Page 36 of Refuge for Cherilyn

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“Damn.”He’d followed the creek bank and found six illegal traps. Someone was making a good living from the pelts they were collecting, most of which were river otters. It had taken Kentucky years to build the population of the aquatic animals back up, and now idiots were hunting them out again. He’d catch the poacher eventually.

By the time he was back to his truck, it was dark. He’d no more than opened the truck’s door when his phone started ringing, and one glance told him it was Aaron. “Hey, what’s up?”

“Not much and a lot. SheriffMcEvers handed me the investigation into RodneyFrymire, so I started digging. And there’s no record of the guy.”

“What? What do you mean, there’s no record of the guy?”

“None. No birth certificate, no death certificate, no driver’s license, nothing. In the grand scheme of things, he doesn’t exist. The sheriff got a call from a sheriff’s department in Arkansas today, and they had a murder there that was eerily similar to this one, so we think they’re probably connected.”

“Okay, but what now?”

“Tomorrow I’m calling the Friend of the Court.”

“The guy has kids?”

Shaw heard Aaron snicker through the phone. “No, but FrankieTravis does.”

Shaw got Aaron’s meaning immediately. Kentucky’s Friend of the Court kept all records of child support, and if FrankieTravis had never paid any support for his kids, they’d definitely know. “Ah. Think he’ll sing?”

“I’m pretty sure he will. Key of B flat. I’m almost positive. So tell Cherilyn that we’re working on it.”

“Will do. Thanks, Aaron. Keep me up to date.”

“I will. Later.” And the phone fell silent.

Shaw sat there and thought for a minute. If the murder in Arkansas really was related, that was even scarier than he’d originally imagined. It also indicated that there might be others. But it appeared that their case had one thing the other one didn’t?an eyewitness.

That left him worried about Cherilyn. He had to get her a phone so he could check on them when he wasn’t there. It would be too late to pick one up when he went home, but he could do it the next day. By the time he was off the clock, he was a nervous wreck. Were they okay? He’d given her that phone, but Aaron hadn’t said anything about a call to the sheriff’s department. That made him feel a bit better.

Relief washed over him as the truck rolled up to a view of lights from the kitchen window. As soon as the door opened, an aroma hit his senses and he smiled. He stripped his boots off in the laundry room and instead of calling out, he made a production out of closing the back door and letting his footfalls announce his presence.

Everything inside him warmed as he stepped into the living room and saw her turn with a huge smile on her face. “Hey! You’re home!”

“Yeah, and you’ve been baking, I see. Or should I say, I smell,” he said with a grin as he sat down and threw his feet up on the coffee table.

“I hope you don’t mind.”

“Mind? Lawd, woman, you can bake anytime you want! If I don’t have what you need, I’ll buy it for you! What is that you’ve got going in there?”

“Monkey bread. The girls have always liked it.”

“I love it. Haven’t had any in a long time. Miller’s Old Country Store used to have it in Williamsburg, and every time I went by there I got a pan of it. Is it about done?”

“Should be. I was hoping you’d get here before I took it out and it got cold.” Adingsounded from the kitchen and Cherilyn leaped up. “It’s ready. Be right back.”

Shaw sat there and listened to her puttering around in the kitchen. That was when he noticed it?the house was spotless. She’d obviously spent the whole time he was gone cleaning and straightening. He heard her say something from the kitchen, but he couldn’t understand. “Hang on. I’m coming in there.”

The pan rested on the stove, and the fragrance was beyond mouthwatering. “I said, do you want coffee?”

“You know, I think I want a soft drink.”

“Which kind?”

“Lemon lime, I do believe.” She pointed to a chair, so he sat down and waited while she pulled a can from the refrigerator.

“How many pieces?”

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