Plain Danger

Reynolds and Inman had left the house, leaving the younger cop guarding the door and the army guy standing in the entryway. She extended her hand and walked to meet him. “Carolyn York. My friends call me Carrie.”

“Tyler Zimmerman. I’m a special agent with the Criminal Investigation Division at Fort Rickman. The CID is involved because the victim was military.”

His handshake was firm and confident.

“Fort Rickman is where my father was last stationed,” she stated in case he wasn’t aware of her father’s military past.

“Yes, ma’am. I understand you just arrived in Freemont.”

She nodded. “A little before five and in time to talk to my father’s lawyer briefly. Mr. Gates asked me to return to his office in the morning to discuss my father’s estate, but—” She spread her hands and looked out the window. “I’m not sure if everything will settle down by then.”

“I understand your concern, Ms. York.”

She tried to smile. “Carrie, please. Since we’re neighbors.”

He quirked an eyebrow.

Had she revealed too much? “The lawyer mentioned that someone from the CID was my father’s neighbor,” she quickly explained. “I put two and two together. You do live next door?”

“That’s correct.” He motioned toward the living room. “Shall we sit down? I know you’ve answered a lot of questions already, but I’d like to hear your take on what happened.”

She settled onto the couch while he pulled a straight-back chair close. Mr. Zimmerman seemed to be a man of few words with no interest in social niceties that could take the edge off the tension hovering in the air. She wouldn’t make another mistake by trying to be neighborly.

As much as she struggled to remain stoic, a picture of what she’d seen played through her mind again.

The gaping wound, the bloody ground—

She dropped her head in her hands. “I’m sorry, but I...I can’t get the image—”

“The man in the field?” the special agent filled in.

Pulling in a ragged breath, she glanced up and nodded. “The memory keeps flashing through my mind.”

“Which is understandable.” He hesitated a long moment, before asking, “What alerted you to go outside, ma’am?”

“It was Bailey.” The dog lay by the chair where she had sat earlier. Hearing his name, he trotted to her side.

“I had let him out a little before midnight,” she explained. “When he hadn’t returned, I must have fallen back to sleep.”

She rubbed the dog’s neck, finding comfort in his nearness. “At some point, Bailey started barking. I went outside to get him, thinking he’d found an animal.”

Mentally she retraced her steps, seeing again the mound that had turned into a man. “I never expected to find a dead body.”

“Did you see anyone else or hear anything?”

“Footsteps behind me when I ran back to the house. I locked the door and called 911.”

“After you made the call, did you hear or see anyone outside?”

“No, and I was too afraid to pull back the curtain. The only sounds were the sirens.”

“Could you describe what you saw when you discovered the victim?”

“Blood, a military uniform, boots. At first, I thought he might have tripped and fallen. When I saw his face, I...I knew he...he was dead.” Her hand touched her throat in the exact place the soldier’s had been cut. “The wound was—”

She dropped her hand into her lap and worried her fingers. “I can’t describe it.”

“But you saw no one the entire time you were outside the house.”

“That’s correct.”

“How did you learn of your father’s death, Ms. York?”

“George Gates called five days ago with the news. That’s when I learned Sergeant Major Harris was my father.”

The agent glanced up from his notes. “Sorry?”

“I thought my father had died soon after I was born.”

“Why did you think that?”

“My parents weren’t married. My mother evidently fabricated a version of what had happened.”

“She told you he had died?”

“That’s correct. In a covert black ops mission.”

The special agent narrowed his gaze. “And you believed her?”

Carrie bristled. “Don’t children usually believe their mothers?”

A swath of color reddened his cheek as if he were embarrassed by his lack of sensitivity. “So you grew up not knowing Sergeant Major Harris was your father?”

“My mother told me my father’s last name was Harrison, probably to keep me from learning the truth. I searched through military channels when I was in college, but the army disavowed having a record of a Jeffrey Harrison from Radcliff, Kentucky.” She glanced up at the tall ceiling and crown molding, thinking of the lie her mother had perpetuated for too many years. Lowering her gaze, she focused on the photo of a muscular man in uniform. The name tag on his chest read Harris. “Now I find out my father lived in Georgia.”

