Unseen by S. E. Green

Author:S. E. Green [Green, S. E.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2023-02-02T00:00:00+00:00

TWENTY-FOUR

Thursday, noon

After dropping Vaughn at the station, I drive home. A tiny red Smart car is parked in our driveway. It’s not the type of vehicle I expect a former detective to drive.

Inside the house, my mom and Tyler are in the kitchen laying out a Mexican-themed buffet complete with tortillas, a giant skillet of fajitas, refried beans, and all the sides. It smells heavenly.

In the living room, my father sits in the recliner that Grandpa always sat in and Captain Bacote sits on the old plaid couch. After I store my gun, I go to join them.

“I was in the area,” Bacote says, answering my unspoken curiosity. “Our RV is parked over at Lazy Q’s campground. Don’t judge our tow-behind car.” He laughs raucously. It reminds me of Sergeant Rogers’ laugh.

Dad laughs right along with him.

I remain quiet.

“It’s been forever since I was here.” He looks around the living room and kitchen separated only by a half wall. “Looks the same.”

Mom says lunch is ready. We help ourselves to the Mexican buffet, resuming our seats in the living room to eat.

It takes exactly six minutes into our meal for Captain Bacote to say, “Nell, I was hoping to talk privately.”

“Sure.”

I remain quiet after that, idly listening to my family and Bacote chat, my brain spinning.

Sometime later lunch is done. Bacote and I step out into the sunshine. For the most part, I am an impatient person. I have questions and I need them answered. I am proactive. If there is a list to be done, I get it done. But with these types of things, I have infinite patience. I will stand for hours, silent, waiting for him to speak.

It only takes seconds.

“Any luck with identification on your homeless woman?”

This is going to be one of those conversations where he asks questions that he already knows the answers to. I’ll play along. “Natalie Catherine Scott.”

“All these years later. Interesting…” He glances away, squinting into the sun. “I hear you made an arrest, then let him go—David ‘Twitch’ Archer.”

“Yes.”

He looks away from the sun and back at me. “I hear you found the murder weapon.”

“Yes.”

“And that Gilda stepped forward with an alibi.”

“Yes.”

“I know Gilda from years gone by. She’s a slick one. Don’t underestimate her.”

I nod.

“I hear you went to see Rylan Scott.”

“Yes.”

“What did he want?”

For me to give his daughter a letter. “More yard time before his execution.”

Captain Bacote makes no expression. He knows I’m lying.

“Your brother mentioned that shed in the backyard has some of your Grandpa’s old things. Tools, files, and whatnot.”

“Yes.”

“What kind of files?”

“Just personal stuff. Pictures. Notes on family trees. Old electric bills.”

“Nothing about his old cases?”

“Not that I’ve seen.”

“You’ll let me know if you do see anything? We worked on a few things together over the years. I wouldn’t mind adding his notes to mine.”

“Of course.”

“Okay. Well, the wife wants to shop Gatlinburg this afternoon. I better go. You’ve got my number.”

I nod.

“Tell your parents I said thanks for lunch. I’m happy to see them together.

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