Broom and Gloom: Squeaky Clean Mysteries, Book 9 Page 19

  The shadow suddenly blocked the light. I frowned when I saw Levi Stone standing there.

  “Levi, thanks for coming,” the detective said.

  “No problem, John.” Dr. Stone’s gaze lingered on me for a moment, and I scowled. He turned his snakelike eyes back onto the detective. “What can I do for you?”

  They were on a first-name basis, so they must be chummy. I hoped that didn’t work against me.

  “I was wondering if you’d take a look at this scene for me?” Detective Farmer said.

  “Of course. Whatever I can do to help.” With one last smoldering glance, Levi stepped under the crime scene tape.

  I glanced back at Evie and Sherman and shook my head. They’d also been questioned by the detective, and I was pretty sure they shared my sentiment and felt like a group of adolescents instead of professionals.

  Dr. Stone stepped out a few minutes later. I heard him through the doorway. “It looks like an attempted suicide to me. Plus, you said there was a note, right? I’d check the video footage here at the hotel to confirm it, but I think this is pretty cut and dry.”

  My mouth gaped open, and I lunged inside the room. “You said investigators are better off not knowing the details of the case before looking at the evidence. If you were objective, you’d realize this was not a suicide.”

  “I might have had a clearer view of the evidence if you and your friends hadn’t trampled through the scene.”

  “I was trying to save her life. You’re the one being hypocritical.”

  “And you’re being idealistic.”

  I seriously wanted to punch him right in his smug little face.

  “Ms. St. Claire, you’re free to go now,” Detective Farmer said. “If we need anything, we’ll give you a call. In the meantime, stay out of any room you’re not invited into.”

  I frowned and nodded. I waved to Evie and Sherman, figuring it would be in our best interest to go separate ways. The last thing I wanted was to get them in more trouble.

  But this case did not feel over yet. Not in the least.

  CHAPTER 29

  Three hours later, I was back to my room. Alone. Exhausted. Angry.

  I scrubbed the blood off my hands and turned everything over in my head. Why would Jono’s card be in the room? If someone had tried to kill Georgia, then who had it been? Jono?

  I plopped back on my bed and decided to give Trace a call. He answered on the first ring.

  “What’s going on?” he asked.

  “Are you still at the hospital?”

  “No, they kicked me out. They’re keeping Skye overnight for observation, but I think she’s going to be okay.”

  “Listen, have you seen Jono?”

  “No, why?”

  “Because we found Georgia tonight.”

  “What?” His voice rose with emotion.

  I explained to him what happened.

  “Wow. I never expected to hear that,” Trace said.

  “But Trace, we found Jono’s card at the scene.”

  “Why would his card be there?”

  “That’s what I want to know. You said he was supposed to be in OKC earlier, but he’d arrived early at the scene to help us, correct?”

  “Yeah, it should have taken at least an hour, probably more.”

  “Where did he say he was going?”

  “He said he had to get some things in order before the tour started. He wanted to meet with Dud’s family also. The memorial service is on Sunday after church, and the band is going to play a tribute to him. Jono’s handling that for us.”

  I picked at a string on the comforter as my thoughts solidified. “What about your guitar? I heard it got smashed today.”

  “That’s right. We broke for lunch, and when we came back, my guitar was in pieces.”

  “Any idea how that happened?”

  “No idea. We were filming a scene for a video and we’d left, but the place was secure.”

  “Jono could get in, though. Correct?” Everything seemed to be pointing back to him.

  “Gabby, you think Jono was in cahoots with Georgia?”

  I nibbled on my lip for a moment. “I don’t know, Trace. I really don’t. But until we figure everything out, be careful, okay?”

  “Gabby, Skye is safe and Georgia is in police custody. I don’t know how Jono’s card was in Georgia’s possession, but, as far as I’m concerned, this is the first night in a long time that I can actually sleep easy.”

  “Just be careful, okay? Even if everything is tied up now, I want to be certain before you get too comfortable.”

