Framed to Death (A Faith Hunter Scrap This Mystery Book 4) (20 page)

My heart sped up. There was evidence.

Mrs. Barlow bopped my nose with her fingertip. “Now, don’t you get too excited. I already told that detective where I kept it.”

Drat. Well, I should be happy since the police had the evidence. They were the ones who really needed it.

The door flung open. Melinda, Mrs. Barlow’s daughter, stood in the doorway, trembling from head to toe. “I want you gone.”

Mrs. Barlow wagged a finger at her daughter. “That is no way to treat my company.”

My phone buzzed again. A text message flashed on the screen. I scanned it.

“I want you to stay away from my mother.” She jabbed a finger at the door. “If I find out you ever get her involved in your messes again, I’ll slap a restraining order on you.”

Holding my head high, and my cell phone clutched in my hand, I hurried out the door. I was less worried about Mrs. Barlow than the text I’d just received.

“I’m going after the evidence.” Dawn had typed.

I texted Dawn back. “Call the cops.”

“Can’t.”

My fingers flew over the keys. “It’s too risky. You have to tell them. Or I will.”

“If you do, I’ll be dead. It’s one of them.”

TWENTY-FIVE

Leaves crunched under my boots as I made my way past the remains of Made With Love toward the wooded area where Dawn said the evidence was located. A chill worked its way through my body. Even as I tried avoiding the mound where Charlie had been buried, my gaze kept skittering toward it, almost searching for it. My emotions felt as scattered as the leaves on the ground. A cop was the murderer. I didn’t want to believe it. Even after my bad experience with the law, I still firmly believed in justice and the men and woman who risked their lives for their communities.

I couldn’t see it. Not in Eden. And not any of the officers I knew. Well, there was an exception: Officer Mitchell. He was feeding Karen information and doing his best to make me the suspect.

“Dawn,” I stage-whispered. No reply. I called out again, this time a little louder.

Where was she?

I stood still and listened. Off in the distance, I heard twigs snapping. Ducking under low hanging branches, I moved deeper into the woods, careful of where I stepped. Dawn better show herself soon, or I’d call Ted.

An arm wound around my upper body as a gun was pressed to my temple. Trembling, I snuck a glance over my shoulder. Andrew Taylor. Twigs and leaves were stuck in his hair, and dirt coated one side of his face.

“Let’s go.” He waved the gun toward the woods. “It’s time for a reunion with your friend.”

“No one else is here.”

“I’m not that stupid,” he said. “I know Dawn Carr is here. And I know what you are both up to.”

“It’s just me.”

“Stop lying and move.” He jabbed the gun into my back.

I examined the world around me, taking mental notes and making an escape plan. Fortunately, there were plenty of downed branches, so I had my pick of weapons. I only needed to wait for the right moment. I had parked in a spot perfect for a getaway and left the keys in the ignition. I could get us out of this alive.

“You’re stalling. Let’s go. And no funny business.”

If he was going to boss me around, I wished he’d be a little more original. Then again, Ridley said Andrew wasn’t bright. So what did that say about me for getting captured by a person I believed wasn’t a blade sharp enough to score a piece of paper?

“Hurry up.” Andrew grabbed my arm and yanked me forward.

“It’ll take longer if you make me break my leg. There’s a lot of debris around here.” I stepped over a fallen tree branch.

Andrew flattened himself against a tree, pulling me to the side. A crackling sound broke the stillness of the woods. I peered through the trees and spotted Dawn.

She was brushing leaves away from the trunk of a tree. Large roots stuck out from the ground, creating a little cave at the base of the tree.

He rested a finger against my lips. “Say one word and I’ll shoot her. Got it?”

There was nothing I could do but nod.

“Don’t think,” he added to his warning, and pointed the barrel of the gun through an opening between the branches. He had a clear shot.

Dawn must’ve heard something. She spun around, fear on her face, and tried to shield the nature-created hiding spot.

“Move.” Andrew shoved me.

