Dying Scream (6 page)

Gage pictured Warwick standing not sitting behind his desk. “We’ll see. It might be nothing.” As much as he liked to win, he took no pleasure unearthing the dead and telling a family their loved one was dead. “I’ll call you back as soon as I have something.”

Warwick hesitated. “You’ve heard about Ms. Barrington’s connection to my wife?”

Gage glanced at Vega. “Yeah.”

“My wife wants to build a relationship with her sister. But I don’t want my wife hurt. Kendall is a smart woman, but she has blinders on when it comes to her birth sister. She wants their relationship to work. But if Adrianna Barrington is involved in something illegal, I don’t want you to hesitate to investigate.”

“Her relationship to your wife has no bearing as far as I’m concerned.” And it didn’t.

“Good.” Warwick clicked off.

Vega raised a brow. “Nothing like telling a coworker you’ll arrest his family. Sets the tone for a good working relationship.”

“Warwick would do the same.” Gage grinned. “And I’m the first to admit I have more balls than brains.”

Vega laughed. “Now, on that I do agree.”

Adjusting his cuffs, Gage strode toward Adrianna. He stopped a few feet behind her. “What’s going on?”

The sound of his voice startled her. She turned and looked up at him with a direct clear, if slightly pained, gaze. He sensed that her nerves were so tight they could snap. “They’ve found a skeleton.”

“Does Miller know if the remains are human or not?”

Her chest rose and fell in deliberate breaths. He sensed dogged determination kept her from running. “Human.”

Even though she looked like she could use a friend, comforting her was not an option. He owed it to two missing women to be only the cop.

Gage glanced past her to see a young guy with a NASCAR shirt drive the shovel into the grave. “Stop!”

The kid looked up and frowned. “Who the hell are you?”

He pulled his badge from his pocket. “Police. And from this moment on, consider this job site closed.”

An hour later Adrianna leaned against her car watching as the county forensics crew strung yellow crime scene tape around the trees isolating the mounds Miller had found.

The last few years, she’d learned of her husband’s disastrous financial decisions. Arrogance and foolishness had been his undoing. But she refused to believe that he’d killed Rhonda Minor.

Mazur, who’d been on his phone most of that time, finally approached her. The sour frown on his face didn’t bode well. “Have the police reported anything new?”

Even as an oily sickness coiled in her stomach, she smiled. “No, but I’m sure they’ll wrap up their investigation quickly. Detective Hudson is efficient.”

Mazur clenched his jaw. “I don’t like this.”

“Don’t worry. I’ll have the graves removed. And you can take over as planned.”

“I’ve got a lot of money riding on this property. And the last thing I want or need is a long legal battle to get a bunch of bones out of the ground.”

She glared at him. “I’ll take care of it, as I promised.”

He reached in his pocket, pulled out a cigar, and lit it. A few puffs and white smoke billowed upward. “You do that, because I’ve paid you a lot of money and I’ll want every damn dime back plus interest if this doesn’t happen.”

It always came down to money. “I can assure you that I need this sale as much as you. Maybe more.”

He puffed his cigar. “If I get fucked, I’m taking someone with me. And that’s going to be you.”

His words struck her like a hard slap. “Don’t worry, Mr. Mazur. The graves will be gone soon.”

“Good. Call me in a couple of hours with a report.”

“Sure.”

Adrianna watched him saunter to his white Mercedes. Behind the wheel, he snapped open his cell phone and then drove off.

For an instant she closed her eyes and let her mind drift. Soon the land would be gone. Her house would be sold and she’d be managing her business from somewhere far away. Just a little longer and she’d sever her ties with the past.

Soon. Soon. Soon.

Calmer, she turned back to see Dr. Heckman rushing her way. He tugged nervously at a loose thread on his coat pocket as his short, quick strides ate up the distance. “Mrs. Thornton?”

Adrianna tensed, forced herself to smile. “It’s Barrington, not Thornton, Dr. Heckman.”

“Right. Yes, you’ve told me that.”

“What can I do for you?”

“The crews aren’t digging. What is going on? I’ve been asking but no one is talking.”

“There’s a delay.”

Dr. Heckman clapped his hands together. “What kind of delay?”

