Total pages in book: 114
Estimated words: 108849 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 544(@200wpm)___ 435(@250wpm)___ 363(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 108849 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 544(@200wpm)___ 435(@250wpm)___ 363(@300wpm)
Already in a bad mood, Huck sat in his own interrogation room across from FBI Special Agent in Charge Wayne Norrs and Fish and Wildlife Deputy Chief Mert Wright. Aeneas had deserted him and headed toward his dog bed in the corner of Huck’s office upstairs. While Huck felt some sort of an affinity with Norrs because he’d seemed like a decent guy during the last case they’d worked together, his back teeth gritted together at facing Mert Wright again.
Norrs was wide and stocky with a bald head and intelligent piercing blue eyes. He had a boxer’s face, complete with a nose that had no doubt taken a punch or two during his life. In comparison, Mert Wright was in his midsixties with a beer gut, beady brown eyes, and a bald head.
“I can’t believe the clusterfuck you’ve gotten us into this time, Rivers,” Wright snapped.
Huck kept his expression stoic and tried to focus. He could not believe Jason Abbott had called Laurel the night before.
Norrs cut Wright a look. “I don’t think it’s the captain’s fault his mother was found dead at the base of a mountain, Deputy Chief. Maybe go easy.”
Wright pushed back in his chair. “Go easy? What are we going to do when the news gets ahold of this?”
“Deal with it,” Huck said somberly.
Norrs cleared his throat. “I think I’ll take the lead on this. First, Captain Rivers, I have to tell you that we did notify the local sheriff about the identity of the first victim. Sheriff York gave me his word that he’d keep that under wraps.”
Huck sighed. “York doesn’t like me. I’m sure he’ll announce that the vic was my mother.”
“No,” Norrs said. “He’s still feeling the heat from allowing Jason Abbott to escape. He’ll keep his mouth shut.”
Perhaps he would. Who knew? “Okay.”
Norrs sat back. “Captain, when was the last time you spoke with your mother?”
Huck agreed with Norrs taking the lead. “I’ve never spoken to my mother.”
“Never?” Wright asked incredulously, his thin eyebrows lifting into his bald forehead.
“Never,” Huck said easily. “Never met the woman. She didn’t want to have kids but got pregnant. Agreed to have me and then left me with my dad. He seemed fine with it.”
Wright leaned forward, his beady eyes narrowing. “You’re telling me you never once in your entire life talked to your mother?”
“Not once,” Huck said.
Norrs cocked his head. “Did you ever try to find her? You have enough military and police contacts that you could have most likely tracked her down.”
“No, I never tried to find her. She left.” As far as Huck was concerned, she hadn’t wanted a life with him. “She made her choice, and I wasn’t going to hunt her down and ask her why. Some people don’t want kids.”
Unlike him. He definitely wanted the baby Laurel was carrying, without question. They might have to keep that news under wraps until this case was over, however.
Norrs tapped a pen on the scratched metal table between them. “What about your father? Did he ever talk to her?”
“Not to my knowledge,” Huck said. “I think he would’ve told me had she ever reached out or if he had ever called her. He wasn’t big on secrets.”
Wright shook his head. “So then she suddenly appears here dead?”
“Imagine my surprise,” Huck said dryly. “I have no idea what she was doing here. I don’t know where she came from or where she’s been the last thirty-two years. Until she turned up murdered, I figured she didn’t want to know me.”
“Do you care?” Norrs asked.
Huck’s chest hitched. “Yeah, I care. It’s my job. When somebody’s killed in my territory, when they’re murdered, it’s my job to figure out who did it.” Plus, she had been his mother. He’d find out who killed her and put them in prison.
“It’s not your job this time,” Wright snapped. “You are off the case.”
Norrs nodded. “I concur. You can’t be involved with this case, Captain Rivers, even though you hadn’t seen or heard from Delta Rivers your entire life.”
“That’s fine,” Huck said. “We have enough going on to keep me busy.”
“True.” Norrs had dark circles under his eyes. Apparently, he had been working around the clock.
Huck cut a look at Wright. “Monty Buckley is more than capable of running the investigation. You didn’t need to come in from Seattle. When was the last time you actually investigated a case?” The guy was a paper pusher.
Wright’s face turned red. “Watch yourself.”
“There wasn’t a phone or any identification with the body,” Huck said. “Have you been able to trace my mother’s movements?”
“You’re off the case,” Norrs repeated evenly. “Your father must have told you something about your mother.”
Huck thought back. “He told me that she was a free spirit who liked to drink beer. That she didn’t want to be tied down and definitely didn’t want a family.”