I fell forward, tumbling onto the ground a few yards in front of Dawn.

“What in the world?” Dawn squatted down beside me.

Flipping myself over, I sat up and pointed at Andrew. “Watch out!”

“Think I wouldn’t find out what you were up to?” Andrew walked forward, gun aimed at Dawn. “You took my accountability tag and are hiding it.”

“Your what?” we asked.

“My fire department ID,” Andrew said. “I have to have it or I’m not allowed on calls.”

There was a nice size branch, perfect for clubbing, a few feet away. I angled my heels to the right, then brought the rest of my feet over. A few more of these moves, and I’d have it in my hand.

“Why would I take it?” Dawn shuffled backwards.

“I was showing it to the kids. Chad took it and wouldn’t give it back. He gave it to you.”

“Chad didn’t give to me,” Dawn said. “I didn’t even know what was hidden here. I swear.”

“Then how did you know where to look for it?”

“I’m not telling you.”

Andrew’s trigger finger twitched. I wasn’t sure now was a good time to start showing an attitude.

I tried distracting Andrew with a question. “Did you tell the police Chad took your ID?”

“Hell no. I wasn’t going to say I was out here the night of the fire. I knew people would think I killed him.” Andrew turned the gun on me. “Stay still. I’m not as dumb as everyone thinks.”

Dawn hugged herself.

“You should’ve told them,” I said. “It would’ve made you a hero. No one really cares that Chad was killed.”

Dawn drew in a sharp breath. Tears glittered in her eyes. I snuck a glance at the branch and then back at her. I repeated the movement again, hoping she’d understand.

“My husband didn’t deserve to die like that.”

“And I don’t deserve to be set up for his and the other guy’s murder,” Andrew said.

“We’re not framing you.” I pointed at myself. “Mitchell has been trying to pin it on me.”

“And there’s your reason for saying I did it.”

Unfortunately, he had a point. “I promise we’re not trying to frame you. Maybe what Dawn came to find isn’t about you.”

Andrew looked doubtful.

“Let me take a look. Please,” I said.

Andrew hooked an arm around Dawn, pressing the gun to the back of her head. “If you try anything, I’ll shoot her. Understand?”

Perfectly. I lowered myself to the ground and stuck my hand inside the cave the roots formed. I felt around. After a few minutes, my hand closed around two cards. One firm and one flimsy and soggy.

“Did you find something?”

“No. But I can’t reach all the way back. My arms aren’t long enough.”

“I’ll do it.”

I discreetly placed Andrew’s accountability tag and the barely held-together Vulcan Catering card under my derrière.

He motioned with his gun. “Move it.”

I scooted on my rump, dragging the evidence with me, and praying I didn’t destroy either piece.

“I mean stand up.” He eyed me suspiciously. “What are you doing?”

“Moving. My legs are a little shaky, so it’s hard to stand,” I said, running through options for hiding the cards.

“Lean on your friend. Just stand up.”

“Why? Where are we going?” I asked.

“No questions, Miss Sherlock Holmes. From now on, you listen. You’ve run your mouth all over town long enough,” Andrew said.

“If you’re mad at me, let Dawn go.” I flattened my hands on the ground. “No reason to make her stay.”

“I didn’t do anything,” Dawn said.

Andrew pointed the gun at Dawn. “You know everything.”

“I don’t.” Dawn clasped her arms around her quaking body. “I’m trying to figure it out, but I know nothing.”

“She doesn’t know anything,” I said. “She had no idea Chad paid someone to burn the place down.”

“Yes, she does. She’s keeping it quiet, making everyone think it was me.” Andrew roamed the barrel toward me. “Now stand up.”

I dug my fingers deep into the loose dirt. I scooped up a handful and threw it in Andrew’s face.

“Run!” I snatched up the evidence in one hand, grabbing Dawn’s arm with the other. I ran.

She stumbled behind me.

Andrew screamed, “I’ll kill you for this!”

