Page 59 of Break My Fall

Gray didn’t learn any more useful information from Mrs. Frost that afternoon, but when he returned to the office, he called Mo.

“Quinn,” Mo answered.

“I could use your help on something.”

A long pause. “And what would that be, Chief?”

Gray explained what he’d learned from his lunch with the Quinns and Mrs. Frost. “I know your grandfather wanted me to understand the connection between Kirby and Johnstone. But just because they were friends in high school, that doesn’t explain why Kirby continues to look the other way. It might be a dead end, but I’d like to know more about Lawrence McAbee and the case surrounding him. Can you look into it?”

Mo was a consultant for the Gossamer Falls Police Department. He was paid a one-dollar-a-year retainer and then paid on a contract basis when he did actual computer forensic work, which was rare. But there was no one in the mountains of North Carolina who could do the job better than Mo. He made his living as a forensic accountant, but he’d been in Army intelligence before he got out shortly after his mom’s cancer diagnosis. He had contacts everywhere—from law enforcement to the military to the dark web.

“This is an old case, Gray. I’ll look into it, but it will take longer than normal. A lot of these records won’t be online anywhere. I wouldn’t be surprised to learn that they’re on microfiche somewhere in a storage building in Neeson. If they exist at all.”

“I know. But this is a stone we can’t afford to leave unturned. Everybody knows Kirby’s dirty, but no one knows why. This could be our why.”

“Or it could be a story old people tell when they get together to gossip over soup and cornbread.” Mo might have been annoyedat the request, or that he’d been left out of the lunch invitation. It was hard to tell. And either way, he wasn’t wrong.

“You know how this goes.”

“Story of my life, man. Open every bar of chocolate until you find the golden ticket. If you’re lucky, you’ll be the one who finds it and not some entitled billionaire brat with an expensive lawyer.”

“I’m not sure if you’re talking about Willy Wonka or real life.”

“Both. I’m on it. I’ll be in touch.”

“Thank you.”

“Yep.”

Gray was hanging up the phone when he heard “Gray” yelled through the line.

“Yes?”

“I may need to bring in someone to help with this. That going to be a problem? She’s legit. Consults for law enforcement all over the country.”

Gray considered it. “If it gets out that we’re looking, it could cost a man his life.”

“I’d trust her with mine.”

That was a serious endorsement. “If you have to, then yes.”

“Okay. Later.”

This time, the call disconnected without interruption. Gray considered the implications of what he’d learned today.

If Dennis Kirby and Marvin Johnstone had been friends since they were kids, what did that say about their relationship today? If Mo or Meredith or Cal had gone off the deep end, how would the other two have handled it? Would they have been open in their disapproval, but at the same time would they have looked the other way?

He needed more information about Kirby and Johnstone’s relationship, where they’d gone after high school, and what had ledthem back to Neeson. But he also knew his own strengths and weaknesses. If he could have gone into town and asked questions, that would have been ideal. But that option wasn’t on the table. He’d have to wait for Mo to work his magic, and hope he got back to him sooner rather than later.

SIXTEEN

It had been sixteen days since she last had a conversation with Gray. Sixteen days of carrying on with her life as if it hadn’t fallen apart. She’d always been an overachiever, but hitting the criminal radar and having her heart broken in the same week was taking it way too far.

She didn’t want to be out on the town with Bronwyn. She should be at home, in her bed, eating ice cream straight from the carton and watching TV, but even that had lost its appeal.

It was just as well. It turned out that watching true crime documentaries hit differently after you learned your scarf had been bugged.

Last night, she’d watched a documentary on the making of the Blue Ridge Parkway. She loved her mountains. Loved hiking them. Loved exploring. She even loved camping in them. But last night, she’d watched TV and searched for cheap flights to anywhere that was far from home.

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