“What did your mother say after Mr. Gates notified you of the sergeant major’s death?”

“My mother died three years ago of a heart attack.”

“I’m sorry.”

Carrie had grieved deeply for her mother, but she wasn’t sure how she felt now. After the phone call from Gates, she’d been numb and confused. Since then, the word betrayal had come to mind, although she knew her mother wasn’t totally to blame for the disinformation she had passed on to Carrie. Surely the sergeant major bore some of the guilt, as well.

She hugged her arms, suddenly cold and overcome with fatigue. Once again, the line of questioning seemed to have digressed off track.

“Mr. Zimmerman,” she said with a sigh. “I have no idea what is going on here. My father supposedly died from an accidental fall ten days ago. Finding another military man dead on his property tonight has me wondering if something suspect could be underfoot.”

The agent leaned in closer. “Like what?”

She shrugged. “You tell me. Was my father involved in some nefarious or illegal operation?”

“Do you think he was?”

“I have no idea. According to his lawyer, Jeffrey Harris stipulated in his will that I was not to be notified of his death until after his burial. Mr. Gates presumed that my father didn’t want me to feel coerced to attend his funeral. I must admit that I question my father’s logic. It seems strange that he would be considerate of a daughter he’d never tried to contact.”

Giving voice to what troubled her the most about her father brought even more unease to her already-troubled heart. Why hadn’t her father wanted a relationship with his only child?

She glanced at the fireplace with its wide hearth and sturdy oak mantel and shook her head to ward off the hot tears that burned her eyes. She usually could control her emotions. Tonight was different. More than anything, she didn’t want to seem needy in front of the agent with the penetrating eyes and questioning gaze. “I feel like I’m drowning, as you might imagine. No buoy or life preserver in sight.”

“Ms. York...uh, Carrie, I’m sure things will sort themselves out over the next few days. How long do you plan to stay in Freemont?”

“I’m not sure. Mr. Gates mentioned that someone is interested in buying the property. He encouraged me to sell, and initially, I had planned to put the house on the market as soon as possible.”

“And now?” the CID agent asked.

“Now I’m not sure.”

“Then you plan to stay?”

“No.” She didn’t know what she planned to do. “I have a job in DC, but I can work here for a period of time. I’m sure the police won’t want me to leave the area.”

“Not until the investigation is over,” he confirmed.

“Then that settles the problem. I’m forced to stay, although I’m concerned about safety issues with a man dead in the backyard. Still, I’ll remain here, at least until the ceremony downtown.”

“I’m unaware of any ceremony.”

“Honoring veterans from the local area. Mr. Gates said a plaque with my father’s name and years in service will be added to the War Memorial and unveiled at the end of the month. I’ll stay until then.”

“And if the investigation is still ongoing?”

Her shoulders slumped ever so slightly. “Eventually I’ll have to return to my job.”

“You work for Drake Kingsley?”

“That’s right. I’m his speechwriter.”

“Do you believe everything you write in his speeches?”

The personal nature of the question surprised her as much as the sudden hard edge to his voice.

Any residual tears instantly dried. “What does that mean?”

“He’s not a friend of the military.”

“Senator Kingsley is a good man.” With a big heart, she almost added.

“If that’s what you believe, then he’s got you fooled.”

The door opened, and Inman stepped into the foyer. “Officer Phillips needs to see you, sir.”

The special agent pushed out of the chair and stood. “Excuse me, ma’am. I have work to do.”

He turned on his heel and followed Inman outside, leaving her alone, except for Bailey and the young cop who stood guard at the door.

Recalling the special agent’s curt tone and abrasive comment, she felt her heart pounding. The senator had been like a father to her over the past eighteen months that she’d worked for him. Demanding at times, but he was also generous with his praise, and her writing had improved under his tutelage.

Why would Special Agent Zimmerman be so antagonistic toward a noted public servant who played such an important role in her life? The senator had changed a few of her speeches over the months to tone down her exuberant support for the military. She had never purposefully maligned anyone in uniform, nor would she ever do so. The special agent didn’t understand that she was a paid employee on Kingsley’s staff and had to comply with his requests in regard to his talks.

