River Road(33)
Author: Jayne Ann Krentz

Mason felt a little whisper of warmth, the kind that didn’t come from the whiskey.

“I know,” he said. “If you suddenly vanished without an explanation, Aaron and I would never stop looking for you.”

“That’s how it is with family. At any rate, the story goes that Colfax took advantage of Brinker’s depression and more or less pushed Brinker into selling out.” Deke paused. “There were some who hinted that Colfax didn’t give Brinker a fair price, that he knew at the time that Brinker wasn’t really thinking straight. Whatever the case, the deal was made. A few months later, Brinker was dead of a heart attack.”

Mason wrapped one hand around his glass of whiskey and lounged back in his chair. “Even if Colfax took advantage of Brinker, the buyout still would have been a big deal. Lot of money involved.”

Deke looked intrigued. “Sure. Those two were both multimillionaires by the time they arrived in Summer River. Warner’s worth a lot more now. Where are you going with this?”

“Not sure yet. You wouldn’t happen to know who Brinker’s heirs were, would you?”

“No. I wasn’t paying that much attention. The only thing I can tell you is that whoever they were, they didn’t live here in Summer River. Word would have gotten around real quick if that had been the case.”

“I’ll ask Lucy to follow the money from Brinker’s estate,” Mason said. “That’s her area of expertise.”

“What do you think the information will tell you?”

“I have no idea.”

“Huh.” Deke pondered that. “Is this how you usually work one of your old cold cases?”

Mason swallowed some whiskey and lowered the glass. “Pretty much. I keep asking questions—turning over rocks—until I get some answers.”

“You must have some sense of direction.”

“In my experience, you usually can’t go wrong if you follow the money. Thirteen years ago a lot of cash changed hands. It would be interesting to know who got it. And who didn’t.”

Deke studied him with a piercing look. “You could be opening a real can of worms here.”

“Or not. Thing is, it’s become clear that Lucy is going to open that can one way or the other. I don’t want her doing it alone.”

“That would not be a good idea,” Deke said.

They drank a little more whiskey in a companionable silence.

“I found something interesting in the old files on the Scorecard Rapist,” Mason said after a while. “At least one of the investigators believed that there was a second person involved in the assaults, possibly the photographer.”

“Son of a bitch. If that’s true, he’s still out there.”

“Or she,” Mason said.

“Hard to imagine a woman helping some bastard do something that vicious to another woman.”

“You and I both know that both sexes are capable of cruelty and violence.”

“Yeah.” Deke ran his fingers through his buzz-cut hair. His eyes darkened with memories. “I know. But even after some of the stuff I saw over there, it still amazes me when a woman does something downright evil and unforgiveable.”

“You were raised in different times,” Mason said.

“Maybe. Think that if there was a second person involved in the rapes he or she might still be here in town?”

“It’s a possibility. And that’s what has me really worried. If the second perp is still here, he or she will be running scared now that Brinker’s body has been found along with some proof that he was the Scorecard Rapist. Hell, even if the other perp doesn’t live here now, odds are he or she will hear about the discovery of the body soon and start sweating.”

Deke raised his brows. “Because there’s a chance that the case will be reopened?”

“Right, although I don’t think that’s very likely. Whitaker isn’t interested in doing that. The real problem is Lucy. If there is someone else out there and if Lucy starts asking too many questions in the wrong places—” Mason stopped talking.

“Got it,” Deke said. “What do you want me to do?”

“You meet a lot of folks at the store. Sooner or later, Becky sees everyone in town come through the front door at her café. Between the two of you, you’ve got the town covered. People talk. I want you to listen closely to anyone who brings up the subject of Brinker’s body.”

“Hell, that will be everyone in Summer River. But Brinker was only nineteen when he ended up in Sara’s fireplace. Seems to me that if there’s any useful intel to be had on him, it would come from people who were closer to his age at the time. You, for instance.”

“Lucy and I will cover that angle. But I’d like to know if any of the locals who were adults back then take an interest in the news of the discovery of Brinker’s body that goes beyond the normal curiosity factor.”

“I’ll see what I can do,” Deke said.

He knocked back the last of his whiskey.

“Thanks.” Mason stood and collected the glasses. “I need some sleep. Got to put a plan together in the morning before Lucy starts opening too many closets. No telling what might fall out.”

“Summer River is like any other small town,” Deke said. “Lot of secrets. Lot of closets.”

Mason headed for the stairs.

17

Joe lumbered to his feet and crossed the room to rest his head on Deke’s knee. He watched Deke with his wolflike eyes. Deke put his hand on the dog. They communed together in silence as they often did at night. Just a couple of aging warriors, home from the wars, Deke thought. He and the dog understood each other as no one else except another warrior could.

He contemplated the conversation he’d just had with Mason. One thing was clear: Mason was looking a lot better than he had a couple weeks ago when he had shown up on the front porch, a duffel bag slung over his shoulder. His eyes had had the same look as the eyes of the thirteen-year-old kid who had been waiting for him in the offices of the child protective services agency all those years ago—like he’d witnessed the end of the world and nothing the future held would surprise or astonish him.

That thirteen-year-old kid had looked like he’d never laugh again or trust anyone again except his younger brother. But raw determination had burned in the kid. His dying father had given him a mission to complete. That mission had a single objective—to protect Aaron. One look at Mason and Deke had known that the kid would carry out that mission or go down trying.