exposed (Twisted Cedar Mysteries Book 3) by CJ Carmichael Read Free Book Online

“Could Ed have taken Chester? Do you really think it’s possible?”
    Jamie clued in then, too. “Come on, Dougal. You’d blame every crime in Curry County on our father if you could.”
    Dougal’s jaw tightened. “It’s just a theory.”
    “Well, it’s a crazy theory. No one but you thinks our father—the guy you claim you last saw in New York City as an old cripple with the assumed name of Monty something-or-other—is now living in Oregon with yet another assumed name and identity.”
    Cory moaned softly in her sleep and Jamie paused before continuing in a quieter voice. “Only you think this third incarnation of our dad as Brian Greenway managed to track down our half-sister, murder her baby, and then force her to hang herself in the basement of our library.”
    “You’re right,” Dougal said calmly. “I have no proof Ed was involved in any of that. But I believe he was, all the same.”
    “Okay, on the off chance you’re right. Why would our father go after Chester? Isn’t his next logical target me ? Isn’t that why you dragged me out to the Grassy Knob Wilderness today?”
    “I thought so,” Dougal agreed. “But if there is one thing Ed Lachlan is not, it’s predictable.”
    Charlotte desperately wished Jamie was right and Ed Lachlan had nothing to do with Chester. She put a hand on Dougal’s shoulder. “If Ed is involved, why would he want Chester?”
    Dougal’s answer was far from comforting.
    “For leverage.”
    * * *
    At four in the morning, Jamie, resigned to the fact that Chester wouldn’t be coming home that night, went home to grab a few hours of sleep. Dougal carried a sleeping Cory into the family room and settled her on the shorter of two sofas.
    Cory whimpered when he put her down, but didn’t wake up, not even when Borden jumped up beside her.
    Gently Dougal led Charlotte to the second sofa, where he pulled her down and cradled her in his arms. “Try to rest. You’ll need your strength tomorrow.”
    A few minutes later she seemed to be drifting off, but just as her body relaxed, an internal alarm would jerk her awake.
    Finally, they both gave up pretending they might sleep, and turned on a movie, keeping the volume low.
    Cory didn’t budge.
    “I’m glad she’s getting some rest,” Charlotte said.
    “I wish you would, too.”
    “How can I?” Charlotte went to the east-facing window, which looked out to the street. Cupping her hands to the glass, she peered out into the blackened world.
    “See anything?”
    “Those news vans are gone at least.” She straightened with a sigh.
    “Good,” Dougal said, though he supposed if Chester wasn’t home by the morning, those vans, and a lot more, would return.
    When he spotted Charlotte yawning a few minutes later, he urged her to lie down on the sofa with him again. He held her close, feeling relieved when she finally relaxed. A few minutes later he could tell by her breathing that she was asleep.
    As he held his body still so he wouldn’t disturb her, his mind raced. He couldn’t stop thinking about his father. He wished he had some insight into Ed Lachlan’s plan. To Ed, killing a person wasn’t a brutal crime, it was a move in a chess game. If Ed had taken Chester, he’d be waiting for Dougal to make the next move.
    Dougal had no doubt that Chester’s life depended on him making a smart play.
    But what should that be?
    At some point Dougal finally drifted to sleep himself, awakening at dawn when Charlotte began to stir. Soon after that Cory got up and they trooped back to the kitchen to go through the motions of having breakfast, even though none of them were hungry.
    Deputy Field checked in with them long enough to grab a coffee. Shortly after that the crime scene people returned. What they hoped to find, Dougal couldn’t guess, but according to Wade this was regular procedure.
    By eight-thirty Dougal was going mad. “I have to do something. This sitting around and waiting is making me insane.”
    “I feel the