Fatal Disclosure (18 page)

He smiled in satisfaction. “I’m glad you think so. Luke said it’s very important to get the right attitude on the duck’s head. It can mean the difference in whether or not your decoy will attract other birds.”

“Yeah, that’s what I’ve heard hunters say.” She set the wood down and leaned forward. “While you’ve been in here having fun, I’ve been out in the gallery talking to Luke and the customers who’ve come in to shop,” she whispered.

“Did you find out anything interesting?”

“Maybe,” she said.

“What happened?”

She shook her head. “I don’t want to tell you about it here. I’ll tell you in the car. Are you ready to go?”

He stood and began to straighten up the work table. “Let me put some of this stuff away, and I’ll be ready.”

The door opened again, and Luke Butler walked into the room. “Leaving already, Mark?”

Betsy pushed to her feet. “I’m getting hungry, and I’m going to take Mark over to the Red Snapper for dinner.”

Mark nodded and stuck out his hand. “Thanks, Luke, for all your help today. I’ll come back tomorrow if that’s okay.”

Luke pumped his hand and grinned. “Make sure you do. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen anybody with as much talent for carving as you have.”

Mark’s face grew warm, and he glanced at the floor. “Thanks, Luke, but it’s just a hobby left over from my childhood.”

The man’s eyes narrowed. “Don’t take it lightly, Mark. You’ve got a gift.”

“You’re right, Luke.” Betsy grabbed Mark by the arm and pulled him toward the door. “He’ll be back tomorrow,” she promised.

When they were in the car, Mark frowned and turned toward Betsy. “You must be starving to rush me out of there like that.”

She snapped her seat belt in place and grinned. “I am…but that’s not the reason I was in a hurry.”

He listened as she told him about seeing Mona in the gallery. When she finished, he frowned. “I know Brock and Scott are keeping an eye on her. They’ll let us know if she does anything suspicious.”

“I know, but I want to talk to her myself.”

“Why?” He glared at her. “Brock and Scott questioned her at length, but she insisted she didn’t go near John’s body. What makes you think she’ll talk to you?”

“We’ve known each other since childhood, but today it was almost like she was ashamed to face me. I might be able to break through her defenses and get her to tell me what she knows.”

“If she does know anything.” Mark shook his head. “I don’t like this, Betsy. You don’t have any proof Mona is involved.”

“Think about it, Mark. My caller at the British Cemetery already knew I had to be the one to have the flash drive. Somebody had to tell them. Besides the EMTs and Doc Hunter, Mona is the only other person who would have had access to John’s body.”

“I would be more inclined to think one of the EMTs was involved. After all, they searched the body at Springer’s Point and said John had nothing on him.”

“That’s a possibility, but I have a gut feeling it’s Mona. You didn’t see how she acted with me. She was nervous, and I know she was hiding something. I need to talk to her again.”

The determination in her eyes told him she wasn’t going to give up. He held up his hands in surrender. “Okay, what do you want to do?”

“Everybody on the island knows each other’s habits. Mona goes to the Blue Pelican after work every day and meets her boyfriend. After they’ve eaten, she usually goes home while he spends time hanging out with his friends. I think we should go the Red Snapper and eat dinner, then go to Mona’s house and wait for her. When she gets there, I’ll talk with her.”

He shook his head. “Not alone.”

“It will be better if you’re not there. She would never talk in front of you.”

He sighed. “And she probably won’t with you, either.”

“But I have to try.”

Her chin quivered, and the small twitch of her lips made his heart slam against his chest. He wished he could pull her into his arms and hold her until all her fears were gone. Instead, he grasped the steering wheel with one hand and the ignition with the other. The engine roared to life, and he pulled into the street. “Okay. We’ll do it your way, but I won’t be far away.”

She settled back in her seat and stared ahead. He tried to ignore her presence, but he couldn’t. Even though she’d been in danger, being with Betsy this last week had been the best time of his life. How could he ever go back to his lonely existence when this case was over? He’d pondered that question ever since he and Betsy had spent time with Laura. But he still hadn’t arrived at an answer.

