Page 18 of The Keeper

Seth relaxed back in his chair but wouldn’t let a sweet voice and empty promises sway him. “You’ve certainly piqued my curiosity, Amanda.”

“I was in your neck of the woods recently, and I caught a segment on the local news about your cousin Natalie. First, I want to offer my condolences to your family, as I know that time does not heal all wounds.”

“Thank you.”

“You’re welcome,” Amanda said. “I’ve worked in several fields during my tenure in law enforcement, but cold cases just hit differently. There is nothing more exhilarating to me than getting justice for families who’d given up hope. So, Natalie’s been on my mind for a few weeks, and I decided to see what role we’d played during previous attempts to solve her case.”

“Minimal.” But the fault didn’t lie completely with CBI.

“I can see that,” Amanda agreed. “We rarely insert ourselves into an investigation, so I feel like I’m walking a fine line here, Sheriff.”

“Call me Seth. And look, I won’t refuse an offer to assist,” Seth said. “The original investigation was so poorly executed that it created a nearly unsolvable case. The next administration called CBI for assistance, but there just wasn’t much to work with. The primary suspect had died without confessing, and his alibi witnesses didn’t recant or budge from their original statements. The river had destroyed any biological evidence on Natalie, if any existed, so there just wasn’t much the CBI could do.”

“I appreciate your candor, Seth. With all the attention on her case, I just feel it’s a good time for a set of fresh eyes to review the file. Forensic testing has come a long way in twenty-five years. We can get incredible results from the most minute samples now. Maybe your cousin scratched her attacker, and we’ll find answers in her fingernail scrapings. What wasn’t a viable sample before very well could be now.”

“Those tests would steal a huge chunk from my operating budget. That’s a level of selfishness I can’t abide by. I have to prioritize salaries for my employees and protecting the public over everything else.” His conscience popped up like an opportunistic fly to remind him about his early morning phone call that could put heinous criminals back on the street, but Seth swatted the pesky bastard away.

“And maybe a part of you thinks the person who killed Natalie is already dead.” Amanda kept her voice neutral and free of judgment.

Seth fought back his rising hackles because it wouldn’t get him anywhere. Besides, she only spoke the truth. “You don’t?”

She chuckled softly at his deflection. “Let’s just say there’s room for doubt.”

“The eyewitnesses?”

“Yes. If I were a defense attorney, I’d be happy if a quarter of the witness statements matched after all this time. A perfect match is unheard of and can’t be ignored. I think we have to give strong consideration that Ryan Ulrich didn’t kill your cousin. His alibi witnesses account for his whereabouts well beyond Natalie’s disappearance and estimated time of death. They had no reason to lie after Ryan died.”

Seth wanted to argue with her logic but couldn’t. “What do you suggest?”

“I’d like to send one of my cold case investigators down to review the files,” Amanda said. “I’d like them to examine any evidence collected for viable forensic testing and take a run at the witnesses again. It’s possible they overlooked something vital because all of the questions posed to them were about Ryan.”

“It’s worth a closer look.”

“Wonderful,” Amanda said. “Expect to hear from Detective Shayne Abbott soon.”

“Thank you.”

“My pleasure.”

As promised, Abbott called a few hours later, and they arranged a meeting for the following week. Seth updated his calendar and stretched his legs. “I’m going to grab a piece of pie from the diner,” he told Elayna. “Do you want something?”

His assistant looked up from her desk and glared at him like he’d threatened bodily harm to her beloved cat. “I’m getting married in two months.”

Seth failed to see the point and stupidly said as much.

“My dress fits to perfection, and I want to keep it that way.”

Seth figured the dress did not fit to perfection if one piece of pie ruined it. Then again, maybe she feared one slice would snap her control and make her eat the entire pie. Hadn’t he behaved as badly with Rueben? One brief phone call of support had evolved into hours of conversation and delicious debauchery over the past two weeks.

“You okay, Sheriff?” Elayna asked.

“Yes. Why do you ask?”

“You looked flushed suddenly.”

It was a miracle Seth’s body didn’t combust on the spot. “Nothing a bit of fresh air and a piece of pie won’t cure. I’ll be back soon.”

Seth needed to get a better handle on his emotions and maybe put a moratorium on thinking about Rueben while at work. That lasted just long enough for him to step outside the station and spot the pink rosebushes and white lilies in the ornamental flower beds bordered the building. Those were Rueben’s favorite flowers because they reminded him of his mother and sister. The longing Seth had stifled came roaring back with a vengeance and still held him in its grip hours later when he pulled into the parking lot at the Feisty Bull. Rueben had shared his plans to go to trivia night with Keegan and floated the idea that Seth should swing by and get carryout again.

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