Murder on the Mountain: A Marshall Brothers Novel Read online

  Somewhere in the distance an owl hooted. Night insects sang, and a gentle breeze stirred the branches over his head, making an eerie clacking sound. Late fall meant the forest inhabitants would be prepping for the cold winter that sat just around the corner. In a few weeks, bare branches would catch ice and snow, making it a true winter wonderland. The mountains were the only reason he hadn’t left Staunton after high school. He couldn’t bear to be away from the only home he’d ever known.

  Much clearer than he’d expected, the trail was easy to navigate using Emma’s little map. After about fifteen minutes of trekking uphill, he broke through the trees to a clearing. The temperature had dropped several degrees, so he could see his breath in front of him as he viewed the tiny cabin in the center of the clearing.

  A branch cracked behind him. Adam spun, his gun in his hand, just in time to see a possum scurry away. Turning off his flashlight but holding on to his gun, he slowly walked along the edge of the clearing, surveying the building from all sides. No cars or any other signs of life. Advancing slowly, he peered into the first window he came upon. The interior was dark. He moved to the next window and then the front door. He pulled a glove out of his pocket and put it on. Standing off to the side, he reached over and turned the knob slowly, inching the door open.

  When no one tried to shoot him, he slipped inside the cabin, leaving the door open for a quick getaway.

  Turning his flashlight on again, he made a quick sweep of the space with the beam of light. In the center of the room, a wood chair lay on its side next to a dark stain on the floor. Striding closer, he knelt down and lit up the stain. It had the dark red color of blood starting to dry but the unmistakable coppery scent was what convinced him. He snapped a couple more photos with his cell phone. Straightening, he slowly flashed the beam of light in a wide arc around him. A tiny glint under the edge of a cabinet caught his eye.

  Adam walked over to the piece of furniture. Leaning down, he snapped a picture of the item before he picked up the shiny piece of metal between two fingers. Just as he’d suspected, it was a bullet casing. Looked like a .45 caliber cartridge. Emma’s shooter liked big guns.

  Working the glove down his wrist so it came off inside out, he made a makeshift evidence bag to hold the casing in. He stowed the whole thing in the inside pocket of his jacket.

  A loud scream echoed outside the cabin, causing him to drop his flashlight with an equally loud crash. Scooping up the light, he shut it off and ran outside. The sound of sticks breaking and dried leaves crunching filled the night air. Adam ran toward the sound, certain it had been Emma’s voice he heard and worried what he’d find if he caught up with her.

  Emma tripped over yet another root and landed on the soft dirt, her face burying in some rotting leaves. Jumping up and spitting out the organic matter that had gotten in her mouth, she kept running, ignoring the dirt in her eyes.

  Footsteps sounded in the forest behind her. Emma sprinted as fast as she could, but she could hear her pursuer getting closer.

  Why hadn’t she listened to Adam and just gone home?

  Because she needed this story. If she didn’t break something big, and soon, she might as well consider her childhood bedroom home, permanently.

  As she rounded a bend in the path, someone grabbed her shoulder. Emma screamed and tried to get away, but strong arms wrapped around her from behind, a hand covering her mouth.

  “Emma! It’s me!” Adam’s voice sounded next to her ear, his hand moving from her mouth.

  “Adam?” She spun on him, anger replacing fear. “What are you doing here?”

  He put both hands on her shoulders, holding her in place. “I could ask you the same. I thought you were going home? You know, where it’s safe.”

  “I was. And then I made a detour. I still need to get my story.” She rested her hands on her hips, trying to look annoyed. Hopefully Adam couldn’t hear her heart pounding in her chest, because that sucker was working overtime trying to clear the adrenaline spike she’d just had. “Why’d you have to go and chase me down the mountain?”

  Adam shook his head. “I didn’t chase you until you screamed and ran. I thought you were in danger.”

  She shrugged. “I thought I was too. That deer had huge antlers.”

  “You were afraid of a deer?”

