The Darkness We Hide by Debra Webb

Author:Debra Webb
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: MIRA Books
Published: 2020-01-21T17:33:22+00:00

Thirteen

Billy had suggested they look up the cops who investigated the murders. They had decided to start with the sheriff.

Rowan was thankful the man wasn’t dead. After half a century it was more likely than not that most of the people who had known the Mulligans at the time of their murders would be gone.

The newspaper article cited Robert “Bob” Mount as the Jackson County sheriff at the time of the Mulligan murders. Discovering that he was still alive was only half the battle. Locating him hadn’t been easy since his wife had died a decade ago and their children had grown up and moved away before that. Luckily, one of the deputies had remembered Bob and was certain he lived in an assisted-living facility in the Goose Pond area. There was only one facility in that area, which made tracking the place down far easier.

Lake Grove sat in a picturesque venue just outside Scottsboro proper, just a short drive from the Goose Pond neighborhoods. The facility was made up of a large building that included the offices, the game room and lounge, classrooms for dance, art and music classes and a variety of small restaurants, three of them. It was more like a resort than an old folks’ home. The living spaces appeared to all be single-story apartments that surrounded a graciously landscaped common area. Each had a rear patio with a view to the lake. Sheriff Bob, as he was known by the staff and other residents, was only too happy to invite Rowan and Billy into his home. According to the resource coordinator, Sheriff Bob liked nothing better than talking about his days as sheriff of Jackson County.

Rowan hoped his memory was as good as his physical health appeared to be.

“Mercy, that was a good while ago.” He studied the copy of the article Rowan had brought with her. “This county never had a murder like that before or since.” He shook his head. “Awful business. Just awful. Reminded me of that Lizzie Borden tale.” He passed the article back to her. “What would you like to know?”

Rowan had asked Billy to lead the interview. She hoped the lawman bond would prompt greater cooperation.

Billy said, “Do you mind walking us through what happened starting when you received the call? Maybe you can also tell us something about the family.”

“I can do that,” Bob agreed. He tapped his right temple. “Mind is like a steel trap. I haven’t forgotten one thing about the cases I worked, especially the ones like this.”

There was a long pause as if the former sheriff was gathering his thoughts.

Rowan still felt shaky after the visit to the house and the unexpected finds. There was a hollowness echoing inside her. She had so many questions. How was it that each new discovery only added more questions? Her life felt as if it were spinning out of control from the past forward.

“I turned thirty-two that year,” Bob said. “I was a newly minted sheriff. I’d been with the department for a dozen years.

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