Her eyes settled on a turbulent spot in the center of the rocky river. Disappointment had burrowed a hiding place deep inside her heart and she found her mood as dark and restless as the spot in the river. She had waited all day for the vet but for whatever the reason, he never came.

  She slipped one hand into the pocket of her coat and folded it around the letter she had intended to sneak to Caleb. It took all the courage she could muster to share her heart with him, to share what happened every time she saw the doctor. And what happened the last time she was there. She very nearly didn’t go through with it. But she wrote the letter nonetheless, needing desperately to clear her conscience.

  Perhaps it was a blessing in disguise that the animal doctor hadn’t come. Thinking about it now, she wasn’t sure how Caleb would react to her letter if he were to read it. At first, she thought she’d save the letter for the next time the veterinarian came to visit and see if word about the chiropractor got out. But having thought about it all day, she was no longer sure she wanted to spill her heart. Her confession would bring nothing but shame and judgement on her and her family. But in truth, there was something far more pressing on her heart. She knew she would never be able to live if her only brother and best friend blamed and judged her for the part she played in everything. As the elders often said, guilt always had two sides.

  She pulled the letter out and stared at the carefully crafted hand lettering she’d taken great care to perfect. Her eyes lingered on the handmade paper she chose, admiring the beauty of the rose petals she had used when she made it herself a few weeks earlier. It would be a waste of her talents, but she decided to toss the letter in the wood burner when she and her mother prepared dinner. She crumpled up the stiff paper popping the wax seal away from the paper in the process and slipped the letter back inside her pocket. But when she pulled her hand out, the letter came as well and tumbled down her dress, dropping onto the ground next to her feet.

  “Oh no!” She yelped and snatched after it but the crisp breeze had already scooped it up and deposited it into the water.

  Dashing after it, Rachel nearly slipped on the icy leaves but caught her balance just in time. The crumpled letter got pushed farther from the river’s edge to where it was quickly swept into the current. She watched as the scrunched up envelope caught on a clump of twigs and wet leaves before the fast-moving water unhooked it and took it downstream.

  Rachel shrieked and ran after it along the rugged bank, careful not to slip and fall into the freezing water. But the ground was muddy and unsteady beneath her shoes. Before she could catch the letter that bopped between the rocks and disappearing beneath the frothy white water, her foot slipped and she plunged into the icy stream.

  Instantly the cold water sent shockwaves through her body, briefly knocking her breath away. She pushed herself up, grabbing onto anything she could to pull her already numb body onto the embankment. The weight of her soaked coat made it much harder and before long, exhaustion got the better of her. Fear overwhelmed her senses and moments later the rushing water pulled her body deeper into the current. She felt her covering leave her head then glimpsed it floating past her. With numb fingers she grabbed onto a large boulder but the water ripped her away almost instantly, dragging her body farther away from safety. Something hard bumped up against her hip and tossed her around before the water pushed her head under. Rachel wanted to scream for help, but her body didn’t react no matter how hard she tried. She had lost all sense of direction and was struggling to find which way was up. Icy water filled her lungs and her wide-stretched eyes felt as if they were frozen solid in her head. For the shortest of moments, air caressed her face as her head briefly bopped above the waterline. Gasping and spluttering for air, her arms flailed in search of something to grab onto, her body bouncing around in the white water. Too exhausted and cold to fight against the strong current, she yielded, focusing only on keeping her head above the water.

  Until she felt the sharp rock slice into the back of her head and everything around her instantly went black.

  Chapter Four

  When the call came in on his cell phone, Angus was offloading the last of the boxes from the U-Haul trailer. Dumping the box of mismatched pots and pans on the kitchen floor, he scrambled for the phone he had buried in his back pocket.

  “What’s up?” he answered when he noticed that the call was coming from Tammy at the office.

  “Sorry to interrupt your house move, Sheriff, but duty calls,” Tammy started, her words tinged with humor before she switched to a more professional tone. “Miguel’s still held up with the union dispute at the boatyard otherwise I wouldn’t have bothered you until tomorrow.”

  “Crime never picks the right moment, right?” he joked back. “What’s going on?”

  “A 9-1-1 call just came in. A chiropractor, found dead in his office a little ways outside of Weyport. His assistant came across him when she was closing up for the day. Said she found him in a horrific state—her words not mine. No idea what that means exactly. She was quite distraught to say the least. I have a patrol car on the way there already.”

  Angus shoved the box to one side with his foot and glanced at the time on his watch.

  “To tell you the truth, Tammy, I was about to call it a day anyway. I can do with a break from the move. There’s not much left to do today that can’t wait until tomorrow.”

  “I’m patching the details through to you now, Sheriff. It’s about forty minutes north from here, a small rural town that mostly serves the nearby Amish community. There’s not much happening there so very few people know it even exists.”

  Angus snickered.

  “There’s not a day that goes by that this county doesn’t surprise me with something new,” he replied, already halfway through changing into his uniform when he added, “I’m assuming you’ve already sent the call through to Dr. Delaney.”

