Dead Woman Crossing by J.R. Adler (books on motivation .txt) 📗

reason I even got into it. I retired early and she was tired of me sitting around watching Fox News. So, she kept harping on at me to pick up a hobby or volunteer somewhere. That’s when I came up with the ghost tour idea, and I’ve been doing it ever since.”

“What’s your wife do?” Kimberley asked.

“Ruth… she works at the local pharmacy.”

“Is she there now?” Kimberley asked.

“No, she’s getting groceries. She works very part time, just coverage when they need it.”

Kimberley nodded. Then her eyes widened for a second. Like a lightbulb went off in her head. His wife works at the pharmacy. She must have known Hannah Brown. Would Kent have known her too? Well, obviously, given how small the town is.

“Well, I think that’s everything.” Sam stood from his seat and pulled a card from his front pocket. “If you think of anything else, please give me a call.”

Kent took the card from him. Kimberley stood and followed Sam and Kent to the front door.

“Who was it?” Kent asked.

Sam turned back toward him as he stepped outside onto the porch. “Who was what?”

“The person that was murdered.”

Sam looked at Kimberley and then back at Kent.

“Hannah Brown.”

Kent’s mouth dropped open. “That poor girl.”

“Wait, Ruth works at the pharmacy where Hannah worked at?” Kimberley raised an eyebrow.

“That’s right.”

“Has your wife ever mentioned Hannah?” Kimberley asked.

Kent scratched at the back of his neck. “Yeah, I’m sure. She’s filled in for shifts for Hannah and Michelle, but she works alone since she’s very part time and only there for coverage.”

“Did you know the victim, Kent?” Kimberley took a tiny step toward him, closing some of the distance between her and him.

“Oh, yes. Hannah was a sweet girl. I didn’t know her all that well, but I knew her. It’s a small town.” Kent nodded.

“Indeed, it is,” she said. “Have a good day, Mr. Wills. And thanks for these.” She held up the notebooks.

“Of course. Whatever I can do to help. Just let me know. And you’ll get those back to me when you’re done, right?” he asked.

“Yes,” Sam replied.

“Ya know, for taxes purposes.” Kent winked at Kimberley.

She turned her head and rolled her eyes. Sam nodded at him and they both headed back to the vehicle.

“Whatcha think?” Kimberley asked, fastening her seat belt.

“I think I’ll have Deputy Burns call around to local inns and motels, see who’s been passing through town recently and we’ll get started on sorting through those log books tomorrow.”

“What about Kent?”

“What about him?” Sam looked at Kimberley.

“Whatcha think about him?”

“I think we should head over to The Trophy Room. I could use a beer.” Sam turned the engine on.

It was clear to Kimberley, Sam had no intention of pointing any fingers at his residents just yet. He had tunnel vision and that tunnel went straight past his precious Custer County.

“Besides, I think we can squeeze some info out of the locals there. See who’s passed through town. Kill two birds with one stone, as they say.”

“Right,” Kimberley said, opening the first spiral.

The page was nearly filled with names, a full tour for the day, showing that Kent’s business had to have been quite lucrative.

17

Sam walked into The Trophy Room first, holding the door for Kimberley to enter behind. She looked around, noticing the bar was exactly how she had left it a few days earlier. The same old men sat at their gambling machines, permanent fixtures of the establishment. The pool tables and dartboards were in use by bikers and farm boys. A couple of regulars were spread out, bellied up to the bar, drinking their pints of cheap beer. It was like a level of a video game, the same environment and characters loaded for play the exact same way every time you booted up the scenario. As soon as people noticed Sam and Kimberley’s presence, all eyes were on them. Whispers ensued. Kimberley was sure that news of Hannah’s murder had traveled fast. She expected that. In a small town like Dead Woman Crossing, gossip was like an airborne virus. Difficult to contain and easily transmitted. They were all infected.

Standing behind the bar with a dirty dishrag thrown over his shoulder was Ryan, just the guy they were looking for.

“This is the town watering hole and Ryan here is at the center of it. He knows most everything about everyone,” Sam said in a low voice to Kimberley.

She nodded. In New York City, the ones that had dirt were informants. Here in Dead Woman Crossing, they were creepy bartenders.

Despite what had happened in his town, there was still an arrogance to him. He gave them a smug look, never breaking eye contact. Kimberley took the lead, walking to the bar and taking a seat on one of the stools. Sam sat beside her, tipping his head at a couple of the regulars.

“Miss me?” Ryan smirked at Kimberley. He pulled the towel from his shoulder and wiped the bar top down in front of them.

“Hardly,” Kimberley retorted. “Two Bud Lights,” she said, holding up two fingers.

She decided to take the approach that she and Sam were just blowing steam off after a difficult workday, rather than the fact that they were there to collect information.

Ryan filled the two pints and set them in front of Sam and Kimberley. Sam immediately threw a ten-dollar bill on the bar. Ryan nodded, took the money and returned four single dollar bills.

“You look better in uniform,” he said to Kimberley with a sleazy leer.

Sam took a long drink, set the pint glass down, and narrowed his eyes at Ryan.

“I think you’d look better in uniform too. Got a nice orange jumpsuit at the station with your name on it.”

Ryan let out a chuckle. “Alright, I get it. She’s your girl.” He backed up and tended to a patron at the end of the bar.

Sam shook his head.

“Sorry about him. He’s our town dipshit.”

Kimberley smiled. “My first interaction with him led me to that conclusion as well.” She tipped back the