Evidently Mr. Zimmerman was unaware of the number of people Carrie admired, all dedicated men and women who were serving in the military. She—and indeed, the entire nation—was indebted to their sacrifice.

Admittedly Senator Kingsley had been somewhat vocal in his disregard of those in uniform in private settings, and she had heard him say that the military wasn’t to be trusted, but that was the senator’s belief and not hers.

Unlike Kingsley, she was wholeheartedly pro-military.

Except she did wonder about the special agent neighbor. Not because he was in the army, but because he lived next to a murder scene and had so quickly appeared on site. Was it purely coincidental?

Carrie needed to be careful until she knew if the CID agent was trustworthy or someone to watch.

* * *

Tyler left the house and descended the porch steps to where Officer Phillips stood on the sidewalk, cell phone at his ear. Disconnecting, the cop acknowledged Tyler with a nod.

“The victim’s wallet confirmed Fellows’s name and provided an address.” Phillips pointed into the wooded area behind the Harris home. “A dirt road winds along the rear of the property. The sergeant major kept a trailer in the woods and rented it out. Fellows was his latest tenant. Some of my guys are there now looking for anything that can shed light on his murder.”

Tyler glanced back at the house. “I wonder if Ms. York was aware of the trailer. She plans to talk to her father’s lawyer in the morning.”

“George Gates?” Phillips asked.

“You know him?”

“I know of him,” the cop acknowledged. “His office is just off the square. He’s well thought of in town. Has a pretty wife, a couple kids. The wife is some kind of designer. Works with Realtors by staging the homes that are on the market. All high-end properties.”

“Thanks for the information,” Tyler said. “I’ll pay him a visit in the morning.”

“Doubt he’ll provide anything new.” Phillips smirked. “You know lawyers and client privilege.”

“You’re saying Harris had something to hide?”

“I’m saying you never know about neighbors.” Phillips made a clucking sound as he stared into the wooded area before turning back to Tyler. “Did you ever see Fellows hovering around Harris’s property?”

“Never. But then I’ve haven’t been in Georgia long.”

“Where were you stationed before Rickman?”

“Germany for three years. A little town called Vilseck.”

“Near the Grafenwohr training area.”

Surprised that Phillips knew of Grafenwohr, Tyler smiled. “You’re prior military?”

“Roger that.” The cop chuckled. “I enlisted after high school.”

Tyler liked Phillips. Knowing he had served elevated him in Tyler’s opinion even more. “Thanks for your service.”

“My contribution was insignificant compared to most. Present company included.”

Tyler appreciated the comment. At least Phillips would understand the role the CID could play in the investigation.

“With the army’s concern about fraternization between the ranks, something seems strange to me,” Phillips said as he pocketed his cell. “Why would a sergeant major rent his trailer to some young soldier?”

“Harris was retired, and even if he had been on active duty, it wouldn’t have been a problem if they were from different units. The sergeant major probably advertised on-post. Fellows may have been a country boy. Liked the outdoors and wanted to move out of the barracks.”

The cop rubbed his jaw. “Maybe, although I wonder if anything else was afoot.”

“I’ll talk to his first sergeant and the other soldiers in his platoon,” Tyler said. “They might provide a better picture of who Fellows was.”

Phillips nodded. “And why someone wanted to kill him.”

“What about questioning the neighbors?” Tyler asked.

“I’ve got a couple officers checking the folks who live nearby. I’m not sure how cooperative the Amish will be. They’re good people, but they stick to themselves.”

Tyler glanced at where the body was found. “The killer could have skirted Amish Road, by using the dirt road you mentioned. If he paid Fellows a late-night visit, they could have argued and gotten into a fight. Fellows might have run this direction to get away from the assailant. The killer follows and attacks after Fellows stumbled into the clearing.”

“Did you hear anything unusual?”

Tyler shook his head. “Not a peep.”

“Something must have alerted Ms. York.”

“She said her father’s dog found the body and started barking.”

Phillips pursed his lips. “Might seem like a stretch, but I wonder if she could be involved.”

