The General's Secretary Page 15

  “I’ve already eaten.” Lillie’s emphatic statement shattered his hopes for the night. The aide seemed equally deflated.

  “Now, gentlemen, if you’ll both excuse me, I need to get back to work.” Confidently in control, Lillie turned on her heel and retreated into her room. The door shut with a definite slam, followed by the clink of the dead bolt falling into place. Evidently she really did want to be alone.

  Mark harrumphed and appeared somewhat exasperated with her abrupt departure. He stared at the door for a long moment before he looked over his shoulder at Dawson. “Enjoy your dinner.”

  Once the aide had left the building, Dawson placed a portion of the pizza on a paper plate and walked across the hall. He tapped on Lillie’s door.

  She opened it ever so slightly. “Yes?”

  “Just in case you get hungry later.” He shoved the plate into her hands. “I’m staying across the hall. My cell will be on all night. Call me if you want to talk.”

  The rather bewildered look on her face made him smile. He reached for a loose strand of her hair and tucked it neatly behind her ear. “I won’t bother you. Cross my heart.”

  Just as she had done earlier, he turned about-face and walked back to his room. After closing the door, he peered through the peephole.

  Lillie stood staring down at the pizza. Then, as if her stomach had gotten the best of her, she reached for a slice and took a big bite. Even with the distortion of the peephole, he could still recognize the look of pleasure on her face as she licked her lips. Score one for the CID, Dawson thought as she returned to her room.

  Maybe tomorrow she’d be more willing to talk to him. At least that’s what he hoped. Tonight he’d stand guard and ensure she was safe.

  Dawson wanted her to need him, but not only for protection. He was beginning to realize he wanted Lillie to need him in an entirely different way as well.

  * * *

  Try as she might, Lillie couldn’t find anything on the flash drive that she hadn’t seen with Dawson just a few nights ago. Nor did she find anything that indicated Granger Ford was confused or had falsified information, especially since Mr. Simpson had confirmed the story about the college boy in the bar.

  Poring over the information, Lillie stayed up too late and hit Snooze when the alarm went off in the morning. Rushing to get to work, she didn’t have time to knock on Dawson’s door and thank him for the pizza. Before she pulled into the post headquarters parking lot, she saw him in her rearview mirror.

  She appreciated his watchfulness and hadn’t felt personally threatened in the night. Although she had thought too much about the three women from Atlanta who had gone missing and Granger Ford’s death and the two local women who may have been MLK victims as well.

  Her mother had been a victim, and for so long Lillie had refused to open that door. Better to feel abandoned than to come face-to-face with a heinous act of violence against someone she loved.

  Seeing the contents of the box yesterday made her realize how much she had loved her mother. Lillie was beginning to realize her mother had loved her in return. Hopefully time would heal some of the wounds she had lived with for so long.

  Once at her desk, the time passed quickly as she worked on reports General Cameron needed updated. Mark was equally busy and somewhat aloof this morning, although she was grateful he didn’t talk about last night.

  As much as Lillie tried to keep her mind on office matters, she kept thinking of Dawson and the way her ear had tingled when he’d touched her hair. She also thought about his kiss outside her parents’ house and how her heart had almost stopped, which had scared her so much she had run back inside.

  For so long she had guarded her feelings and walled herself off from people who got too close. Dawson had somehow broken through the barriers she had placed around her heart. She was vulnerable and had reacted irrationally yesterday at her house, when the storm had thrown her over the edge.

  In hindsight, she knew Dawson hadn’t started the fire or spray-painted the terrible words on her garage. He would never do anything to harm her. She needed to apologize to him and ask his forgiveness.

  Dawson was a wonderful man who worked overtime to keep her safe. He deserved something better than a woman who needed to make her own peace with the past.

  Hopefully, when the investigation was over, he would still be around. She couldn’t imagine how she would feel if Dawson wasn’t in her life.

  * * *

  Dawson tried to tie up the loose strings on the investigation once he got to work the next day. So many things still needed his attention.

  The high-school guidance counselor called him back with information about the local students who had attended Georgia Tech around the time of Lillie’s mother’s death.

  “Four girls were accepted to Tech during the years you mentioned to my secretary. Three of them graduated. One girl dropped out to get married. Only two male students were accepted. One enlisted in the military after his freshman year. The other boy moved to Nevada following graduation.”

  “And those were the only students?”

  “That’s right. I’ll email their names and current addresses, if we have them on file.”

  “I appreciate your help.”

  “No problem. This is my last year before retirement. Not many folks need information that goes back to my beginning days in education.” She chuckled, then paused.

  “I just pulled up another file. A third male student was accepted to Tech. He didn’t know if he’d have enough funding. Student loans eventually came through for him, and he received a sizable scholarship from a donor in town. The student was Bobby Webber.”

  Dawson jotted down the name.

  “Bobby was a smart young man. We were all glad he was able to attend Georgia Tech. The family was poor. Three boys with three different fathers. Bobby was the oldest and excelled academically. The youngest boy was a slow learner. You’d never think they were from the same family except for their hair, which they inherited from their mother.”