  “I’m actually doing that as we speak. She should arrive at the scene shortly after you. Forensics should also be on their way by now.”

  “And the patrol car? How far out are they?”

  “The deputies should be on the scene in about fifteen minutes. I ran through the normal crime scene protocol with the caller so hopefully they’ll get there before any evidence is contaminated. I told her to wait outside and not let anyone in, but word tends to get around pretty quickly in these little towns. I’ll stay on top of it and wait until the car gets there before I knock off for the day.”

  “Sounds good and great work, Tammy,” he added as he shut the door to his new home behind him.

  * * *

  The so-called rural town was three streets and several buildings short of being able to claim the title and left Angus somewhat deflated when he arrived at the scene of the crime. His two deputies had already secured the perimeter and stood outside talking to an elderly woman, her tiny frame hunched over, her face as white as her neatly pinned-up hair.

  Angus scanned up and down the short road when he got out of his car. Lined with four perfectly spaced large maple trees on both sides it was dead quiet. Across the street two Amish men stood with their arms crossed, watching from the porch of a general store that looked as if it had come straight off the set of a western movie. One of them tipped his head ever so gently in Angus’ direction followed by the second man. Angus mimicked the greeting and took in the rest of the buildings that completed the one-horse settlement. There appeared to be a small clothing shop displaying nothing but two kinds of winter coats and a few pairs of black shoes in the window. The other buildings had no signage and were equally unassuming in appearance. Unlike what they’d ordinarily expect to see at a crime scene, there were no inquisitive minds hovering around. In fact, apart from the two Amish men in front of the store, there was no one anywhere in sight. It was as if whoever occupied the buildings was hiding intentionally—or had run away.

  Angus turned his attention back to the simple looking house that bore a large wooden sign marking the doctor’s chiropractic practice. He couldn’t help but wonder if indeed a crime was committed or if the doctor might have succumbed to natural causes. There wasn’t anything or anyone who seemed suspicious or even the slightest bit curious about their presence.

  Before he had time to reflect on anything else, the elderly woman’s hand waved him down and she stormed down the manicured garden path toward him, her voice surprisingly loud for such a small frame.

  “Are you the sheriff? Come, come.” She had him by the arm before Angus could answer. “He’s in there, it’s a horrific sight, Sheriff, come,” she continued as she pushed and pulled him up the short path to the entrance, her small feet shuffling hastily across the tidy cobbled path.

  She reached for the doorknob and was about to open the door for him when Angus stopped her, having to bend down to make eye contact. His voice was gentle and patient when he spoke.

  “Ma’am, it’s best you don’t touch anything until we’ve done our forensic investigation. We don’t want to spoil any evidence that might help us solve the case. I’m assuming you were the one who found him.”

  She nodded.

  “I’m Sheriff Angus Reid.” He paused, inviting her to introduce herself.

  “Grace Walker,” her voice was a near whisper.

  “What was the nature of your relationship with the doctor?” He ushered her down the modest porch toward a small patch of roses.

  She briefly glanced back at the house as if she didn’t want to leave it behind then answered.

  “He’s my...was my employer. I’ve worked for him nearly thirty years.” A soft whimper escaped before she continued. “I don’t understand who would do such an evil thing, Sheriff. He’s one of the kindest men I’ve ever known, gave his heart and soul to his work. Ask any of the Amish and they’ll tell you how much he does…did for them. It’s just horrific.”

  She covered her mouth with her fingertips.

  “I’m deeply sorry for your loss, Ms. Walker. I hate to ask but could you tell me how you found him?”

  She took a shallow breath before she answered.

  “I always close up at the end of the day. Dr. Fisher usually leaves at four but today his last appointment was at two and he had said that he’d probably leave straight after. I didn’t see or hear him leave, but then my hearing isn’t what it used to be. I just assumed he walked her out and left when she did. That’s why I went up to his office to make sure, before I locked up. But then I found him on the floor…” she squealed and buried her face in her small hands.

  Her whimpers turned into a steady sob and Angus lifted his chin toward one of his deputies who stood close by.

  “I’ll do everything I can to find out what happened here, Ms. Walker. Deputy Allen will take good care of you while I look inside. We’re going to need you to come in for a formal statement though. Will that be okay?”

  “Tonight? I can’t. I need to go home to my cats. If they don’t eat on time it throws their tummies out, you know?”

  Angus tried to conceal his amusement.

  “Do you live nearby, Ms. Walker?”

  She pointed to a house at the end of the short street.

  “Just over there, you see, the one with the large maple out front.”

  “I’ll send a car to fetch you in the morning if that’s okay.”

  She nodded, tucking a stray hair back into the neat bun on her head.

  “One more question then I’ll let you go, Ms. Walker. Did anyone else work here besides you?”

  She looked at him with annoyance, a slight frown between her nearly invisible white brows as she cocked her head to one side.

  “No, of course not, it’s only me. It’s always only been me.” Her voice broke as she whispered the words before the deputy led her away.