THIRTEEN

B
etsy wished she could step out of the car and stretch her legs. She squirmed in her seat and swiveled to face Mark. He hadn’t moved in the two hours they’d been sitting down the street from Mona’s house. Probably the result of other long stakeouts he’d endured. His steady gaze appeared locked on Mona’s house.

“I didn’t think she’d be this long,” Betsy said.

He didn’t glance her way. “You never can tell what a suspect is going to do.”

She smiled and cocked an eyebrow. “So now you’re calling her a suspect?”

In the shadows she could see the grin on his face, but he didn’t move. “I guess you caught me on that one.”

Betsy let out a long breath and let her gaze drift over the dark houses up and down the street. “I never thought I would be involved in a stakeout with you.”

“Oh, really? Is it not as much fun as you thought?”

She shook her head. “On the contrary, it’s been nice sitting here with you. I feel like I finally understand my family of police officers.”

“I’m glad you’ve enjoyed it.” He paused for a moment but didn’t look her way. “I’ve liked having you with me.”

She waited for him to say more. When he didn’t, she sighed and settled back in her seat. At that moment headlights appeared at the end of the street. She watched the approaching car slow down and turn into Mona’s driveway.

“She’s home,” she whispered.

Betsy started to open the car door, but Mark reached out and stopped her. “Wait until she’s inside.”

“All right.” She tried to contain her excitement as she watched Mona cross the yard and pause outside the front door before entering. Lights flooded the front room, and Betsy strained to catch a glimpse of Mona moving about. “I’m going now.”

Mark caught her by the arm. “Are you sure you want to do this alone?”

“Yes.”

“Then I’ll wait here. But I’m warning you, if you’re not back in thirty minutes, I’m coming after you.”

“Okay.”

Betsy stepped from the car and headed to the front porch. The door opened the minute she knocked. “I thought you weren’t coming. Why—” Mona stopped speaking, and her eyes grew large. “Betsy? What are you doing here?”

“I’d like to talk to you.”

Mona cast a furtive glance past Betsy and then stepped aside. “Okay. Come on in, but this really isn’t a good time for me…”

Betsy walked into the room and waited for Mona to close the door. “The last few days haven’t been good for me either, Mona. Can you imagine what it’s like being targeted by killers? I’ve had three attempts on my life.”

Mona swallowed and bit down on her lip. “I know it must have been terrible. I’m really sorry about what’s happened to you.”

“Are you?”

“Of course I am.”

Betsy stared into the face of the woman she’d known all her life and sent a silent plea to God for the words to speak. She stood in danger of losing a lifelong friend if she was wrong. If she was right, however, she’d lost Mona’s friendship a long time ago. She had to find out the truth, and something told her Mona held the key.

“Mona, I really thought we were friends. We have a lot of history together. We were in the same class at school, and we attended church together.”

“I know,” Mona said. “Your mother was our Sunday school teacher.”

“Yes, and she always loved you. Do you remember the dress she made for you when your mother was expecting your sister? She wanted you to have a new dress for Easter like all the other girls, and your mother had been put on bed rest until she gave birth.”

Mona smiled. “It was a white cotton dress with pink flowers on it. I felt like a princess in it.”

“Then later, when your father was killed in that fishing accident, my father gave your mother a job at the sheriff’s headquarters on Ocracoke. We played there many afternoons after school and planned what we were going to do when we grew up.”

Mona glanced down at her watch. “I remember, but I really don’t have time for a trip down memory lane. Get to the point, Betsy.”

“All right. The thing that bothers me is that I thought we were friends. But friends don’t pass along information that almost gets someone killed.”

Mona’s face turned white. “What are you talking about?”

Betsy took a step closer. “I wondered why people were trying to kill me, and then I found the flash drive. They thought I had it because they knew it wasn’t on John Draper’s body. They knew it because you told them.”

“What?” Mona looked shocked. “You’re out of your mind.”

There was no going back now. Betsy was committed to following up on her accusation, and she had to push Mona harder. She gritted her teeth and took another step forward. “I know you were the one. What have I ever done to you that made you want me to be killed?”

Mona’s eyes filled with tears, and she shook her head. “I didn’t want you to be killed.”

“Then why did you tell?” An idea popped into her head. “Maybe you told because you were threatened, too. Was it Mac? Did he make you do this?”

