CHAPTER TWO
2373 Words
CHAPTER TWO
A stiff breeze tousled Ashley’s long blonde hair as she slid out from the driver’s seat of her silver sedan in the parking lot of the local Laurel County restaurant. Arriving just a few seconds after Daniel, she’d wheeled into the space adjacent to the agent’s car. The white TBI-issued Toyota – confiscated to serve as an undercover vehicle – appeared pale amber beneath the glow of the red and yellow sign emblazoned with the name Mettler Ridge’s Finest Diner. A true moniker due to the fact the establishment was the only one of its kind located in the small town.
Although it was just the first week of November, an unexpected cold front had bombarded the plateau, infusing the early evening air with a frosty chill. Pulling her jacket snug around her, she mounted the sidewalk and headed toward the diner’s entrance. A weak smile flashed across Daniel’s face as he held open the door and waited for her to walk inside.
Ashley had been surprised by the agent’s visit to her family’s auto repair shop. She guessed that the news he wanted to share must be serious. Otherwise, he would have related the information over the phone rather than making the long drive from Briarwood. But then she reminded herself that Daniel’s assigned territory included Laurel County. It was possible that he could have already been in the area on TBI business.
Had there been another murder in Mettler Ridge?
She pushed the horrible thought aside, not wanting to entertain the notion that someone else may have been killed.
A welcome gust of heat hit her as she crossed the diner’s threshold amidst the clacking of plates and the lively chatter of the patrons. Ashley’s stomach rumbled as the heavy aroma of fried food wafted through the air. She’d spent the day touring apartment complexes in Briarwood and had skipped lunch. Now at six o’clock, she felt famished.
Greeted by the ever-present floor sign stating Please Seat Yourself, she led Daniel past the serving counter lined with customers to a booth in the far right corner. The current hour always proved to be one of the busiest times of day for the diner, so she’d chosen the location farthest from the action. She hoped the spot would afford them a small amount of privacy in case the agent’s news involved an ongoing investigation.
Ashley scooted onto the red vinyl bench, feeling her stomach rumble a second time. Daniel plopped onto the seat across from her and grabbed two menus from the wire basket housed at the end of the table next to the window. He slid one of the menus toward her and then flipped open the other.
Anticipation built in her chest as she watched the agent scan the food selections. Although her stomach cried out to be fed, she needed Daniel to reveal the reason for his visit before she could even begin to think about placing an order.
“How much longer do you plan to keep me in suspense before you tell me why you’re here?” she asked, struggling to keep her frustration from her tone.
He glanced up at her, his lips pressing into a thin line.
“It concerns Troy Luckadoo,” he said, his voice low.
Her exasperation morphed into a sense of alarm. She hoped the higher-ups at the TBI hadn’t changed their minds about her well-justified use of deadly force. Was the Luckadoo family pushing for charges to be brought against her?
Before Daniel could utter another word, their server, Lou Ann, approached the table, a harried expression pasted on her face. She appeared to be working the booths alone, leading Ashley to believe the diner must be short staffed for the evening crowd.
Right after high school graduation, Ashley had lived in a trailer park next door to Lou Ann. Almost nine years had passed since that time, but the svelte woman – who was now in her mid-thirties – hadn’t seemed to age a day. Not a single line or blemish could be seen on her makeup-free skin. Her long red ponytail bobbed as she whipped out her order pad.
“Hey Ashley,” Lou Ann said in a rushed tone. “Y’all know what you want?”
Ashley didn’t need to browse the menu; she knew it by heart.
“I’ll have the grilled chicken salad and a glass of unsweetened iced tea, please.”
“How ‘bout you?” the server said, casting a wary eye toward Daniel.
Lou Ann and Daniel had met during the investigation of Deputy Troy Luckadoo. Although the agent should have been deemed a hero for his work in putting an end to the serial murders in Laurel County, like many of the other folks in town, it seemed clear the server still doubted Daniel’s trustworthiness.
He closed his menu.
“Give me the double cheeseburger,” he said, watching Lou Ann scribble on her pad. “A double order of onion rings. Iced tea – sweet. And a slice of pecan pie.”
Based on the quantity and nutritional quality of food Ashley had watched Daniel consume over the past month, she surmised he must either possess the metabolism of a thirteen-year-old track star, or he spent all of his free time at the gym. Maybe both.
Lou Ann stuffed her order pad into the pocket of her apron and headed back toward the counter.
The instant the server was out of earshot, Ashley pounced on Daniel.
“Does the TBI think that I was wrong for shooting Troy – that I screwed up the case?”
The agent shook his head. “You followed protocol. A victim’s life was on the line. When you fired, I was already aiming. If you hadn’t taken Troy out, I would have.”
Although she knew in her gut that she’d made the right move – had saved Beth’s life – it was comforting to know that Daniel would have acted in the same manner.
“Then what’s going on now that’s got you so unnerved?”
The agent glanced behind him as though he was checking to make sure no one was close enough to overhear their conversation.
“I’ve been in Laurel County since early this morning.”
He paused and stared at her a moment.
“We found another body,” he finally said.
The news jarred Ashley. “Another body? Where?”
“When our forensics team tossed Troy’s trailer, they found something. I’m not at liberty to say what yet. Not even to you. But it led us to an abandoned property in Tucker Hollow. This morning, we searched an old well there.”
The thick-forested Tucker Holler provided the backdrop for a number of local legends involving the ghosts of lawmen sent in by the state to shut down the moonshine stills. The men’s fate had been sealed the moment they’d entered Laurel County. Their bodies had never been found. Filled with abandoned coal mines and ancient wells from crumbing homesteads, the holler held many hiding spots. And – Ashley ventured to guess – dark secrets.
