Текст книги "Blue Moon Rising"

Автор книги: Lilian Francken

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BLUE MOON RISING

A suspense thriller

By Lillian Francken

This is a work of fiction. Any resemblance of characters to actual persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental. The Author holds exclusive rights to this work. Unauthorized duplication is prohibited.

Other Books by Lillian Francken:

Tetris

The Twelfth of Never

Omega Factor

Rustic Roads

Till Death Do Us Part

Wednesday’s Child

A Family Christmas Story

The Curiosity Shop

Raven

All About Love

We Come in Peace

Visit my website for more information about Lillian Francken

http://lillianfrancken.weebly.com/

Dedicated to my husband, who

supports me in every way possible

PROLOGUE

The pristine view of the full moon shined brightly on that cloudless night. Dan Harter never liked the dark but the moon that night made it feel less menacing. He’d known he had a slow leak in his back tire and would be traveling these deserted country roads tonight but money was tight and the part-time job at Mark’s corner grocery store did not leave much after paying for graduation announcements and buying a nice going-away gift for Kay.

Dan kept glancing nervously over his shoulder at the tall pines and the thick underbrush that lined the roadway. He thought he’d heard movement a while back but convinced himself it was his imagination playing tricks on him. Dan quickened his pace nonetheless. As if his prayers had been answered, the headlights that came over the rise in the distance were a welcome sight. There it was again, the noise from earlier, he turned quickly and was sure he saw movement this time.

Quickly Dan ran to the approaching car, waving his arms wildly. There was no way he would let it pass. The screeching of tires filled the night air as the black Shelby Mustang came to a screeching halt. Dan had never really gotten along with Alan Maxwell, but tonight he was a gift from Heaven. Alan was a high school jock. Everyone wanted to be with him. All the girls fought over who would wear his letter jacket except for one, Kay. Dan and Kay had been dating ever since sophomore year and she felt the same way about Alan as Dan did. But Dan was not picky that night and was thankful Alan stopped.

“Harter, you lost,” Alan laughed, hanging his head out the driver’s window.

Buzz Sheffield sat silently in the passenger seat smoking a cigarette. The two had always been joined at the hip and if you wanted to be friends with Alan, you had to get past Buzz. Actually they were known as the Three Musketeers, but the third one was not there that night.

“I got a flat a few miles down the road,” Dan responded quickly.

“I might have known that was your heap back there,” Alan laughed.

“I suppose you were at Kay’s?” Buzz mocked jokingly.

Dan nodded and then glanced over his shoulder at the woods. He turned back to Alan with pleading eyes.

“Can you give me a lift?” Dan asked, but truth be known he was begging that night.

“Just up until the highway. We’re already past curfew. So are you.”

“I turned nineteen last month, so curfew doesn’t apply to me,” Dan mocked but then regretted sounding cocky. He still needed the ride.

Buzz got out and let Dan climb into the backseat. As Dan settled back he sat on something hard. Quickly he felt around until he found what it was. He glanced at the pocketknife, puzzled for a moment, and then set it off to the other side of the seat.

“What are you guys up to?” Dan asked, trying to make conversation. Under normal circumstances Alan and Buzz would not have given him the time of day.

“Just cruz’n,” Alan responded.

Buzz handed Dan the lit cigarette. Dan took it and inhaled even though he had promised Kay he would give up that vulgar habit, but to refuse Buzz’s offer would have insulted the two.

Buzz glanced at Dan with curiosity. “When do you report in for duty?”

Dan exhaled and then responded. “I have to be in Little Rock on Tuesday.”

“I don’t know if I could do it,” Alan said, shaking his head.

Dan leaned up to get a closer look at the two. “I get college paid for when I’m out. Besides, I don’t have an old man to foot the bill for me like you two.”

“My old man offered to help you out,” Alan mocked, flaunting his affluence as he always did.

“I don’t want to be indebted to the Senator,” Dan snapped. Fact was, he was too proud to admit he needed the help. This was his life. He was not going to be indebted to any man. Especially not the Senator.

“Jason took him up on the offer,” Alan added.

“That’s his choice,” Dan argued. “You’re lucky to have such a generous father.”

Alan laughed. “Trust me, being a senator’s son is no picnic.”

Buzz looked back at Dan. “Who’s going to keep Kay warm while you’re gone?”

Dan pointed an accusing finger at Buzz. “You leave her alone. I find either one of you messing with her, and you’ll have to answer to me when I get back.”

Dan glanced around and for the first time was surprised that Alan and Buzz were a Musketeer short. The last two years in school, the three were inseparable.

“I thought Jason was with you guys tonight?”

