The Reticence: A Suspense Mystery Thriller (Nantahala River Book 4) by Levi Fuller

Author:Levi Fuller [Fuller, Levi]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Blue Scallop Digital LLC
Published: 2021-02-22T22:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 5

The sisters waited by their car as the cruiser skidded to a stop next to them. Sheriff Wallace climbed out, looking anything but worried. He was royally pissed, glaring at them while grumbling under his breath. A second cruiser pulled up behind him, with two deputies jumping out.

“What in god’s name have you been doing?” the sheriff asked them.

“Hiking,” Marcia replied without hesitating. “And while we’d love to stay and talk, we’ve had a tough time. We’re leaving now.”

“Not so fast. Did you set that fire?” He pointed at the top of the mountain.

“Set it?” Margo said. “No, but we were in it. Two miles in, there is an old barn. There was an old barn. That’s what burned, and some of the surrounding trees, but we managed to escape.”

“I need a statement.”

“And we need medical help,” Marcia said. “I’ll tell you this. After the hospital, we’ll stop by and tell you everything.”

A fire truck came to a stop behind the cruisers. Half a dozen firefighters piled out and began donning their heavy equipment.

“I’d like something now,” the sheriff said, refusing to let them go.

“Then, arrest us,” Margo said. “I’m about ready to file a suit against you, as it is. Give me another reason.”

Sheriff Wallace rubbed his face. Marcia knew he didn’t want to lose them, but he didn’t have much choice.

A deputy ran up to the sheriff. “We got the drone ready.”

“Don’t make me come after you,” the sheriff told the sisters, shaking a reprimanding finger in their face.

“We keep our word,” Marcia said.

Neither sister spoke until they were driving away from the scene. Had Marcia felt better, she might have liked to see how they used a drone to survey the fire. It would have been fun.

“How are you doing?” Margo asked.

“I’ve been better,” Marcia said. “You?”

“Same. We’re not going to tell him about the book, are we?”

“Not yet. We need to go through it first. If Mandy had it in the barn, then she was probably held there. Maybe she left some clues in it.”

“It wouldn’t surprise me. She was a smart girl.”

“Sooner or later, we’ll have to turn it over.”

“With an apology that says we didn’t know it belonged to Mandy.”

“Even if her name was on the inside cover.”

They both chuckled. “We can be as dense as the sheriff, right?”

“Denser.”

They wasted the rest of the day at the emergency.

The doctor wrapped tape around Marcia’s ribs, making her feel as if she was putting on a corset. He was older, paunchy, with a small gray beard. If he weren’t wearing scrubs and a name tag, she would have taken him for a homeless person.

“There’s not a whole lot we can do for your ribs,” the doctor said. “Yours are as set as they’re going to get. But you have to be careful not to dislodge them. Deep breathing will not dislodge them, and you need to breathe deep to avoid pneumonia. Will it be painful? Yes. And necessary? Yes. Give it enough time to heal properly.

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