Chapter 23

Roy cursed each bump and dip along the road, the pain from his fall growing worse with each passing mile.

He almost forgot to drop the key back to Chief Miller and turned the truck around and up the stretch of road that led to the small house beyond the fire station. He couldn’t wait for this night to be over.

He was dying to get back to the cabin so he could show Jenny the badge. In the morning, they could talk strategy.

Adam was still up when Roy dropped down from his beaten up truck with a heavy sigh and half limped his way to the front door of the home. He knocked twice and waited.

Chief Miller was dressed in a red shirt and boxer shorts when he opened the door. His television remote was still in his hand, and the sounds of a hockey game came from his living room.

“Evening, Roy.”

He raised his brow at the sight of Roy's disheveled appearance.

“Had a bad night, did you?”

“I had a great night,” Roy replied sarcastically.

“I did find something interesting the master bedroom, though.”

Chief Miller gave a curt nod of agreement.

“I don’t wanna know,” Adam said shaking his head, “but I’m glad it was worth your while.”

“I hope it’s all I need to prove Dale’s innocence.”

“He was a rough nut, looking for attention any way he could get it, that’s for sure, but I don't think he’s a killer., Adam said. “But I’m not the one you have to convince. You have your work cut out for you changing that pig head Cartright’s mind. He doesn’t like to be wrong.”

“I think what I have might change his mind,” Roy told him honestly. “If I have it my way, he’ll hightail it out of town when I’m through with him.”

“Good riddance, if you ask me.”

Chief Miller stepped out onto the porch and nodded his head toward the busted up window on Roy's truck.

“I've always said you've got to carry a spare key, Roy.”

“I'll make sure the next guy that breaks into my truck is carrying one. It will save me the repair bill.”

Chief Miller let out a hearty laugh.

“Well, I'm glad you found what you were looking for, anyway. If whatever it is gets Chief Cartright out of our hair, even better.”

The two men said goodnight and Roy went back to his truck. It was two in the morning. Jenny must be worried sick. The police badge would make her feel better, he was sure of it.

Finally, they were getting somewhere. Joey Dale would be a free man before he knew it.

* * *

Jenny had fallen asleep on the couch and awoke to Roy shaking her gently.

She almost jumped out of her skin, remembering the stranger who had been creeping around earlier in the evening. Even though the curtains were still drawn, she still sensed that someone was watching.

“Sorry, sweetheart,” Roy said to settle her.,“I didn't mean to startle you.”

Jenny relaxed as Roy caressed her back.

“Oh, it’s okay. You just scared me a little,” she said. “I’m just glad you are finally home. I have been worried about you.”

Jenny sat up, yawning and stretching her arms out over her head. A little more awake now, she noticed the state of Roy’s clothes.

“Jeepers, Roy, what happened out there,” Jenny gasped.

“I'm fine, really.” Roy brushed off the concern with a wave of his hand. He was obviously hurt, but he was beaming.

Jenny watched as Roy went to the kitchen to get the black windbreaker he had draped over a kitchen chair. He was digging around in the pockets.

She was happy to see him in a good mood and was excited to see what he had turned up at the house.

“Just wait until you see this, Jen. You won't believe it.”

He retrieved the white fabric package and brought it to her.

“I found this underneath the bed in the master bedroom. I hadn't even thought to check under the bed when I was in there the other day.”

“Hurry, Roy. I’ dying to know what it is.”

His excitement was wearing off on her. Jenny took the small, white package from his hands and unwrapped it carefully. She didn't know what to expect, but she knew it had to be something pretty good to have him acting like this.

“It's big, believe me.”

Jenny glanced up at his smiling face before she pulled back the final piece of fabric. She was confused to find a police badge.

“Each badge has an individual number. When we find out who this badge was issued to, we will have our man,” he said, filled with optimism.

“This is... unbelievable.”

She shook her head in disbelief.

“How are we going to find out who it belongs to?”

“See the number I was talking about?”

Roy leaned forward to get a better look at the object.

“It's not Joey's police number. I was his partner long enough to remember his as well as I know my own. I think the one we have here belongs to Chief Cartright.”

“Oh my gosh! If that's true then what happens next?” she asked as she wrapped the evidence up in the handkerchief and returned it to Roy.

“Do we tell him we have it?”

“In the morning, we call the police commissioner for the district and explain everything to him.”

“What are the chances he’ll actually believe us?”

“Finding the badge right there at the crime scene will help. If Chief Cartright can’t produce his badge, it’s going to add up, believe me.”

Roy tucked the police badge away in the drawer of the living room dresser.

“But you have to be the one to call him.”

“What?” Jenny said as she sat forward in surprise. “Why me?”

“We can't tell him that Chief Miller gave us a key so we could snoop around the house,” Roy explained as he took a seat on the couch opposite her. “We’re going to tell him you found it when you were cleaning up the house.”

“It's really going to be that easy?” Jenny asked. She wasn’t sure she could pull it off. “Won't he start asking even more questions?-”

“Even if he does, it doesn't matter. All he has to know is that it casts doubt over your brother's guilt. You just look like a concerned sister.”

“I am a concerned sister,” Jenny reminded him.

“Right, I'm sorry.”

He leaned forward and touched a hand to her knee.

“I didn't mean anything by it.”

“It's okay. I'm just tired. It's just been a long night.”

She knew he must have sensed something in her face because he suddenly looked concerned.

“What happened tonight while I was gone?”

Jenny closed her eyes as she took in a deep breath and let it out slowly.

“I thought I saw a figure on the property,” she said as she reopened her eyes. “In fact, I did see someone on the beach, and he saw me too.”

“Who? Who was out there?” he said, leaning so far forward he was almost off the couch.

“I couldn’t make out who it was, but it was a man for sure. I could tell from his movements that he didn’t want to be seen. When he spotted my face in the window, he stood still and stared back at me. Then after a few minutes, he disappeared back into the trees. When he was out of sight, I went around the house to secure windows and pull the drapes.”

Roy took her hand.

“I'm sorry I left you alone, Jen. No one is going to be coming around again now that my truck is back.”

She nodded, giving him the benefit of a smile for his effort to make her feel better.

“I think I saw someone out in the woods tonight, too.”

“What? Who?”

“Someone broke into the back of my truck and took a look around while I was searching the house.”

“You're kidding me?”

Roy shrugged. “I had nothing worth stealing from the truck. I think they were checking for anything we might have to help prove Joey’s innocence. We must be making someone nervous.”

“And what about the person you saw in the woods?”

“He was attempting a quick getaway when I was about to head out,” Roy explained. “I took off on foot after him and I was close to catching up with him when a root took me down. I had to pop a couple pills in the truck so my back pain would ease up.”

“So that's why you look like you rolled around in mud.”

Jenny shook her head, smiling.

“You need a hot shower, mister.”

Jenny watched as he stood back up. He put out a hand, and she gratefully accepted it. He pulled her up against him, and she pressed herself against his chest. It was the only place she wanted to be.

He tilted up her chin and kissed her softly on the lips.

“You care to join me?”

Jenny hadn’t heard such a good offer in a long time.