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Chapter 19

“Where in the bloody hell did you learn how to drive?”

Pendergast raised an eyebrow and gave Tigg a quizzical look. She was sitting on the truck’s lowered tailgate, rubbing her head and looking quite disgruntled.

“Wherever it was, you must have failed the PHD.”

“PHD?”

“Pot Hole Dodging. You hit that sucker head on.” She glared at Pendergast for a moment and then sighed and dropped her eyes.

“I guess you want to know what I was doing in the back of your truck.”

“I trust you have found your ‘damn good reason’ for leaving your home.”

“You could say that.”

“Last night you gave the impression you were unwilling to leave. Why?”

“I knew you would take me straight to Eli. He would have his own way of having me assist with the case. I...I like to do things on my own terms.”

Pendergast smiled thinly. “I can understand that. But why make such a show of resistance?”

“I knew you would relay my reaction to Eli. He’s very good at reading people, so I needed you to believe what you were telling him.”

“You need not have worried. Mr. Glinn has as much difficulty ‘reading’ me as he apparently does ‘reading’ you.”

Tigg gave Pendergast an amused look.

“You must be one of the select few.”

“Indeed. Tell me, how did you know about his plan to motivate you to leave the mountain?”

“It’s fairly simple, really. I’ve known him a long time, and I know how he thinks. He believes people are inherently predictable, and he has expectations for behavior based on that logic. In doing so, he has made himself inherently predictable. When I found out he sent you and why, I had to think what else he was planning and how he was expecting me to react.”

“And when you determined his motive, you acted in the opposite manner, thus continuing to make yourself unpredictable.”

Tigg gave Pendergast a wry smile.

“You catch on fast.”

“I see. So you are willing to help with this case. What makes you think I will allow you to do so?”

Tigg sat in silence. She stared at Pendergast, trying to read his expression. Finally, she spoke.

“Because...you agree with Eli. I should be helping.”

“Mr. Glinn has reconsidered his plan. He now feels it may be too dangerous for you to be a part of the case.”

“What happened to make him change his mind?”

“What do you know about Jacob Darrow?”

“Tiny Darrow, the ‘Sheriff of Unusual Size’? Enough. He’s the bastard who let everyone believe my brother was responsible for what happened. He didn’t even bother to investigate further. ‘The murderer was killed at the scene. Case closed.’ Why do you ask?”

“He was murdered two days ago.”

Tigg looked startled. After a few moments, she collected herself and looked at Pendergast.

“And what does this have to do with the case? I’m sure there are plenty of people ready and willing to waste him. He is...was as crooked as they come.”

“Mr. Glinn believes the murder is connected to the case. He feels that the killer is watching those involved in both investigations and is eliminating those who could make connections.”

“Did Darrow come forward with information?”

“No. His reaction when the old crime was mentioned was...disconcerting.”

“Then I don’t see a connection, unless the killer has decided to eliminate everyone associated with the old crime. Have there been any other incidents?”

“Mr. Glinn did not mention any others.”

“What is your take on the situation?”

“I will need to gather more data before forming an opinion. If the killer is indeed monitoring the progress, it would be wise not to draw attention to yourself.”

“I don’t plan to.”

“What, pray tell, is your plan?”

“I want to help, but on the sidelines. You’ll be gathering information, and I can help your sort through it. Eli gave you a list of people associated with both towns and both families, right?”

Pendergast gave her a look of mild surprise.

“How did you know that?”

Tigg waved his question away.

“I told you, I understand how Eli thinks. Anyway, I can help you go through that list. I’ll know if anyone is important enough to interview. After all, it was my family. I can see a connection that you might not.”

Pendergast gazed thoughtfully at Tigg. She seemed slightly nervous under his gaze, but did not break eye contact, and the determined look on her face had not faltered.

“I am still curious as to your motivation.”

Tigg gave an exasperated sigh, jumped down off the tailgate and stepped up to Pendergast. She drew up to her full height and looked him straight in the eye.