  “He was big and looked hungry.”

  “Deer don’t eat people. Even the big ones. They like grass and leaves.”

  “Whatever.” She gave him an annoyed look. “You still didn’t have to grab me like that. You could have just told me who you were.”

  “I didn’t know if we were alone out here. I was trying to keep you quiet.”

  Emma narrowed her eyes at him. “By making me think I’m being kidnapped?”

  Adam made a slow circle. “We are alone out here, aren’t we?”

  “That depends. Were you the one in the cabin with a flashlight?”

  Adam nodded. “Yes. I found some things that corroborate your statement.”

  “You mean you didn’t believe me? You had to corroborate it?”

  He sighed. “I’m a cop, Emma. It’s my job to find evidence. I investigate crimes. You reported a crime. I know you understand this since you are an investigative reporter.”

  “I witnessed a crime and I told you about it. Eyewitness testimony is very powerful.” She had no idea why she was arguing this with him when she really just wanted him to wrap his arms around her again and make her feel safe. Now that she knew it had been him and not some bloodthirsty hit man.

  “But solid, physical evidence holds up in court.” He held a finger to his lips and dropped his voice to a whisper. “Shhh. Did you hear that?”

  Emma shook her head.

  “A car door just slammed shut down the mountain.” Adam started moving slowly through the brush. “Stay here.”

  Emma ignored him. “No. That’s my car down there, and besides, I have had enough of thinking someone is trying to kill me out here in the dark.”

  “Fine. But stay close.” He led the way back to the base of the mountain where her car sat.

  With his gun raised, Adam scanned the area before stepping out of the cover of the woods. Emma followed him.

  “Looks like there was another vehicle here.” Adam pointed to some fresh tracks beside her vehicle.

  “Yeah. I’d say so. Look.” Emma pointed to her windshield where a white piece of paper tucked under the wiper shifted in the slight breeze. She walked over to her car and reached for the paper but stopped when Adam placed a hand on her shoulder.

  “Wait! Don’t touch that.” He pulled out the second glove he had in his pocket and used it to pick up the paper by its corner.

  WE KNOW WHERE YOU LIVE. BACK OFF. NO POLICE AND WE WILL FORGET YOU EXIST.

  The letters were printed in large, block script.

  Emma felt the blood drain from her face. Her knees went a little weak, and she clutched Adam’s arm for support. “How do they know? It’s not like I introduced myself after the shooting.”

  “It could be a bluff. Maybe he came back to clean up the mess I found in the cabin, saw your car, and recognized it. Decided to scare you off a little.”

  “It says no police. Did I sign my own death warrant by going to you for help?”

  Adam shook his head. “I don’t think so. Cartel hit men aren’t in the habit of leaving loose ends. They won’t stop until they find you. If it’s not a bluff, then it’s a blatant warning they are coming for you and want it to be as easy as possible. I don’t think you should go home tonight.”

  Emma leaned against her car and sighed. “Where do you suggest I go? I still have my parents’ dogs to take care of.”

  “Since it’s going to be nearly impossible for you to find a place that you can take the dogs tonight, how about I go home with you?”

  “I don’t think that’s a good idea, Adam.” The thought of him hanging ou
t in her parents’ house just like when they were kids caused a little flutter in her chest.

  He raised his hands in front of him in mock surrender. “In a purely professional capacity. I’ll be your bodyguard until we can arrange some kind of protective detail or something.”

  She looked at him, a hundred unspoken questions passing between them. “Do you actually think I’m in that kind of danger?”

  He nodded. “I think you could be. Until I know what really happened up there on that mountain and who is responsible, I need to know you’re safe. I couldn’t handle it if something happened to you too.”

  He meant like Miranda. She could see it in the shadow of sadness that passed over his expression. After so many years, he still carried the guilt of their friend’s death. Emma slumped against her car. “I don’t want to die.”

  “So I’ll stay with you tonight, and in the morning we will see about boarding the dogs so you can stay at a hotel.”