Buzz responded with a snicker. “He had other things on his mind.”

Alan poked Buzz in the ribs, causing him to double up a moment. It did not go unnoticed by Dan and he wasn’t giving up on his need to know.

“Where is he?” Dan asked, as his curiosity got the better of him given Buzz’s snicker.

“We ain’t his keeper,” Buzz snapped and then turned back to Alan.

“Buzz and I dumped him,” was all Alan said. “Shit,” Alan continued while staring at the gas gauge. “My old man was supposed to fill me up. So much for letting him have my car for an errand.”

“Considering he bought it for you, I wouldn’t complain,” Dan snapped, thinking of all the hours he had to work to buy his ’57 Chevy. But it was his, lock, stock, and barrel. He did not have much, but what he had was all his.

“Screw you,” Alan mocked.

Buzz reached for the cigarette. Dan settled back but glanced out the back window, thankful that the lonely stretch of road was long gone. Dan glanced at the other side of the seat and searched for the pocketknife. When he caught a glimmer of metal in the dark backseat he reached for it and put it in his back pocket.

When the highway finally came into view, Alan pulled over onto the shoulder of the road. Dan got out and no sooner had the car door shut, the tires spun out, kicking gravel at Dan standing there alone. Dan took the pocketknife out of his pocket. He opened it, but the blade tip was missing. Dan was about to throw it into the ditch, but then changed his mind and put it back into his pocket.

Another car came down the highway. Dan held out his thumb. The car stopped and Dan got in.

CHAPTER 1

Twenty years later

The squad car sped down the long dusty road, the Jefferson County Sheriff emblem barely visible through the dust as the lights flashed and sirens blared for all to hear.

Dan Harter had been sheriff of the county going on eight years now. It was an easy job with a low crime rate and only Saturday-night drunks to contend with. That was until this morning, when the call came in about a body being found.

He listened to oldies on the radio as he cruised past old farmhouses. He rolled his eyes when he read Felix Murphy on the mailbox. Felix was one of his most outspoken critic in the county. He had been a major contributor to every opponent who ran against Dan in recent years and for the life of him he could not remember what he’d done to piss Felix off. But Felix never missed an opportunity to put him down or point out how inadequate Dan was in handling the job of sheriff.

When Dan heard Mac transmitting on the short wave radio Dan turned the squad radio off. He quickly picked up the unit and listened.

“There’s a call from Felix Murphy on Oakdale Road,” Mac announced.

Dan laughed. “Yeah, I just passed his place. I suppose he’s pissed at the noise.”

“What noise?”

“Never mind that. What’s his problem this time?”

“Says he wants to file a complaint about some hogs.”

Dan shook his head. “Did you tell him to call animal control?”

“You know we ain’t got no animal control officer,” Mac snapped, not catching Dan’s dry humor.

Dan looked at the radio receiver in his hand and then sighed. Mac was his dispatcher and jailhouse keeper. Under normal circumstances a man of Mac’s age should have retired five years ago, but with no one else wanting to step into that position, Dan was fortunate that Mac chose to stay. In addition, he was easy to get along with once you got past his idiosyncrasies.

“What’s the problem with the hogs?”

“Claims they killed a heifer of his.”

Dan laughed aloud. “That’s got to be some mighty big hog.”

“Says they’re razorbacks.”

Dan quickly turned onto a side road. The car fishtailed. Dan got back on the radio. “Has he been drinking that hooch of his again?”

Dan could tell by the silence on the other end that Mac was getting flustered. Mac always took it personally when Dan questioned the content of the messages.

“All’s I do is take the calls.”

“Christ, what’s the temperature. It’s only nine o’clock and I swear it’s already in the eighties.”

“You want me to check?”

“No, don’t bother.” Dan said while shaking his head. “Hey, if Felix calls again and I’m sure he will, tell him I’ll stop and talk to him on my way back into town. Over and out.”

Dan could tell it was going to be one of those days. Nothing was going right. It started out when he cut himself shaving that morning and then he had forgotten to pick up coffee grounds yesterday so he had to start the day without his caffeine fix and right now he was feeling its effect.

Dan pulled off onto a dirt trail that led to the tall pines in the distance. He knew the area well. The Maxwells owned a lot of the land in the county and this area in particular. In the distance Dan could see the squad car and one civilian vehicle. His only concern now was that they did not contaminate the crime scene. This was a lonely stretch and if anyone wanted to dump a body it was an ideal spot.

The squad came to a sliding halt on the swampy trail. Dan got out of the squad and walked over to Deputy Billy Bob Mason. Billy Bob reminded Dan of himself fifteen years ago. He was so eager to do things by the book and was always the first one on the scene. He loved being a cop and Dan knew he would be a rival for his job in the future. Dan walked up to him while the other man was bending over a clump of weeds heaving his guts out.

