Page 42 of Hack
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
The small building behind the library and post office wasn't much, but Carter hoped that didn't mean they didn't have the information he was seeking. He wasn't even sure what he was looking for, he was just following a feeling he had, with no idea where it would lead him.
He walked into the dimly lit building that was hardly more than a cabin. It looked like one of those prefabricated places that had been moved onto the property just to house the historical society. He closed the door softly, giving his eyes a moment to adjust to the darker lights.
"Hi, may I help you?" An older lady, probably in her mid-sixties ambled toward him.
Carter forced a smile to his face as he offered his hand. "I hope so. My name is Jerry." The fake name came easily, matching an already set up profile with ID and paperwork to back it up. "And I'm looking for some information on a family that lives here. I know you tend to deal with more of a historical than current history, but I figured it couldn't hurt to ask."
"I'm Dana." She shook his hand. "Come on back here and we can talk. Would you like a cup of coffee first?" She headed toward a long table in the back of the main room they were in.
"No, thanks, I just finished breakfast." He waited until she'd taken her seat before he sat down across from her.
"Now, you're right that we don't focus on every family that lives in the area, especially current ones, but if there is any historical reason for us to have information, we do compile that. What is the name you are looking for?"
"It would be Carmen. I know they had a small ranch type place here back in the eighties. Two of the three sons still live in the area." He saw the way her eyes lit up and hoped that meant she was able to help.
"Tonya and Mark Carmen lived here about that time. I knew Tonya well. She'd gone to school with my older sister. Is that who you mean?"
"Three sons, Lyle, Levitt, and Luis?" Carter asked, his hope growing.
"Yes, and a daughter, but I can't recall her name."
Carter's eyes widened. "I didn't have any record of a daughter."
"Oh, well, you'll have to ask Levitt or Luis about her. I only saw her one time. It was after Tonya and Mark were killed. I'd dropped by to bring the kids some food, knowing they had to be having a hard time. Lyle and his sister were home and took the food."
"How old was she?" Carter took out a small notebook and started taking notes.
"Oh, she was much younger than the boys. I think Lyle was probably sixteen or seventeen at the time. I know Luis was over eighteen since he got custody of the others. The girl looked to be maybe seven or eight years old. I was surprised because I'd never known that Tonya had another child. I'd been to her baby shower for Lyle, but that was the last I'd remembered her being pregnant. Cute little blonde-haired girl. She was nervous, but that's expected. The poor girl had just lost her parents." Dana folded her hands on the table. "It's a shame what happened to that family. Tonya and Mark were good people. They didn't deserve to be murdered the way they were."
Carter's blood ran cold, his thoughts going to dark places he didn't like. "Do you know much about the murder? That was actually what I was hoping you might have some information on."
"I think we have the newspaper articles saved. It was a big story when it happened. Both parents were killed while the kids were at school and work. It was Lyle who came home to find the bodies that day. He'd come home at lunch to grab something and found both his parents dead in the hallway. They'd been shot to death with Mark's own gun. If I remember right, the police guessed that Mark had heard them break in and was trying to defend the house when somehow the burglars got control of his gun and shot both him and Tonya." Dana made a disgusted face. "They never caught who did it."
Carter had read that much about the case, but he was hoping for more. "Do you mind if I look over the articles?"
"Of course not. Let me find them for you. I'll be right back." She headed out of the room and into the back section of the cabin where Carter guessed they kept files of information.
While he waited, he wandered the small room, looking over photographs and other items of historical value. There wasn't much. Other than a few politicians, and a few high schools who excelled in sports, there wasn't much to mention about the place. Being so near Atlanta, he was surprised at how the area compared with a small town. He'd expected a lot more.
He pulled out his phone and sent a quick text to Archer.Can you look for information on girls aged 6-11 blonde hair, missing from this area about the time of the Carmen's murders?
It took only a minute for a text to come back.You're fucking kidding me?
Nope, someone claims there was a daughter there after the murders. Seen with Lyle.Carter hit send.
Fuck me. Consider it done.Archer responded a few minutes later.
Carter grinned at his phone. Fucking Archer was exactly what he wanted to do, but sadly, now wasn't the time to be thinking about it. He needed to focus. He needed a clear head for this and he was anything but clear when he was thinking of sex with Archer.
His cock still tingled from the effects of what they'd done last night. He'd about lost his mind when he came, it had happened with such force. He couldn't wait to do it again, and again, and again.
Frustrated with his need, he swiped his fingers through his hair. This was the last thing he needed. What was supposed to be casual sex was turning out to be anything but casual. He'd never had a problem putting off sex with someone before. At least not since Beth. With her, it was on no matter where they were or what they were doing. If they could sneak away for ten minutes of fun, they did. That was about how Archer had him after only one night together. Okay, maybe two nights, but did you really count the first? Yeah, with Archer they all counted, he realized.
He stared at his reflection in a glass case, reminding himself he had much more important things to worry about than getting laid. If what Dana said was true, there was a little girl who had been with Lyle after his parents died, and she was probably his first victim.
If she had been at the house with him when Dana took food over, then Levitt and Luis probably knew about her too. At that age, it was unlikely that Lyle would know how to hide a young girl, and if his ego was what Carter thought it was, he wouldn't have wanted to hide her. She was a trophy to show off, and who better to show her off to than his brothers.
