Unlikely justice hailey.., p.1
Unlikely Justice (Hailey Arquette Murder Files Book 3), page 1
UNLIKELY JUSTICE
Hailey Arquette Murder Files
Book Three
REILY GARRETT
Acknowledgments
To Gunther… This series, as is the case with much of my writing, is inspired in part by my four-footed companions. Dogs have always been a part of the Garrett household. I recently met one who has reminded me so much of my long-coat shepherds that he deserves a mention. Gunther is a 200+ pound ball of love and fur who shares some of the same mannerisms as my fur kids. Yes, I used who instead of that because in our home, dogs are considered people too. Thank you, Gunther, for keeping all my fur kids alive in my memory.
To Rosie Amber for an in-depth assessment of character and plot, thank you for all your help. You can find her blog and services at rosieamber.wordpress.com/beta-reading-service.
To my editor RE Hargrave, tireless and always patient. Thank you for keeping me on the straight and narrow. You can find her services as www.rehargrave(dot)com.
To my readers, each one of you who selects and reads one of my books, thank you for the opportunity to share my work. If you’ve enjoyed it, please consider leaving a review. They are the best way to help your author share her work.
Copyright
Copyright© 2023 Reily Garrett
All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system without the written permission of the author, and where permitted by law. Reviewers may quote brief passages in a review.
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
Table of Contents
Acknowledgments
Copyright
Table of Contents
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Phantom Reunion
Reily’s Books
About Reily
Chapter One
Clarence
The soft ditty Clarence Burke hummed while heading to his car halted the chittering of two nearby squirrels that stopped to stare. The night had been full of wonder, his excitement magnified when his girlfriend said yes to the ultimate question.
Abandonment by her ex-husband meant Eleanor would have legal hurdles to navigate, but what was life’s journey without a few bumps in the road?
They hadn’t discussed specifics of where they’d live, not that it mattered as they both had nice homes. He liked her location, remote enough to enjoy privacy but within reasonable distance to town and the hardware store he co-owned with his brother.
His sedan purred to life in the cool morning air, reflecting his contentment despite the grim feeling suddenly inducing goose bumps on his forearms. It felt malevolent, the same sensation experienced after photographing white-winged crossbills deep in the bayou earlier.
Whatever stirred his current anxiety carried a direct, personal vibe to it.
He squashed the ill-timed feelings with the knowledge he’d soon become a husband and father, well, stepfather, each a first for him. It’d be good for Eleanor to have a man around the house again, one who’d take an interest in raising her vivacious toddler.
A three-point turn headed him down the dirt driveway lined by vibrant Shumard Oaks on the right and marshy flatlands on the left. A vast unspoiled beauty.
At the tip of the winding entrance, he stopped to observe the passage of three deer darting from the woods. He hadn’t thought to ask if poaching was an issue during the hunting season, a plight to consider when outdoors with small children.
Still, his future had never looked so bright.
So, why did the muscles around his right eye twitch? Why did his heart beat to the rhythm of heavy metal drum rolls?
Turning toward town, he accelerated and pushed the button on the wheel’s digital media. Classical country music soothed the perception of a thousand eyes watching him. Paranoia had never been a quirk in his personality, despite living alone all his adult life.
Ahead, he saw a large sandy-colored lump in the middle of the road. It didn’t move nor was there a car parked nearby.
Someone had hit a deer and left it where it’d fallen. Few people lived farther along the road. Small-town living dictated he knew most of them, if only by sight and reputation. None would hit a deer and ignore it.
Braking to a stop, he got out to make sure it wasn’t suffering before moving it to the shoulder, thereby avoiding an accident.
Lack of carrion creatures present decreed it hadn’t been present long, and yet, he saw no skid marks indicating a motorist hit their brakes or swerved to miss the animal.
A quick nudge of its hindquarters produced no response, but the steady rise and fall of the animal’s chest confirmed it alive. There existed no blood or obvious deformity indicating a vehicle struck it.
He’d never hit an animal but reckoned vehicular collision would produce some overt sign.
Poachers killed bucks to take their antlers for trophies. This was a doe. That left the possibility of drugging, which made no sense. What was the motive?
Beads of sweat rolled down his spine despite the slight chill in the air. His first impulse dictated he get in his car and peel out, but he couldn’t run over the helpless creature. It wasn’t in his nature.
Hind legs twitched in his grasp when he dragged it to the side, again indicating life. Once he got to his store, he’d notify Parks and Wildlife of its status.
Eleanor wasn’t scheduled to go anywhere and didn’t need the burden of the animal’s plight.
He estimated the deer’s weight to be a few pounds shy of a hundred, its grating slide over dirt and small rocks producing a sound that turned his stomach.
