Page 98 of 5 Golden Flings

“I’d never seen one myself, and most of the photos are pretty sketchy. But this one...” He reached out a finger to touch it. “Do you know how old this would make that legend?”

“It appears real to me.”

“And what if it’s tied to this?” He laid his hand over the first photo they’d seen without looking down at it. He didn’t want it in his consciousness any more than it had to be.

They were silent for a few moments as Brynn shuffled through another stack. Colby’s brain was doing the same with an overload of information that he felt had to be tied together, but he couldn’t make out any of the connections. What had happened to Brynn’s dad? And what did it have to do with the town leaders? Or a generations-old urban legend?

If this was his evidence, what did it all mean?

Brynn sucked in her breath, drawing Colby’s attention. “What’s the matter?”

She offered him a photo that wavered because her hand shook. Colby took it from her to study it.

Another picnic. Later in the day by the looks of the lighting. A young girl stood in the center, straight and tall. Her rigidity spoke almost of defiance. A man bent over her, talking down to her.

A black circle had been drawn around her, the edges now turning yellow from deterioration. Across the top was writtenNEXT?.

Even the fuzziness of the distance between the photographer and the objects of the photo didn’t hide the man’s frustration as he interacted with the girl. Colby could almost feel how the man wanted to reach out and grab her arm, admonishing her for not being more respectful. “Who is she?” he murmured.

His throat tightened as Brynn answered, “It’s me.”

CHAPTER 13

It hasto have something to do with the girls.

“He said I was in danger. He ran because of me.”Was I next?Brynn picked up the first stack of photos.Was this what he thought would happen to me?

“Is she dead? Hurt? Asleep?”

Colby laid his hand over hers. “Brynn, I think something is very wrong.”

She looked back down at the girl. So young. Maybe thirteen, fourteen? Eyes closed. Nothing seemed to be disturbed. No blood. But something wasn’t right.

“I think so too.”

She looked up into Colby’s concerned eyes. “Of all the things I thought about—government corruption, stealing, maybe even something to do with the land—I never thought they might be hurting someone.”

He picked up one of the other stacks of photos. “Or maybe several someone’s.”

“But what would be the point? I mean, these are young women. They wouldn’t have any power over them?—”

“Exactly. They wouldn’t have any power.” Colby frowned. “They’d have no say. If they came from the unwed mother’s home, they would essentially be captive. No one would believe anything they said. They could sexually assault them or even?—”

Brynn swallowed hard. “Would anyone even know if they went missing?”

“I don’t know. If I remember correctly, those girls came from all over the county. Maybe even farther. Who would know if they never returned home?”

Brynn shook her head. “So we think maybe my father caught them doing something to these girls. Maybe he saw a pattern or something, then followed them?”

“If they were tied to the golden ghost rumors, too. How is all of that tied together?”

“We have to tell someone.” Brynn stood up, the agitation flowing through her forcing her to pace. “What if these girls never went home? What if their families don’t know what happened to them? There has to be some record. Maybe the police?—”

“No.”

Colby’s voice rang through the room, shocking Brynn to stillness. She stared at him for a moment as he ruffled through the images. Finally, he carried a group of photos over to her.

“See this guy?” He pointed to one of the men in the picnic pictures. “He was the father of the current chief of police.” He flipped a few more. “This one still sits on the county board. And this one—” He held up the image of her at the picnic. “He was the mayor. And the father of our current mayor.”

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