“Where’s the body?” Dan asked.

Billy Bob pointed beyond the other man. “Don’t look good, Sheriff.”

Dan glanced at Billy Bob, raised his eyebrows, and then walked past him toward where the other man was still heaving.

“Never does,” was all Dan could manage to say in agreement with Billy Bob.

The ground was swampy even though it had not rained in weeks. He could feel the wet coming through his shoes and heard the sloshing of mud with every step he took.

Billy Bob followed Dan. “Hank over here found the body.” Billy Bob pointed to Hank. “Says he knows nothing and wants to go fishing.”

Dan raised his hands in disbelief. “Real concerned.”

He walked past Hank. Behind the reeds of swamp grass he could see the silhouette of the nude body. The hands and legs were tied behind the back with the rope strung around the victim’s neck.

Dan turned to Billy Bob. “Do we know who he is?”

Billy Bob handed Dan a plastic bag that contained a wallet. “Richie Ames.”

Dan wiped the sweat from his brow. “At least we can put him to rest.”

Billy Bob continued. “Says here he was eighteen last December. Probably graduated this year.”

Dan shook his head. “He had his whole life ahead of him. It shouldn’t have to end like this.”

Dan glanced up at the two vehicles coming down the dusty road. The medical examiner’s men usually followed him in their van. Dan and Billy Bob just stared at the dusty trail. There wasn’t much they could do until these guys examined the area and collected any DNA. Until that was done they couldn’t go near the body for fear of contaminating the area.

“It’s going to be a blue moon in a few days? You know what they say?”

Dan turned to Billy Bob and frowned. “Don’t bring up that hocus-pocus crap.”

“Mac says.”

“Don’t believe everything Mac tells you.”

Dan glanced at the attractively dressed woman who got out of the county medical examiner’s car. He quickly turned to Billy Bob.

“Who’s that?”

Billy Bob turned to look at who Dan was referring to. “Oh, the new medical examiner. Thought you knew.”

“Knew what?”

“She’s a woman.”

“I can see that! What’s her name?”

“Nancy Davie. Came from up north someplace.”

“What happened to Chambers?”

“Didn’t Mac tell you?”

“I wouldn’t be asking you if I knew. Besides, this is my first day back from vacation, remember?”

“Fired, from what we heard. The next day she was here. Go figure?”

It puzzled Dan. He had only been gone a week and in that time he had talked to Mac three times. Moreover, there was never a mention of trouble in the medical examiner’s office or the fact that there was a new one in town.

Dan watched as Nancy Davie looked the area over. She had to be in her mid-thirties. Her dark hair was pulled back in an attractive bun. She had doelike eyes that looked right through you. She had on a loose white medical coat, but underneath the finely tailored slacks fit her frame well. Nancy walked up to the group of men while putting on a pair of latex gloves. She glanced up at the men and then down at the victim.

“You haven’t touched anything, have you?” she asked, looking at each man individually.

Dan raised his hands while stepping back. “I didn’t touch a thing,” he said in his defense.

Nancy glanced at the area around the body. She stared at the rope around the neck and followed it to the boy’s feet. “Hum,” was all she managed to say.

“Do you see something?” Dan asked.

Nancy frowned as she turned to Dan. “The more the victim struggled the tighter the noose got. Not an easy death.”

“No death is,” was all Dan could muster up to say. It sounded stupid after the words came out.

Nancy glanced up at Dan. “It was a hard way to go.”

“Anything else?” Dan asked, stepping closer to the body.

Nancy held up her hand for him to stop. “Do you mind?”

Nancy bent down and examined the area around the body. She took a pocketknife out of her pocket and poked around the ground.

“What are you looking for?”

Nancy shook her head. “Do you mind?”

“No. But you sounded like maybe,” he started to say, then stopped.

Nancy stood up and glanced up at Dan. She then looked down and picked up something. She quickly put it in a plastic bag.

“What is it?” Dan asked.

“I won’t know for sure until I get to the lab.”

Nancy raised the camera that was around her neck and took pictures of the victim and the surrounding area. While Dan was not looking she turned toward him and snapped a few shots.

* * *

Dan stood next to the squad car with Billy Bob. He reached into the squad and picked up the radio from its cradle and clicked on the button

“Mac, Billy Bob is going on 10-77. You need anything, call me, I’ll 10-53 after I see Felix.”

“You better, he called two more times.”

“10-4,” was all Dan mustered up to say.”