  Dawson sat up. “What about their hair?”

  “All three boys were carrottops. Bright red. Stood out in a crowd, if you know what I mean.”

  “What was the youngest boy’s name?”

  “Billy,” she said. “Billy Everett.”

  SIXTEEN

  True to her word, the guidance counselor emailed the names of the former Georgia Tech students. Bobby Webber’s current Colorado address was on the list.

  Dawson punched in a long-distance number and waited until he heard Special Agent Kelly McQueen Thibodeaux’s answer. “This is a voice from your past,” he teased.

  “How are you, Dawson?” Kelly was one of the best shots in the entire CID, maybe the army. She had married a captain from Fort Rickman, and they had both been transferred to Fort Carson, not far from where Bobby Webber now lived.

  “I could use your help, Kelly.”

  “Shoot.”

  He told her about the investigation and gave her a brief rundown on what he needed. “Find out anything you can about Bobby Webber, especially whether he could have been the drunken college kid shooting off his mouth.”

  “I’ll team up with a friend on the local police force and see what we can find.”

  As soon as he disconnected, Dawson got a message that Chief Wilson wanted to see him in his office.

  “Yes, sir?”

  “Pritchard just called. Florida State Highway Patrol apprehended Billy Everett in the Jacksonville area. He was hitching a ride on the interstate.”

  Finally the case seemed to be coming together. “Did they question him, sir?”

  “They’re holding him until someone from here can escort him back to Georgia. Pritchard is sending one of his men and asked if you could go along.”

  “The only pro
blem is Ms. Beaumont’s security. She’s got a room at the Lodge so she doesn’t have to return to her own residence in town.”

  “I’ll authorize the military police to keep the facility under surveillance. You should be back on post tonight.”

  Much as Dawson didn’t want to leave Lillie, he appreciated the chance to be the first to question Everett. He also wanted to ensure nothing happened during transport that would allow the suspect to escape. Especially after learning his brother had gone to Georgia Tech.

  As Dawson left Fort Rickman to meet the local police officer escort, he considered calling Lillie and telling her he would be away from post for the remainder of the day. Chief Wilson had assured him the military police would keep the Lodge under surveillance, and Dawson was certain she would be safe while he was gone.

  She hadn’t wanted to see him last night. No reason for him to think she would have changed her mind. He decided to call her when he got back to post. Maybe she would join him for dinner at his BOQ.

  Lillie had taken the pizza bait last night. Tonight he would tempt her with rib-eye steaks, baked potatoes and cheesecake from the commissary.

  Although he would probably need more than a good meal to soften her heart. Lillie believed in the Lord. If only God would help her resolve her past. Maybe the Lord would help Dawson as well, yet he had been away from his faith for so long. Dawson wasn’t sure the Lord—or Lillie—would want anything to do with him again.

  * * *

  Lillie and Mark worked without a break until noon, when he picked up burgers at the Post Exchange food concession. Tom Reynolds stopped by to go over plans for the military gym membership. Seeing how busy they were dealing with last-minute details for the museum building project kickoff, he offered to return later in the week.

  General Cameron called Lillie into his office in the afternoon. “I got a phone call from Chief Wilson. Looks like they have a suspect in custody in Jacksonville.”

  “Florida?”

  “Actually, he’s from Freemont.” The general glanced down at the note he had made. “The suspect’s name is Billy Everett. Special Agent Timmons is bringing him back to Georgia.”

  Lillie was relieved Billy was in custody and proud of Dawson for his role in the investigation. “Thank you for letting me know, sir.”

  “It’s been a long time coming, but you’ll soon have closure on all of this.”

  By six o’clock, Lillie was worn out and ready to leave the office. Mark had left ahead of her with his workout bag in hand, headed for the gym. She decided to call Dawson, hoping he might be back in the area by now.

  As much as Lillie wanted to go home, she had the room at the Lodge for one more night. Dawson would probably be tired from his long day, and he might want to get together for dinner. Nothing fancy, but Lillie wanted to hear what had happened and if he had learned anything new from Everett.

  Her call to Dawson went to voice mail. She decided not to leave a message. There was so much for her to explain, plus she needed to apologize for acting like a spoiled child instead of a rational adult.

  Once back at the Lodge, Lillie changed into jeans and a sweater, knowing she needed fresh air after being cooped up in the office all day. She knocked on Dawson’s door, and when he didn’t answer, she called his cell again. Either he was out of range or had turned off his phone.

  Lillie knew a walk would do her good. She had a lot to think about concerning her mother’s death and everything that would be brought into the open now that Everett was in custody. Plus, she was ready to see where her mother’s remains had been uncovered.

  “Oh, Lord, help me understand what happened. Maybe then I’ll be able to put it all behind me and move on with my life.”

  She thought of Dawson, and of the future they might have together. Or was she being too optimistic?

  A nature trail ran along the river. She headed north, enjoying the sunshine and the moderate temperature for January.

