Deadly Sanctuary (30 page)

The next week passed slowly. Without the stimulation of my secret assignment, I felt at loose ends and finally fell into a deep blue funk. Nothing sparked my interest, and the future loomed before me like a black hole of boredom.

Each day, the merciless sun bore down from the white hot sky with such ferocious intensity, it seemed as if my very bones would melt. The complexion of the town changed perceptibly with the onslaught of the Arizona summer.

At high noon, the streets were almost deserted. The few remaining winter visitors had high-tailed it out. The fortunate residents with money had headed for the coast, or escaped to their mountain homes up north. Those who remained toughed it out, some stoically accepting their fate, and others, like me, vocally complaining about the weather we could do nothing about.

On Tuesday, I returned the files to the sheriff’s office with such ease it was almost laughable. When I was sure Roy was gone, Duane and Julie had been readily distracted by the cake I brought in to supposedly commemorate my birthday. While their backs were turned, it was a simple matter to slip the folders under some others on Duane’s desk. Each would think the other had pulled them out.

Tugg gave John Dexter’s letter to Roy and the story broke in Wednesday’s edition. I managed to convince Tugg that even though the signatures appeared identical, we should at least have them analyzed by an expert. He agreed, and I mailed the letter and application to Phoenix. We were told not to expect the results for several weeks.

I got the discomforting task of delivering the news to Yolanda Reyes. The stricken look on her face as she read a copy of Dexter’s letter made my throat tighten with sympathy.

“This cannot be true,
”
she finally whispered, tears brimming in her eyes. “He loved me! He would not do this thing.”

A spasm of emotion shook her. “It is…more bad than if he is dead,” she cried, burying her face in her hands. I understood what she meant. If John had died loving her, that was one thing, but to abandon her for another woman was unforgivable. I pressed a tissue into her shaking hands and waited until she regained her composure.

“Look, Yolanda, I’m having as much trouble believing this as you are. My boss seems convinced the letter is from him…but, I’m not so sure.”

A ray of hope gleamed from her swollen eyes. “Why do you say this? You think maybe he did not run away with that…that…”

“Listen to me carefully.” I went over everything in John Dexter’s file with her. “Now, is there anything you can think of that is different than what Roy Hollingsworth has in that report?”

Yolanda blew her nose. “I think it is the same, but I have trouble remembering. If I know that day is the last time I will see him, I would…what is the word…give more attention?”

“I understand and I know it’s painful, but if you recall anything different from what I just told you, call me right away.”

Back at the office, the revelation about John Dexter caused quite a stir and gave everyone something to talk about besides the heat. Harry used a few words I never heard before and Ginger snorted, “Why that little piss-ant. And to think he had us worried to death, and had all them men out there gallivanting all over God’s creation day after day looking for him…well, I’d like to tan his skinny hide.”

“I knew he was a flake,” Jim remarked in disgust. “What a chicken-shit thing to do.”

When I stopped by to get the weekly information from the sheriff’s log later that day, it was hard to ignore the look of smug triumph pasted on Roy’s chubby face. He wasted no time bringing up the subject.

“Well, well, well, how do you like them apples?” he crowed. “Seems like I was right all along about Dexter. He never was missing. He was just doing what he always did, only this time, he chased some woman’s skirt all the way down to Mexico. Guess he’s been having a fine old time yankin’ our chains.”

“Yeah, I guess so.” It was hard for me to look at him and even harder to carry on normal conversation. It irked me no end to know that he and Claudia had outsmarted me. They must have laughed themselves sick when Tugg revealed the contents of the letter.

My problems didn’t end there. Wednesday evening, Ginger called, breathless with excitement. “Y’all sittin’ down, sugar?”

“Should I be?” I asked in a weary voice.

“It might not be a bad idea.”

“Jesus, what is it?”

“Lucinda went with Tally to Colorado.”

My heart seemed to disengage from my chest and crash land in my stomach. “Who told you that?” I asked hoarsely.

“I got it straight from the horse’s mouth. Lucy’s Aunt Polly told me.”