Dan turned to Nancy as he pulled a cigarette out of his shirt pocket and lit up. He took a quick drag. It had been almost a week since he had one and for some reason he desperately needed it just then. He turned to Nancy and could see the frown on her face when she saw him light up. He quickly dropped the cigarette and stepped on it.

“I’ve been trying to quit.”

“It’s a disgusting habit,” was all Nancy snapped.

Dan was not gaining brownie points with the new medical examiner. He regretted putting the cigarette in his pocket that morning. It was Kelly walking in on him that morning that caused him to hide it in the first place. Dan did not know why he let himself be bullied by his daughter. He turned to Nancy.

“What’s your assessment?”

Nancy shook her head. “Whoever did this definitely wasn’t leaving him alive.”

Nancy turned and stared at the men working on the body that lay on the ground. The black bag looked ominous as it lay open alongside the body. This was her job. It was a job she did well, but it was always hard when the victim was young and even worse when it was a violent death.

“Be careful bagging the hands,” she yelled over to the men working.

Nancy turned back to Dan. For some reason she liked him, but she didn’t know why.

“I’m having the lab boys take an impression of the tire tracks near the body,” she shrugged. “Might be nothing, but then again the body had to get here somehow.”

Dan glanced down at her. He was having a hard time concentrating on anything other than Nancy. “How long has he been dead?”

“A good twelve hours for sure.”

“Can you tell us anything else?”

“You’ll have to wait,” she frowned.

Nancy turned to the men bagging the hands and watched them carefully and then she turned suddenly and walked away. Dan just stared at Nancy as she approached her car. Billy Bob poked Dan in the rib as he laughed mockingly.

“I think she likes you.”

“With those fangs, how can you tell?”

Billy Bob grinned. “She took your picture.”

Dan turned to Billy Bob, who raised his eyebrows and nodded. Dan secretly liked the idea for some unknown reason. He had spent the past year avoiding the women in the county, but Nancy Davie was different. She didn’t blatantly chase after him. At first she came across as not interested, but now that she appeared a little interested in him, it kind of made him feel good.

“No shit,” Billy Bob said with a broad smile across his face. “I saw her do it, too. I think she likes you.”

Dan laughed and then glanced at Nancy as she backed up the county car and drove away. Before she headed off down the road, she quickly turned and took one last look at Dan. Her cheeks turned red with embarrassment when she saw Dan and Billy Bob watching her.

“She is a looker, better than Chambers any day,” Dan remarked.

“Yeah, and she definitely seems to like you.”

Dan walked with Billy Bob over to his squad. Billy Bob nervously fidgeted with his holster strap and finally Dan could take it no longer. He turned to Billy Bob.

“Is there a problem?” he asked

“I’d take it easy around Mac today.”

Dan was taken aback for a moment, so engrossed was he in watching Nancy driving off and mesmerized by the dusty trail she left behind. He shook his head for an instant, not quite catching the switch in the conversation.

“Why, what?” Dan asked.

“Mac. Weren’t you listening?”

“What’s wrong now?” Dan asked, not really caring because he knew it was not going to be serious. It never was when it came to Mac.

“He and Ester are on the outs again.”

Mac had been seeing Ester, an elderly widow who ran a local café in town, for going on as many years as Dan knew him. It was hard for Mac to commit and Ester was getting tired of waiting.

All Dan could muster up to reply was, “It’s the full moon in a few days.”

Dan continued watching Nancy’s vehicle as it disappeared over the rise. All that was left was the dusty trail left in her wake.

“I can see where your mind is.”

Dan snapped his head back sharply and pointed a finger at Billy Bob.

“Don’t even go there.”

Dan walked over to his squad and got in quickly. He turned on the engine and sped off down the dusty trail. He picked up the radio.

“Mac, I’ll be stopping by Murphy’s. If something comes up, Billy Bob will be back on patrol in fifteen minutes.”

The crackling of the radio was all Dan heard. He tapped the radio with his finger, but still there was static.

“Are you there, Mac?”

“Yeah,” the voice on the other end finally came on. “Can’t a guy take a potty break around here.”

Dan looked at the radio and mimicked an old woman jabbering.

“Anything I should know?”

“Mabel Wilcox on Old Mill Road called to say she’s missing a flock of geese.”

Dan rolled his eyes. Ever since Kay passed away eighteen months ago he had become the target of every single woman in the county. Mabel was widowed five years ago and was twelve years his senior, but that did not stop her from trying to get him out to her farmhouse every chance she got.

“If you can’t reach Conroy then send Billy Bob,” Dan said, laughing to himself.

“She ain’t going to be happy. She asked for you personally.”

