Page 75 of Every Deadly Suspicion

“The timing doesn’t work. There is no way you could have dumped those bodies—unless you were working with someone else and you covered for them. But I don’t see any other names. I don’t believe you had an accomplice. I don’t think you killed them. I’m at a loss.”

He gave a slight nod and tried to speak. Nothing came out. He held the pad out to Hanna. He raised a bony finger, pointed at the pad.

“You want me to read this?”

He nodded.

It was a couple of pages. “I don’t have time to read everything.”

Joe pointed at the pad.

She read the first line.

Hanna, please read. I hope this answers your questionswas printed across the top.

She held the pad in both hands. Joe tried to speak and couldn’t. There was only one word Hanna could understand.Read.

Hanna stepped to the door, leaned against the frame, and began to read. After the admonition to read, the next line was,Hanna, all I’ve ever wanted to do is keep you and your mother safe.It was written in bold capital print. She paused and saw that Joe was watching her. Hanna continued reading.

I told them I did the murders. I was backed into a corner. That night was the worst night in my life and the best night. In spite of the ugliness of what happened at the cabin, you were born, and you were the best thing I ever had a part of.

I went to the cabin that night to cook meth. That much is true. I tried to quit cooking for your mother and you. Chase wouldn’t let me. He promised me it would be the last time. I agreed to one last time, but I never trusted Chase. He set up the kitchen in Beecher’s cabin.

It was getting dark, and I was late. I drove your mom’s car to the highest spot I could, without using the Buckley’s trail. I parked to walk in and surprise Chase if he set me up. I had a gun just in case, an old .38, and started for the cabin.

Chase was always trouble. He never got arrested because his granddad owned the sheriff and the courts. The man wasa Tasmanian devil when he was angry. I hurried up the steep trail, sorry I brought the gun because it rubbed against my hip. It was hot and I was sweating. It took me about twenty minutes to get up into the tree line where I could catch the trail to the cabin.

The writing became shakier and harder to read as she went on.

On my way up, I saw a car parked on an old logging road. Few people knew about that road and fewer used it. I knew that no one should be up there. It spooked me. I kept low and carefully moved closer to see if I recognized the car. When I caught a glimpse of the front end, I almost had a heart attack. It was Gilly’s car.

Hanna stopped at this point and looked up at Joe. “Gilly was there?”

Joe shook his head and indicated with his hand that she keep reading.

I thought that the Fed was there. My first instinct was that it was a setup and I needed to run and not look back. I almost did that, but then I thought of Sophia. Maybe the Fed was after all of us. I wanted to warn Sophia, if she was there. I didn’t really care about Chase or Blake. I didn’t want to see pretty little Amanda without a mother. I felt like I had the element of surprise, and I could sneak up on the cabin. If the Fed was already on them, I could still make a break for it and be in the clear. After all, it was just the one guy.

As quick as I could, I hurried for the cabin. When I got to where I could see the roofline, I stopped and listened.When I didn’t hear anything, I kept walking. I pulled the gun; I wanted to be ready. As I got closer, I could smell something like burning plastic. I knew that they’d already started cooking, and there was no sign of Gilly.

There were no lights blazing and that was a good thing. They had the windows covered.

Then I heard two gunshots. I almost turned around and ran. They came from inside the cabin.

Did Gilly just kill them? Or did they kill Gilly?

Bang, bang, bang! Three more.

I was shaking by then, thinking, What do I do?

I turned to run away, but my curiosity wouldn’t let me. I jogged forward. I could hear Chase talking, cursing, not making sense. Only Chase’s voice, like he was talking to himself. I tiptoed to the front door, pushed it open a smidge, and peered in. Chase’s back was to me. He had a gun in his hand and was waving it in the air. Looking down at something.

The putrid smell in the place made me gag. They’d tried to separate the elements from the cold tablets to get down to the meth, but they hadn’t done it right. Everything was just burning. I pushed the door open farther, then stepped inside and tried to see what Chase was looking at. He was oblivious to me. Two more steps inside and I almost screamed. I couldn’t believe it.

Blake and Sophia were on the floor, both tied up and shot in the head.

Chase jerked around and faced me, pointing a gun straight at me. “There you are! You stood me up! You sicced that Fed on me and then didn’t show!” A wild look glinted in his dark eyes. He was higher than a kite.

I pointed my gun at Chase and stepped back, hoping for a standoff. “Whoa, whoa, I just came to warn you. The Fed is here somewhere. I saw his car in the forest.”

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