Page 41 of Mean Streak

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T he press conference was conducted in the atrium lobby of the hospital. The SO’s public information officer kept his statements short and sweet, providing little more information than that dictated by Emory Charbonneau herself.

Following the official statement, Jeff Surrey stepped to the podium and thanked all the law enforcement agencies and the dozens of volunteers who’d participated in the search for his wife. Then he petitioned members of the press to leave them in peace while she continued to rest and recover.

“She’s anxious to return to her medical practice and resume normal activities.”

“Does that include running marathons?” asked a reporter.

“Of course,” Jeff replied. “But following this experience, she may rethink where she trains.” That won him a smattering of laughter.

He addressed another couple of questions, both relating to Emory’s charitable pursuits.

“In fact, this experience has left her more enthusiastic than ever. She has inspired me to accompany her on her next trip to Haiti.”

That announcement came as a big surprise to everybody, but none more so than Alice Butler.

Knight, standing on the fringes of the gathering, noticed her reaction.

He and Grange ducked out as soon as the press conference concluded and returned to the sheriff’s office.

Grange wandered over to Knight’s desk, bringing a saucer-sized chocolate chip cookie for each of them.

“This might spoil your supper, but what the hell.”

“Not a chance. The missus called a while ago and promised me chicken and dumplings.” Knight bit off a quarter of his cookie. “You notice Alice Butler’s reaction to Jeff’s announcement about Haiti?”

“I was watching Jeff.”

“Looked like she’d swallowed an egg.”

“Well, the wife has returned. Jeff is showering her with affection and attention. Alice has got to feel slighted.”

“I don’t doubt that she’s glad to have her partner and friend safely returned.”

“Me either,” Grange said. “But she’s human. On the flip side, she has to be relieved that she wasn’t drawn into a criminal investigation.” He chewed his cookie. “Why do you think she’s lying? Not Alice. Emory.”

Knight leaned back in his chair, propped his feet on the corner of his desk, and reached for his trusty rubber band. “Because she doesn’t want her husband and the rest of the world to know that she was cozied up with some guy while good people were out freezing their asses off looking for her.”

“Payback for Jeff’s affair with Alice?”

Knight shrugged. “Could be that his affair is payback for one of Emory’s. Who knows? Anyhow, she got cold feet when her romantic getaway turned into a missing person case. Smart lady that she is, she decided to get herself on home.”

Grange frowned with uncertainty. “I don’t think it’s as cut and dried as that, Sam.”

Knight didn’t either. “So talk.”

“The concussion was recent,” Grange said. “I asked the doctor myself. The wound on her scalp, also recent. During her four-day absence, she sustained those injuries. The how is what remains unclear.”

“You think she lied about falling and hitting her head?”

“Possibly.”

“Why lie?”

“I don’t know. But I think it must have to do with the Good Samaritan. How could she stay four days with him and not know his name?”

Knight twisted his rubber band. “Jeff seemed to buy into her story of ‘I don’t remember.’”

“Making him guilty after all.”

“Of what?”

“Stupidity.”

Knight laughed. “I said he seemed to buy her story. Only way he can save face is to pretend he believes her. He wasn’t about to point at her and shout, ‘Liar, liar, pants on fire,’ in front of God and everybody.”

“In my book, he’s still an asshole.”

“You won’t get an argument from me.” Knight stood up, stretched his back, and pulled on his coat. “Chicken and dumplings are calling my name.”

“So, case closed?”

“The missing person ain’t no longer missing, Buddy.”

“That much is true.”

Sensing his partner’s reluctance to call it quits, Knight propped his butt against the edge of his desk. “You want to arrest Dr. Charbonneau for creating a false alarm when she’s got two medically documented head injuries?”

“No.”

“Good. Because no prosecutor would touch it. Aside from being a lousy liar, she’s as stable and sane a person as I’ve ever met.”

“Agreed.”

“So what would’ve been her motive for staging a disappearance?”

“Attention? Celebrity?”