Tears streamed down Mona’s face. “Please…”

“No,” Betsy snapped. “I want to know what made you put me in danger of being killed.”

Mona collapsed on the sofa and buried her face in her hands. Her body shook with sobs. “I didn’t know you would be hurt. Mac just said some friends of his needed to get a flash drive that was probably hidden on the man’s body. He told me I had to get it for him or he would be in big trouble.”

Betsy eased down next to Mona. “Then you did tell him.”

Mona looked up at Betsy with stricken eyes. “Yes, but I didn’t know what they would do. When I heard what had happened at the general store and then at your studio, I confronted Mac about it. He said if I didn’t want the same thing to happen to me, I’d keep quiet.”

Betsy grasped Mona’s hands and squeezed. “Who are these friends?”

“I don’t know, and that’s the truth. He wouldn’t tell me.”

Betsy placed her fingers under Mona’s chin and raised her face until they stared into each other’s eyes. “This is very important, Mona. There are drugs being smuggled onto this island. That means that people’s lives all across the country are going to be ruined because a few men want to make money. You don’t want that on your conscience. Is Mac involved?”

Mona’s lips puckered, and she nodded. “He is…but I don’t know who they are.”

“How are the drugs getting on the island?”

“I overheard Mac and another guy talking one night about drugs that are attached to the hulls of ships coming up the coast from South America. Divers meet them at sea where they get the drugs and transport them back here where they’re smuggled onto the mainland.”

“How are they smuggled?”

Mona shook her head. “I don’t know. I only know that much because of what I heard.”

“Do you know when they’re expecting the next shipment?”

“I’m not sure, but I suspect it’s tonight. Mac told me he couldn’t come over tonight because he has to work. That usually means he’s got a shipment to unload.”

Betsy smiled. “Thanks, Mona. You’ve been a great help. This information will help Brock and Scott a lot.”

Mona began to cry again. “What am I going to do? If Mac and his friends find out I told you this, they’re going to be furious.”

Betsy stood and pulled Mona to her feet. “You’ve got to get off the island. Go to your sister’s house in Greenville and stay there until Brock and Scott catch these people. Can you do that?”

Mona thought for a moment before she nodded. “I’ll get paid tomorrow at noon. As soon as I get my check, I’ll get on the ferry.”

“No, you have to go before that.” She reached in her purse, pulled out some bills and pressed them into Mona’s hands. “Take this money. I’ll have Doc send your check to your sister’s house. You make sure you’re on the first ferry in the morning.”

Mona stared at the money she held. “I can’t take this.”

“Yes, you can. I want you safe.”

Mona threw her arms around Betsy and hugged her. “Thank you. I’ve almost been out of mind with guilt because of what’s happened. I’m sorry I caused you a problem.”

“I know. Now take care of yourself, and I’ll talk to you soon.”

Betsy patted Mona on the shoulder and hurried out of the house. She ran to Mark’s car and climbed in. “You were gone so long I was getting ready to come after you,” he growled. “Did you find out anything?”

As he drove toward Treasury’s house, she related everything Mona had said. “We have to let Brock know this right away.”

Mark nodded. “I’ll take you back to Treasury’s and make sure you’re safe. Then I’ll go to headquarters. I think Brock and Scott are on duty tonight. We’ll scour this island and see if we can find where the drugs are being unloaded.”

The thought of Mark, Scott and Brock being in danger sent a shiver through her. What would she do if something happened to any of them? She glanced toward Mark, and her heart constricted at the determined look on his face. She’d seen him like that in Memphis the night the police raided the restaurant. He’d been on the trail of drug dealers then just like now. If he was successful on Ocracoke, he would soon leave.

That would be better than having him dead or injured by the men he was after. She closed her eyes and prayed God would keep her loved ones safe.

The car came to a stop, and she opened her eyes. They were back at Treasury’s, and Mark had turned to stare at her. “Are you all right?” he asked.

She smiled. “Yes. Be careful tonight, Mark. I’ll be praying for you.”

His face showed no expression as they walked toward the house. She wished she and Mark could be like a normal couple who had gone to dinner and were returning home. Instead, he would leave in a few minutes to look for men who wouldn’t hesitate to kill to protect their illegal goods.