“Nothing she can discuss.” The answer came from Gage, who’d approached without her noticing. Gage towered over the doctor like a mature oak over a sapling.

Adrianna had been patient with the man, but his constant e-mails and pestering over the last few weeks had thinned her patience. “You’re trespassing, Dr. Heckman. Please don’t try what is left of my nerves.”

His eyes narrowed to priggish slits and for a moment he looked ready to rebut. “You have no right to move those graves. This is an abomination.”

Gage watched the older man march off. “Who the hell is that?”

“A professor who sees it as his personal mission to keep those graves from being moved.”

“What’s he doing here today?”

“I don’t know. Someone must have tipped him.”

“And that other guy—the one in the Mercedes?”

“The man who is buying the land. William Mazur.”

“He looked pissed when he spoke to you. What was that about?”

It surprised her he’d noticed the exchange. “That he really, really wants those graves moved off his land.”

Gage’s gaze bored into her. “It appeared to be more than that.”

“Money has a way of churning up emotions.” After what she’d done to Gage, he would be the last person she’d ever run to for help. “Don’t worry about it.”

He hesitated as if he wanted to say more but reconsidered. “Have any idea who the victim might be?”

“No, but you believe the body belongs to Rhonda Minor or that other woman you asked me about.”

Bitterness tightened his smile. “I’m surprised you remember.”

“I remember.” Her calm voice hid a reeling mind.

“Do you think it’s Rhonda Minor?” Behind the dark glasses she sensed his gaze absorbed every one of her expressions.

“I don’t know.” She spoke clearly, directly. “I haven’t visited this property for a couple of years.”

Gage nodded slowly. “You live in Richmond?”

“Yes.”

“Still on Riverside Drive?”

He’d known where she and Craig had lived. “No. I sold that house a couple of years ago. I’m closer to the university now.” Sale of the Riverside house had paid for Craig’s first year in the nursing home.

“And I suppose you inherited this land from your late husband.”

“That’s correct.”

“Been in the Thornton family a while?”

“Don’t play games. You know more about this family than I do.”

“Do you still own your design business?”

“Yes, I do. Why are you asking all these questions? You know the answers.”

He shrugged. “I like to double-check.” He glanced around the clearing and the woods that ringed it. “Anyone live on the property full-time?”

“No. But Marie Wells checks on the property regularly. She lives a couple of miles from here and is a part-time caretaker of sorts; lets me know if there’s a problem. When we had the hurricane damage she was the one who came out here first and inspected the property before calling me.”

“You get a lot of damage in the storm?”

“Not much. We were lucky. Mostly erosion. Some damage to the house’s roof.”

He pulled a small spiral notebook from his breast pocket and flipped it open. “Any odd people on the land?”

“None I know of. Ask Marie.”

“I will.”

“She’s up at the main house. Her husband Dwayne should be here soon as well.”

He clicked the end of a ballpoint pen. “You said his name was Dwayne. Dwayne Wells?”

“That’s right. He and his family own a moving company. He’ll be by later today to start clearing the main house of the paintings. I’m having them taken to Mooney’s Auction House for sale.”

Behind his dark glasses she sensed that his gaze roamed up and down her body. The look didn’t feel sexual, but analytical. He was trying to figure her out, as if she were a puzzle.

“So how did you hook up with Dr. Heckman?”

“He’s been associated with the family for years. He’s written several papers on the Thornton family. My late mother-in-law held him in high regard.”

“What do you know about this guy?” That question came from Gage’s partner. The guy was dressed more casually and stood a couple of inches shorter than Hudson.

“Not much. Only the few bits of information Frances mentioned. And your name is?”

“Detective Nick Vega.” Vega pushed his Ray-Ban sunglasses up on his head. “Why not just hang on to the land? Why sell?”

“It doesn’t make sense. I live in the city and have no need for a country house.”

“You’re selling the entire tract?” Gage said.

“Yes. That includes the main house and the surrounding twenty riverfront acres.”

Vega nodded. “Mazur must be paying a fortune.”

Adrianna wasn’t fooled by Vega’s casual dress and manner. Like Gage, she suspected his mind was razor sharp. “Mr. Mazur paid my asking price.”

“Well, that is something in today’s real estate market,” Gage said. “Fact, it’s mighty lucky.”

