Gossamer Falls by European P Douglas

Author:European P Douglas [Douglas, European P]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Ghost Creative
Published: 2019-11-11T22:00:00+00:00

Chapter 31

No one at the ‘Clear View Hotel’ had heard or seen anything during the night. Each of them was so rattled Garrick had no problem believing in their innocence. It was clearly the work of this one person who was missing, Edward Dobbins. It hadn’t escaped Garrick’s police hound notice that Landy and the two dead people were the only ones who could attest to his existence. This made Landy a suspect even if the Sheriff knew in his bones he was not the man. The more Landy described the mystery man, however, the more it sounded like someone Garrick knew. Clinton Scarrow.

“Did he have a car?” Garrick asked.

“Yes, it’s still outside,” Landy said.

“Show me.”

Garrick and Landy went outside. The mist was still heavy, but visibility was up to about fifty feet, a welcome sign of it lifting.

“That’s the one,” Landy pointed. Garrick knew at once it was Scarrow’s. Funny he hadn’t twigged it while counting the cars on his arrival.

“That belongs to Clinton Scarrow,” Garrick said, “I think that’s who you had here last night. He’s a bad seed around town, but I’d never have pegged him for murder. I’m surprised you didn’t know him.”

“I don’t see much of people from town,” Landy said, “I rarely go in and they rarely come out here.” Garrick nodded understanding, but his mind was somewhere else. The car was still here; that meant either Scarrow was still here or else he’d left on foot. Why would he leave the car though? Circling the car, Garrick saw immediately the signs of something sinister. There were blankets pulled over the rear seats, but on the insides of the doors there were smudged stains that looked like dried blood.

He tried the rear passenger side door and it was unlocked. The smell that emanated from the open door confirmed it to Garrick. Something was dead in there. His nose wrinkled and he turned to Landy.

“Why don’t you go back in to your guests,” and then added, “Don’t do anything else on the way, just go straight to them. You’ll be safe in numbers. He could still be around here somewhere.” Landy looked around nervously and started away before stopping after only one step,

“I don’t want to imply you’re not doing a good job, Deputy, but shouldn’t the Sheriff be here for this too?” Garrick felt a slight sting of professional pride, but he swallowed it fast and looked earnestly at Landy who returned a similar frightened gaze.

“I’m going to level with you, Mr Landy,” Garrick said, “There is a team of men missing up in the mountains since last night. Sheriff Schall is among them. As of this time, I am the Sheriff until we know more.”

“Jesus, how many missing?” Landy asked.

“Five,” Garrick said, “But we don’t know anything yet,” he stressed. “I’d appreciate if you kept this knowledge to yourself.” Landy nodded and started to walk away.

“What a week for Gossamer Falls,” he muttered to himself, and Garrick found himself wondering why he’d felt the need to tell Landy about the missing Sheriff.

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