The Shadow Read online

  “Do they have any idea who did this to him?” she asked, struggling to keep her voice steady.

  “Not yet. The investigation’s just begun.”

  “Any idea when he checked in? We saw him just two days ago, right?” she asked.

  “Yeah, and according to the desk clerk, the attorney rented the room that same evening. There’s no outside surveillance system, only in the office, so we don’t know who came and left.”

  “So we may never find out now if he was connected to what’s been happening around my place, or to Grant’s forged contract,” she said, trying to think of something other than what she’d seen in that room.

  “I briefed the investigating officers on possible motives, so the detectives are going to get the paperwork needed to search his office and home. Although that’ll require the cooperation of the Farmington police, it won’t pose a problem,” he said. “If the detectives find out that Jefferson had decided to blow the whistle on Grant and those forged papers, that’ll turn Woods into their prime suspect. Of course, that’ll depend on Woods’s whereabouts at the time of the victim’s death.”

  “Grant wants my land,” she said. “But I don’t think he’s capable of doing this.”

  “Don’t forget that he pulled a gun on me. And if he’s as wealthy as you say, he could have hired someone to do the job for him,” Jonas pointed out.

  “Like Sam, his handyman? Two men attacked me the night you came back into my life. Their faces were hidden, but their general descriptions fit Grant and Sam.”

  “Sam’s one possibility, but without evidence, all we have is a theory. Keep in mind, too, that the dead man was an attorney. In that profession, success isn’t measured just in the number of friends you make, but also in the number of enemies.”

  “Do you know if we’re free to go?” she asked, seeing a tow truck hooking up Jefferson’s vehicle.

  “You’ve given them a statement, and so have I. We may have to speak to them again sometime down the line, but we can leave.”

  “Then let’s get out of here. I want to put as much distance between us and this place as possible.”

  Jonas nodded, and they were on their way moments later. “You’ve seen some bad things today, Em, the kind that stick to a person,” he said softly. “Don’t try to handle those memories alone.”

  She wrapped her arms around herself and pressed back into the seat. “I’ll be fine.”

  He glanced at her, then pulled off the road and parked. This time when he tried to take her into his arms, she resisted.

  “I can’t let you do this,” she said. “I have to know that I can handle things on my own, even when life gets ugly.”

  “Human beings aren’t wired that way, Em. We all have to reach out to someone else at one time or another.”

  “You don’t,” she said. “Emotionally, at least, you don’t rely on anyone.”

  “You’re wrong.” He pulled her against him, and not giving her a chance to argue, smothered her protests with his mouth. He kissed her hungrily, in a way meant to make her forget everything but him, and as he did, heat filled him.

  With a sigh, she surrendered to him, opening her mouth, giving him whatever he wanted to take. He was demanding and relentless, a fire that protected her from everything but itself. She gave in to it, greedily drinking in the pleasures he offered. This was life—the passion, the desire.

  Soon the heat became too intense to control, and it was then that she reluctantly drew back. “You tempt me to throw caution to the wind, to forget everything but you. But I need more than moments.”

  The truth of her words cut through him like a knife. But, right or wrong, Jonas didn’t want her to pull away. “What makes you so sure all I have to offer are moments?”

  “Because you have your own destiny, and putting down roots isn’t part of it.”

  He nodded slowly, then held her gaze. “I can’t promise you forever, but I give you my word that before I go, you’ll see your dream become a reality.”

  To see her dream…With all the delays in the construction and the problems with her finances, she wondered if that was even possible anymore. She took a steadying breath. That was one secret she couldn’t share. It would kill her to see pity mirrored in his eyes.

  Jonas started the engine and pulled back onto the highway. “I say we go pay Jen Caldwell another visit. If she’s not at the office, we’ll go visit her at home. I can find out where she lives.”

  Emily nodded, glad to get back to business. “That’s a good idea. But how should we approach her?”

  “With some straight talk. We’ll tell Jen that her boss has been murdered, and see where that takes us.”

