Uninvited

Chapter 16

"Forget it. All I want you to do is find out anything you can about Sheriff Caldwell," Alex told her.

"And how am I supposed to do that?"

"I was told you got close to Maria and her friends. Was that not correct information?"

Abby nodded. "I did but her husband Chuck gets really upset when he catches her gossiping. What if he was somehow involved? Maybe that's why he doesn't like her gossiping with me?"

"Or it could be he just doesn't like his wife telling tales." Alex grinned. "You do realize he would've been a little too young to have murdered anyone, right?"

Abby's eyes narrowed. "There are such things as teenage murderers, you know."

"Fine. Put him on the suspect list. Hell, everyone should be on the suspect list at this point. Get in touch with Maria and her friends. Between those women, I expect you to find out everything the sheriff has been up to in the past twenty-five years. Everything, do you understand me?"

Abby was torn. She wanted to protest because she really didn't want to be around Chuck but on the other hand, she really wanted to help Alex get justice for his sister. Her decision was made when she remembered the stack of collection notices that had been tucked in a drawer inside her apartment waiting to be paid.

"I'll find out as much as I can...but, Mr. Carter?"

"Yes?" he replied absently, not really listening to her anymore.

"Why don't you hire a private detective or something? Wouldn't that be easier than you trying to uncover the past on your own?"

A grim expression settled on his face. "I did and it wasn't very helpful. This town doesn't share information as easily as you think it does. Maria and her friends think you're okay because you work for me and I live here. If someone from out of town who has no connection to this place were to try and dig up dirt, they'd end up hitting rocks. Besides, you were wrong about a very important fact."

"What's that?"

"You said I'm uncovering the past on my own. That's not true. You're here, remember? You're helping me."

Abby felt her cheeks flush. That was true.

"Can I ask you another question?" Abby asked.

"You just did," her employer replied dryly.

She ignored his remark. "Why do you think Sheriff Caldwell had something to do with his wife and daughter's murder? He seems like a nice man. I guess I just can't imagine anyone wanting to kill a little girl."

"You don't know what happened that night, do you?" Alex asked. He put his photo album down and sat back across the sofa.

"No. All I know is that Crystal Caldwell was killed."

"So much happened that night that not too many people are sure what's factual and what's fake anymore," Alex muttered. "Crystal was murdered. That's true. The sheriff's wife was alone with her daughter and the sheriff was still working. It was storming that night. From what the police reports indicated and what the private detective gathered, an intruder broke into the home."

"So you did look at the police reports." Abby pointed a finger at her boss who frowned at her. She quickly put her hand down.

"Yes, of course, I did. The report itself was vague. I truly think Sheriff Caldwell doctored the report. There was no one who could adequately give a story about what really happened that night. Supposedly the sheriff's wife was waiting for him to come home but he didn't. He never came home that night."