“Doesn’t need it,” Knight said. “She’s already got all the attention in the world focused on her and her good deeds.”

“Retribution on somebody?”

“Besides her cheating husband, you mean? And we don’t even know if she’s onto his cheating. She has no known enemies. We’ve yet to find anybody who has a bad word to say about her. Even Dr. Butler, her husband’s lover, sings Emory’s praises. Tell me what she had to gain by pulling such a stunt.”

“Not a damn thing,” Grange said. “Which makes lying about it all the more peculiar. If she didn’t devise this scheme, she shouldn’t have to lie. But she is. Why?”

“Shit. Right back to my original question.” Knight dragged his hand down his face, and when Grange was about to speak, he beat him to the punch. “I’m with you, I’m with you. We’re missing something.”

“What do you think it is?”

“Beats the hell out of me. I just hope that when and if it rears its ugly head, it’s not too ugly.”

***

Jeff looked at Emory’s untouched dinner tray. “I don’t blame you. It doesn’t look all that appetizing. Would you like for me to go out and bring something back for you?”

“I’m not hungry, but thank you for offering.”

He wheeled the tray aside so he could sit on the edge of her bed.

As always he was perfectly groomed, but she could tell that he was almost as weary as she.

The past four days had been harrowing for him, although each time she apologized for the hell he’d been put through, he assured her that his tribulations were forgotten the instant he heard her voice coming through his phone and knew that she was all right.

“What about your dinner?” she asked.

“I’ll grab something.”

“You should have let Alice and Neal take you out before they left for Atlanta.”

“I didn’t want to leave you alone. Besides, I think they were relieved I didn’t accept the invitation. They were anxious to head back before it got any later. Alice was going to follow Neal in your car.”

Jeff had asked one of them to drive it back to Atlanta so Emory could ride with him tomorrow.

Before leaving, Alice had sneaked her the EC kit as promised. She’d told Emory she didn’t expect her to have any side effects, but got her promise to call if she did. Alice had also tactfully reminded her that while the pills could prevent pregnancy, they didn’t prevent STDs.

Jeff snapped his fingers in front of her face. “Are you with me?”

“I’m sorry.”

“I was telling you that I remembered to get your duffel bag and boots out of the trunk of your car before Alice left. Everything’s in the closet, including your laptop, which the sheriff’s office returned. They also gave me my pistol back.”

“Pistol?”

“Just a formality, I was told. But I’m sure they checked it for recent firing.” He gave a snarky smile. “Joke’s on them, isn’t it?”

“I fail to see the humor.”

“So do I. Thank God this ordeal is over for both of us.” He took her hand and clasped it between his. “Emory, I won’t press you to know where you were or what you were doing after Saturday morning.”

“Jeff—”

“No, don’t say anything. I don’t want to place you in a position of having to lie to me. The fact is, whatever transpired, I deserved it. I’ve been a bastard. On the best days, I’ve been withdrawn. On the worst, I’ve been difficult and often downright impossible.”

He paused as though giving her a chance to dispute that. When she didn’t, he continued. “You know how badly I wanted that partnership. There have been other disappointments as well.”

“I can’t endorse that drug, Jeff. Perhaps—”

“This isn’t about that. I swear. What I’m trying to say is that these letdowns are no excuse for the way I’ve behaved, for the way I’ve treated you.”

“I didn’t set out to punish you.”

“All right, I’ll accept that,” he said, but with a notable lack of conviction. “What I want you to know is that it took almost losing you for me to realize how vital you are to my happiness. No, not just to my happiness. To my life . I want us to make a fresh start. I want—”

His cell phone rang, interrupting him. He pulled it off his belt, read the caller’s name, and muttered with irritation, “Seriously?” He answered. “What is it?”

He listened for several seconds, then said, “I have no idea. Yes, I’ll ask her right now. Uh-huh. Okay, good-bye.” He clicked off. “That fat detective. Knight.”

“What did he want?”

“He asked if you had the hiking trail map you used on Saturday.”