  After seeing her mother’s items in the box, Lillie wondered if Everett had broken in to steal her jewelry. Maybe her death had nothing to do with the murders in Atlanta or with the man who’d claimed to murder women and bury them in steel drums.

  Lillie shivered as a cloud blocked the sun. The wind picked up over the water and whipped her hair around her face. She should have worn a heavier jacket. What had she been thinking? She was dressed for April instead of January.

  In the distance, she heard the sound of earthmoving vehicles and realized she had walked almost to the site of the new museum. If she cut through the tall trees and bramble near the water’s edge she would be able to see the construction area.

  Wrapping her arms around her body, she tried to ward off the drop in temperature and the chilling reminder that her mother’s body had been unearthed nearby.

  Although she should turn around, Lillie kept moving forward, drawn to where the steel drum had been found. Just like everything else, she had closed off this part of her life and had never ventured to the water’s edge.

  For so long, she had wanted nothing to do with her mother. The thought of her own stubbornness wrapped around her and brought tears to her eyes. What kind of a daughter would exclude the memory of the woman who had given her life?

  Tears fell as Lillie continued forward. The narrow pavement disappeared and led to a dirt path.

  Time to go back to the Lodge.

  She wiped her eyes and noticed a vehicle parked in the thickly wooded area.

  A man stood nearby.

  Her heart pounded a warning as her gaze cleared. The vehicle was a white Suburban, tinted windows, with an army decal on the bumper.

  Fear clamped down on Lillie’s chest. Her hand flew to her mouth. A twig snapped underfoot.

  He startled at the sound.

  From the look in his eyes, she knew he hadn’t expected anyone to find him.

  “What an odd coincidence, Lillie. I had planned to come after you tonight.”

  She ran. Behind her, the sound of his footfalls sent waves of terror to tangle along her spine.

  She willed her legs to move faster. The overgrowth snagged her sweater. Branches grabbed her arms.

  Where was the paved path she had walked on earlier? Her foot caught on a root. She stumbled, righted herself and ran on.

  His footsteps grew louder.

  She pushed forward, hearing him pull air into his lungs. He was so close.

  His hand grabbed her shoulder and sent her hurtling to the ground. She screamed, climbed to her knees and tried to scurry away.

  “You can’t run from me now, Lillie.”

  She screamed again as his hands wrapped around her neck, blocking the air from her lungs.

  All she could think about was Dawson, who she had turned her back on yesterday. He had wanted to keep her safe, but she’d rejected him. Now Dawson would never be able to find her, and just like her mother, Lillie’s body would someday be recovered by the water’s edge.

  SEVENTEEN

  Traffic snarled along Interstate 10, delaying Dawson and the local Freemont cop. They arrived in Jacksonville at 5:00 p.m., during peak end-of-the-workday traffic and wall-to-wall gridlock. By the time they walked into the police headquarters where Everett was being held, both men were out of sorts and knew they had to face more traffic on the return trip to Georgia.

  Everett refused to answer any questions en route, and Dawson eventually let him sulk until they arrived back in Freemont.

  Pritchard arrived at police headquarters, and both he and Dawson questioned the redhead repeatedly. The only information they learned was that Everett had done yard work for Lillie’s mother.

  “What about the photo of Irene Beaumont?” Dawson asked. “How did it get under the mattress in Granger’s motel room?”

  Everett crouched in his chair like a tort
oise trying to hide within his shell. “Somebody put it there, but it wasn’t me.”

  The redhead had also done yard work for the prosecutor and had overheard him talking on the phone about setting Granger up to take the rap. Again, Everett failed to provide the caller’s name.

  “The cops found a newspaper photo of you in Granger’s room. Had he contacted you?”

  “He tracked me down when he got out of prison. All I could tell him was the prosecutor set him up. Then Granger got shot, and I hitched a ride out of town.”

  “What about Roseanne and Valerie? Were you dating Roseanne? Did you kill her?”

  Everett shook his head, his eyes wide. “No. You’ve got that all wrong. Roseanne hated small towns. She wanted to get a job in Atlanta. I told her how to thumb a ride and find a place to stay when she got to the city.”

  “Because you visited your brother when he was in college there?”

  “Yeah, that’s right.”

  Dawson leaned across the table and got in the punk’s face. “Is your brother Bobby a killer?”

  “Ah, man, you’re crazy. Bobby wouldn’t hurt anyone.”

  “How can you be so sure?”

  “Because he tried to help me even when I didn’t want his help.”

  Dawson looked at the skinny guy with greasy hair and a week’s growth of beard, and knew he was telling the truth about his brother. Dawson wasn’t sure he could trust Everett about anything else.

  It was late by the time Dawson returned to the Lodge. He saw two military police officers on patrol when he pulled into the parking lot and felt assured they had kept the area under surveillance throughout the evening.

  Climbing the stairs, he hoped Lillie would be awake and hear him. When her door remained closed, Dawson knew he needed to get some sleep. He would see her tomorrow, if not before the museum ceremony then immediately after the luncheon for the VIPs at the club.