Page 29 of A Little Bit Whiskey
“Bullshit.” Tamsyn inched closer, bending down, examining the area that had appeared to have been re-covered. She found a stick and moved the ground around, careful not to disturb too much. A million thoughts shot through her brain. Brooklyn’s alpaca farm was located to the north. The access road looped between the two properties at this point. It was owned by the winery but gave Brooklyn the ability to access the river from the south end. Carter had created the road when he and Weezer took over ownership of the winery as a courtesy. They were kind and generous that way.
But Brooklyn and Caleb would never bury an animal on the River property, much less go to the trouble of taking out one of the security cameras. They had wanted the added security as much as the River family.
“Talk to me, Carter,” Tamsyn said.
“Are you a cop or my son’s girlfriend?” Carter asked.
“Both.” There was no way Tamsyn could let this sit and not call it in. The only question became when and how she chose to deal with it.
“Dad. Why are you being so sketchy about this? What happened that you aren’t telling us?” Noir took a hand out of his pocket and took off his cap. He adjusted it, brushing off the snow, then put it back on.
“Your mother received an anonymous email earlier today,” Carter said. “It wasn’t threatening in nature, which is why we didn’t think too much about it.”
“What did it say?” Tamsyn asked.
“Whoever sent it told Weezer her past was going to catch up to her and she wasn’t going to be able to run from it or manipulate the outcome this time.” Carter turned and made his way to the fence. He leaned against the post. “I know how the law works. Anything I say to you can be used against us, but I have a gut feeling about what’s in that grave.”
“Why? What did you see when you pushed aside those leaves and some of the dirt?”
“Bones,” Carter said. “And I know human remains when I see them.”
“Jesus, Dad.” Noir raced to his father’s side. “Why would someone bring a body to our property?”
“You both know I have to call this in.” Tamsyn pulled out her cell. “I will need that email, the video footage, and any other piece of evidence you have. Is there anything else you’re leaving out?”
Carter glanced down.
“Fuck,” Tamsyn muttered. “Spit it out before the rest of my colleagues get here.”
“A couple of days ago, Weezer was cleaning the dining room and she found a small box that had been stuffed in the back of the china cabinet. It wasn’t ours and she had no idea where it came from or when it was put there.” Carter caught her gaze. “When we opened it, we didn’t recognize most of the items, until we came across one thing.”
“What was that?” Noir asked.
Carter ran a hand across his face. “A charm bracelet that Weezer had given to Elizabeth when Tamsyn was born.”
“You’ve got to be fucking kidding me.” An image of the feather pendant necklace flashed before Tamsyn’s eyes. “You should have called me the second you found it. I’m sure your fingerprints are all over it now.”
“You’re right about that.” Carter sighed.
“That box wasn’t there six months ago,” Noir said. “I know that because we all helped Mom clean that out. Zinny took some wineglasses. Chablis took Grandma’s old china set, and Merlot and Talbot took the tea set.”
“Anyone besides family there to prove that?” Tamsyn swallowed the thick bile that filled her throat. Her gaze shifted to the shallow grave.
Human remains.
Her mother.
It couldn’t be.
But every bone in her body told her it was.
“It was a family affair,” Carter said. “Every member was there. But no one outside of my children, their spouses, and my grandchildren.” He lifted his hand. “I do have photographs from that day. Pictures of the items. Images of us cleaning out that cabinet, among other things.”
“That will be helpful. I’ll need your phone, or anyone else’s who has pictures of that day. I need timestamps. Anything that can help show you emptying out that cabinet, but to be honest, that won’t be enough.” Tamsyn’s finger hovered over her phone. “I’m recommending that neither of you or anyone in your family say another word to me. Call your lawyer.”
“That would be me,” Carter said.
“That’s not a good idea, and you know it.” She tapped Fred’s number. “While I don’t see a crime, if there is a human body in that grave, and it’s who we think it is, we all know where this investigation is going to point.”
