Page 4 of Silent Road

"And Mom found his files?"

"No."Gabriel shook his head."She found mine."

The words hung in the air between them.Sheila felt her pulse quicken."Yourfiles?"

"I was Internal Affairs, Sheila.After Thompson disappeared, his cases came to me.I was supposed to..."He trailed off, staring at something only he could see.

"Supposed to what?"

"Close them.Write them off.Rule them unfounded and move on."His fingers drummed against the desk."But your mother, she was always too smart for her own good."

"Wait."Sheila swallowed hard."Are you telling me you were going to protect whoever might've been responsible for Thompson's death?"

Gabriel sighed heavily."If I'm being honest… I don't know.I hadn't made a decision.As it happened, I didn't have to.Your mother realized something was eating at me, and she started asking questions."

"About Thompson?"

"About everything."Gabriel stood abruptly, moving back to the window."I left the file on my desk just for a minute—just while I went to the bathroom—and when I came back, she was reading it."

"Reading what?"

"About the money laundering, about Thompson's theories concerning where the money was going, who was profiting.He'd put down names, Sheila—judges, politicians, wealthy businessmen.Powerful people.The kind of people you don't want to cross."

Sheila's heart sank."And Mom wouldn't let it go, is that it?"

"You know how she was once she got hold of something."

"Like daughter, like mother," Sheila said quietly.

Gabriel's reflection smiled sadly."That's what I'm afraid of."

"Dad, if you know who killed Mom, you need to tell me."

"Eddie Mills pulled the trigger.That's what matters."

"But it sounds like someone ordered him to do it!"Sheila said, growing frustrated."The same people who pressured you to make this whole thing go away.Who, Dad?Who told you to make it disappear?"

"No."He turned from the window, his expression hardening."These aren't the kind of people you can arrest, Sheila.They have connections.Power.They've buried worse things than a murdered woman who asked too many questions."

"So I'm just supposed to let them get away with it?"

"You're supposed to stay alive."His voice cracked."I've already lost your mother to this.I won't lose you too."

"Dad—"

"No."He stepped closer, his eyes intense."Listen to me.Your mother thought she could handle it too.Thought if she gathered enough evidence, went to the right people...But thereareno right people, Sheila.Not with this.There's only blood and closed cases and convenient accidents."

Sheila opened her mouth to argue, but her phone buzzed.Officer Tommy Forster, the new guy.She wanted to ignore it but as sheriff…

"What is it?"she answered, her voice sharp with frustration.

Tommy cleared his throat apologetically."Sorry to disturb you, boss, but we've got a situation at Mountain Peak Resort.A body's been found on one of the slopes."

Sheila was familiar with the resort.In addition to offering skiing lessons, the resort also offered photography classes.It was a hybrid of sorts, catering to a niche crowd: those who not only enjoyed skiing but liked to document the experience as well.

She glanced at her father, who had turned back to the window."I'm in the middle of something," she said to Tommy.

"I know, but with Deputy Mercer in the hospital…" He was referring to Finn Mercer, Sheila's right hand man—a man she also happened to be living with.Finn had been shot in the side during the previous investigation and was recovering at the hospital, leaving Sheila to run the department without his assistance.

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