Page 49 of Shelter for Shay
Moose slid into the booth across from Andy Harmon just as the waitress dropped a mug of black coffee in front of him. Frank Harmon, Andy’s father and state trooper, was already there, nursing a half-eaten cinnamon bun and giving Moose the same squint he used to give punks who egged mailboxes back in high school.
“Never thought I’d see the day you’d ask for a meeting with me,” Frank said. “Normally, you were running every time you saw me.”
“I’ve changed some over the years, Sergeant Harmon.” Moose palmed the mug, staring into the dark liquid, trying not to squirm in his seat.
Andy’s dad was still intimidating as hell. Still muscular. Still fit. Still had piercing eyes like truth serum.
“Let’s cut the sergeant crap,” Frank said. “You’re not a teenager anymore, and everyone in this town knows the kind of man you turned out to be. Honorable. Decent. The kind of man that if you ever retire, move back up here, and want a job, I’d hire you in a flash.”
“Thanks for the vote of confidence. However, I just re-signed a six-year contract, and honestly, unless something happens to me, I don’t see myself leaving the Navy.” Moose took a sip of the coffee. It was the best brew he’d ever tasted.
“One of my cousins was a career Marine.” Frank smiled. “I respect that.”
Moose nodded.
“How’s Shay doing?” Andy asked.
“She’s had a bit of a rough time,” Moose said. “I just dropped her off at the courthouse. She called that number last night, and sure enough, she had to report for jury duty.”
“That really sucks,” Andy said. “Especially when Jacob Donovan is there for jury selection for the Blake Edmonds Case.”
“I’ve never had to report for jury duty,” Moose said. “But wouldn’t Shay be released simply because she knows the prosecutor?”
“Not necessarily.” Frank shook his head, leaning back. “Jacob was born and raised in this town, so he can’t dismiss everyone he knows. But he’s also somewhere between my age and yours.” He wiggled his finger between Andy and Moose. “While I’m sure he knows who Shay is, he doesn’t know her well. And the key here is if she knows Blake or Blake’s assistant, Adam Lawrence.”
Moose shifted his gaze to Andy for guidance. “Did she?”
“Not that I’m aware of,” Andy said. “Shay hasn’t spent much time in Lake George since high school. She comes home every so often to visit her mom or when she’s between countries. Outside of Becca and Todd, she doesn’t hang with too many people she knew from back in the day.”
“She’s feeling quite betrayed. As if her entire identity was built on a lie.” Moose hated that for her.
“I don’t know what Margaret was thinking,” Frank said. “I checked our database for anything on Bradley Morrison. Nothing popped up that would make me suspicious of the man. I spoke with Jared, my old boss, and asked if he’d ever had any run-ins with him or ever saw Margaret with a man.”
“And?”
“Nothing.” Frank sighed. “My mom remembers seeing her pregnant a few times in the grocery store and thinks she vaguely remembers her mentioning a husband who traveled. Or who had to be out of town for work. She couldn’t remember the details. But she does know she never met him.”
Moose frowned, toying with his mug. “Margaret was a lifeline to a lot of people. I just don’t understand why she’d lie about this.”
“I could come up with a few reasons,” Frank said. “Biggest one is Shay’s real dad is a criminal and she didn’t want that to touch Shay, but Bradley’s not that.”
“I know how that feels.” Andy let out a low whistle. “But I was nine when my biological dad killed my mom. Ten when he tried to kill me. What makes more sense here is for Margaret to simply say he’s dead or that he was a one-night stand.”
Frank tapped his finger on the table. “I take it your girl made sure there wasn’t a name change by Margaret before she moved to Lake George?”
Moose nodded.
“So, that makes me wonder if Bradley isn’t smoke and mirrors and if Shay’s dad isn’t someone else. Someone who is a criminal, and Margaret didn’t want her to know him. But if that were true, I’d think she’d hide, not stick it out here,” Andy said. “Unless there was a reason for her to stay and make up that story, name and all.”
“Rufus Shaw is headed to Saratoga later today,” Moose added. “He works for Katie Donovan and he’s going to ask Bradley some questions.”
Frank gave a small, approving nod. “Katie’s good. So’s Rufus. He’ll get answers.”
“I hope so,” Moose said. “But I keep thinking—someone in town had to know something. Margaret never left Lake George for long. But she had to have friends outside of work. Anyone who might’ve known the truth and kept quiet?”
Frank leaned back, arms crossed, eyes narrowing. “I can’t say I ever saw Margaret outside of when I was either picking up kids from school, at the garden center, or maybe the grocery store,” he said after a moment. “She was always sweet. Always kind. She really helped Andy adjust to all the changes when his mom and I got married and adopted him.”
“What does Shay say about her friends?” Andy asked.
