Free Sudden Second Chance by Carol Ericson Page B

into the car and glanced at Beth, whose wide eyes took up half her face. “Are you okay?”
    “That’s so...creepy. We were just talking to him.” She knotted her fingers in her lap. “What was he doing at the Timberline Hotel?”
    “Riding on his way to work or wherever he was going.” He drummed his thumbs against the steering wheel. “Maybe he was doing work at the hotel and that’s what brought him out this way.”
    “If he was at the hotel...”
    “You’re thinking he was the one who broke into your room and left the frog head?”
    She nodded. “But why would he do that?”
    “He’d do it if he was the one warning you.”
    “He doesn’t have any real estate to worry about. Why would he want to scare me off this story?”
    “Maybe he was involved in the Timberline Trio disappearance more than he let on in his interview.” He cranked on the engine. “I’m throwing that out there, but I have a hard time believing Gary Binder would be sending anonymous emails to the FBI.”
    “Do you think his death—a hit and run—is just coincidental to all this other stuff?”
    “Maybe, maybe not, but it doesn’t have to be related to his involvement in the kidnappings or to the threats against you. Binder’s the one who gave the FBI information about the drug trade at the time of the kidnappings.”
    Beth clasped her fidgeting hands so tightly her knuckles turned white. “You think someone was trying to shut him up?”
    “Could be, even though it’s a little late. He already spilled, unless...”
    “Unless he had more to spill.” Her knees began to bounce.
    “Maybe that’s why he was at the hotel. He knew you were staying there and wanted to talk to you. He didn’t want to open up in front of me, so he pretended to be looking at the broken window. I’m going to have to review his previous interview carefully.” He pulled into the line of traffic, crawling past the accident site. “But if he had more information, I don’t know why he didn’t give it up the first time.”
    “I don’t know, Duke, but there seem to be some real forces of evil at work in Timberline.”
    As they passed the last emergency vehicle, Duke looked in his rearview mirror just as the ambulance doors closed on Gary Binder’s body. A chill touched his spine.
    Whatever evil held sway over Timberline, he’d do whatever it took to keep it far away from Beth...even as she ran toward it.
    * * *
    W HEN THEY GOT back to the hotel, the rental-car company had dropped off her replacement car. Duke walked around the car, examining it. He ran his hand along the roof. “Don’t leave anything out on your seat this time.”
    “C’mon, Duke. We both know the vandal would’ve broken into my car with or without that bag on the seat. He was sending me a message.”
    “Thanks for the reminder. I’m going to get you a fresh container of pepper spray. At least you proved you know how to use it.”
    “Are you going to take off for your meetings?”
    “After I ask the front desk about Binder. You coming?” Maybe he was stalling, but he didn’t want to leave Beth alone. Funny how he’d done a complete one-eighty from yesterday—a few threats could do that.
    “Sure, I’ll come with you. My interviews can wait.”
    They walked into the lobby together, and Tammy, the receptionist at the check-in counter, looked up from her computer screen and waved. “Hello. Can I get you anything? I heard about your room, Ms. St. Regis, and we want to make your stay here hassle-free from here on out. The maid staff is being extra careful now.”
    “I appreciate that.”
    Duke rested his arms on the counter. “Tammy, do you know a local guy, Gary Binder?”
    Her mouth formed an O. “I just heard. He’s dead—hit-and-run accident. Who could do that? I never liked Gary much, but you don’t leave a dog to die in the street without stopping. Am I right?”
    News did travel quickly in Timberline. “Absolutely. I hope they catch the bastard and string him