome crime we’ve seen in Fenton for a hundred years or better.”

Devin resisted the urge to become defensive. “Oh, I’m sure. I’ve
seen my share of gruesome and lived to tell the tale. Besides, this just feels
like unfinished business hanging over our family. I have to at least give it a
shot.”

The sheriff considered her reply and rubbed a hand over his
chin. “If she were my family, I’d want to know. Hell, the whole town would like
to know. What can I do to help you, Detective?”

“You can start by calling me Devin.” She cocked her head to
the side and tried out her best imitation of a southern belle smile, and low
and behold it must have actually worked, because the sheriff puffed up like a
peacock.

“Well…Miss Devin, you have the full weight of my office
behind you. Where would you like to start?”

There was definitely something to be said for southern
hospitality. She’d expected the sheriff to be guarded and tight lipped. Instead
he was practically rolling out the red carpet for her. Devin had hoped she
could start off by interviewing the detectives that had been on the case and
ease her way into more major requests, but she was emboldened by the sheriff’s
welcome and decided to cut to the chase.

“Could I take a look at the case files? No sense reinventing
the wheel if all the groundwork has been done.” She held her breath waiting for
his response. It was not a long wait. Sheriff Bittner bounced out of his chair
as if he was spring loaded.

“Absolutely! That would make the most sense.” He was already
striding around his desk and heading for the door. “I’ll have my detectives
pull the files for you. Of course, you won’t be able to take them out of the
building, but you’re welcome to make copies, and the boys will be at your beck
and call for anything you need.”

This was better than she could have imagined. Full access to
the case files, permission to copy those files and two detectives to assist her
with whatever she needs? A girl could get used to this.

The sheriff motioned to two detectives to join them.
“Whitlock.  Lentz. Over here.”

Devin’s good mood vanished. Whitlock and Lentz were Mr.
Smooth and his laughing hyena friend. Fat lot a good they were going to do her.
Devin’s displeasure must have been evident on her face, because Mr. Smooth was
shooting her a cocky grin and barely containing his laughter. The sheriff was
so pleased with himself that he didn’t notice the exchange and plunged ahead
into introductions.

“Shane Whitlock.” That was Mr. Smooth. He then motioned to
the hyena. “Adam Lentz, this is Detective Devin Dushane from the Richmond
Police Department. She’s going to be staying in her family home here in Fenton
this summer. While she’s visiting us, she’ll be looking into the cold case
files on the Bennett murder.”

If the sheriff noticed their reactions, he didn’t
acknowledge them, he continued on without pause even when Shane’s eyebrows shot
up and Adam rocked back on his heels. So it wasn’t commonplace to allow
outsiders access. Interesting. Maybe she was more persuasive then she knew.
“Now, I want you boys to pull all the files we have and set Miss Devin up in
the conference room. If she needs anything at all, I expect you two to bend
over backwards to accommodate her, understand? Whether she needs evidence
lugged out of storage or just a glass of sweet tea, I expect you to extend
every courtesy.”

Mr. Smooth clearly did not like the assignment of being her
lackey. He was clearly much more interested in a very non-professional
relationship, not fetching boxes. Adam however had smoothed over his surprised
expression and was smiling pleasantly at her. Maybe he would actually be
helpful.

“Now, Miss Devin, I have to head across the square for a
meeting with the Mayor. We have a town council meeting this evening, you know.
If these boys don’t get you everything you need, you just give me a holler
y’hear?” He gave his two detectives a hard look. “We’ve been blessed with a
slow week so no excuses. I’d better not hear her holler!” With that he scooped
his wide-brimmed hat off the rack and headed toward the door, calling his
good-bye to Marlene as he went.

Devin and the two detectives were left standing rather
awkwardly in the hallway. Adam broke the silence by extending his hand and
chagrinned smile.

“I don’t know if you caught all of that, ma’am, but I’m Adam
Lentz. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

Devin gratefully shook his hand. “Thank you detective Lentz.
Everyone has always said I blow through a room like a tornado, but I think
Sheriff Bittner could give me a run for my money.”

He chuckled. “Please call me Adam and this is my partner…”

“Shane Whitlock, and you can call me anything you like.” Apparently
Mr. Smooth had regained his confidence again, snatching her hand up into both
of his and holding on just a little longer than necessary. Finishing it off
with a wink.

Oh for the love of Pete! Who does this guy think he is?
Rhett Butler reincarnated?
Devin tightened her jaw to keep any of these
thoughts from escaping.

“Well then, Detective Whitlock it is…or ‘Hey you.’” She
wrenched her hand away and turned her back on him. “So, Adam, would you like to
show me the way to the conference room?” She heard Shane mumbling about what
he’d like to show her, but she cut him off abruptly with one of her acidic
looks. Lesser men had broken under such scrutiny. Some criminals had been known
to dissolve into tears. He at least had the decency to look mildly frightened.

For such a major case Devin had expected more files.
Everything on her aunt’s murder was contained in three cardboard storage boxes
in the basement of the office, with the exception of the larger pieces of
evidence stored in the warehouse next door. Devin had cases in Richmond contained in twenty boxes.

Sign of the times, I guess.
Forensic science didn’t
really exist back then, other than fingerprinting.
At least I won’t have to
be in here all week with Mr. Smooth irritating the crap out of me. I’ve got to
stop calling him that before it accidently slips out, what was his name again?
Shawn? No, Shane.  Doesn’t really match his accent if you ask me.

Devin spent the morning reading and making notes with Shane
or Adam popping in every five minutes. At least Adam only asked how she was
doing and if she needed anything, after which he would disappear again. Shane,
however, found it his job to pester her with questions and pick-up lines. Devin
was beginning to think he was a glutton for punishment, just coming in to exchange
razor edged jabs with her. Maybe he could be her new evil nemesis. Grinning at
the thought, she tapped out a beat with her pen before she continued writing,
but her amusement was cut short, because—shock and surprise—he was hovering
over her shoulder again.

“So what do the Chinese symbols stand for? Let me guess,
love and hope, am I right?” He was studying the two postage-stamp-sized symbols
on the inside of her right wrist, where they would be a constant reminder.

She didn’t look up from what she was writing. “It’s not
Chinese. It’s Japanese Kenji.”

Of course Shane was not deterred. “Ok, so what does it say
in Japanese?”

Once again Devin kept writing. “It says you need to learn
Japanese.”

“I’ll get right on that. There’s great demand in Fenton for
Japanese translators. But maybe just for now you could enlighten me.”