Not if he couldn’t catch us. Once we made it to the main road, we’d be fine. There wasn’t a lot of traffic down this portion of Route 220, but with the high school game starting in an hour, there’d be a steady stream of cars.

“Stop! I’ll shoot you.”

I listened for the sound of the gun, wanting to know which way to feign. Nothing. Dawn cried out. My arm jerked down.

“I twisted my ankle. Bad,” Dawn said through gritted teeth.

“We can make it,” I said.

“You go.”

“I’m not leaving you.” I helped Dawn to her feet, directing her in front of me. She half-ran, half-limped.

“I’ll shoot. This is my last warning.” Andrew’s voice came from a few feet behind us. “I mean it!”

“We’re almost to the road.” I hoped my encouragement pushed her through the pain.

Dawn used the trees to pull herself along. “Almost there. Almost there.”

“Stop ignoring me. I will kill you,” Andrew wearily threatened.

Then why hadn’t he already? The man had had plenty of time to shoot us at least three times. Why keep threatening it? Because he couldn’t kill a person.
I stopped and faced him.

Andrew skidded to a stop, pointing the gun at me.

“Good, you finally listened. I won’t have to kill you.”

“You wouldn’t have killed me,” I said. “You’re not a murderer.”

He lowered the gun. “Now someone believes me.”

This was quite the conundrum.

“Faith,” Dawn called out to me.

“It’s okay. He’s not going to hurt us.”

“I wouldn’t be so sure.” Dawn hobbled back to me.

“I am.” I crossed my arms and glared at Andrew. “Start talking. Why were you at the bonfire last Friday night? Coach Rutherford told you to stay away.”

“Because someone had to look after the kids.”

“They’re teenagers. They don’t need a babysitter,” I said.

“Coach didn’t know about this one. He wouldn’t be there to make sure the kids didn’t drive high.”

“Weren’t the other monitors there? Wouldn’t they snitch on you?” I asked.

“It was game night. Most of them were out drinking with their friends, and Mitchell was on duty.”

“If Coach Rutherford—”

Andrew cut me off. “I know. He’d have lost it, and I’d have been run out of town. But I couldn’t do nothing. Not after what happened to Brandon.”

“Did you know you handed Brandon Janie the night of his accident?”

Andrew’s arm slackened. The gun dangled by his leg. “No. But I was the adult. I should’ve known something was up. Brandon was acting real weird when he left. I should’ve insisted on driving him home, but the kid wanted to be alone.”

“Why? Did Brandon get into a fight with someone at the bonfire?” I asked.

Dawn shifted some leaves with the toe of her dirty sneaker. “It was because he saw Hannah with Daniel Burke.”

I stared at Dawn.

“The night of the accident, I left Made With Love late because I was working on the books,” Dawn said. “I saw Daniel and Hannah sitting in his truck, making out. I heard someone behind me and turned. It was Brandon.”

“Why didn’t Chad stop the kids from driving?” I asked.

“He told me it wasn’t his responsibility.” Andrew tapped the barrel against his leg. “He was providing the place. He never admitted he sold the Janie, but we all kind of knew, but as long as we didn’t
really
know—”

“You didn’t have to tell the police. No one wanted the players getting busted.” I worked on locking up my disgust. I was close to the truth, and didn’t want my attitude shutting it down.

“But that night, I knew Chad was angry,” Andrew said. “When Brandon drove off, Chad said maybe now Felicity Sullivan would get off his back. Chad had rolled all the cigarettes and was filling up the empty packs the kids brought him.”

“You liar.” Dawn charged Andrew.

She was slowed down by her ankle, so I easily snagged her around the waist and stopped her. “He has a gun.”

“He won’t shoot us.”

“Maybe not on purpose.”

Dawn removed my arms from around her waist and sank to the ground. “I can’t believe my husband would purposely hurt a child. Is that why Felicity set him on fire?”

“She didn’t have the strength to kill him,” I said. “Chad was dead before the fire.”

“Who set it?” Andrew asked. “I didn’t.”

“Where were you when Made With Love burned down and Charlie was murdered?” I asked.