I grabbed the table for support. All week, the memory of Tally’s kiss had kept me in a state of anxious turmoil. It was the one thing that lifted my fractured spirits. Since he’d left, time had crawled to a standstill and I found myself eagerly counting the days until his return. And now this.

Even though Eric had called me twice to tell me how much he missed me, and sent me another expensive bouquet of flowers, some inner knowledge told me that what I felt for him was not the real thing.

In spite of the fact that Tally and I seemed to have almost nothing in common, and he had a host of emotional problems to unravel, I finally admitted to myself that I was in love with him. He had not verbalized his thoughts to me that last day, but I’d felt certain his feelings for me were just as powerful. Ginger’s news left me in a state of utter desolation.

The next two days I went through my routine in a stupor. The daily assignments were dull, conversation tedious, food tasteless, and nothing relieved the sensation that my heart had been ripped out and fed through a shredder.

I did a good deal of soul searching. It had been less than six months since my heart-aching breakup in Philadelphia and, against my own advice, I was right back where I started. With age thirty staring me in the face, so far love had provided me with more torment than joy.

When I arrived home Friday afternoon, bad news was waiting for me on the answering machine. “Kendall, dear, this is Mary Tuggs. I hate to tell you this but, Tess Delgado called me today. She’s being released from the nursing home the first of July. I’m really sorry, but you’ll have to be out of the house by then. Give me a call and we’ll talk about finding you a place in town.” It was a fitting end to an altogether lousy week.

After pouring myself a glass of wine, I stepped outside onto the patio. As twilight shadows blanketed the distant hills in purple, I breathed in the clear, sweet-smelling air. What would it be like, I wondered, to live somewhere else, perhaps in another cramped apartment. I had to admit that living in such splendid isolation these past months had spoiled me.

How I would miss the song of the wind and the way the stars shimmered at night in the dark canopy of sky. Or the way the moon looked as it rose majestically over Castle Rock. I would miss the sugary scent of honeysuckle and even the prickly cactus garden I had once so detested.

I didn’t even realize I was crying until I felt a tear slip off my chin. Hastily, I swiped it away and stepped into the house. It was time to call Eric and tell him I would go for the job interview in Phoenix.

The interview on Tuesday afternoon with Barney Wexler, managing editor of the
Arizona Republic
, was a great success. He spoke in glowing terms of Eric and seemed impressed by my credentials and copies of the recent series of articles I’d written for the
Sun
. Yes, there would be an opening on the investigative staff, but it wasn’t available until the first of August. If I cared to wait, the job was mine.

My mood was somber after I left his office and started home. This was what I wanted, wasn’t it? Career advancement and higher pay?

When I finally broke free of the snarled rush-hour traffic, I couldn’t help but notice the massive thunderheads piled high like frothy whipped-cream over the mountains ahead. Every now and then, flickering tongues of violet lightning illuminated their steel-gray bellies. The effect was mesmerizing. A quick run through the local radio stations finally produced a weather report.

A warm air mass was pushing moisture up from the Gulf of California, producing a weather pattern more common during the summer monsoons and, the announcer explained, even though it was too early in the season for such storms, a flash flood alert was in effect for the mountains north and west of the Phoenix metropolitan area. Flash flood? After so many weeks without rain, it sounded impossible.

I couldn’t help it. As I drove into Castle Valley I perceived everything with new eyes. The town, snugly tucked beneath the mass of Castle Rock, didn’t look as shabby to me as it had that first evening back in April. Since then, this wild, rugged land had become my home.

It was close to six o’clock when I arrived at the paper and walked past Tugg’s office. I paused in the doorway, mildly surprised to see him still at his desk.

“Back to twelve hour days?” I inquired.

He looked up and gave me a wry smile. His normally pink face had a sallow cast. “Comes with the territory, as the saying goes. So, how are you doing? What did the specialist say?”

I had told everyone that I’d gone to Phoenix for a doctor’s appointment. “I’m much better,” I said truthfully.

Tugg smiled. “How about that? I told your dad the dry, desert air would clear you up in no time. Plus that, I got to do him a favor. Of course, it’s paid off for me. You’re heads above John Dexter. You know, that series was just great. I’ve had more comments on that piece than anything since I took over this place.”

