Page 47 of In Cold Blood (High Peaks Murder, Mystery and Crime Thrillers #1)

A s darkness fell over High Peaks that evening, blocking out the stars, its heaviness made the county feel darker than usual.

While Callie spoke with the tech department to find out if they’d managed to get into Luke’s phone and password-protected computer, he sat at her desk doing some research of his own.

Noah took a sip of coffee — if the watery substance spewed from the capsule machine could be called that. He flipped through the police report and a newly acquired dispatch call history detailing Luke’s whereabouts between calls over the last few months.

He wanted to see if there were any inconsistencies, patterns, or specific locations that the AVL system had detected him visiting more than others — anything that might indicate he was conducting business beyond his duties.

He thought it might provide a clear answer but it only complicated matters.

The further he delved into the circumstances surrounding his brother’s death, the more he wondered how much he knew about Luke .

Noah was now asking the same questions others were.

Was his death simply a case of payback for Operation Heat Wave?

Could he have stumbled upon the “big thing” that Dax, Ray, and his father had alluded to earlier?

Or was it as simple as he and Keith Erikson had been taking advantage of small-town policing to skim off the top and conduct a side business of their own?

It was crazy to think the worst. Not his brother. Not Luke.

Still, it wasn’t like he would have been the first to be tempted.

Many a cop had gone down for taking money, pocketing drugs, and using their power to extort others.

They were in the minority but there would always be a few bad apples in a batch.

Of course, with the birth of phone cameras and video surveillance, and the District Attorney’s Office bringing charges against cops, what could fly under the radar years ago didn’t cut it now.

A deputy walked over to Callie’s desk with some paperwork. She was tall, athletic, and had a determined stride.

“Callie around?”

Noah glanced up, looking at her nametag. Deputy Flynn. She had really short blonde hair that was tucked neatly behind her ears. Her uniform was crisp and professional, and she carried herself with quiet authority.

“She’s stepped away. Should be back soon.”

“Could you give her these?”

“Sure. What is it?”

“She’d asked for video surveillance to be conducted around a neighborhood near Mirror Lake.”

He automatically knew that was the information they’d been waiting on after his truck had been ruined at his father’s house.

“I’ll see to it that she gets it.” Noah took it and opened the folder.

There were several photos inside, a thumb drive attached to the top, and a page of information pulled from vehicle records.

His eyes widened when he saw the photo. Despite the blackness of night, video pulled from a residence further down on the corner provided a clear shot of the back end of the vehicle and a license plate that matched the same one Alicia Michaels drove.

“Deputy Flynn.”

Across the room, she turned her head.

“Who else has seen this?” Noah asked.

“Just myself and the homeowner.”

“The thumb drive. Is this the only copy?”

“There’s the original, I told them not to delete that one just in case.”

He nodded and got up, taking the file with him.

“If Callie asks, tell her I had to step out. I’ll catch her tomorrow morning.

” Noah whistled and Axel followed him out.

He was getting used to the dog following him wherever he went.

It gave him a sense of peace to know that someone was there watching his back.

A quick phone call found Alicia off duty.

At home. In a place he never expected her to be.

She was living in High Peaks on the southwest side just off Averyville Lane.

The one-story abode belonged to her parents.

It was located on the bend of a quiet stretch of road that skirted through the pines and came to a dead end not far from Scarface Mountain.

He’d seen it a couple of times before. Noah had met her parents. They were good people. Her father was blue-collar. Her mother a hairdresser.

The Bronco wound its way through dense forest, the tall trees loomed overhead. Moonlight filtered through leaves, dappling the asphalt with light and shadow. The engine purred smoothly.

Noah glanced to his left toward towering ferns and mossy rock.

As he veered off the road into the driveway, he pulled up behind the black F-150 with the license plate that matched the one on surveillance. Noah brought the windows down enough to let the cool breeze of the night wash in for Axel.

He climbed out, folder in hand. He didn’t expect to be there long.

Through the trees, he glimpsed the distant mountains, their peaks wreathed in mist.

A flood of memories hit him as he strolled up to the entrance.

A rap on the door and Alicia opened it. “Come on in.”

“You never told me you were living here.”

“Decided to take it over after my parents passed on.”

“Sorry to hear that.”

“Father passed away ten years ago. Heart attack. My mother went into hospice a few years back. I considered selling the property but couldn’t bring myself to do it.

I think when you grow up in a place, it’s full of too many memories you want to hold on to.

I guess I’m a little nostalgic that way.

Anyway, I decided to put an addition on the back.

I’ve been renovating it since. I tore up the old vinyl they installed and replaced it with hardwood floors and a modern fireplace.

I had it painted a week ago. I’m supposed to be getting a new kitchen in a few months.

The baseboard still needs to go on. Anyway, excuse the mess. ”

Inside it was different from what he remembered.

The old décor was gone. In its place was modern furniture.

A red couch butted up against the window, a beautiful mahogany coffee table was at the center on top of an area rug.

The fireplace was in the same place. He noticed the mantelpiece had changed.

Logs were stacked up against the side in a floor-to-ceiling grey holder that matched the brickwork.

A sixty-inch TV took up most of the wall across from the sofa.

Not far from the main doors was an oak table and chairs.

There was order to the place. It was spotless barring a few items that had been left behind by those renovating. Throw sheets for painting, four cans of paint, and a stack of white baseboard and crown molding were nearby.

It had an open-concept kitchen with silver appliances and a breakfast island. The stove was a part of that with a black hood above it. All the cupboards were cream-colored and there was a white tiled backsplash.

“Can I get you a drink?”

“No. I’m good.”