“Yes, it is.”

“The sale’s going to make you a rich woman,” Gage said.

“Not really. Go to the county tax office and look up this estate. Have a look at the check I just wrote for back taxes, which haven’t been paid in a decade.”

“That’s got to be millions,” Vega said.

“It is. No one is getting rich on this deal.”

Gage gave no hint to his thoughts. “Who has access to the land?”

“The front gate remains locked when no one is here, but as you can see, the fence around the property is in bad shape. I suppose anyone could drive onto the land at any time.”

Miller approached, looking nervous, clearly unhappy about the entire situation. “I hear you want to talk to me, Detective.”

Gage nodded. “You move graves for a living?”

Miller shrugged. “Nearly twenty years now. Got offices in Richmond and Alexandria. I’m based in the Richmond office.”

“Moved a lot of graves?” Gage said.

“More than I can count. It’s big business to relocate the dead to make room for the living.”

“What ever happened to a final resting place?” Vega said.

Miller shook his head. “If you get a couple of hundred years in the ground you’re doing well these days. There’s always someone that wants to move you.” A hint of red warmed his face as he glanced at Adrianna. “No offense intended.”

“None taken,” Adrianna said. “I’ve heard enough cracks and comments about this grave relocation to fill a book.”

Gage glanced at her. “From who?”

“The people who live in the area.”

“You’re getting opposition to the sale?” Gage said.

“The sale. The graveyard relocation. The buyer’s plans to build thirty homes. No one is happy with most of the changes.”

“Any threats?”

She thought about the card signed
Craig
. “No threats, exactly. Mostly vague warnings that I’m committing a sin by moving the graves. One guy in Honor suggested that I’m going to hell. I just make it a point not to stop in Honor anymore.”

“You call the police?”

“And tell them what? I’m unpopular with the locals? That’s the story of my life. And like I said, there were no out-and-out threats. No property damage.”

“If something like that happens again, call me.” Gage had issued an order, not a request.

Adrianna bristled. “Hopefully, by this time next month I won’t have this to worry about.”

“A lot can happen in a month,” Gage said.

Adrianna glanced toward the edge of the cemetery. The image of the skull wasn’t easily forgotten.

“We’re going to have another look at the graves.”

“I understand.”

“Don’t leave the property without checking in with me.”

Resentment bubbled. “If I’m not here, I’ll be at the main house.”

Gage studied her a beat and then turned and left her to watch Vega, Miller, and him move away toward the edge of the woods. They didn’t pass beyond the yellow crime scene tape.

Crime Scene
. “God, how did this day go so wrong?”

“You doing all right?”

Mrs. Wells’s voice came from behind Adrianna. Recovering, she smiled with relief. “Yes. I didn’t see you come up.”

“Just got here.” She looked a bit desperate to do something, anything that might smooth out this situation. “Figured my time was best spent at the main house working than standing around here. But then I just couldn’t stay away anymore. So how are you holding up?”

“Considering we have an unknown body on the property and the excavation is delayed indefinitely, I’m hanging in there.”

Mrs. Wells glanced toward the police. “When I rolled out of bed this morning, I expected that my biggest challenge was going to be getting those upstairs curtains down.”

Adrianna smiled. “I was worried that I’d be late for a five o’clock charity meeting. Now I feel like a fool for worrying over something so small.”

“We all get caught up in the little things until something big happens.”

“I suppose.” She glanced toward Gage, who stood near the lip of the woods. “Do you have any idea who could be buried over there?”

Mrs. Wells followed her gaze. “None. When Miss Frances got sick, she came out here less and less. Could be anyone.”

Adrianna let out a breath. Dread crept through her bones as she stared at the billowing yellow tape.

Mrs. Wells followed her line of sight. “There’s plenty of work up there for you to do and it’s clear these graves aren’t going anywhere today. Busy hands will keep your mind from worrying.”

“Me, not worry?” A smile lifted the edge of Adrianna’s lips. “Worry is what I do best.”

Mrs. Wells’s surprise appeared genuine. “You’re as cool as a cucumber.”

That made her laugh. “Don’t believe it. I’m a worrier. In fact, I can easily stay very busy and worry at the same time. A multitasker at heart.”