“Holler,” she corrected, supplying the pronunciation that matched the mountain location’s spelling.
“What?” He appeared confused, like his mind had gone in a different direction, as though he thought she wanted him to shout.
“It’s not important,” she said, brushing it off. “Just tell me about the body your team found at the bottom of the well.”
Daniel met her gaze. “We think it’s Holly.”
Troy’s ex-girlfriend had disappeared without a trace just a few months before he began his known killing spree. Once his deeds came to light, it was suspected that Holly had been his actual first victim.
The agent continued, “We’re keeping it under wraps for now. Until we can get DNA. But the jewelry on the corpse is a match.”
Although she wished the outcome had been different – that Holly had simply left the area in search of a more fulfilling life – Ashley was grateful that the woman’s family would finally have an answer as to what had become of their loved one.
She caught movement out of the corner of her eye.
“Lou Ann is headed this way,” she warned.
The server plucked a glass of iced tea from the tray she carried and placed it in front of Ashley.
“Unsweet, right?” she asked.
Ashley nodded.
Lou Ann placed the other glass in front of Daniel without looking at him.
“Y’all need anything else right now?” she asked, dropping two straws onto the middle of the table.
“I think we’re good, Lou Ann; thank you,” Ashley said.
The server’s ponytail swayed as she turned and made her way toward another booth.
Ashley and Daniel both reached for a straw at the same instant. As the agent’s fingertips brushed against hers, Ashley’s heart fluttered.
“Sorry,” she said, jerking her hand back. She hoped he couldn’t see the heat rising in her cheeks.
She’d first met Daniel when she was living in Briarwood with her former fiancé. Their relationship had been nothing but professional – in fact, it still was. But there had come a point during the Troy Luckadoo investigation when her feelings for the agent had shifted. They’d been crossing a creek when Ashley’s foot slipped on a stone. Daniel had caught her right before she fell into the water, cradling her in his arms. As they locked eyes, a jolt of electricity had raced through her soul. It was like nothing she had ever experienced before.
Ashley had been both relieved and disappointed that the agent hadn’t noticed or that he hadn’t shared in the moment. But she knew it was for the best.
Since that day, she’d fought to contain the strong attraction that now drew her to Daniel like a magnet. But no matter how deep she buried her feelings, they kept popping to the surface. She’d reminded herself time and again that a romantic relationship with the agent was out of the question. They worked together. They would be true colleagues if she was offered the job with the TBI. Office romances – which she knew seldom ended well – were especially frowned upon in law enforcement, where lives were on the line.
And she’d built a genuine friendship with Daniel. One she didn’t want to risk losing.
Logic would just have to temper her heart. Even though it seemed nearly impossible at the moment, she’d keep shoving her feelings aside until they faded into nothingness.
“You ready for your interview?” he asked, apparently unaware of her discomfort.
“I’m nervous and excited and a whole host of other things, but I don’t think ready is one of them.”
The change of subject seemed to lighten his mood. He grinned, his dimples showing.
“You’ll do well.”
“It’s good to know that one of us thinks so.”
Ashley wondered whether any news of the competition had filtered down to Daniel. No matter how tight the ship, there were always leaks. And she knew that the agent had a friend who worked in the HR department.
“Have you heard how many people they’ve interviewed for the job so far?”
He nodded. “About a dozen. You’re the last applicant.”
She didn’t know whether that was good or bad.
“Do you know if they’re leaning toward any one person yet?”
He stared at her. It seemed as though he was considering his words before he spoke. Although he’d always been quick to give her encouragement, she knew he’d never lie about the situation.
“There’s a cop from Nashville,” Daniel finally said. “A detective. He’s been on the force ten years. I’ve heard he’s in the lead, but that doesn’t mean anything. They haven’t seen you yet.”
Her hopes sank. She’d known they were interviewing people who had law enforcement experience, but to hear that they already had a favorite dampened her spirits.
Lou Ann appeared at their table, her tray loaded with food.
Ashley stared at the plate that had been placed before her, piled high with grilled chicken, cherry tomatoes, sliced cucumbers, and a mix of greens. Only moments ago, she’d felt as though she was on the verge of starvation. Now, her appetite had fled. Replaced by a solid ball of nerves.
She glanced at Daniel as he slathered ketchup onto his burger. The agent had risked his reputation – and his job – by bringing her into Troy’s investigation as a local consultant. Then he’d gone out of his way to get her this interview. He had shown tremendous faith in her. She couldn’t let him down.
Tomorrow morning she’d march into the TBI office in Briarwood with her head held high. What she lacked in experience, she’d make up for with determination. She’d find a way to outshine the competition. Whatever it took, Ashley resolved to prove to the TBI that she was the right person for the job.
As she watched him chew his food, Ashley noticed a troubled expression drift back onto Daniel’s face. Was he still thinking about Holly, or was there another matter that had him rattled?
“Did something else happen that I need to know about?” she asked.
He dropped the burger onto his plate and wiped his fingers with his napkin.
“It’s that piece of evidence. The one we found in Troy’s trailer. You know I can’t discuss the details, but there’s something else I need to tell you.”
She wondered whether there had been even more murders – more bodies that hadn’t yet been discovered.
“What is it?”
He glanced over his shoulder again, checking to make sure Lou Ann was out of earshot.
“Someone else knew about the women Troy killed. We don’t know who. It’s either a friend or a relative. But we’re sure he had help.”
Fear wormed its way into Ashley’s chest.
Was a murderer still loose in Laurel County?
- Writer