“You don’t mind if I do?”

“Go ahead.”

She popped a cork from a bottle and filled a glass halfway with red wine.

“How goes the investigation?” she asked with her back turned.

Noah figured with the small talk out of the way, he would go straight for it. He tossed the folder down on the island. “You lied to me. Why?”

Alicia turned; her brow furrowed. She glanced at the folder and scooped it up while taking a large gulp. She nodded but said nothing, then dropped it back on the counter before filling the glass with more wine.

“You trashed the truck to get me to leave, didn’t you?”

“No. No. I didn’t,” she replied calmly.

“Don’t bullshit me. That’s your truck.”

“You’re right. And yes. I wanted you to leave because I care about you. Okay? I don’t want to see you hurt. But that. That’s not me driving it. ”

She set her glass down and leaned back against the counter.

“The night your truck was trashed, I told you I wasn’t in the area and I wasn’t driving the truck.”

“So who was?”

She stared back at him. Giving him a moment to think.

“Alicia?”

“Dax. Dax borrowed it.”

“What?”

“From time to time I would let him use it. To take a girl out. To run some errands. His ride wasn’t working. I felt sorry for him. I had my motorbike. When I’m not working, the truck is just sitting there. He asked to use it.”

Noah shook his head and leaned against the counter. “Why is it that I have to dig so deep to get the truth? Does anyone not lie around here?”

“I never lied to you, Noah.”

“But you never told me he was using it that night.”

“Why would I? And seriously, would you have thought Dax would have done that?”

There was a long pause.

“I suppose not.”

“And do you think I would be stupid enough to take my work vehicle which could get spotted by a camera? I wouldn’t risk my career. I worked damn hard to get here. Hell, I’m in the same business as you. Give me some credit.”

“I’m sorry. I had to ask.”

“No, you implied.” She took a big swig.

“Yeah, well, I’m not exactly getting straight answers from people.”

“I told you that you wouldn’t.” She poured some more wine, looking exasperated. “So, what now? They’re going to arrest me or…?”

“I’m sure we can get this settled once we find Dax. ”

“Well, that’s simple. He came by earlier this afternoon.”

“How, if he doesn’t have a vehicle?”

“Uber.”

“What did he want?”

“He didn’t seem to want anything. He was acting strange. He certainly wasn’t himself. He kept pacing. Muttering under his breath. I asked him about his eye but he just waved me off. I offered him a beer. He…”

“What is it?”

“Thanked me. For my kindness. For not treating him like a criminal. I asked him if he was okay. You know, because he was worrying me. I haven’t seen him like that before. He looked nervous. And…”

“And?”

“His knuckles were red. Bleeding.”

“And you never thought to call me?”

“Of course. He said he wanted to see you this evening but he didn’t know where you were staying.”

“You gave him the address of the cabin?” Noah asked.

“Yeah.”

Noah scooped up the folder. “After this?”

“Oh, God. Noah. I’m sorry. I…” She brought a hand up to her head.

He didn’t catch the rest. He was halfway out the door and already on the phone to update Callie and to have her meet him out there. He reversed out, gunning it and reaching speeds of up to 90 mph.

The twenty-minute trip was extended by traffic.

Along the way, Noah tried to piece it together in his mind. Every scenario played out in brutal fashion. The message on the side of the truck. “GO HOME OR YOU’LL JOIN YOUR brOTHER, PIG!”

Could he have really been involved in Luke’s murder ?

As he got closer to the cabin, the smell of burning wood followed by the sight of flickering orange flames and plumes of white and black smoke filled his heart with dread. As he came around into the driveway, he was met by the sight of an inferno.

The cabin offered little resistance to the hungry flames.

Consumed. Overwhelmed. The dry wood was devoured with a ferocity that was almost alive.

Noah jumped out. He could already hear the wail of fire engines in the distance. No doubt someone had called them. Noah squinted, lifting his forearm to his eyes as he skirted around the blaze.

“Ed!” he called out.

He expected to see him outside, down by the water, or at least on the phone with cops.

Instead, he saw him on the ground, face down. “Ed!” Noah rushed over and flipped him over, hoping, praying that he wasn’t dead. There was a large gash down his forehead. Noah placed two fingers on the side of his throat.

There was still a pulse. It was low but beating.

“Don’t you die on me, old man!” Noah moved him into the recovery position. The sound of sirens grew louder.

Firefighters leaped out of the truck and quickly assessed the situation. They began to unfurl a hose and connect it to the nearest hydrant. A chief barked out commands, directing his team to target the most intense parts of the fire.

Within minutes, a couple of firefighters took over, providing medical attention to Ed before an ambulance arrived to race him to the hospital.

Among the slew of emergency personnel and flashing strobe lights, Callie emerged.

Noah was crouched near the dock, watching the cabin collapse in on itself. He phoned Alicia to deliver the unfortunate news. Insurance would cover it but it was still a kick to the gut .

“Noah. Are you okay?” Callie asked, making her way over.

“Yeah,” he said, rising to his feet.

She looked back at what remained of the structure. Now it was just a blackened mess of flames and smoke as the firefighter’s unleashed ropes of water into the hellish blaze.

“Anything important inside?”

“Nothing that can’t be replaced. I’m more worried about Ed.”

“Come on, let’s head to the hospital. We’ll check on him. If they can stabilize him, maybe he can shed some light on what happened.”

As they rolled out, Noah stared into his rearview mirror as the last of the flames were doused. He could only imagine who was responsible. What was to be gained by burning down Alicia’s cabin? Did the arsonist think vital evidence was contained within, evidence Luke had accumulated?

Or worse — did they think Noah was inside?