“Poor thing. I hope you get back to your family safe and sound.”
Why would anyone do such a thing?
He took a moment to examine the creature’s legs for signs of injury or swelling and confirmed them intact. He didn’t have a medical degree, which left plenty of room for error.
It reminded him of a classic movie plot where someone lay in the road to waylay passing motorists. Except he wasn’t a high-value target. The store he co-owned made just enough to keep him and his brother well fed and their employees content.
He wasn’t a hunter, nor did he embrace the killer instinct. Yet in the blink of an eye, he knew trouble barreled his way at terminal velocity.
As a basic survival mechanism, the primitive part of his brain, the amygdala, activated part of the nervous system that released hormones. His breathing quickened, muscles tensed, and awareness heightened with a change in the atmosphere. If fear had a scent, he’d reek of it.
Having finished his task, he dusted his hands and peered through the wooded shadows across the road. Nothing moved other than viny growth with the caress of a light breeze. No beady red eyes shone to contrast the blackness therein.
A small voice felt rather than heard declared a warning as clear as mud. He understood his physical responses but couldn’t define the instigating factor. It didn’t matter. Survival of early ancestors had proven the necessity of reacting to perceived danger. It wasn’t a question of intelligence, simply a survival instinct. Even a humble shop owner should heed natural responses.
He stood and rushed toward his car, having left the door open. As he bent to slide onto the seat, a sharp pain stabbed his right shoulder. Stinging, burning sensations sizzled down his arm and into his hand like he’d hit his funny bone on a corner shelf.
He wasn’t laughing.
A dart protruded three inches from his bicep. It felt like the other half lodged deep in his bone. He pulled it out and tossed it over his shoulder.
The likely scenario registered in the next heartbeat. Someone targeted him. Why?
Unlike in the movies, tranquilizers entering muscle tissue didn’t take effect immediately. A simple matter of anatomy and physiology.
A suggestive throat clearing snapped his attention back toward the woods where a man stepped from behind a thick oak tree.
“Hello, Clarence. Let’s go for a ride. Shall we?” Amusement laced the voice.
He didn’t recognize the face, but the mannerism, the way the stranger twisted his lips to the side and tilted his head seemed familiar. Neither matched the memory of someone he feared.
Thank God.
He felt lucky to not be facing the most dangerous man known for his sociopathic streak. Too late, he’d learned of the deranged mind underneath the pleasant façade o
He recognized the first hazing of his vision, a numbness of his thoughts. Most likely, the deviant had modified the drug to his own parameters.
One thing became abundantly clear as Clarence stared at the face of his unknown enemy. He’d not live long enough to slip a wedding ring on Eleanor’s finger or adopt the beautiful toddler, so full of life and joy.
Disjointed thoughts and muffled sounds accompanied rough hands guiding him to, and shoving him inside his own trunk.
His car wasn’t so old to lack an interior trunk release, known but not seen. If he weren’t so tired, he’d find and pull it.
Utter and complete despair matched the total blackness enfolding him when the lid slammed shut. The last thing he saw was a smile.
He knew that smile.
Chapter Two
Hailey
Evening light flowing through the windows consigned shadows to the corners of a room barren of the briefest glimpse of joy, taking hope for the ride.
Hailey sat on a worn but comfortable couch and waited for the homeowner to collect her thoughts. Eleanor Boyer couldn’t sit still for more than a few minutes.
“Thank you so much for coming, Hailey. You have a reputation for getting to the bottom of things.” Eleanor selected one of two photos lying on the coffee table. Clarence Burke, a local man well-known for kindness and generosity, smiled from his paper prison, a long lens camera held in his hand.
“You said on the phone he’s only been gone a few hours. Could he have forgotten your lunch date or perhaps gone to Houston for something special to celebrate the occasion?”
She didn’t know Clarence well, only by sight and to say hello.
It flies in the face of reason for a newly engaged man to forget such a date.
“No. Heavens no. He would not have forgotten, and he certainly wouldn’t ignore my phone calls. He’s very reliable.”
“That’s my understanding too.”
“I spoke with his brother before I called you. Clarence never made it to the store. Something happened between here and town. I know it’s only a few miles, and the police are reluctant to do anything considering the short time span since I saw him last. I-I just have the feeling that something is wrong. I feel it. I knew you’d understand.”
Clients seeking investigative help frequently referenced Hailey’s psychic gift indirectly. They implied no degradation. They were simply desperate and raw.
The current conversation entailed the most difficult part of her work, watching someone’s dreams evaporate into the ether. The petite mother wiped a tear from her cheek after removing her wire-rim glasses.
