Murder Creek (The Adam Cash series Book 3) by Jeff Kerr

Author:Jeff Kerr [Kerr, Jeff]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: anonymous
Published: 2024-10-23T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter twenty-seven

Emil Bergheim picked at the pancake on his plate. “I don’t know anyone by the name of Slater Cobb.”

“Will Anson told me he built fences with you,” said Cash.

Bergheim’s eyes filled with recognition. “Come to think of it, he did. That kid was a sorry piece of work. Lazy as all get-out. Argued about every little thing. A couple of weeks ago I sent him home and told him not to bother coming back.” He gave Cash a quick smile. “If you ever need any extra money …”

“Thanks, but I’m busy enough being a deputy.”

“Too bad.”

“Something’s been bothering me, Mr. Bergheim. How did those people know about the money at your place?”

“How should I know? I told you before, I didn’t even know it was there. Did you ask Dieter?”

“I did,” Cash said. “He said he let it slip to a maintenance man at Avonwick. The guy’s name is Eddie Kincaid. Does that ring a bell?”

“No.”

“When you were shot, though, Kincaid claimed he was driving to Austin from Pinyon. We found a gas station video that backs him up.”

“I guess it wasn’t him.”

“Did you know Dieter’s former business partner? His name is Rick Smith.”

“I heard the name a time or two but never met him. Dieter and I didn’t see much of each other back then.”

“He thinks Smith might have been involved.”

“I wouldn’t know about that.”

“Is there anything you do know about him? Maybe where he’s living now?”

Bergheim shook his head. “No.”

Another dead end.

“You’re not going to be able to find them fellas, are you?” Bergheim said.

“I’m not ready to give up yet.”

“I appreciate that. Without the money Dieter can’t afford that fancy place he’s living in.”

His brother had said the same thing. But something didn’t add up for Cash. “About that. If you didn’t know that money was hidden in your tool shed, and Dieter’s living in a retirement facility in Austin, how was he paying those bills? Somebody had to be fetching the cash for that to work.”

Bergheim stared out the window for a long time. Cash kept quiet, knowing his question had stumped the old man. “All right,” Bergheim said at length. “I did know about it.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I was afraid you’d think I stole it.”

Cash had always tried to keep an open mind to all possibilities, but he had a hard time pegging Emil Bergheim for a thief. He had once seen him apologize to a landowner because the price of fence staples had jumped twenty-six cents, meaning that the final bill for the man’s fence was three dollars more than Bergheim had quoted. “Don’t worry, Mr. Bergheim,” Cash said. “You’re low on my list.”

***

Willa heard a car pull into her driveway and rushed to the window. It was him. About damn time.

She’d met him while working late one night at Speedy Chicken. At five before nine, he came waltzing in like it was no big deal to order a meal as they were about to close. She tried to tell him he

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