Page 17 of Sadie's Guarded Harbor

He backed out of the bathroom and glanced at the digital clock on the cable box. “He won’t be in bed yet, will he?” It was just past 8:00 pm on a school night. Katherine and her husband Theo had a fairly strict routine for their five-year-old son, and he didn’t want to intrude.

“I’ll make sure he’s still awake when you get here. At least for a little bit. So, have you found anything? I can hear you rummaging around.”

He fought the urge to run his hand over his face, not wanting the dirt and germs from his glove on him. “Nothing. Deputy Pennel swept through earlier, so I didn’t expect to find something important in an obvious place. But I thought maybe she missed something.”

“You’re at his trailer, right?” Katherine asked.

“Yeah. I’m going to take off. This is pointless.” He swept the area with his gaze one last time.

“What about outside? Does he have a shed or anything? Did you check under the home? Trailers sit up a little bit. He could have hidden something underneath.”

“I’ll check outside then head to your place. Should be there in about fifteen minutes or so.”

Zipping his jacket, he resealed the scene and filled his lungs with clean air once he stepped outside. He studied the bottom ofthe trailer. Cinder blocks kept the structure off the ground. He trudged through the snow and circled to the back of the trailer, noting the empty bottles thrown into the woods. He grabbed the penlight he kept in the inside pocket of his coat and crouched. The narrow light cut through the darkness. Nothing stood out but a tangle of dried weeds and more trash.

Straightening, he swept the light over the rusted siding. A small slit in one of the seams caught his attention. He ran his fingers between the loosening siding. He applied more pressure, slipping his hand in the slot. Something brushed against the pad of his index finger, and he dug deeper. Pinching whatever was lodged inside, he pulled it out. Sheets of paper flapped in the whipping breeze and a lone key fell into his hand.

His pulse raced. Shawn wouldn’t have gone through the trouble of hiding whatever the hell this was in the siding of his house for nothing. Jumping in the car, he cranked the heat and carefully peeled apart the paper. Some sheets were lined from a notebook while others were plain white, like the kind used in a printer. Ripped edges and scraps of paper torn from menus and newspapers. Sketches and drawings filled the pages. Shawn had talent, even if his artistic endeavors tilted more toward creepy and sinister.

Sketches of devils with pitch forks, car crashes, and execution-styled shootings were graphic and disturbing. Tommy shuffled through, making note of words and names, but there was no way he could get through all the pages and pictures sitting in his car. Flicking his thumb over the edge of the pile, he flipped the paper quickly. There were countless doodles and drawings to study, analyze, and try to decipher.

He switched his focus to the key. Nothing in the trailer could be locked beside the front door, and this was too small to fit into the handle. His financial records didn’t indicate a deposit box at the bank, but he’d ask Taylor if she’d found one that flew underthe radar. Other than that, he had no idea what the key was for, but he’d damn sure find out.

The time lit the dashboard. He needed to get to Katherine’s if he wanted a chance to see Oliver. Sealing the papers and key in an evidence bag, he tossed it on the seat beside him then yanked the soiled gloves from his hands. This was big. They now had an inside image of Shawn’s mind and possibly what he was involved in.

And if it weren’t for Katherine, he wouldn’t have even checked the outside of the trailer. He’d have to drive through The Creamery and grab Katherine’s favorite treat as a thank you. It wouldn’t matter that the temperatures were below freezing. She’d never say no to ice cream. He could grab something for Oliver and Theo, too. He smiled. A surge of sugar would be perfect before putting the kid to bed.

The full moon was bright in the now-clear sky, reflecting the white peaks of the mountains that loomed ahead. The snow had stopped while he’d been inside the trailer, but the roads hadn’t been cleared. Gripping the wheel, he kept his speed slow. The last thing he needed was to slide through the slush and end up in the deep ditch on the side of the road.

Pushing the hidden drawings and key to the back of his mind, he refocused his thoughts on the dynamics of Shawn’s high school group of friends. He had a host of questions for Katherine and didn’t want to forget anything. Most importantly, he wanted the dirt on the relationship between Shawn and Clara and if Katherine thought they’d rekindled a romance—even though Clara and Shawn were both married, and Shawn was a drunk.

A train whistle trilled in the distance. Stars twinkled overhead, shining down on the town as he approached the south edge of the city limits. He’d grab the treats and be at Katherine’s in less than ten minutes. Hopefully, he’d leave with a better picture of the boy Shawn used to be.

A flash of red lights blinked into the dark night, alerting Tommy to the railroad tracks up ahead. He slowed and stopped in front of the lowered gate, separating him from the tracks.

Sighing, Tommy ran a hand over his face, resting it along his jawline as he propped his elbow on the door and pressed his foot on the brake. His nerves jingled, matching the rhythm of the strobing lights by the sign. Working an overnight shift then following up with a day shift, regardless of the small nap he snuck in, had messed with his entire system. If he could get a solid night’s sleep, hopefully it would set his internal clock straight.

A glare bounced off his rearview mirror. Tommy turned to glance out the back window. Headlights came toward him. Facing forward again, he fiddled with the radio until a classic rock song blared through the speakers.

The shrill whistle sounded again, closer as it barreled down the tracks.

He glanced out the driver’s side window. A line of trees stood in front of the tracks for as far as he could see, glimpses of the fast-moving train appearing in flashes between the barren branches. He bounced his knee up and down, impatience swarming inside his body.

The headlights came closer.

Tommy checked the back window again, and his heartrate sped up faster than the approaching train. The vehicle behind him closed in, filling the gap between them quickly. He squinted, trying to make out the car, but the headlights were too bright to see beyond the blinding light.

The whistle blew louder, the bells chimed in warning. Tommy pressed the palm of his hand against his horn. Maybe whoever was behind the wheel wasn’t paying attention or had fallen asleep.

The driver wasn’t slowing. If the asshole didn’t stop soon, he’d get rear ended.

Lights poured through Tommy’s car. The train getting closer, the large white barrier preventing him from pulling forward and away from the lunatic behind him. Sweat beaded his temple.

A truck slammed into Tommy’s bumper. Metal crashed against metal, the screeching sound piercing his eardrums. The airbag erupted, pushing into his chest. Sharp pain exploded in his ribs. His head lurched forward. Whiplash pulled his neck muscles. His head screamed in pain. His foot slipped off the brake pedal, and an engine revved behind him. The truck continued to push against the back of his car.

Tommy’s car shot forward. He blinked, trying to gain his bearings, but the pain whacking against his skull made it hard to concentrate. The white barrier came closer, his car pushing against the only protection between him and the train speeding down the tracks. The hood of his cruiser drifted under the barrier, the white beam smacking into his windshield. The wooden bar creaked, straining against his still-moving car, until it cracked. The truck propelled him onto the track then stopped, blocking his means of escape.

He stretched his neck to the side and caught a glimpse of the big black train coming straight at him.

---