  ***

  I went to two classes on Friday morning, but I decided to cut out early for the day. I was tired of people giving me strange looks behind my back. Enough was enough.

  I escaped to a corner to call Detective Brooks for an update that I was sure he wouldn’t give me. I pulled out a stack of business cards, shuffled through several other police departments, and finally found Detective Brooks’s number.

  “How’s Georgia?” I started. I both wanted her to be okay and wanted her to wake up so the police could get some answers.

  “She’s still unconscious. Her family is flying in right now. Thanks for that tip about her.”

  “Are you still claiming this was a suicide attempt?”

  “We have video surveillance that shows Georgia entering the hotel room alone that evening. No one else. Just Georgia. No one left the room between the time she entered and the time you and your little merry band of misfits broke in.”

  What? I couldn’t believe it. “Can I see that video?”

  “Of course not.”

  “You’re sure it was Georgia?”

  “It’s grainy, but it looks like her. Her credit card was also used to reserve the room. The case isn’t closed yet, Gabby, but there’s no evidence that Georgia was assaulted by anyone but herself.”

  I hung up and frowned. When I looked up, Sherman was walking toward me. An idea hit me. It was a long shot, but it just might work. If only it didn’t require something illegal.

  “How are you today?” he asked.

  I shrugged. “Still bothered. Listen, I have a question for you. However, I don’t want to pull you into anything that will get you in trouble.”

  “Are you kidding? I haven’t had this much fun . . . well, ever. What do you need?”

  “Do you think you can hack into the hotel’s security system?”

  He raised his eyebrows. “Really?”

  I nodded.

  “Of course I can. But why?”

  I explained to him what the detective had told me about the video and Georgia being the only one who entered the room.

  “You want to see the video?” he whispered.

  I nodded. “I need to see it. Something’s not adding up, and we’re the only ones who see it.”

  He rubbed his lips together a moment, a fine layer of sweat already covering his face. “I’ll see what I can do. No guarantees, though.”

  “Can you do it without being discovered?”

  He snorted. “Of course. Gabby, I know what I’m doing.”

  I thanked him and then started toward the parking garage. I hoped to make it back in time for the closing ceremony tonight, even though I’d heard a rumor that Dr. Stone was receiving the Kirsh Award. The thought of it turned my stomach.

  I supposed if I separated his personal life from his professional life, then he deserved the honor. It was factually possible for a person to live a double life. But a person’s character and integrity couldn’t change identity like that. Either he was upright or he wasn’t. I knew what my vote was for.

  In the meantime, I was going to take Wentworth up on his offer and head out to his ranch for a little while. After all, when would I be back in Oklahoma again? I might as well enjoy a bit of the Oklahoma I’d always envisioned—one filled with farmers and cowmen, all being friends. Besides, I wanted to ask some more questions about Jono.

  The ranch, like nearly every place
I’d visited here so far, was about an hour away. As I drove northwest, I tried to relax, but I couldn’t.

  I knew I should be relieved and feel closure now that both Skye and Georgia had been found. But I didn’t, no matter what anyone else said.

  Skye had said that Georgia’s last words were that she was going to put an end to things. Could she have meant her life? I just couldn’t believe that.

  I still hung on to the idea that someone else may have been working with Georgia. What if that person had become angered and tried to kill off Georgia?

  My number one suspect at this point would be Jono. Had he hired Georgia to ensure Dud was out of the band and then killed her off to keep her silent? Was that a strong enough motive?

  Quinton, the security guard, seemed to be looking for a way to get ahead. He liked female attention. How far would he go, though?

  Or how about Lenny? Was he nursing a serious grudge—one worth murdering someone for?

  I wasn’t sure, but my gut told me that something was amiss. As much as I wanted to celebrate the end of this madness, I didn’t feel settled.

  After a few more turns, I pulled up to an old ranch-style house, surrounded by a wooden fence with stables and a barn in the background, along with several grazing horses. I spotted Trace’s truck right away, and I knew I was in the right place.

