Page 16 of The Crime of Intensity

I instantly bob my head, liking the way Greta shifts the discussion back to the reason Marvin and I came here. She used to be an undercover DEA agent. That’s actually the reason why she stepped into the life of this MC when she posed as Alfie’s nurse. Greta has two old men instead of just one. The three of them have been in a loving relationship for decades and have raised several children together.

I clear my throat and tell them, “We have an ID for the body that was buried on the edge of Eastlynne’s property. It’s Iris Riggs. She went missing six years ago…she’s been dead all that time.”

Harlene places a hand over her mouth and mumbles, “Oh no.”

“I remember when she went missing,” Cassidy says with sadness tinging her voice.

“She didn’t have an easy life,” Harlene whispers and her eyes find mine. “I reckon you want to know a bit about her when she was alive?”

I bob my head. “Anything you might remember.”

“I didn’t know her personally, though I did hear the rumors and saw her around town. She was Lucian Riggs’s daughter, the Bronson’s ranch hand. His wife died giving birth to her so she never had a mother and grew up at that ranch because they lived in a tiny house on the property. I remember how the whole town talked about Iris because she had a kid when she was fifteen. The gossip was bad enough for her father to send her to live with his brother in another state. Iris came back when the kid was three years old. By then the gossip had died down some.”

“Did anyone know who the father was?” I question. “The forensic anthropologist said there was evidence that she gave birth, but there isn’t a record of it.”

“No one knew. The gossip went from Lucian knocking his own kid up to Arthur Bronson because he and his wife had a falling-out in their marriage around the time Iris gave birth.”

A rush of adrenaline hits me, feeling the pieces of a puzzle fall in place. If Arthur had taken advantage of Iris at that young age, it would explain the falling-out of his marriage and why there was no record of the child being born.

“The kid, it was a boy wasn’t it?” I question.

Harlene frowns. “How did you know?”

“A hunch,” I mutter and glance over my shoulder at the closed door to church.

“Do you think Weston has the same information you just told me?” I wonder.

Harlene nods. “Yeah, I think so. I mean, those rumors I told you went all over town.”

“Uh huh, those and about all those foster kids they took in for the money and spare hands to work around the ranch,” Cassidy snarls.

My mother sighs beside me. “Everyone knew they didn’t spend one dime of the money on those kids. They had dirty clothes which were donated by church and some of the town folks who took pity on them. Everyone knew about their fucked-up situation, but no one did anything about it. Your father did report them but somehow they always passed the visits and checks with flying colors. They weren’t mistreating them, and they had an excuse for everything. Like how they could get a bath but skipped some days because they liked to get dirty and play on the ranch. Decker always used to say they drilled those kids into playing along when they needed to keep up appearances. Beth was a hard woman, no one liked her except her husband. Decker never trusted the Bronsons, but there was nothing to be done about it. Things got less tense on that ranch after his wife’s accident six years ago.”

Harlene leans forward. “That wife of his was a tyrant, and everyone gossiped how it might not have been an accident she was trampled by bulls.”

“Iris was killed around that time as well,” I quip, making all eyes land on me.

“No shit?” Greta gasps.

“No shit,” I confirm.

“Needless to say, you’re definitely onto something,” Greta states.

“Yeah. Thanks, ladies. All of you have been a big help,” I tell them with a thankful smile in my voice.

The door of church opens behind me and I turn to see Marvin stalking out. “Can we talk somewhere or do you want to head home to discuss the case?”

My mother leans in. “It’s already late, the both of you could crash in the room here at the clubhouse.”

I nod and tell Marvin as I get to my feet, “Let’s go to my room.”

“Take mental notes because we will want details,” Cosima whispers as I stalk past her.

I flip her off and hear the women’s laughter fill the room behind me. Talk about a gossip mill. On the other hand, it did provide me with crucial information. I wonder if Marvin got the same intel from Weston and the rest of the older generation who were around when everything happened with Iris.

As soon as we’re in my room and the door closes behind me, I state, “We need to get DNA from Arthur Bronson.”

A sly grin spreads across Marvin’s face. “You got the same background story I did I reckon? And I think you’re right. Even if we don’t have anything to compare it with now, the killer might fuck-up at some point and leave something behind. Everything I heard all adds up perfectly that Iris’s son is the serial killer we’re looking for. It’s one hell of a motive with Iris being the first kill.”

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