“It’s zipped into the inside pocket of my jacket.”

He got up and moved to the narrow closet where he’d earlier stored her duffel bag. Also in it was the plastic bag containing her running clothes and other belongings, which she’d given over in exchange for the hospital gown. He brought the bag back to the bed and dumped the contents.

“This blue jacket?”

She nodded, then leaned her head back and gazed at the acoustic tiles in the ceiling. “Jeff, why did you announce at the press conference that you planned to go to Haiti with me?”

She had been disinclined to watch it, but a nurse who’d been in the room at the time of the broadcast had excitedly turned on the TV. A portion of it had aired live, a leading segment of the evening news.

He said, “I wanted to go on record that I’m turning over a new leaf.”

“It’s an admirable gesture. But I can’t see you enduring the heat and the squalid accommodations. Doling out toothbrushes to children and instructing them on their use? It just isn’t you.”

“But I want it to be. I want to become more involved in the things you’re involved in, and… Are you sure that map was in this pocket?”

“Yes.”

He turned it inside out and showed her. “Not here. I’ve checked all the other pockets, too.”

She raised a shoulder. “That’s where I remember putting it. Did Sergeant Knight say why he wanted it?”

“Something about investigators retracing the route you took on Saturday. Said the map you used might come in handy. I’ll call him later and tell him we can’t find it.” He began stashing the items back into the plastic bag. “Who repaired your sunglasses?”

I can be dexterous when dexterity is called for . Feeling the heat of guilt staining her cheeks, she looked away. “One of the nurses, I suppose. There were several in the ER who helped me undress.”

“Good thing you’ve got a change of clothing to wear home tomorrow. These look and smell a little worse for wear. Are you sure you don’t want me to toss them?”

“No. They’ll wash.”

“All right then.” He replaced the bag in the closet and sat back down on the edge of the bed. “Now,” he said, taking a deep breath, “where was I?”

“Making a fresh start.” Before he relaunched the discussion, she said, “But do you mind terribly if we start tomorrow? There’s so much for us to talk about, and I’m too exhausted tonight. I’m sorry.”

“No, I’m sorry. I should have realized.” He lifted her, hugging her against him. He ran his hands up and down her back, stroking her bare skin through the opening in the hospital gown.

“There were times during the past few days when I was afraid I’d never hold you like this again. I’ve missed it…missed this…missed you.” He kissed her temple, then her cheek, and then her lips, softly and chastely. Lowering her back onto the pillow, he said, “Now rest.”

“I will.”

“If you change your mind about wanting something to eat, wanting anything, promise you’ll call me.”

“I promise. Rest well. I’ll see you in the morning.”

“Bright and early. I can’t wait to quit this town.” He blew her a kiss at the door.

After he left, despair descended on her like some dark, malevolent bird, its wings widespread, covering her completely. Would she always feel this miserable with guilt over the lies she had told and continued to tell?

Throwing off the light blanket, she got out of bed. Pulling the IV pole along with her, she went over to the closet and took out the plastic bag that contained her belongings. She pulled from it her left running shoe, and from beneath the inner sole of it, she took out the map.

Knight had forgotten to get it from her before he left. As soon as she was alone in the room, she had retrieved the map from her jacket pocket and put it in her shoe, the only place she could think of to hide it until she was away from the hospital where she could safely throw it away.

She wasn’t really concealing anything. She’d been truthful about the name of the trail she’d taken, if not specific about the narrower paths she’d branched off onto, some of which deviated from the trail she’d marked.

All the same, she would hang onto the map, not wishing to make it easier for investigators to retrace her exact route and possibly find something left behind, a clue as to her rescuer’s identity or the location of his cabin.

Sam Knight, despite his “aw shucks” manner, was still a lawman. Unanswered questions and missing details nagged him. He’d led her to believe the case was as good as closed. But if that were true, why was he interested in seeing the map? Why were investigators still searching the trail?

The detective remained curious about her Good Samaritan.