“Did you ever see this man in person?”
“Never. The only thing I saw were the bruises he left on the boys. I heard his voice whenever he came to stay. I think everyone in the neighborhood heard his insults and threats. He made no effort to disguise his contempt for the Carter family. It was almost like a sport for him, to see how much he could hurt the people who once welcomed him into their home.”
Kinross and Walsh continued to listen intently, absorbing all the information that could assist with their case. In truth, the information I had to offer wasn’t much. There was no way of proving there was a body wrapped in the tarpaulin. Kinross obviously didn’t think so.
“Would you say the tarpaulin was body length?” he asked, his index finger tapping on the arm of his chair.
I nodded. It had been. I couldn’t discount the fact that it took two people, who struggled considerably, to carry the long roll. Carrying it like one would when transporting what could possibly be a dead body.
A silence ensued, and I watched Kinross’s chest rise and fall heavily.
“Do you know what happened to it after that night?” Walsh inquired.
“Like I said, Lucas got in the car without saying another word to—”
“But you were there by the car when Mason threatened you. Did you see the blue tarpaulin through the trunk window?”
“The trunk was piled high with boxes and suitcases. I doubt it was still in there. There wouldn’t have been any room.”
The detectives turned to each other and deliberated for a few short minutes, their voices hushed, both wearing frowns.
When they turned back to me, Detective Kinross cleared his throat before speaking. “Gemma, we need you to tell us where we can find this cabin you’ve mentioned. You say Mason Carter spent a lot of time out there when he wasn’t at home.”
After repeated incidences at Little Wren, I avoided the place and didn’t return after I walked in on Mason and Joanie. As a result, Mason had claimed the cabin as his own personal sanctuary away from the abusive household his mother ran.
“I’m not going back there, but I can show you on a map.”
“We can arrange that.” Kinross nodded in agreement.
“So, what now? I’ve told you everything I know. I’ve revealed the one thing Mason was desperate for me to keep secret. When he finds out I’ve told you… I’m dead.”
~
That night I went home with a former SWAT-man.
‘B’ as he called himself. Not wanting to reveal his true identity, was now a contractor for the department to act as a bodyguard. He was big, well-built, with shoulders of a quarterback. B was a man who took his job seriously and dotted his I’s and crossed his T’s with every flicker of his alert eyes. His strides were long and confident, and no one escaped his critical character assessment. Dressed all in black, B wore a cuff around his wrist made up of strands of leather. He was also a man of few words, and when they did leave his mouth, they were blunt and cut to the chase.
“Go,” he ordered, holding open the door and gesturing for me to enter. B had done a walkthrough of each room, returning confident in his assessment.
Dumping my bag on the counter, I walked to the linen closet and pulled a spare pillow and comforter off the shelves before turning back to B. He was peering out at the fire escape steps, no doubt ensuring they were trespasser proof.
“All I have is the couch,” I said, apologetically. “Other than my boyfr—” I cut the tainted word off, knowing it would take some getting used to not saying it. “Other than my ex, no one has ever stayed.”
“I won’t be sleeping, ma’am.” B remained focused on what was happening outside when he dismissed my offer.
“Please, just call me Gemma.”
“Ma’am will do just fine.”
“Fine… um… I’m going to shower and head to bed. So, help yourself to whatever.”
B, lost in his world of protection didn’t say another word.
Giving up on the personality war, I headed to my bedroom and closed the door, relieved I’d at least be granted a good night sleep.
~
The digital clock clicked over to 1:00 a.m.
Sleep had evaded me.
I was still wide awake entering numerous Google searches, piecing together the whereabouts of Lucas. In the dark, with just the glow of my cell, I found Carter Construction to have an office in six states. What each state had in common was they were known for their heavily wooded landscapes. Lucas had made a living out of building cabins.
A smile both bittersweet and full of pride formed. Lucas always was the more sentimental of the two. Clicking on the images tab, more photos revealed his handiwork. Brilliant craftsmanship creating a mix of luxury and traditional log cabins. The most recent picture was dated only two days ago from a couple blogging on the process of the construction taking place and naming Lucas as their builder. Reading further I found the location. River Bend, North Carolina.
Opening a new tab, I entered flights from JFK to North Carolina and booked two tickets for mid-morning.
Crawling under the sheets, I wore a smile even with my stomach twisting with nerves. By lunchtime tomorrow I would once again be sharing the same air space as Lucas Carter.
~
“I’m sorry… what?” Kinross looked at me in disbelief. B had called in the big boss when I announced he would be traveling with me to North Carolina.
“I need to see Lucas. And if doing that means I need to take my chaperone with me, then I will,” I replied while pouring three coffees. “I’ve paid for B’s ticket, so it’s at no cost to the department.”
“The money isn’t the issue, Gemma. We haven’t yet cleared Lucas of any wrongdoing and—”
“Lucas isn’t guilty of anything, and certainly is not—”
“And…” he spoke loudly, “… any involvement with him before the case is solved may implicate you.”
“I’m happy to take that chance,” I said, handing each man a mug. “Besides, if Mason Carter is still watching, he’ll see I’m headed straight for Lucas. He was always jealous of our relationship, so this is not something he will ignore. He won’t be able to resist himself.”
Kinross studied me curiously. “And you’d be willing to put yourself in harm’s way?”
I scoffed, cupping the mug with both hands. “Mason has been following me for God only knows how long. He’s like a disease that lays dormant for a while until one day something happens and it’s tickled awake, on the prowl and overrunning your body. No matter what I do or where I go, Mason will find me, and if it means intentionally antagonizing him and putting myself in harm’s way for him to be captured, then I’ll do it.”
Chapter 27
The flight had been an anxious one. Seeing Lucas again after so long was a terrifying thought.
There was always the possibility he was married with children and wanted nothing to do with me. After all, it would explain why he’d never come to find me.
And then there was the next extreme.
What if Mason’s influence had rubbed off, and he too saw me as the enemy who carried their family’s darkest secret?
Before we’d left, the three of us had nutted out a plan. It took some convincing, but Kinross soon came around to the notion and ideas began to flow. B traveled at a safe distance, ensuring there was no affiliation between us. The objective was for me to be seen flying solo to lull Mason into a false sense of security. Hiring a car, I drove a couple of hours from the airport to River Bend. Cutting through town, I found myself taking the less traveled roads through the thick woods filled with lush green pine trees.