“Look, I couldn’t do anything to save my family. I’m not even sure I could have prevented the murders from the present case, but I am damned sure that I need to do something to stop this bastard from killing again. If that means cooperating with you and even Eli I will do it. I chose my approach because I am doing what I think is best, and despite what Eli believes I am not crazy or unstable. Believe it or not, I have thought this through rationally, even though my past actions may indicate otherwise. I am putting a great deal of trust in you, Mr. Pendergast, and now you will have to do the same. We can work together on this, I’m sure of it. Are you?”

Pendergast gazed at Tigg thoughtfully. After several moments, he nodded.



Amelia Harding parked her car in the lot behind the Sheriff’s Office and headed for the back door. Detective Gregory had warned her over the phone not to drive her cruiser in to the office, and not to park out front. This was just after he had requested her presence at the office, immediately. When she had driven past the office to get to the back alley, she noticed a large number of people milling around out front. Upon closer inspection, she realized that they were members of the local and state press.

Wonderful, Amelia had thought. That explains Gregory’s mood.

Before she could unlock the back door, it swung open and a young state trooper ushered her inside. When she entered the main office, Detective Gregory stopped pacing the room and turned to her, his face livid.

“It’s about damn time!” he shouted. Amelia stared at him with what she hoped was an impassive look. She had made up her mind on the way over that she would not let him get to her.

“What seems to be the problem, Detective?”

Her calmness seemed to infuriate him even more. He stomped over to one of the desks, grabbed a newspaper and practically shoved it in her face.

“What do you know about this?”

She took the paper and scanned the headline: Corruption Rampant in Pine Mountain. Puzzled, she started to read the story. As her eyes swept over the page, she felt a chill go down her spine. My God...

“Well?”

“I...I never knew about any of this. I wasn’t exactly in Darrow’s confidences. To him, I was just an employee.”

“Then maybe you know something about how the press got a hold of this information. Someone kindly provided them with a whole packet of evidence on Darrow and his associates.”

The break-in, thought Amelia. Darrow must have kept his records in the office and someone knew exactly where to get them. The same person who murdered him.

“I already told you, I didn’t know anything about this.”

“So you said. Would you happen to have any idea who would have known about this?”

Amelia thought for a minute.

“Honestly, no, I don’t. All of his friends that I know about are mentioned, too. I can’t see any of them in the role of whistle blower.”

Detective Gregory glared at Amelia. He seemed to be struggling with the thought of asking the next question. Finally he spoke.

“Did Sheriff Darrow seem worried lately? Upset? Depressed, even?”

“Not that I...wait a minute. You think that he—?”

“We’re trying to cover all bases. In the meantime, the case will remain open. I’ve spoken to the District Attorney, and in light of these recent events, this office and will be placed under investigation and these allegations will be thoroughly examined. While the investigation is being conducted, this office will be under the control of the state police. All current employees will be placed on administrative leave until the matter is resolved.”

“Wait a minute, I—”

“Leave your gun and badge with Office Keckley, and make sure you’re available to answer the investigator’s questions.”

“But I—”

Without another word, Gregory turned, walked into Darrow’s office, and slammed the door.



Tigg sat cross-legged in the back of the truck, reading the list Glinn had provided. She was waiting for Pendergast, who was off on some unknown errand. After their confrontation, they had both climbed back into the truck and Pendergast had driven down the god-awful bumpy road for what seemed like an hour, finally stopping in front of a small dilapidated barn. Pendergast had instructed Tigg to stay in the back of the truck, out of sight, and promised to return shortly. As soon as he had left, she had gone to the front of the truck, found the list, and returned to her hiding place. The list was fairly short, with only ten people included, and only four of the names were familiar. Not much to start with, really. Her thoughts were soon interrupted by the sound of metal scraping lightly against metal. She looked up as the door of the truck cap opened, and gasped in surprise. A stranger with bushy brown and grey hair, a thick moustache, brown eyes, and wire-rimmed glassed was peering into the back of the truck. Tigg scrambled backward out of the stranger’s reach, grabbing her knapsack as she went and reaching for a suitable weapon. The stranger gazed at her with faint amusement and then looked own at the list she had dropped in her haste.

“I believe I told you to stay back here.” The stranger’s voice was familiar, with the honeyed drawl of a southern gentleman.

Tigg blinked in surprise.

“Pendergast?”

He nodded. Tigg crawled forward to take a closer look.

