Page 43 of Fear of Flames
“You know my real name. That’s more than most people know.”
Chapter
Twenty
Wednesday in Iron Falls
* * *
“Sheriff,” Deputy Britney McBride said as she opened the office door. “Rick Lehman is on line two.”
Ralph crushed out the remains of a cigarette and fanned the smoke. Smoking within the station was prohibited, but he was fucking sheriff and the one in charge. If anyone complained, it would fall on deaf ears. He’d given up the disgusting habit about ten years ago. The last few days his nerves were so tight he was ready to jump out of his own skin. The nicotine was welcome.
“Sheriff?”
“Yeah, yeah. I heard you.”
“He said it was urgent.”
“Rick Lehman, right.” Ralph gritted his teeth and mumbled under his breath. He confessed to Rick about Shelly late last night. Ralph knew this call was coming. He just hoped Wilcox’s call would come first. “Thanks, Britney. Close the door, will you?”
Ralph’s tie was suddenly too tight around his neck. Tugging on his collar, he felt the too-familiar rage boiling in his stomach. It wasn’t only focused on the congressman but on his own inability. The scene at Dennis Holdcraft’s unraveled. He was fucking sure he’d seen Shelly Holdcraft that night.
The manhunt came up empty. The only possible incident that could possibly be connected was a report from Old Man Evans. He called the station midday on Monday, when most of the town’s sheriff and fire personnel were still out at Holdcraft’s place. Evans reported his snowmobile was stolen from beside his fishing hut while he was inside. According to the report Skiles took later that day, Evans admitted to leaving the key in the ignition. He also claimed to have shot at the thief. He couldn’t give any details about the perpetrator due to the blizzard conditions.
There were multiple other fishing huts close to Old Man Evans’s. The deputies conducted searches of the huts Monday. The snowmobile incident gnawed at Ralph. Despite his knee acting up, on Tuesday morning, he went out on Iron Reservoir himself and personally checked each of the nearby huts. Nothing was out of the ordinary other than a half pot of cold coffee and two unwashed mugs found in one belonging to a local resident. Ralph had a call out to the owner to find out if he’d been out there recently. The owner hadn’t returned the call.
Strangely enough, Tuesday afternoon, Old Man Evans called again to say his snowmobile had been returned—no worse for wear. Definitely a head scratcher. Ralph didn’t know if Shelly knew how to drive a snowmobile or if or how she made it to Iron Reservoir. Hell, he didn’t know if she was the snowmobile thief. More likely, the thieves were some punk kids having fun on a day off school due to snow.
If he was right about seeing Shelly, she likely saw Denny. She saw him shot. Until Ralph had Shelly quieted, she was a loose end. With each passing minute, Ralph was losing his patience. He never thought she’d make it away from the fire. After all, it was a fucking blizzard. Yet, somehow, she made it from Iron Falls to Indianapolis.
He received confirmation via a call from IMPD officer Darla McCoy late last night. The officer verified that she and her partner contacted Ms. Holdcraft. Shelly claimed to have been working and hadn’t checked her phone or heard the doorbell. Officer McCoy said Shelly’s reaction to the news of her father was normal under the circumstances. Officer McCoy said she prompted Shelly to call Sheriff Perkins.
She hadn’t.
Ralph’s problem was with Shelly’s alibi. He was certain she wasn’t working in Indianapolis. She was here in Iron Falls, where she wasn’t supposed to be. He knew in his gut that he caught a glimpse of a woman running from Denny’s house and lost her in the trees. The damn fire burned bright, making everything around the perimeter too dark to see.
Taking a deep breath, he lifted the receiver and pushed the button. “Rick, Sheriff Perkins here.”
“Tell me it’s done.”
Ralph’s eyes scanned his cramped office. Thirty-five years in this department, twenty-two as sheriff, and this was all Iron Falls could do for him—a ten by twelve box with a window facing the courthouse. He lifted his third cup of coffee to his lips and had a drink. “This line. It’s not?—”
“I’m not saying specifics, Ralph. You know what I’m talking about. Give me a fucking yes or no.”
“I’m waiting for word. I sent the best.”
“Waiting? Jesus Christ, it’s after nine in the morning. I’ve called you twenty times and you’re not answering. You told me it would happen during the night. Why haven’t you heard from your man?” Rick’s voice lowered. “You know this isn’t just about me. These are people we don’t want pissed off. You fucked up, and you need to make it right.”
Ralph’s tone was more of a growl. “You told me to get rid of a problem. I got rid of it.” Denny Holdcraft was a him not an it. At this moment, Ralph wished he’d never accepted the assignment.
“Sloppy. We can’t afford to have a possible witness.”
It was Ralph’s career and reputation on the line. The possibility of Denny’s death being tied to Rick was slim, unless Ralph told.
With each passing second, Ralph was aware that he was becoming more expendable.
Ralph knew damn well what was at stake. He stood, pacing as far as possible while tethered to the telephone cord. His jaw ached from the pressure of his clenched teeth. “We’re working on leads. Just let me do my job and get off my ass.”