Tyler hadn’t expected the comment, but as any law enforcement officer knew, no one could be ruled out at this point.

The cop slapped Ty’s shoulder. “My turn to talk to her.”

Tyler pulled out his phone as the officer climbed the steps and opened the door. Carrie stood in the foyer and glanced around Phillips to where Tyler lingered at the bottom of the steps. She tilted her head ever so slightly as if questioning why he was still hanging around outside. The door closed, leaving Tyler with a strange sense of being shut out.

He had allowed his emotions to get the best of him when he questioned her. A mistake he shouldn’t have made and wouldn’t make again. Still, he hadn’t expected an investigation in Georgia to open a painful memory from his past.

Pulling up his phone contacts, he tapped the number for the CID special agent on call. Everett Kohl’s voice was heavy with sleep when he answered. “What’s going on, Ty?”

“A soldier was murdered along Amish Road.”

“Fill me in on the details.”

Tyler shared what he knew about the case.

Once he had finished providing information, Everett asked, “Want me to notify the post duty officer? He’ll inform General Cameron. The commanding general needs to know what happened.”

“Sounds good. Thanks.”

“Any witnesses?” Everett inquired.

“Not at this point. The sergeant major’s daughter arrived in town late in the day. She knew nothing about her father until his lawyer called informing her of the property she had inherited.”

“Welcome to Freemont.”

“You’ve probably heard of Drake Kingsley, the senator from Ohio?” A ball of bile rose in Ty’s throat. Not that he would share his past with Everett.

“As I recall, the senator’s not enamored with the military.”

“You’re exactly right.” Tyler paused for a moment before continuing. “Kingsley is talking about the need to slash the defense budget even more than last year. He was also instrumental in convincing the president to cut troop strength.”

“What’s the connection with this case?”

“Carolyn York, the woman who found the body, works as a speechwriter for Senator Kingsley.”

Everett groaned. “She could be as vocal as her boss. We don’t need any more bad press or do-gooders from Washington interfering with our investigation.”

Tyler understood bad press. He also understood Everett’s concern. Budget cuts and troop reduction had decimated the army. Combat readiness was a thing of the past.

“How’d you get involved, Ty?”

“I heard the sirens. Came to see what was going down and found out the deceased was military, assigned to the engineer battalion.”

“That’s interesting.”

“In what way?” Tyler asked.

“Let me check the post paper. Seems I read the sergeant major’s obit not long ago.”

Tyler waited until Everett came back on the line.

“Here it is. ‘Sergeant Major Jeffrey Harris, recently retired from the US Army.’ This is the part that’s of interest. ‘His last duty station was Fort Rickman, where Harris was the command sergeant major of the engineer battalion.’”

“So he and Fellows could have served together, depending upon how long ago the corporal transferred to the battalion.”

“Doubtful the sergeant major would rent a trailer to someone in the same unit, unless they had some prior connection.” Everett voiced the same concern as Phillips had earlier. “Having a superior as a landlord could be seen as a conflict of interest.”

“Something to consider.”

Ty looked back at the Harris home. Carrie’s arrival the night Fellows died could also be significant.

“This case could explode in our faces,” Everett continued. “Especially since the woman has ties to Washington. I’ll confirm with Wilson tomorrow to ensure that the boss is in agreement, but the way I see it, you’ll need to keep tabs on Ms. York. Two folks have died on that property in less than two weeks. Keep her safe and as happy as can be expected under the circumstances. I’ll let you know any information we find out about Fellows.”

Everett was right. Tyler needed to keep an eye on his neighbor and see what he could learn about the estranged daughter and the young soldier who had died on her father’s property. Maybe the pretty newcomer to Freemont knew more about her father than she was willing to admit.

THREE

The first light of dawn glowed on the horizon as the Freemont police climbed into their squad cars. Phillips stood next to Tyler, watching their departure.

“Our crime scene folks will expand their search over the entire field,” Phillips said. “So far they haven’t found anything that seems to have bearing. I’m hoping Forensics might provide more information. I’ll let you know what we uncover.”

“Earlier you mentioned that the sergeant major’s body was discovered in the woods,” Tyler said. “Do you know who found him?”