  I climbed out, sporting my cowboy hat, and before I even reached the door, Wentworth threw it open. “You found us.”

  “Nice spread of land you have here.”

  “This used to be my grandparents’ property, actually.” He started walking toward the backyard. “Anyway, like I said earlier, we’re doing horseback riding and maybe having a bonfire later. We’re celebrating, and it’s all because of you.”

  “I don’t know about that.”

  “Don’t be humble. We can finally go on tour and have some closure, you know? No more unanswered questions haunting us. And it was a happy ending—for everyone except Georgia, I suppose.”

  “Moving on is a good thing.” Wasn’t that what God was trying to teach me lately? Sometimes I had to be hit over the head with things.

  He flashed a grin. “Isn’t it, though? Come on. Let’s get saddled up.”

  CHAPTER 30

  “So, just to give you a heads-up, Skye is here,” Wentworth said as we walked across the vast expanse of lawn toward the barn.

  “Really? So soon?” I figured she’d either stay in the hospital longer or go somewhere else to recover. It was great that she was jumping back into things so quickly. Maybe she needed that.

  “That’s right. Doctor released her. I guess Georgia took good care of her, so to speak. I mean, other than some mental anguish and probably years of counseling, she should be fine.” He offered a half smile, half frown.

  His words were true. She had a lot to deal with. Of course, some people might have said the same things about me after Scum had abducted me. Those weren’t thoughts I wanted to address right now. Right now, I was going to combine business with a little pleasure.

  I spotted the stable ahead, a faded wooden structure that looked sturdy but old. The scent of horses and hay saturated the air around me. I could hear the neigh of one of the animals and the gentle chatter of two people talking.

  “I have to admit, I haven’t ridden a horse in years,” I told Wentworth.

  “It’s like riding a bike.”

  I wasn’t so sure about that.

  As soon as I stepped inside the stables, I spotted Trace and Skye talking quietly in the corner. When Skye spotted me, she headed toward me and pulled me into a hug. “How can I say thank you?”

  “You just did.”

  “You risked your life to save me. If you hadn’t found me . . .” She shuddered.

  I studied her a moment. She had gauze across her wrist and a Band-Aid on her forehead. She looked thin—maybe she’d always been thin?—and still a little pale. But today her eyes sparkled with new life, new hope. “I’m just glad you’re okay, Skye.”

  Wentworth cleared his throat. “I don’t want to break anything up here, because this moment is touching, to say the least. But we should get going.”

  Wentworth let me ride a mare named Annabelle. She was gentle and sweet, and she seemed to like me well enough. I gripped the reins, feeling as giddy as a girl on Christmas at the prospect of riding today.

  I followed the rest of the gang out into the open field. There were miles and miles of nothing out here. The nearest house was probably half a mile away, at least. It was barely visible on the horizon.

  “So, are you guys ready to go on tour?” I asked. “Everything’s going well with the new drummer?”

  “We’re as ready as we can be,” Trace said. “The drummer is doing well. But he’s not Dud. However, I think everything will come together.”

  “That’s good to hear.”

  “I’ll race you to the other side of the pasture,” Skye suddenly said.

  “I’m game,” Wentworth said.

  As Skye and Wentworth—who were much more skilled than me—began to race, I trotted up beside Trace.

  “This is appropriate, huh? Back in the saddle again,” Trace said. “I think that’s true for both of our lives. We fall down, but we get back up again. That’s what makes us stronger.”

  “You’re right. Absolutely right.” I smiled and glanced across the field at Skye. “So, what’s going on with you two? Are you picking up where you left off?”

  He shrugged, his gaze switching from lighthearted to heavy faster than a rookie bull rider getting thrown. “I’m hoping we can take some time to figure everything out.”

  “A little hard when you’ll be doing 150 concerts this year.”