  Chapter Five

  Dr. Murphy Delaney’s car pulled up in front of the crime scene moments before her forensics team arrived. When she got out and walked toward Angus, he saw the same look on her face that he must have had when he first took in the quiet little town.

  “I know what you’re thinking, Dr. Delaney. How could I hide this little gem from you, right?” He gave a mischievous smile and she smiled back.

  “Ha, that’s funny, Reid, but no, I was actually wondering why anyone would want to commit a murder in a place that seems so at peace.”

  “If indeed it is a homicide. I’ve not been inside yet but I find it hard to imagine.”

  “You don’t think we have a homicide on our hands? And why’s that?” Murphy questioned as she tied back her hair and pulled on a pair of latex gloves.

  “Let’s just say I’m not yet convinced. So far, there’s nothing that tells me otherwise. No sign of any breaking and entering; no suspects looming around; no people period. Just his assistant who found him dead on the floor in his office. And she says she’s been here all day. But I’ve been wrong before so I guess we’re about to find out, aren’t we? I mean, that’s why you’re here. You’re the ME.” He winked then added, “After you, Dr. Delaney.”

  Murphy ignored his playful charm and entered the house, pausing just inside the door, her eyes scanning through the large open area.

  “Am I missing something? Where’s the body?”

  “I believe we will find our victim in his office upstairs. If only we knew where the stairs were.”

  “This way, Sheriff,” one of his deputies said as he pointed out the perfectly obscured staircase.

  “Interesting, I totally missed it from this angle,” Angus said.

  As he walked toward it, he briefly turned to one of the forensic specialists who stood nearby.

  “Make sure you comb this place for evidence. If in fact there is a killer on the loose, it seems he walked in and out of here through the front door. Unless there’s another entrance we haven’t seen yet.”

  Angus paused at the bottom of the stairs before he turned to one of his deputies.

  “Check if there are any windows or doors in the back. I’ve never had a case where the killer left through the front door in broad daylight. There has to be another way he could have slipped out without Ms. Walker seeing him.”

  The deputy acknowledged the directive and Angus followed Murphy up the stairs. When they stepped into Dr. Fisher’s office, they paused in the doorway, each silently taking in the scene.

  “Not a single thing is out of place in here,” Murphy commented then walked over to where the body lay on the floor.

  “Well,” she said with surprise, “this isn’t something I see every day.”

  Angus crossed the room to join her.

  “His assistant was right. That is a horrific sight. I can see the horror even in his lifeless eyes. Heart attack perhaps?”

  Murphy was on her knees next to the body.

  “That’s highly unlikely. Look at his hands. They’re all curled up. This guy was in a lot of pain when he died and judging from his eyes, he went quickly.”

  The photographer gave the thumbs-up that he’d completed the first set of forensic photos and Murphy proceeded to inspect the body while he followed along.

  “There’s no blood, no sign of injury anywhere. If it weren’t for the fact that there aren’t any burn marks on his body, I would have guessed he was electrocuted. But I can safely rule that out too.”

  Angus changed position as he surveyed the body.

  “So let me get this straight, Murphy. Are you telling me this guy was not electrocuted, shot, stabbed, or had a heart attack?”

  “It would appear so, yes, and it’s not a drug overdose or epileptic fit either. Of course, a tox screen should tell us more, but at first glance, I see no evidence suggesting any of those as the COD.”

  Angus had his hands on his hips, frustration pouring from his body.

  “I don’t think I’ve ever seen such a clean crime scene. There’s not a single drop of blood or sign of any struggle. I mean, his desk is pristine.”

  Murphy’s attention was on the victim’s neck.

  “No evidence of puncture wounds either. I must admit, Angus, this one seems as strange a case as I’ve ever seen,” she announced while inspecting each of the victim’s hands.

  “That makes two of us, Murphy.” He paused then continued. “Okay, so let’s just assume Dr. Fisher was murdered. I guess the next obvious question should be why? What motive would anyone in a one-horse ghost town like this have? And, apart from the assistant and the two Amish men observing from across the street, there isn’t a single other person anywhere in sight. Why is that?”

  “Now that’ll be your job, Sheriff, but I will confirm that I am just as baffled by this one as you, and I don’t say that easily. I’ve had my fair share of bodies on my table, and I’ve never seen severe rigor set in this quickly.”

  “What do you mean quickly? Look at his body, his hands. This guy has been dead at least twelve hours,” Angus said.

  “Well, I’m sorry to tell you, but you’re wrong on that one. Liver temp suggests otherwise. Our doctor has only been dead a few hours, four tops.”

  “That can’t be right. His entire body is as stiff as a board.”

  “I bet you a prime steak at Floyd’s that I’ll find Dr. Fisher’s lunch still entirely undigested in his stomach. He died recently and very quickly. And before you suggest he had an aneurysm, I can rule that one out too. There’s no visible hemorrhaging either.”

  Murphy pushed herself off the floor, pulled off one of her latex gloves, and stuck out a hand to shake on the bet.

  Angus gave a wide grin.