  “If you’re hoping for the element of surprise, keep in mind that it’s possible area detectives have already paid her a visit, and she knows what happened,” Emily said.

  “Surprise isn’t as important as putting her on the defensive. We already suspect Jen arranged for the drilling-rights forgery, and very likely, Larry Green’s handiwork at the construction site. It’s also possible that she’s a party to Jefferson’s murder. We need to make her think we know more than we do and push her. Even if she’s completely innocent, she might have information that’s critical to the case—something she’s keeping secret.”

  “That’s entirely possible,” Emily murmured softly. Secrets…Everyone had them. They thrived in the shadows because the light that could shatter their power often destroyed everything else in its path. And sometimes, in that darkness, they took on a life of their own.

  Chapter Fifteen

  They arrived at Robert Jefferson’s office a little after five. The door was locked, but through the window they could see Jen standing inside, cell phone at her ear.

  Emily knocked, and the woman jumped, obviously startled. When she realized who it was, she nodded and held up her hand.

  At a glance, Emily could see that Jen had been crying, but it was the other emotion she saw etched on the woman’s face that touched her most. She knew fear only too well—that feeling of helplessness in the face of danger, when everything inside you told you to run, but there was nowhere to go.

  “Just a second,” Jen called, folding up the phone and walking to the door. She let them in, stood back, then locked the door behind them quickly.

  Emily’s heart went out to her. “Are you okay?” she asked quietly.

  Jen nodded, then in a broken voice added, “Mr. Jefferson…He’s…gone. Murdered.”

  “We’ve heard.”

  “The police came by about fifteen minutes ago, but I didn’t know what to tell them,” she said, the words tumbling out. “They asked to take some of Mr. Jefferson’s files, and I said yes, but now I’m wondering if I should have said no. The thing is, Mr. Jefferson’s not married and has no close family. I didn’t know who to ask.”

  “It’s okay,” Emily said. “You cooperated with the investigation, and that’s the right thing to do. They’re trying to find his killer.”

  Jen shuddered. “This whole thing is just so…crazy. Before the police left, they told me that I might be in danger. They don’t know why Robert was killed—whether it had something to do with his business—and they’re thinking that if it does, someone might come after me.”

  “Sit down and take a breath,” Emily advised, trying to calm the woman.

  Ignoring her, Jen continued pacing. “They said I should lock the doors and watch out for people who seemed to be hanging around. But I’m getting out of here,” she said, her voice rising. “Since they told me not to leave town, I figured I’d go straight home. But what if someone’s watching my place?”

  “You’re panicking, and that’s the worst thing you can do,” Jonas stated. “If the police felt you were in serious danger, they would have left someone outside. Just keep a clear head and you’ll be fine.”

  Jen responded to Jonas’s commanding tone instantly. It was the voice of a man who knew what he was talking about, and it inspired confidence. Emily sighed. Jo
nas was much too easy to rely on. That was part of the problem between them.

  “Has Grant Woods come by the office since we last spoke?” she inquired, forcing her thoughts back to the present. As she spoke, she saw a flicker of alarm on Jen’s face, but it was gone in an instant.

  “No, he hasn’t been here since last Friday, I think, when he came to visit Mr. Jefferson.”

  “Have you seen him passing by since, or parked along the curb, maybe?” Jonas asked, just to gauge her reaction.

  “You mean, outside this office?” she repeated in alarm. “No, not at all. I told him I have a boyfriend—and besides, I don’t go out with clients who try to pick me up. Or any clients, actually.”

  Thinking of her own past, and all the conversations she’d overheard while on the job, Emily walked to the doorway that separated the reception area from Jefferson’s office. “These walls aren’t very thick. Have you ever heard Grant threaten your boss?”

  “No. The police asked me the same thing about all our clients, wanting to know who Mr. Jefferson’s enemies are…were. And that’s why I’m getting out of here. You won’t be the only ones who’ll assume I know more than I do. If I don’t lie low, I’ll end up dead, too.” She glanced at the clock on the wall, then back at them. “Is that it?”

