Page 10 of Deeper Than the Dead

The cave opening came into view, and she stalled. Vera had not set foot in this vicinity in more than two decades. And looking at it now, she felt startled by the idea that someone had accidentally discovered the place. You basically had to know where it was to see it, the way it was nestled in that copse of cedar trees. Additionally, the opening was almost completely concealed by a pile of boulders that had seemingly erupted from the ground right next to it.

As she studied the landscape, a cop exited the cave opening on his knees. He held a box, which likely contained whatever evidence he’d collected. A tent, maybe eight by eight feet, had been erected a few feet from the opening to create a landing area for the remains and evidence being removed. The remains, as well as any other visible evidence, would be collected, bagged or boxed, and then removed from the site. Soil and other samples from inside would be taken for comparison purposes. Samples of essentially anything inside the cave that may have touched or affected the evidence in some manner would be gathered. A uniformed officer stood guard at the tent to ensure the collections were not compromised in any way.

Another uniform stood at the crime scene perimeter where the yellow tape sagged. He’d already spotted Vera and made a call on his radio. Probably to Bent. Some part of her braced for the coming reunion. She almost rolled her eyes at the thought. Both she and Bent had gotten out of here twenty-odd years ago. And now here they were, about to come face to face again. Right back where it all started. Fate really had a twisted sense of irony.

But he’d left first, and all these years later she hadn’t forgiven him. Or forgotten him. Not that she would ever in a million years admit that last part.

So far none of the reporters gathered at the roadside appeared to have dared move closer to the actual scene, which was approximately three quarters of a mile from their location. Or maybe they had, and the observant officer in charge of maintaining the security of the perimeter had sent them packing. That would change in the coming days. Some would no doubt already be talking to friends and neighbors of the Boyett family. A good reporter did what he or she had to do to get the story. When they couldn’t get usable or sufficient information elsewhere, they would come back to the source and attempt a connection.

Vera understood. When you needed information, you did whatever necessary to find it. You scratched around, pushed as hard as the law allowed (sometimes harder), and you didn’t stop. Ever. Until you had what you needed.

Uneasiness crawled along her spine. She and Eve needed to talk about that aspect of this situation. It wasn’t as if they had to figure out what to say in answer to official questions. They had told their stories in April twenty-two years ago when Sheree disappeared. Not in all these years had their stories changed. No reason for modification. No one had ever prompted a review of the case. Sheree hadn’t had any close family to nudge law enforcement for closure. When she disappeared, Sheriff Fraley attempted to contact her family, but her parents had passed by then. Not that they would have shown up or cared anyway. Her overly strict parents had insisted their one and only child was dead to them by the time she was fourteen. Apparently, her wild ways had been too horrific for their sensibilities. They’d moved back to Indiana and put Tennessee behind them for good. Who abandons a child? And Sheree had been a fourteen-year-old child when they cleared out.

In some ways, Vera supposed Sheree hadn’t understood how to be a better person. All she’d ever known was taking care of herself and avoiding the disappointment, shame, and abandonment of her heartless parents.

No sympathy, Vee.

Feeling sorry for the woman who had torn their lives apart was not going to help the situation either.

Another figure exited the opening of the cave.

Even without his trademark cowboy hat, Vera recognized him. His hair was long, brushed his shoulders, just as it had back in the day—before he’d run off to join the army. He stood, dusted off his knees, and looked in her direction. Somehow his gaze landing on her—despite the distance—shook her in ways to which she should have grown immune ages ago. Unfortunately, she clearly had not. He began walking toward her, and she braced for whatever would come next.

When she was a teenager, his coming closer would have had her heart pounding and her pulse fluttering. Not unlike now, she realized, frustrated with herself. She dabbed at her forehead with the back of her hand, wishing she’d driven that damned UTV instead of working up a sweat on foot. Her hair was likely a mess. Her Memphis Police Department tee was sticking to her skin. Damn it.

He stopped three feet away, leaving the hanging yellow tape between them. “Vee.”

Some part of her had managed to block the memory of how his voice sounded. Deep, the slightest bit gravelly, but the real killer was the soulful aspect to the way he spoke. Slow, focused—as if each word was intended for only you in the most intimate way possible. His voice moved through you, tugged at you ...

Vera reminded herself to breathe. “Bent.” She gave the slightest of nods. “I was surprised to hear you’re the sheriff now. When did you get back?”

For the first time, she allowed her gaze to meet his. And he still had that way of looking not just at you but inside you. As if he could see all the way to the thoughts in your head and the hammering in your chest. She steeled herself a little more firmly—for all the good it would do.

“Did my twenty in the army,” he said. “Decided to come on home and take my time figuring out what came next. Before I knew what was happening, Sheriff Fraley had talked me into this job.” He inclined his head, studied her as if he expected to hear the rest of her story next. “So here I am.”

She nodded again—more of a jerk than an actual nod. “I’m glad you found your calling.”

Oh hell. Inside she cringed. Could she have said anything more cliché? She blinked. Whatever. She and this man were practically strangers. There was absolutely no reason for her to be concerned as to what he thought of her. At least, not beyond any connection to the human remains found in that damned cave. Whatever brief connection they had shared a lifetime ago had vanished the moment he took off on her.

“Your sisters called you about this”—he hitched his head toward the opening into the hillside—“I’m guessing.”

What was that question supposed to mean? “Well, of course they called me. It’s my understanding the remains of my stepmother were found.”

“We don’t have an official ID just yet, but we have reason to believe it’s her. Some of her personal belongings were found with the remains, including a driver’s license.” He studied Vera a moment, as if calculating what he might say next. Every ounce of willpower she possessed was required not to look away.

“As I recall,” he finally went on, “you hated Sheree. You can see how I might be surprised that you’d rush back home on her account.” He shrugged, that gesture that only men who wanted to prove they gave not one shit could make. “What’s it been—two or three years—since you were here?”

Obviously, he was trying to fire her up. “You’re right.” She squared her shoulders and looked him straight in the eyes. “As a teenager I truly despised Sheree for taking our mama’s place too soon. For stealing all our daddy’s attention. And I probably wished her dead more than once.” She flashed a fake smile. “And I’ll be the first one to admit that I was extremely happy when she disappeared. Good riddance. Is that what you wanted to hear?”

He winced, or maybe it was just some sort of tic, then glanced toward the uniform standing guard at the tent a few yards away. “Jesus Christ, Vee, that’s something you don’t need to repeat to me or to anyone else.”

“It’s true,” she said, not backing down. “But I was a kid, and I was hurt by the loss of my mama. Sometimes you say and do stupid things when you’re emotionally ravaged by consecutive life-altering events.”

He looked away.

She resisted the temptation to smile. Good. Now he understood how it felt to have the past shoved into his face. “But that’s the past. I’m here about what’s happening now.”

His gaze connected with hers once more. The thumping in her chest hitched. Damn it. After all this time she shouldn’t react to the man on such a fundamental level. Ridiculous.

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