“As I said on the phone, Clarence wouldn’t leave me out of the clear blue. He’d just proposed.” Holding her left hand up, she extended her fingers to show the engagement ring, a white gold eagle with a solitaire stone clasped between outstretched wings.
“It’s beautiful. Do you have any idea where he might have gone?” She didn’t add, if under his own steam. It was clear Eleanor understood the question and anticipated foul play. “Where did he spend time when alone?”
“Clarence likes to go out to Bear Island Bayou early in the mornings. He always has his camera with him and has quite an extensive album. It’s a place we’ve gone together a few times.”
Hailey signaled approval with a hand motion when Gunther nudged her knee. He could provide more comfort than any human. Without sound or obvious effort, he calmed anxious souls with his bright blue eyes and gentle nudges that invited a soft touch.
Her wolf dog padded over to accept the homeowner’s petting. If not for his mixed heritage involving lupine genetics, she’d have a certified therapy dog. Long black hair and unusual blue eyes made him a favorite with children.
Few people ever saw his protective streak in action. It occupied the opposite end of the emotional spectrum; bold, brutal, and intense.
“And you saw Clarence this morning at what time?”
“Hmm, he left around nine.” Eleanor sniffled, then crumpled with the sound of her baby crying. “I’m sorry. Her afternoon naps usually last longer. I’ll be right back.”
Excusing herself, the mother padded up the stairs lining the living room, returning a few minutes later with a bright-eyed, squirming child in her arms.
“Is Gunther—”
“He loves children. My best friend is an aunt, and Gunther babysits her nieces and nephews like they’re the most precious beings on Earth. They’re never safer than in his presence.”
Eleanor nodded and sat with her daughter on her lap to introduce toddler and dog. Squirming for freedom, the little one held both hands out to Gunther, who responded with a big doggy grin.
Once standing and balancing with the help of her mother’s leg, the child took two steps and grasped the animal’s back with a squeal. As if proud of the trust and opportunity, Gunther walked his little charge around the room, much to the child’s gibbering delight.
“First Armond, now Clarence.” The mother’s shoulders slumped, her worried gaze finding her daughter. “I must have terrible taste in men. Let’s pray it’s not hereditary.”
“I ran Clarence through the DMV records before I came and saw he has two vehicles registered.”
“Yes. He usually drives his pickup, just bought it three months ago. He’d said the store’s business was picking up and it would be nice to haul things without using the company truck. His other vehicle, though, is the one he drives most of the time. Says it’s a classic that takes him back in time. That’s what he drove this morning.”
“So it wouldn’t have a GPS chip.”
“No, and Lt. Colson tried to ping his phone, but with no luck.”
“He was supposed to meet you at Bouchard’s in town, for lunch?”
“Yes, but he never showed. Leigh and Lt. Colson came out earlier when I insisted, but it hasn’t been a day. They called the hospital to make sure there’d been no auto injuries admitted to the ER. Honestly, Clarence wouldn’t leave like this.”
“Can you tell me a little more about him? Activities, other hobbies, social engagements?”
“Well, he’s not what you’d call a social butterfly, but he did help local students. He’s a member of the board at the Gifted Elite school. He’s also donated equipment to the science department of Beaumont High.”
“He’s a board member at the GE school?” Hailey’s blood ran cold at the turn of conversation. Her voice gained half an octave.
Gunther returned to her side, bringing the toddler who was happy to be mobile with her newest friend. The wolf dog’s whine and rubbing his forehead against her thigh demanded attention.
She tunneled her fingers through his fur and smiled, waving him off for another round of toddler escort.
“Well, yes. He and my, ah, husband had been friends at one time. Armond got him involved with some of their programs, but they grew apart over the years.”
“Any specific reason you can name?”
“No. Nothing comes to mind. When my husband took off months ago without a word, well, I started divorce proceedings. I’m sure you’re aware of this, but I had no idea my husband was such a horrid person. Killing, counterfeiting, exploiting students where he worked—I didn’t know about any of that.”
“I know, Eleanor. He said as much when he kidnapped me. I was just as shocked to find out about the illegal empire he was building.”
“Did you ever find those working with him?”
“Not yet, it’s an ongoing investigation. I know you don’t want to hear this, but is there any way Clarence—” She didn’t get another word out before Eleanor held up one hand.
“No. Absolutely not. I think hindsight is twenty-twenty. There were signs I missed with Armond. I see them now when I look back. God, I hope lightning didn’t strike twice. That doesn’t happen, does it?”
Hailey knew darn well it did happen on occasion. She’d had little dealings with the store owner, so couldn’t offer a specific or direct opinion.
There existed a point in every investigation where something muddied the waters, defying clarification due to diverging possibilities. Clarence’s involvement with the GE school raised a red flag that could take her down a rabbit hole or open a whole new can of worms.