  “Yes,” Jonas answered. “We’ll be in touch.”

  As soon as they were outside, Jen locked the door behind them.

  Jonas gestured for Emily to follow him, then led the way around the side of the building. His movements were completely silent. The landscaping gravel didn’t even crunch under his feet. By comparison, she was as quiet as a herd of elephants.

  The side of the old brick-and-stone building was lined with fragrant, neatly trimmed juniper bushes. Obeying his hand signal, she hung back as he looked through a side window of the office.

  A moment later, he rejoined her. “I saw her get back on the phone. Although I couldn’t hear much, I’m pretty good at reading lips. She’s going to meet someone, so let’s hang back, give her plenty of room, then follow.”

  “How did you learn to read lips?” Emily asked. It didn’t sound like something he’d learned in the military.

  “Necessity. I lost my hearing for about two months, and it was the only way I could follow what was going on,” Jonas replied, his eyes on the road.

  “What happened? Some childhood ear infection?” She tried to think what form of illness could cause something like that.

  “No. More like two years ago. A suicide bomber got too close.”

  The expression on his face told her there was much more to the story. She started to ask, then stopped. They each had things they weren’t willing to share. Knowing this was something Jonas didn’t want to talk about, she allowed the matter to drop.

  “You think Jen knows Grant a lot better than she’s admitting?” she asked. “Maybe she wasn’t as upset by his flirting as she wanted us to believe. Could he be the boyfriend she mentioned?”

  “Jen’s obviously terrified, and knows at least as much as we do about what’s going on. We’ll have to keep a close watch on her. Fear often makes people unpredictable.”

  “Do you think she knows who killed Jefferson?”

  “Maybe not for certain, but my gut tells me that she knows who the most likely candidates are. It’s that knowledge that makes her a threat to the killer,” Jonas said.

  They returned to his pickup, going around the rear of the building, through the alley so Jen wouldn’t see them. While waiting for her to take off, Jonas made a quick call to someone he called Preston. Within seconds, they had Jen’s address—an apartment on the northeast side of the city, several miles away.

  Just as he was putting away his phone, the woman stepped outside the office, looked around nervously, then locked the door.

  “She’s coming this way,” Jonas said quickly. “Duck down.”

  They heard footsteps on the sidewalk as she walked past, then the sound of her getting into a vehicle several spaces away. When it pulled out, they looked up and saw an SUV going west down Main Street. Jonas followed, staying well back, but being sure he made the stoplights in order to keep up.

  “It doesn’t look like she’s heading home,” Emily said quickly. “You think she’s making a run for it?”

  “No—at least not yet. My guess is that Jen’s looking for help. In situations like these, people turn to those who mean the most to them. For her, it’s probably her boyfriend. She could be going to his house.”

  “I wonder how carefully she’s thought things through. Depending on who this guy is, she could be heading into even more danger.”

  He said nothing for several moments, intent on his driving. Once it was clear she was going to continue west out of town instead of turning north, he relaxed. “Right now, Jen’s reacting, not planning. It’s not smart, but facing danger makes you stay in the present.”

  Jonas wove strength and purpose into each minute. As Emily considered what he’d said, she thought about her fading sight. She had no idea what the future held, but today, he was there with her and she wasn’t alone. Now was the time to create memories worthy of a lifetime.

  AS THEY REACHED THE eastern outskirts of the community of Kirtland, they left the main road and followed Jen along what had once been the old highway. It led past farms, orchards and commuter housing areas created by the expansion of the city.

  Soon Jen turned onto a dirt road that led south toward the river. The private road, poorly maintained, became extremely bumpy after they’d gone about a hundred yards. “Jen will need to slow down on this washboard road. That old SUV of hers is going to shake apart.”

  As he spoke, Jen pulled to a stop and got out. Moving quickly, she walked down a tree-lined lane and disappeared from view.