Dan raised his eyebrows. These were the perks for being the sheriff. He could be selective on the calls he went on. He had no problem doing his job but when it came to the lonely ladies of the county, the sight of Conroy or Billy Bob was like a cold shower. Everyone knew both deputies were married.

Dan finally responded to Mac. “Then it can’t be that serious.”

“She has a big farm, you could be set for life,” Mac said.

“Shut up.”

Mac laughed before continuing. “Just telling it like it is,” he joked.

“This is the third time this month she’s concocted something to get me out there.” Dan hesitated for a moment before continuing. “It’s Conroy or nothing. Over and out!”

Dan put the radio back in the cradle. He stepped on the gas and knew what he had to do next was not going to be as easy as holding the women of the county at bay.

* * *

Dan would have liked to send Conroy to handle the hog problem, but given his history with Felix Murphy he felt it was important for him to handle this call personally.

When Dan saw the mailbox he put on his blinkers and then put his radio on his shoulder clip. Before he could stop the squad Felix Murphy rushed out of the farmhouse and almost tripped on the old coon dog at the bottom of the porch steps. Felix hurried over to the squad as Dan slowly got out. The old, fat coon dog slowly got up and walked lazily over to Dan. The dog sniffed Dan’s leg and then walked back to the bottom of the porch step without an inclination to bark or alert his master. He just curled up in the same spot he was in moments earlier.

Felix snapped. “It’s about time. What took you?”

Dan shook his head. “You’re not the only one with trouble today. There’s been a murder up near the tall pines.”

Dan glanced around. Felix’s land butted up to Senator Maxwell’s. He knew there had been trouble between the two. Felix had a tendency not to get along with people. It was something he did well and with little effort.

Dan turned to Felix. “Did you see or hear anything suspicious last night, maybe around ten?”

“Ten o’clock?” Felix laughed. “That’s two hours past my bedtime.”

“A body was found up near the tall pines.”

“Not on my land?” Felix said defensively.

“No, it wasn’t on your land. But that doesn’t mean that maybe you didn’t hear someone driving by. The car would have had to pass by your place.”

“I said I was sleeping, or weren’t you paying attention? I might as well be dead for all you care.”

“It isn’t the same and you know it. I listen to everyone,” Dan quickly added. “Mac says you have a hog problem.”

“Hogs? Them’s razorbacks in those woods,” Felix snapped, not believing Dan’s indifference.

Felix pointed to the tree line in the distance, in the opposite direction that Dan had just come from.

“Are you sure?” Dan asked.

“I know the difference. These ain’t no puny little pigs. The biggest one has got to go at least three-fifty, if not more.”

“From what I hear they are mean buggers,” Dan said, looking concerned now.

“They killed my best milker last month. Mutilated the poor animal,” Felix paused for a moment. “Last night they took down my prize heifer.”

Dan shook his head while rubbing his chin. “Felix, I don’t know what you expect. I can’t form a posse to go after pigs.”

“Razorbacks,” Felix corrected.

“Okay, I’ll give you that.”

Felix in frustration turned and walked away but then turned back to Dan and shook his fist at him. Dan knew by the look on Felix’s face that this was not going well. He always had a hard time dealing with him and this was no different.

“I’m just supposed to wait?”

“Maybe you could gather up a couple of your neighbors and go after them.” Dan looked around. “But don’t go alone.”

Felix raised his hands. “This is the kind of protection my tax dollars get me?”

Dan looked in disbelief. “I’m in the middle of a murder investigation. What do you want me to do?”

Felix laughed and then responded sharply, “Your job!”

“I can’t argue with you over this.”

“You’re going to just walk away?”

“I told you what you could do. I’m sure Gordon down the road would go with you to get those hogs.”

“He ain’t talking to me.”

“Yeah and whose problem is that? Christ, Felix, you alienate everyone.”

“Is that any way to talk to one of your bosses?”

“Don’t pull that crap on me. I’ve got a job to do and standing here talking to you about your hog problem isn’t getting it done.”

“I can hardly wait for the next election.”

“Hey, you go for it. Hell, why don’t you just run against me?”

Dan was losing his temper with Felix and it was getting him nowhere fast.

“I might just do that,” Felix snapped.

Dan turned and walked away before he said something he might regret. It was always that way with Felix. He always seemed to bring out the worst in Dan.

“I got to get going. I’ll check back in a couple of days. If you still haven’t tracked them down, I’ll go out with you.”

Felix was already up the porch steps but managed to yell back at Dan, “Don’t do me any favors.”

Dan got into the squad and quickly started the engine and sped off down the road. He turned on the radio and listened to some music while trying to put Felix Murphy out of his mind.