“With my wife. Norm keeps telling Debi to roll on me. Give the police what they want. I didn’t do it. I killed nobody.”

I pulled the cards out of my pocket. “Who would want to set you set up, Andrew? I found these under the tree.”

“I don’t know. My father-in-law don’t like me much, but I can’t see him burning down places and people so I’d go to prison.”

I couldn’t muster even an ounce of conviction for that theory either.

Andrew turned the business card over. “Is this a new place? I’ve never heard of it.”

“What about your truck? It was in the bay at the fire station, and I know it was the same one used when someone shot at me and Ted,” I said.

“I reported my truck stolen Monday night,” Andrew said. “No one believed me.”

“Why?” Dawn bunched her legs toward her chest, resting her chin on her knees.

Andrew blushed. “Because it was always getting stolen, or moved, as Norm called it. I was always leaving my keys on the counter at the bowling alley. My father-in-law or Daniel would take my keys and move my truck on me so I couldn’t drive home.”

“And we’re supposed to believe that,” I said.

“That’s exactly what the police said. I swear it’s the truth. Someone did steal my truck that night.” With sad eyes, Andrew looked at Dawn. “I don’t know why you and your husband hate me so much. I don’t deserve to be blamed.”

Dawn rose. “My husband didn’t deserve to be murdered. The day Faith talked to me and Mom at the nursing home, I found a map showing this spot. I was helping Mom organize her closet and it was shoved in a pocket of her winter coat.”

“You’ve been searching for the evidence since then?” I asked.

“I wanted to, but my mom needed me. It wasn’t until she died I started looking for it. I knew it had to do with Chad’s death. Someone snuck in when I went out for food and gave my mom an overdose of her pain medication. I was afraid I’d be killed next.”

The murderer killed Lucy. She was defenseless. She couldn’t hurt whoever it was. Why Lucy? She wasn’t a threat to anyone. Fury boiled through me.

“Whoever did that deserves to be set on fire,” Andrew said.

“I hid, but Detective Roget found me,” Dawn said. “I told him everything, and he promised to keep me safe.”

“You were staying at Steve’s old place,” I said. That was why Ted tackled me. He was afraid I’d see Dawn.

“Not at first. But someone broke into the first place the detective arranged for me. Steve Davis was worried there was a leak somewhere in the police department. So he offered to use his place as a safehouse for me.”

“My grandmothers—”

“They were safe. Chief Moore would keep an eye on them, and Officer Jasper stayed with me.”

With all the police presence in my neighborhood, how did Mrs. Barlow get hurt? “Mrs. Barlow was attacked last night.”

Dawn tucked her hair behind her ears and cupped her hands around the back of her neck. “The person who hurt her had to know Chief Moore hadn’t arrived yet, that your grandmothers were still at the store, and that there was an incident at Piece A Pie. That proved to me Steve was right about there being a leak.”

“The assailant knew Mrs. Barlow was vulnerable,” I said.

I replayed the conversation I’d had with Mrs. Barlow. She had listed Daniel Burke as one of the men she called as part of her cavalry. He didn’t show up at Piece A Pie. The criminal on the inside wasn’t a police officer with insider knowledge. It was a firefighter. Charlotte—Hannah—had had a Vulcan Catering card. When I went to talk to Charlotte Tuesday night, someone had been in the house with Hannah. My guess was Hannah’s boyfriend Daniel.

“You two stay here where you’re safe. I’ll call you after I have a chat with someone.” Hannah had to tell her mom and the police the truth.

“I think I should go with you.” Andrew scratched the side of his head with the barrel of the gun.

Norman Ridley was right. His son-in-law wasn’t very bright. “Give me the gun.”

Andrew passed it to me without an argument.

“If I bring someone else, Hannah will bolt. She trusts me,” I said. For now.

Since I’d been back home, I worked hard at protecting friendships. I made some stumbles and had sworn to myself I’d never do it again. The problem with promises—even those made to yourself—was at times you had to break them.