“What’s with the get-up?”

“As I previously mentioned, we believe the killer is keeping close watch on the investigation. If anyone who was involved with the first case suddenly appeared at the site of the second case it might agitate the killer, causing him to abandon the site and reducing the likelihood that he could be apprehended.”

“So you don’t want the killer to recognize you and take off to parts unknown. You might have clued me in, you know. I don’t like surprises.”

“Indeed.”

“Yes, indeed. Where did you get that stuff? Eli?”

“Some of it. I made my own arrangements for delivery of certain supplies after our meeting.”

“A regular boy scout.” She stared at him for a moment, studying the details of his disguise. Damn, this guy is good.

“So, what’s next on the agenda?”

Pendergast lowered the tailgate and placed a small leather case in front of Tigg. She eyed it suspiciously and then opened it. She stared at the contents, and then met Pendergast’s gaze.

“You have got to be kidding.”



Rebecca Jenkins checked the patient’s vital signs, made a notation on the chart, and gathered up her things to leave. She paused, then went back and looked at the man’s face carefully. He really did look familiar, and she was quite sure she had seen him somewhere before. She just wasn’t sure where. Cambry...Cambry...I know that name, too. Think, Becca, think. The question had been nagging at her all day. She shook her head and walked towards the door, pushing her cart in front of her. The door opened just before she reached it and Marilyn Carson, one of the other nurses stuck her head in.

“Ah, there you are Becca. Nicki needs to see you, she says it’s ‘important’.”

Great. ‘Important’ to Nicki usually translated to ‘I need you to work another shift’.

“Who called in sick this time?”

“Sonja. She’s still recovering from the ‘flu’.”

“Yeah, I’ll bet. I’ve been here since 6 AM, I have an hour left on my shift, and I really don’t want to stand in for another eight hour shift, even if it is overtime. Can’t she get someone else?”

Marilyn shook her head. She opened the door wider to let Rebecca pass through and then looked over at the sleeping patient.

“How’s he doing?”

“The same. Dr. Aubrey gave you the special instructions, right?”

“Yep. I can’t for the life of me figure out why someone would want to kill a retired cop.”

“He’s a cop? Where did you hear that?”

“One of his former co-workers called to check on him, a woman from some little Podunk town in West Virginia. Pine Mountain, I think it was.”

With a start, Rebecca realized why Cambry looked familiar. She had met him once, at the hospital where she had gone to see...

“Becca, are you ok? You look a little pale.” Marilyn was staring at her with a look of concern on her kind, careworn face.

Rebecca shook off the memory with a shiver. She really didn’t want to think about that right now.

“Sorry, it’s nothing. I better go talk to Nicki. I guess I’ll see you later, especially if she has any say in the matter.” Rebecca gave Marilyn a weary smile and headed down the hall towards the nurse’s station.



An hour later, Rebecca walked to her car to retrieve her cell phone so she could call her husband. She knew he would not be happy, but there really wasn’t anything she could do about it. Nicki had listened to her arguments regarding the extra shift, but was apparently unmoved. When Rebecca reached her car, she unlocked it and climbed into the driver’s seat. She opened the glove compartment, removed the phone, and started to dial. Chris answered on the third ring.

“Hi honey, are you on your way home?”

“No, I’m sorry, I got stuck with another shift. I won’t be home until after midnight.”

“Again?!? Christ, Becca, they’re working you to death!”

“I’ll be fine.”

“You know, you really should...hang on, someone’s at the door. I better go answer it. The kids are still out in the back yard. I’ll talk to you later.”

Rebecca lowered the phone from her ear and turned it off. Damn you Nicki, and damn you, too Sonja. I just want to spend a little time with my family.



Chris Jenkins hung up the phone with a feeling of disgust. Those people just walk all over Becca, and she lets them. This is ridiculous. He was tempted to call the hospital and give that bitch Nicki holy Hell. He started to reach for the phone when the doorbell rang again. He walked through the living room to answer it and when he opened the door he found the last person on Earth he expected to see standing on the front porch. He stared for a moment and then stammered a greeting.

“Well, uh...hi there. Long, uh, long time no...uh...It’s been a long time.”

Yes, thought the killer, it certainly has.

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