Guilt welled up in me. “Thanks, Tugg. Um…could we talk for a few minutes? In private?”

He threw me a curious glance. “Sure. Shut the door behind you.”

I sat down and fidgeted with the material on my slacks while trying to figure the best way to word my resignation.

“So, what’s up,” he asked, lacing his fingers together.

I reluctantly met his eyes. “Barney Wexler at the
Republic
sends his best.”

A thoughtful look crossed his face. “I see.”

“Tugg, honest to God, I hate to do this to you, but…well…I’ve accepted a position on their investigative team. It doesn’t start until the first of August, but I wanted you to have plenty of notice.”

He blew out an extended breath and studied one of the travel posters. “I know it’s because of the way this Dexter thing turned out. I guess it kind of knocked the slats out from under you.”

“It’s not just that—”

He put up a hand to silence me. “It’s okay, Kendall. I can’t blame you. It really looked like we were onto something there for a while, and I know this little town doesn’t offer much excitement.”

I didn’t disagree with him.

“Look,” he said, brightening. “I worked at the
Republic
for eighteen years and it’s a fine organization. I hope you’ll be real happy there.”

“I’m sorry it didn’t work out, Tugg. And I’ll never be able to thank you enough for giving me this job when I really needed it. All in all, it’s been very good experience.” And a very heart-aching one, I thought.

“Don’t worry about it. I am glad you’re not leaving until August though, because it looks like I’m going to have that surgery.”

“Oh, no, Tugg. That’s too bad. I thought maybe your stress level would taper off now that the pressure’s been reduced.”

He shrugged. “The damage is already done. Here’s the situation. I’m going to be out of commission about three weeks, and hopefully, I’ll be able to find someone to fill your spot when I get back in July. In the meantime, can I depend on you to take on some of my responsibilities?”

“You bet.” I swallowed back sudden tears. Why should I miss this shabby little place? Things were clicking into place faster than I could absorb them. I felt oddly detached as if I were viewing myself from a distance. Tugg’s lips were moving, but I didn’t hear the words. It was an effort to focus on what he was saying. “...so I figure if I divide the work up among you and Jim and Rick, we ought to have all the bases covered.”

“Yeah,” I mumbled. “That sounds fine.”

When I rose to leave, he gave me a friendly hug and I felt even worse. After checking the assignment sheet, I hurried out the door towards my car. At least having the resignation off my chest offered some measure of relief, but even that didn’t last long. The notion of spending the long evening at home alone sent me sliding back down the depression chute. I needed something to pick me up, something to take my mind off of Tally and Lucinda, my botched investigation, and the fact that in six weeks, I’d be gone.

Company was what I needed. I studied the growing tower of dark clouds above Castle Rock and an idea blossomed. On impulse I retraced my steps to the reception area and phoned Ginger.

“Hey, sugar, what’s shakin’?”

“To be truthful, I’m feeling kind of down and don’t feel like being alone tonight. How would you all like to come over to my place? I’m throwing a rain party.”

“A what?”

“You know, to celebrate my first rainstorm.”

She giggled. “That’s a new one on me.”

“Bring Brian and Nona along. We’ll have dinner and play cards afterward.”

“Well, bless your little heart, but lookee here, darlin’, I’ve already got me a tuna casserole in the oven. Brian’s out visiting a friend and Doug’s coming over.”

“Put the casserole in the fridge and bring Doug with you. The steaks and champagne are on me.”

“Steaks and champagne! Well, why didn’t you say so, girl? I’ll bring pie and ice cream and we’ll scoot over yonder in two shakes.”

Temporarily pulled from my doldrums, I stopped at the store and happily shopped for dinner. At home, a short time later, I turned on loud rock music and danced around the kitchen.

The potatoes were in the oven and the steaks marinating when everyone arrived. After Nona was comfortably situated in her wheelchair, I filled the champagne glasses and listened to them all chatter. I hadn’t planned to tell them my news, but after we had toasted everyone’s health and the impending rain, I let it slip out.