  “Where did she go?” Emily asked, struggling to see in the half-light. Dusk made it nearly impossible for her to make out anything but muted shapes.

  “Let’s follow and find out.”

  Emily bit her lip worriedly. She wasn’t sure she could find her way without tripping over something.

  Almost as if he’d read her mind, Jonas added, “We’ll stick together.”

  She nodded, still uneasy, but willing to trust him.

  “We need to find out who she’s meeting and, if possible, listen in on their conversation. I can’t read lips in the dark.”

  Emily slid out of the truck on his side and took his hand. “I’m ready.”

  The sun had just set, and light was fading fast. She stuck close to Jonas as they walked along the rutted dirt road. Wearing canvas-and-leather cross-trainers, she was aware of the sandy ground beneath her feet and the smooth feel of packed gravel. Bringing all her senses to bear helped her maintain her balance—that, and Jonas’s firm grip.

  They’d been walking for a few minutes when she suddenly stopped and held up one hand. “Two people—a man and a woman—are speaking softly just ahead,” she whispered.

  “Let’s move in closer.”

  “Go without me. You’re trained for a silent approach, and are less likely to be spotted if you go by yourself.” She was wearing a red jacket, but he was in faded jeans and a gray shirt, blending in perfectly with the low light. “I’ll listen from here. I can hear them clearly enough.”

  As Jonas slipped away, she moved behind the cover of a tree and strained her ears. She was almost sure she recognized the man’s voice, but couldn’t quite place it.

  “If he killed Robert, he’ll come after me next. I know too much,” she heard Jen say.

  “He has something on us, we have something on him, so there’s no reason to fall apart now. He’s paid both of us well, and there’s a lot more where that came from as long as we don’t panic. Just don’t give him the idea we can’t be trusted,” the man answered. “Money buys power, and he’s got a hell of a lot more of both than we do. Just give me some time to feel out the situation.”

  “What should I do? Wait here at your house?” Jen asked.

  “Yea
h. He doesn’t know about this place, and with me staying at that little cabin of his right now, there’s no reason for him to look elsewhere. Just give me a day or two to see what’s going on. We don’t know it was him—not for sure. Sharks like Jefferson make all kinds of enemies.”

  “I still think we should take the money we have and get the heck out of here,” Jen argued. “Waiting to see what he’ll do next is just asking for trouble.”

  “Trust me, I’ll be able to read him. I’ll know if we’re in danger. And he still owes me money.”

  Emily heard a vehicle start up. Thinking it would be coming her way, she squeezed closer to the tree. But the vehicle noise faded away instead of getting louder.

  “I’m here,” Jonas said, running up quickly. “We need to get to the truck in a hurry, and not just because Jen’s coming back for her car. There’s a second road that comes in from the east, and if we hurry, we can catch up to Sam by the time he passes by on the main highway.” He grabbed Emily’s hand and led her quickly back the way they’d come.

  She didn’t bother to look down, concentrating instead on keeping pace. “I couldn’t place the guy’s voice. It was familiar, and I know I’ve heard it before.”

  “It was Sam Carpenter,” Jonas confirmed. “There’s a small farmhouse at the other end of the field. Jen’s not going anywhere once she hides her SUV, so we’re going to stay on Sam’s tail.”

  THEY REACHED THE JUNCTION at the main highway five minutes later, then waited, watching. Finally an old green pickup went by. “That’s him,” Jonas said. “Now, let’s see where he goes.”

  “If we’re reading this right, he’ll turn south outside the city and head straight for Grant’s place. The Woods family used to have a small guesthouse at the south end of the property. That could be the cabin he mentioned.”

  Fifteen minutes later, Sam’s truck made the turn south. “Looks like you called it, Em.”

  “This still doesn’t add up for me. Grant wants my land. He’s made no secret of that. So why all the games? And why kill my real-estate attorney? I’m sure Robert would have preferred for me to sell to Grant. Since Grant would have needed to outbid the tribe for that southern parcel, that would have meant an even higher commission for Robert.”