Total pages in book: 95
Estimated words: 90472 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 452(@200wpm)___ 362(@250wpm)___ 302(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 90472 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 452(@200wpm)___ 362(@250wpm)___ 302(@300wpm)
“It’s a possibility,” my dad agreed.
“But what about the body beneath Travis. Who was she, and how was she involved?” I asked.
“Good question.” He rubbed his chin and shook his head. “This is going to be a nightmare when it breaks.”
“This is Sheriff Barrett’s fault, not yours,” I said.
“Maybe, but the deputies at the time will be called into question and with me being sheriff now,” —he shook his head— “it could be a stain on my good record or possibly lose me my job.”
“You’re going to solve this murder, Dad, and clear up everything and show everyone that you are the best man for this job.” I grinned. “And you will have a new mayor who will support you.”
My dad groaned. “She can’t, Pepper. Your mother can’t be mayor. It will be a nightmare for me.”
“I don’t know, Dad. She just might make the town a good and fair mayor.” I stood to leave and recalled something I wanted to ask him. “Dad. Did you ever do a background check on Amy’s father?.”
“Nancy never told Amy, but when her mom found out she was going to die she asked me if there was any way I could find Noah. She wanted to let him know Amy would be on her own. I think she was hoping he might return and finally be a father to her. I gave her what I found which wasn’t much.”
“That’s how he found out and was able to visit her before she died.”
“For Nancy’ sake, I’m glad he did. I did another search the day I saw he was back here. Like before nothing showed up. No police record. He never owned a home, living in apartments and some trailer parks, sporadic work history of sales jobs, but that was expected. I really don’t know how the man supported himself.”
“Beau thinks he may be a gambler.”
“I thought the same myself once, even spoke with security at the casino, but there was no record of a Noah Berwick ever being there. But that doesn’t mean he’s not a gambler, just that he didn’t gamble near to home or didn’t use his own name.”
I went to leave again with Ian and stopped. “Do you think Mom actually got the mayor and Marsh to come here so you could question them?”
My dad tugged at his hair. “You see how white you’ve made my hair? Well, if your mom became mayor, I guarantee you I’ll go bald.”
18
I had to clear my head the next morning, it not only was swirling with yesterday’s revelations but with work. Ian had left at daybreak, and I had rolled out of bed soon after. I got more blogs written for future postings, posted on various social media sites, got another future newsletter ready and opened boxes of merchandise sent to me for review.
Yes, I definitely needed to clear my head and something else needed clearing as well—the attic. The place was a treasure trove of interesting stuff. Besides, I was hoping to find my aunt’s journal, maybe more than one. Maybe even Ian’s uncle’s manuscripts my mom had told us about, and with all but one box of books left to shelve in the library, I didn’t feel guilty about tackling the attic. Ian and I had found several more scraps of paper my aunt had jotted down a thought on and tucked between the pages of books. I had placed them in a beautifully woven basket my aunt had gotten on a trip to India. When I had the time, I was going to see if I could make any sense of them or at least get another peek into my aunt’s life.
My cell rang as I headed for the attic.
“Everything okay?” I asked, knowing something had to be up with Amy calling me when she had a full schedule for the day.
“I got in touch with Betty Carson,” she said excitedly and anticipated my next question. “I had extra time since I couldn’t sleep last night and got several tax returns done so phone calls went quick this morning.”
I was happy to hear her enthusiasm and excitement and was eager to hear what she had found out. “Tell me all.”
“My call followed your dad’s. I told her I was doing research for a writer—truth of course—interested in Rita’s case as well as other murders, another truth since it also involves Travis and the unknown woman. She was pleased to hear that and willing to talk, hoping it would somehow help solve her daughter’s murder. Your dad had already questioned her about her husband’s involvement with drugs. She told me she could not believe she didn’t know at the time that he was doing cocaine and had been even more shocked to learn he’d been selling it. It wasn’t until a year or so after Rita’s death that it all came to light, and she left him. And get this, as soon as she found out, she called Sheriff Barrett and informed him of it.”