In the Pale Light by Westley Smith

Author:Westley Smith [Smith, Westley]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Watertower Hill Publishing
Published: 2024-08-13T00:00:00+00:00

FOURTEEN

Miller tossed and turned most of the night.

His thoughts were on Luna and how he could help her out of the predicament she currently found herself in. But nothing came to mind while he lay in the blackness, hoping sleep would take him away from his troubles.

It made for a rough night.

By five, Miller had had enough, got out of bed, showered, and made breakfast—two eggs, toast, coffee, and coffee—and headed out the door to get a jump on the day.

He arrived at the barracks a little before six that morning. The building was quiet, and few people were in at that hour of the day as he walked to the office he and Ross shared.

He closed the door and sat down at his desk. The small number indicator on his phone flashed with a red 2. Two calls came in overnight, and both callers left messages.

He hit the play button.

The first message was from Trisha. Her voice was an irritant tone, a demeaning, put-you-down timbre that had always made Miller feel like a bug that needed to be squashed.

“I tried to reach you on your cell. Where are yo—"

He erased the call before it went any further, not wanting to hear his ex-wife’s voice first thing that morning.

The next call was from Tim Quigley, surprising Miller since he was going to call him that morning anyway.

“Hey, Miller. Just called to see how things are going with the case. Anyway, when you get a chance, give me a call. Bye.”

Miller felt Quigley was fishing to see if he had squealed about the tape to Garcia.

He looked at the clock and saw it was just past seven. Was it too early to call Quigley back? Miller didn’t care if it was. He picked up the phone and dialed the retired trooper’s number.

“Hello?” Quigley answered.

“You wanted to speak to me?”

“Miller?”

“Yeah.”

“Uh. I didn’t expect to hear from you this early.” He paused, waiting for Miller to explain himself. When he did not, Quigley continued.

“How’re things going with the case? Did the tape help?”

“We identified the voice on it.”

“Oh! That’s great news.” Quigley sounded genuinely excited to hear this. “You didn’t tell Garcia where you got the tape, did you?”

“No. It stays between us. As I promised.”

“You’re a good man, Miller.”

Am I? Trisha had gotten into his head and made him judge his every move and decision as a cop. It was water under the bridge, he reminded himself. You’re not like that now.

“Hey. I have a question for you,” Miller said, trying to push Trisha’s opinions of him from his mind.

“Shoot.”

“Do you remember the morning Terry Graham was brought into the Hickory Falls Sheriff’s Department for questioning?”

“Sure. Allen and I first questioned Terry there.”

“What I’m wondering is what Sheriff Daniel told you. You and Allen interrupted his interview with Terry that morning. Allen asked to have a word outside—what was said?”

“Oh, yeah. I almost forgot about that. Allen chewed his ass out for questioning Terry Graham when all he was supposed to do was bring him down to the sheriff’s department.

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