Page 66 of Trace of Doubt
“I’ve spent brain cells on this, and I have no suspects.” I thought about the possibilities. “I had enemies inside prison, and they were interested in the money. But this doesn’t feel right. Too many people involved. But you might be right.”
Sheriff Wendall closed the hospital room door. “Can’t be Randy unless he’s gotten mixed up with the wrong guys. Known him a long time, and he has a short fuse. Sometimes I think he fell off a wagon headfirst—he’s all about doing the job, not digging a hole to bury someone else.”
Isaac secured our attention. “My opinion is it’s a waste of time to consider anything but a situation with the money. While the amount doesn’t seem significant in contrast with what’s happening, the thief might be worried Shelby can ID him. If he invested it, either legal or otherwise, he has a tidy sum to protect.”
Denton closed his eyes, no doubt weary and in pain. “I’ll handle the FBI checking everything we’ve discussed.”
“Good,” Sheriff Wendall said. “I’ll talk to Edie and Amy-Jo about Shelby needing a few days to herself.”
I thanked him. “My new friends need protection. I just wish I knew from whom.”
The sheriff’s phone buzzed, and he read a message. “If that don’t beat all. Highway patrol found the truck Chandler was driving. Abandoned about a mile from the trailer. Set on fire, but it matches the description.”
“Let me guess,” Isaac said. “Wiped clean.”
40
DENTON
With Shelby out of my hospital room and sharing the company of one of the officers, I shared some of what I’d learned. “Arthur Shell was a local. In and out of jail. Eli Chandler, on the other hand, is a murder suspect in Florida and California. Not enough evidence to arrest him. Did eighteen months in Kentucky for assault and robbery. Had a string of arrests.” I paused. “He gets around, and we lost our chance to question him.”
“For now,” Isaac said. “I have a personal reason for bringing him in.”
Sheriff Wendall paced. “I pulled up that much. What are you keepin’ from Shelby?”
“Clay Pearce hired Chandler after Shelby was sentenced. He worked at the bakery for six months.”
The sheriff stopped. “Fired or quit?”
“Fired.”
“You indicated Clay Pearce is a rule keeper... so much his shoes squeak. Is this his cover?”
“Sheriff, if he’s our man, he’s done a good job of covering it up. I saw the exterior of his bakery, his car and house. Impossible to believe he’s linked to a money embezzlement scheme.”
The sheriff eyed me. “I used to have a dog, sweetest little boy you’d ever want. But at night he killed my chickens and whittled down my cat population. Thought I had me a coyote or a fox. Took me a long time to figure him out ’cause I didn’t suspect him.”
He made sense. “I’ll dig deeper as soon as I get out of here.” Once they left, I’d contact the FIG—Field Intelligence Group—for any and every trace of information available on Eli Chandler and Clay Pearce. And any links between them and Travis Stover.
“Denton, we’re taking off.” Isaac frowned. “You need your rest and trust me when I say, you look like roadkill.”
“I’ve heard the same thing from a couple of others. Are you heading to Houston?”
“Right. Taking Shelby with me. I can protect her while she’s concerned about Aaron. I need to check on him, be there with his wife and son until he’s out of the woods.”
“Give them my best.”
“Sure.” Isaac paused. “One more thing. I’ve been thinking about a remark Shelby made last night. When she called me about the firefight and Aaron’s condition, I told her to take his gun and use it to protect herself. She said she didn’t know how.”
I startled. “Impossible.”
“Right. How does a person kill a man and not know how to use a gun?”
“She has the faith thing going on, so maybe she vowed never to touch one again. But her answer was strange.” I stuck this tidbit into a process-later file, the one labeledUnusual Info about Shelby Pearce.
After Shelby, Sheriff Wendall, and Isaac left, and before I gave in to summoning Nurse Giggles for another shot of relief, MikeKruse called me. At first I thought he’d heard about the accident, but his reason to reach out took me down a different path.
“An agent approached me today, an old friend. He’s been working on a money-laundering case. Hasn’t made an arrest. A woman charged with identity theft offered info in exchange for a lesser charge. She said a money-laundering operation had roots in Sharp’s Creek. The agent probed deeper, and she gave a name. That’s when he came to me because it concerns one of our old cases.”
