AllFreeNovel
Share Us
He recounted the events in a few sentences and Alex’s look grew more and more anguished as he did so.
“My God, when is enough going to be enough? Annie’s now lost everyone.”
“Well, she wanted to come here, so she has you.”
“She can stay here as long as she wants. We can get some things from her apartment in the morning.”
“I can load her scooter in the back of the SUV and bring it over in the morning.”
“Thanks. Do you want some coffee or tea?”
“No, you and Annie need to get some rest, and I’ve got some things to do.”
She furrowed her brow at this statement. “Things to do? Do you know what time it is?”
“My job’s like yours; it’s not nine-to-five.”
She smiled and that lifted his spirits a little. “Okay, but please be careful.”
“Thanks for helping, Alex, I know Annie appreciates it.”
“That’s what we do here, we help each other because each other is all we’ve really got.”
“Where’s Dak? I didn’t see his Harley?”
“I am not my brother’s keeper.”
They gazed at each other. Devine didn’t really want the moment to end, but...
“Good night,” she said.
She closed the door, and he hurried back to the Tahoe and drove off.
He could feel things escalating now and he needed information, a lot of it.
As he drove he hit a number on his phone. Campbell picked up on the second ring.
Devine went over finding Earl Palmer’s body, and then the fact of the missing rape kit and Chief Harper’s having been the last one to check it out.
“And Annie Palmer’s parents found Alex right after the event happened. And three days later they were dead in a house fire.” “And you believe they saw who did it, but didn’t report it for some reason, then they were murdered by the man who raped Alex to ensure their permanent silence?”
“It’s a plausible theory.”
“But you have to get proof.”
“The puzzling question is, if I’m right, whydidn’tthey report it?”
“Putnam is a small town.”
“Meaning they might have known the person who did it and didn’t want to expose them for some reason?”
“That’s also a plausible theory,” noted Campbell. “Now, let’s focus on Earl Palmer’s death.”
“If he was murdered, and there’s no proof of that yet, one reason could be he was paid off or forced by someone to pretend he found Jenny’s body.”
“So the murderer silenced him in case he had a change of heart and decided to tell all?”
“Yes.”
