Page 11 of Fallen Creed

“Spencer seems convinced it’s the woman his wife took in.”

Now, the sheriff backed almost into the ditch to allow two more vehicles to pass through. The first pulled in directly behind Creed’s Jeep. Maggie watched in the side mirror. Then she smiled. She recognized the driver.

“It really is starting to feel like a reunion from last year,” she said.

“Why do you say that?”

“Lucy Coy just arrived.”

—9—

Maggie had first met Lucy Coy years ago when the woman was the coroner of a county in western Nebraska. The county sheriff had prefaced that meeting by calling Lucy “that crazy, old Indian woman.” But Maggie found Lucy looked and acted ageless and far from crazy with a grace, spirituality and intellect that soared above most of the people she worked around.

“Maggie O’Dell,” Lucy said as she came around her vehicle and hugged her. “I heard a rumor you were back this way.”

“And you still haven’t retired.”

“Not even close.”

Pakula and Creed joined them, exchanging greetings. Maggie was taken back how casual they all were with each other. Like a group of old friends getting together.

“And Mr. Creed,” Lucy said. “It’s good to see you again. How is your sister doing?”

Lucy reached out her hand, holding it flat and parallel to the Jeep’s back window, without touching the glass. Her greeting received a wag and sniff from Grace.

“Brodie is doing good. Every week she continues to surprise me.”

“She’s a remarkable young woman.”

“Lucy’s with the Nebraska State Patrol now,” Pakula said. “I knew she was close by.”

“Oh, hell no!” Sheriff Spencer yelled, kicking up gravel.

All of them turned to watch him jog in the other direction. In the distance, Maggie could see a vehicle racing toward them. A plume of dust grew behind it. Spencer waved his arms at his deputy and called out to him.

Pakula hurried to catch up with Spencer. Maggie looked at Creed and Lucy, then she took off after Pakula.

“What’s going on?” she asked once they came up beside Spencer.

He stood with his hands on his hips, not on his gun. The car was still coming fast, driving down the middle of the gravel road.

“It’s my wife,” Spencer said.

“How did she find out so quickly?” Pakula asked, and he was watching Spencer’s face now. Not the car.

“I know, I know.” Then Spencer looked at him and his eyebrows shot up. “I didn’t tell her. You think I told her?”

Pakula just shrugged.

“News travels fast out here,” Spencer said. “She’s been frantic all morning about Libby. Calling people. She thinks we found her.”

“Ted, this is a crime scene,” Pakula reminded him.

“Damn it, Tommy! I know that.”

He bunched up his fists and slapped them against the sides of his legs, reminding Maggie of a toddler staving off a tantrum. His lips pressed thin, as if keeping him from saying anything more. Without another word, he left them, hurrying around his deputy’s SUV.

“Stand down,” Spencer yelled at his deputy as he ran down the middle of the road to meet the car head on. Thirty feet away, he began cartwheeling his arms to bring it to a stop.