Page 33 of Every Deadly Suspicion

“Yeah, the boy has endless energy. I hope that accidently falling from a cliff is the extent of his mischievousness.”

Falling into step with Amanda, they headed for the local high school to walk the track.

Saturday was a light day for both of them. Amanda was an avid cyclist. Hanna’s exercise of choice was running, and a normal run for her was around six miles. To mix it up, on Tuesdays and Thursdays she swam in the local pool.

While vigorous exercise always helped clear her head, Saturday was a welcome break. The pleasant easy walk and chat with Mandy helped center Hanna, especially when the workweek had been tough. She was certain she did the same for Mandy. Her friend ran a local crisis pregnancy center, and often Hanna could feel the hurt and sadness radiating from Mandy. Too many young women saw abortion as the only option, and it weighed on Mandy and, to a certain extent, Hanna as well. Saving and protecting the innocent was a central reason she went into law enforcement.

This morning, the most pressing thing on Hanna’s mind was Joe. Mandy was more than Hanna’s friend. She and her grandparents were family to Hanna. Joe murdered Mandy’s parents.How could his probable release not affect her? Hanna wasn’t certain how to broach the subject.

“Braden only suffered a broken arm?” Mandy asked.

“Yeah, besides that, just bumps and bruises. He got lucky.”

“Did he say how he ended up on the ledge?”

“Chasing the dog, who was chasing a squirrel. Cassidy couldn’t keep up.”

“Hmph.”

For a few minutes, they walked in companionable silence. Hanna had the sense that something was on Mandy’s mind. Was it still Edda?

“Sounds like there is more to follow,” Hanna said.

“Yeah, but it doesn’t make sense. It’s certainly not a Christian thought. It’s the Buckleys. Well, it seems sometimes as if they are cursed.”

“Cursed?”

Mandy waved her hand. “I know, I know, we don’t believe in curses. But so much tragedy for that family. First Chase, then Chase’s son, then Braden’s mother, then Scott...”

“As a law enforcement officer, I could say there is nothing cursed about it. Just a lot of bad life decisions and unfortunate situations. Chase hung with the wrong crowd, his son was an unfortunate victim of a motorcycle accident, and Braden’s mother never had both feet on the ground—”

“Okay, okay, I hate it when you get all official and pragmatic on me. Whatever the reason, it’s sad. And I hope this tumble is the worst thing that happens to Braden for a good long time.”

They started their first lap around the track. Hanna could never do this boring type of workout without Mandy.

“Speaking of bad things and curses,” Hanna began, “I got a strange visit yesterday.”

“Visit? From whom?”

“The Department of Corrections.”

“What?” Mandy stopped, and so did Hanna, a couple of feet ahead of her. She turned back.

“Did he die?”

Mouth half open, Hanna looked at her friend. Was there hope in that question or sorrow? She shook her head. “Not yet. But he is dying. Cancer. They want to grant him compassionate parole.”

Mandy frowned. “Huh? What is that, how would it work?”

Hanna shrugged and started walking again, and Mandy hurried to catch up. “They want to send him to me. On hospice.”

“You’re kidding.”

“I wish I was. My answer is no. I’m too busy. Running a PD means I’m at work most of the time, for heaven’s sake. I don’t even have time for a dog. Besides, he’s really nothing to me.”

Mandy grabbed her arm and they stopped again. “Don’t tell them no, Hanna. Don’t.”

“What? Why not?”

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