  She nodded. “Fine. What choice do I have? If you really think I’m in danger, then okay. I need to run to the store on the way home, so meet me there in about an hour?”

  “I’ll take you. We can leave your car at the station.”

  “But I’ll need it in the morning.”

  “I’ll bring you back there to get it. I have to work tomorrow, so I’ll have to go there anyway.” He smiled at Emma but she didn’t smile back.

  “Okay, fine.” She still thought it might be a bad idea to be that close to Adam for so long. They had so many things between them that had been left unresolved for so long. “Only because I really am worried they might come looking for me.”

  A little ding indicated an incoming text message on Emma’s phone. She felt Adam watching her as she opened the message. Her body swayed slightly as she whispered, “No.”

  He grabbed for her as her knees buckled, lowering her to the ground slowly. “What is it, Emma?”

  She handed him her phone as she collapsed against his chest. “Someone wants to know if I got their note. If they have my cell phone number, then they really must know who I am and could even know where I am staying.”

  Emma trembled in Adam’s arms. He rubbed her back lightly and spoke low against her ear. “I’m not going to let anyone hurt you. I promise.”

  She nodded into his shoulder. She knew he meant the words even if there was no way he could keep that promise. She stepped back and swiped at her eyes with the sleeve of the hooded sweatshirt she wore. “I’m sorry. I’m not usually such a baby. I’m sure it’s just a scare tactic. I’ve been threatened before. In my line of work, I ask questions. Questions people sometimes don’t like to answer. I should expect to make some people angry.”

  Adam gently lifted her chin with his finger so she had to look at him. “This is not the same, Emma. Don’t you get that? You witnessed a murder. They know who you are.”

  “It’s not like I wanted to.”

  “I know that. But you did. And now someone wants you dead.” Adam stood up, pulling Emma to her feet as well. “We need to get out of here. Whoever it is could be watching us right now.”

  His expression remained guarded, but Adam’s eyes had always been the window to his soul, and she could see the worry for her safety churning there. Emma nodded. “You’re probably right. This day just needs to end.”

  “I’ll follow you to the station. We’ll lock your car in the back lot.”

  “Okay.” She got into her car without another word and drove away.

  Four

  Once they parked Emma’s car in the gated lot behind the station, Adam took Emma back to his office to log the bullet casing and the note from Emma’s windshield into evidence and download the photos he’d taken to his computer. Emma had sent him a screenshot of the text message and the phone number it had come from, so he downloaded those as well. In the morning, he’d get a tech guy in the lab to try and trace the number. Finally, he called the lieutenant, who had already gone home for the night, and updated him. They agreed to hold off on the crime scene team until morning. It would be too treacherous in the dark and dangerous if the shooter returned.

  When he hung up the call he’d arranged to put a marked car near the rest area and another at the base of the long road that ran up the other side of the mountain to deter any further activity.

  “You ready to head out?” Adam asked Emma as he logged off the network.

  “I guess.” She sat by the window, staring out into the dark. “You really don’t have to go with me. I don’t want to keep you from your family.”

  Adam shook his head slowly. “You’re not keeping me from anyone.”

  Emma stood up, hugging herself. “Won’t your wife be worried?”

  He walked over and pulled the door open. He couldn’t bring himself to say out loud that he’d become a lonely bachelor, so he shrugged. “I’m not married. It’s not an issue.”

  She followed him, silent questions in her eyes that he wasn’t ready to answer. Did she know about what happened in the years since she’d left Staunton?

  When they reached his truck, she didn’t wait for him to open the door like he’d intended. She just climbed into the passenger seat, closed the door, and put on her seat belt. The drive to the supermarket passed quickly—and quietly. Emma looked out the window, basically ignoring him. When he pulled into the lot and parked his truck in front of the store, Emma opened the door and jumped out almost before the vehicle stopped moving. He turned the vehicle off and climbed out as well.