  “You’re telling me. But where there’s a will, there’s a way. Isn’t that what they say?”

  I glanced over at Skye as she smiled, looking like a natural in the saddle. “She seems like she’s doing okay, especially with all things considered.”

  “Yeah, she does, doesn’t she? That can only be by the grace of God. I can’t even imagine what she went through. What you went through, for that matter. It’s like Skye said—I can’t thank you enough.”

  “It was nothing.” I waved my hand in the air, brushing him off.

  “No, you’re wrong. It was everything.”

  Just then, Skye and Wentworth joined us. We all rode side by side for a while, shooting the breeze and acting like everything was normal. I knew that nothing was normal, though.

  While Trace and Wentworth went to check out a section of fence that needed repair, I grabbed a moment alone with Skye. “So, how are you really, Skye?”

  She shrugged, looking off into the distance. She looked so wholesome, like a small-town beauty with her long hair and unblemished features. “I guess I’m okay. I’m sure everything will hit me later, you know? Right now it just seems surreal.”

  “Can I ask you a question?” I approached the subject carefully, with hesitation in my voice.

  “Sure. What’s on your mind?”

  “Skye, do you feel like Georgia had anyone helping her? Did you ever hear her talking to someone else?”

  She glanced down at the saddle for a moment before glancing at me. “I did hear her bring someone back to that old shack one time. I’m not sure if he knew I was there or not. They were in the other room.”

  “You said he?”

  She nodded. “That’s right. It was definitely a male.”

  “Would you recognize the voice?”

  She shook her head. “No, probably not. I’m sorry, but there was a wall between us. I couldn’t hear anything that was being said.”

  “What’s next for you, Skye? Are you going back to your old job? Staying in this area?”

  She shrugged. “I don’t know. Trace offered me a place on his tour. He said merchandising is always looking for additional help.”

  “So you’re thinking about it?”

  She halfheartedly seemed to nod. “Maybe. It’s all soon, though, you know? I
f the tour was another month away, maybe. I feel like I need to pull myself together first. Then again, maybe I can pull myself together on the road. It’s all kind of complicated.”

  “I can imagine.”

  A huge gust of wind nearly knocked me off my horse. I grabbed my hat and held tight. Just as I raised my face, I spotted the storm clouds on the horizon.

  “We should get back to the stables,” I mumbled.

  I nudged my horse, and Annabelle started at a slow trot. I held on tightly to the reins. Wentworth and Trace followed us in.

  Just as we got inside, the wind gusted hard again. The horses seemed to sense the severe weather and started pacing.

  “You think they know something we don’t?” I asked.

  Suddenly Annabelle reared. The motion sent Skye flying back into the wall with surprise. Wentworth grabbed Annabelle’s reins and pulled her down. He whispered something to her, and the mare seemed to calm.

  Trace rushed toward Skye.

  “Are you okay?” Trace asked.

  She nodded, her eyes looking dazed and her hands trembling as Trace helped her stand. “I think so. Just shaken.”

  The small bandage on her forehead had come off, and her old wound had busted open. She was going to need to clean that up before it got infected.

  “I’m sorry about that, Skye,” Wentworth said, examining her cut. “I don’t know what got into her. Let me get you something for that wound.”

  “Let me go,” Trace volunteered.

  “I would, but you’ll never find my first-aid kit. It’s a miracle I even have one. Can you take care of the horses until we get back?”

  “Of course,” Trace said.

  “I’m going with you,” Skye said, her voice trembling. “I’m feeling all out of sorts right now. I’d feel better if I were inside. Maybe it was too soon to rejoin the living.”

  “Of course.” Wentworth looked back at Trace. “Keep an eye on the skies. If you see anything, get to the storm shelter.”

  “You don’t have to tell me twice.”

  Skye walked with Wentworth toward the house, her hair whipping in the wind.

  With some prodding, Trace and I managed to get the horses back into their stalls. They all seemed anxious, though, which caused more unease to slosh in my gut.