Page 46 of Seeking Evil

“Sierra goes after what she wants. I guess I’m the type who wants to figure things out from all angles.”

She patted his arm. “Well, I think you have, haven’t you?”

“Yes.” He just hoped it wouldn’t be too late.

“What about Dawn? Did you know her at all?”

Inez nodded and sipped her coffee. “She was a lovely young woman too. So full of life.”

“Did you notice anything strange going on with her before her disappearance?” Zeke couldn’t help it. He couldn’t shut off the cop in him.

“Strange in what way?”

“Was she having any problems with anyone? Did she mention someone giving her undue attention?”

Inez shook her head. “No, not that I noticed. She wasn’t here all that long, but she seemed excited about her climbs each day. She’d tell me about her accomplishments over coffee in the morning. Sierra did the same.”

“What do you think happened to them?” Zeke wasn’t sure why he asked the question.

“Same thing that happened to those girls twenty-five years earlier, I’m afraid.”

“You were here back then?” Zeke asked in surprise.

“Yes. I bought the cabins from the previous owner thirty years ago.”

Zeke blew out a whistle. “Wow. I’d say you know just about everything there is to know about the place.”

She chuckled. “You could say that.”

He noticed a photo on the end table and pointed to it. “That you and your husband?”

Inez picked it up. “Yes.” She smiled down at the two of them. “That was taken a few years back over at the mountains. Terrance used to love to go there and climb.” She shrugged. “But I’m afraid at his age those days are behind him.”

Zeke’s shoulders tensed at the mention of her husband climbing. The man in the photo with Inez was tall and thin. Hair graying. Though he smiled, it didn’t reach his dark eyes.

“Anything wrong?” Inez asked.

Zeke shoved his misgivings aside. “No, nothing. What are your thoughts on Florence and her husband?”

Inez pursed her lips. “Well, I don’t like talking bad about people.”

Zeke set his cup down. “I’m just asking for your opinion. It won’t go any further.”

She sniffed. “To be honest, Florence is kind of gruff on the outside, but I believe she’s got a good heart. She attends the same church as I do. Irv’s a different story. Never saw him in church once.”

Zeke waited for her to continue. Going to church didn’t necessarily make you a Christian.

“I can’t prove it, but when he did some work for me on one of the cabins, I think he took some things from here.”

“What sort of things?” This definitely had his interest because it came close to what Florence said about Irv taking some of Flannigan’s possessions.

“A few pieces of my jewelry that I kept here. Some things from the lost-and-found box that I keep when guests leave possessions behind.” She rose and went over to a desk in the corner and brought a wooden box over. She showed him the contents. “The sad part was after some of the items went missing, a former patron called asking if I’d found them. I had to tell her I had but they were missing. I was so embarrassed. I don’t think they believed me.”

Something in the box caught his attention. He stuck his hand inside and brought out the silver necklace with the heart-shaped pendant he’d given Sierra for Christmas.

“You recognize it?” Inez saw the truth on his face.

“Yes. I gave it to Sierra.”

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