“Inman handled the call, but if my memory is correct, an Amish teenager took a shortcut through the property and stumbled across the remains.”

“Was there anything suspect about Harris’s death?”

Phillips shook his head. “Nothing that seemed questionable at the time.”

“Might be worth reviewing the report,” Tyler suggested.

“I’ll do that. And I’ll talk to Inman.”

Tyler glanced at the lights glowing in the downstairs windows of the stately home. “Are any of your people still inside the house?”

“One of our rookies.”

“I’ll tell him you’re wrapping up.” Tyler hustled up the porch steps and rapped lightly on the door. The young cop he’d seen earlier answered his knock. Tyler stepped inside and repeated the message from Phillips. The officer hurriedly left the house and climbed into one of the squad cars.

Footsteps sounded from the kitchen.

“Ms. York?” Tyler called from the foyer.

She stepped into the hallway. Her eyes widened ever so slightly. “Agent Zimmerman, I didn’t expect to see you again. Do you have more questions?”

“No, ma’am, but I wanted to apologize for my comments.”

“Which comments are you referring to?” She squared her shoulders in a defensive gesture he had half expected after his earlier outburst.

“My comments about Senator Kingsley.” Not that they weren’t true. Still, he hated hearing the cool aloofness in her voice.

She stepped closer. “Evidently I said something wrong, something that upset you. Let me assure you that I’m not the senator.”

He pointed a finger back at himself. “I in no way thought you were.”

“Nor do I put words in his mouth.”

“Actually...” Tyler hesitated. “If you write his speeches, that’s exactly what you do.”

She frowned.

He wasn’t making points.

“Senator Kingsley is quite explicit on what he wants covered in each speech,” she said with an icy stare. “His policies are exactly that—his policies. They reflect his opinions and what he believes to be true and do not reflect the way I think or feel.”

“That’s good to know.”

“I admire all who defend our nation, Agent Zimmerman. They sacrifice greatly. Many give their lives for our security. I am indebted to their service, as the entire nation should be.”

“Then we see eye-to-eye on that point, but I still hope you’ll accept my apology.”

“Of course.”

He handed her his business card. “Some of the crime scene personnel will remain on-site for a while. I’m heading to post. My phone will be on if you think of anything else.”

“I’ve told you everything.”

“Yes, ma’am, but I’m sure you’re anxious and concerned. Keep your doors and windows locked. Be alert to any danger.”

Her stiffness crumbled. She drew her hand to her neck. “Y-you’re worrying me.”

Which he hadn’t intended to do. “I just want to ensure that you use caution.”

“Thank you for your concern.”

When he’d entered the house the first time, his focus was on the murdered soldier and on finding information. Now that the immediate urgency was over, he paused to glance at the expansive living area with two brick fireplaces, tall ceilings and hand-hewn hardwood floors.

“Your home is beautiful.”

“My father’s home,” she corrected. “I still feel like an outsider.”

“In time, that should change.”

Her face softened for a moment, exposing a vulnerability he hadn’t expected. Then she pulled in a quick breath and returned to her former polite, but somewhat perturbed, self.

“I hope the investigation is wrapped up quickly, Agent Zimmerman.”

“It will be.” Tyler sounded more optimistic than he felt. “My cell’s always on. You can call me if you hear anything worrisome. I’m home most nights by seven.”

“Bailey’s a good watchdog.”

“I’m sure he is.”

Tyler started for the door.

A phone rang. Carrie reached for her cell and checked the caller identification. “If you’ll excuse me, it’s the senator’s office.”

“You notified Washington?”

She quirked her brow. “Did you want me to keep the soldier’s death secret?”

“Of course not.” He opened the door. “I’ll be in touch.”

He hurried off the porch and started across the front lawn on his way home. Phillips waved from his sedan as he and Inman pulled onto Amish Road and headed back to town.

Tyler needed coffee and a shower before he drove to post, but he couldn’t get past the churning in his gut, knowing Carrie York was on the phone to DC.

This case came with baggage. Not what he needed or wanted. He had to focus on the investigation instead of getting into a war of words with the senator’s speechwriter whose arrival in Freemont felt suspect.