  Emma raised an eyebrow at him. “You don’t need to come with me. I’m pretty sure I can handle this on my own.”

  He nodded. “I’m sure you can. But if you don’t mind, I need to grab a couple of things too.”

  “Fine,” she replied, walking ahead of him. “I hope you don’t embarrass easily though. I need some feminine hygiene stuff.”

  “I think I’ll be fine. Go get what you need and I’ll meet you at the registers.” Adam watched as she entered the store, shoulders set and stride quick. He didn’t really need anything; he had a completely stocked go bag in his truck. He hadn’t eaten much that day though, so he figured he’d grab a few supplies, maybe cook them something to eat at the Thomas house. What he really needed to do was keep Emma in his sight as much as possible until they could get the whole murder on the mountain thing sorted and ensure her safety.

  No way would he stand by and let someone he cared about die when he had the ability to protect them.

  Someone he cared about.

  Funny how Emma had been out of his life for a dozen or so years, yet the moment she’d walked into his station it felt like no time at all had passed.

  “Are you coming?” Emma stood by the automatic doors, watching him.

  “Yeah. Just keeping an eye on things.” Something felt wrong. He scanned the semidark parking area but saw nothing amiss. Still, he let his hand rest on the gun on his hip. Better to be ready if something went down.

  They entered the store together, but Emma immediately walked away from him, saying, “I’ll meet you at the register when I’m done.”

  He didn’t want to make her uncomfortable by following her around but it made him nervous having her out of his sight. The little hairs on the back of his neck tingled, giving him an unsettled feeling. Hanging out in the produce department near the entrance, he grabbed a couple apples, a bunch of bananas, and an avocado. The dairy section adjoined the produce department, so he picked up a dozen eggs and some sharp cheddar cheese, never once letting the front door out of his sight. As he browsed the Greek yogurts, a man wearing a dark suit and sporting a long ponytail entered the store.

  Adam pushed his cart toward the front of the store but quickly lost sight of the man. Leaving his groceries behind, Adam strode toward the first aisle and looked. Nothing. He checked two more before a man wearing a manager’s tag stopped him.

  “Can I help you find something, sir?”

>   Adam held a finger to his lips and showed him the badge clipped to his belt. “I’m looking for a man in a dark suit with long hair,” he whispered.

  The manager pointed to aisle seven, his expression losing its friendliness. “He went down there,” he whispered back. “Please don’t shoot up my store.”

  That was the least of Adam’s worries. “Get your employees off the registers and all of you get in the cash office. Lock the door and don’t open it until I tell you.”

  The manager nodded and jogged away, waving to the cashiers as he passed by to follow him.

  “Adam!” Emma’s frightened voice filled the store, followed by a shot. And then a second. The sound of breaking glass sounded as Adam sprinted in the direction of the gunshots.

  “I know you’re in here!” a voice he didn’t recognize called out. “Come out, come out, wherever you are.”

  Adam rounded the corner of aisle seven and saw the man standing at the end, his back to him.

  “Police! Drop the gun!”

  Slowly, the man turned and made eye contact with Adam, his gun still in his hand.

  “Drop the gun on the floor!” Adam yelled.

  “I think not,” the man replied. Raising his weapon, he fired two shots. Adam jumped behind a display of canned soup as both bullets flew past him, a little too close for his comfort.

  Adam leaned out from his hiding place and fired two shots of his own. The man disappeared. Adam bolted down the aisle after him. When he reached the end, he caught sight of the shooter’s long hair as he ducked around another corner.

  “Emma! Stay where you are! I’ll be back!” he yelled, praying to God she wasn’t lying on the floor somewhere bleeding. Or, worse, dead.

  Sprinting, Adam made it to where the shooter had been but the aisle was empty.

  “He ran out the front door!” a voice said over the loudspeaker. “We saw him run out!”

  Adam ran to the door and out into the night just in time to see a dark-colored sedan speed out of the lot. Spinning in a slow circle, he scanned the area but saw no one else.