Crimson Moon: A Suspenseful Mystery Thriller (A Dalton Savage Mystery Book 5) by L.T. Ryan & Biba Pearce

Author:L.T. Ryan & Biba Pearce [Ryan, L.T. & Pearce, Biba]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Liquid Mind Media
Published: 2024-08-13T00:00:00+00:00

TWENTY-TWO

Savage shook hands with the investigator from the Bureau of Indian Affairs. She was younger than he’d initially thought, with her hair pulled back exposing a smooth, fresh complexion, probing eyes behind those big frames, and an intense expression on her face. Her fidgeting gave him the impression she was out of her depth, that an investigation of this size and significance was not something she’d been involved in before. Despite that, there was an unmistakable sharpness in her gaze.

“Welcome to Hawk’s Landing,” he said, mustering a smile. “I’m Sheriff Savage.”

“Thank you. I’m Aiyana Redhawk.” Her expression lightened. “But please, call me Aiyana.”

“Please, take a seat.”

“I’m sorry to be here under these circumstances,” she went on, sliding into the chair opposite him. “We—I mean, the Bureau of Indian Affairs—was very excited about the find. To hear that the artifacts have been stolen…” She shook her head, a flicker of frustration crossing her face. “It’s a tragic loss. I can’t even begin to describe their historical and cultural significance.”

Her day was about to get a whole lot worse.

“I don’t know how much you know about the theft.” Savage studied her across his desk. Shoulders straight, leaning forward, eyes fixed on him. He could tell she was a rookie, trying her best to make a good impression by hanging onto his every word. “But the dagger and bear claw were used in a homicide shortly after they were stolen.”

Her eyes widened behind the glasses. “A homicide?”

“Yes, the dagger was used to stab a man, Gregory Brooks, and the claw was scraped across his chest, postmortem. We’re investigating who’s behind it.”

“How shocking. Do you have a suspect?” Her voice wavered, but she held his gaze.

Savage hesitated. “Not exactly.”

She inhaled deeply, her composure remarkable. “My interest is only in the theft from the museum and the recovery of the stolen artifacts. I won’t get involved in your murder investigation, Sheriff.”

He gave a relieved nod. They didn’t need anyone else digging through their files, causing delays. Things were complex enough as they were. Except that wasn’t what he was going to say.

“That’s not all,” he began, then hesitated again.

“Oh?”

“I’m sorry to be the one to tell you this, but we suspect the artifacts may have been planted at the archaeological site and are not, in fact, authentic discoveries.”

She gasped. “That’s impossible! They were authenticated. I can assure you, they’re the real deal.”

“I hate to contradict you,” he said, fixing his gaze on her. “But the Spanish dagger was stolen from the Wyoming Natural History Museum several years ago. I have pictures to prove it.”

Her face dropped.

“And once you start digging, I’m sure you’ll find a similar story with the bear claw.”

Aiyana stared at him, speechless.

“I know it’s a shock, but I thought you should know. We’ve interviewed one of the two men who made the discovery, Maddox Robinson, but he was unaware of the subterfuge. It seems it was his partner, Benjamin Blackfeather, who planted the items.”

“But why?” she whispered, her voice barely audible.

“To secure funding for the dig,” he replied.

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