Read Online forgotten (Twisted Cedars Mysteries Book 2) by CJ Carmichael - Free Book Online Page B

that, the safest place for Birdie is at the shelter.”
    “Definitely. But what would you like me to do?”
    “I was wondering if you could check on her next time you’re there. I’m going to give Terri a call, too. If Birdie’s memory begins to return, I’d like to know. We still have no idea why that truck crashed.”
    His call to Terri Morrison, who ran Heartland, wouldn’t be as pleasant as this one. Terri had a perpetual grudge against law enforcement for not doing enough to protect women against the men who abused them.
    In some respects Wade sympathized with Terri’s stance. But he had to work within the constraints of the law and his budget, something Terri never seemed to understand.
    “It’s about time I changed out the books at the shelter,” Charlotte said. “I could go tonight, provided Jamie will babysit.”
    “That would be great.” A beep signaled another incoming call. “I should go. Thanks again, Charlotte.”
    Wade took a deep breath to clear his mind and focus on whatever this new call was going to bring. “Sheriff MacKay here.”
    “It’s Tom.”
    Dr. Tom Olsen was the deputy state medical examiner. Wade had asked him to call personally when he’d finished Chet Walker’s autopsy.
    “I’ve just finished my examination,” Tom continued. “I’m afraid my findings aren’t going to make your job any easier. As far as I could see there was no medical reason for Chet Walker to lose control of his truck. No indication of his having had a seizure or suffered a stroke or heart attack.”
    “Is that right.” Only then did Wade realize how much he’d been hoping for a different sort of report. The death was tragic, no matter what the cause, but if Chet Walker had driven off the road because of a serious heart attack, it might have been easier on his wife to know that.
    Plus, Wade wouldn’t have had to worry about what had caused the accident.
    It wasn’t unheard of to have an inconclusive report on a traffic fatality. But Birdie’s presence in the truck, her amnesia and her pre-accident bruising, complicated matters entirely.
    There were just so many possible scenarios. The driver could have abducted Birdie and she caused the accident when she tried to escape. Or Birdie may have been running from someone when the truck driver picked her up and offered to help. Of course the simplest explanation was that Birdie had simply been hitching a ride because she had no money.
    It all boiled down to this: he couldn’t be sure Birdie would be safe when she got out of the hospital if he didn’t know why she’d been riding in that truck with Walker and what had caused that accident.
     
     

chapter nine
     
    j amie reviewed the printout with satisfaction. Everything balanced, each number was reasonable, the whole statement made perfect sense. There were no problems at the accounting firm that couldn’t be solved with the patient application of logic—and she loved that.
    It was so good to be back at Howard & Mason, in her old office, dealing with familiar clients. She was grateful the partners—Colin Howard and Ben Mason—held no resentment for the way she’d abruptly resigned two weeks ago. It was as if they understood she’d been manipulated by Kyle, without her needing to tell them so.
    Her mother had marveled that her sentimental, romantic daughter had wanted to study business in college. But there were two sides to Jamie, and one them was organized, methodical and rational. That was probably why she hadn’t minded growing up living in a trailer, while Dougal had hated it, chafing under the close quarters, too ashamed to ever invite over his friends.
    But as long as you pared your possessions to the essential and kept everything where it belonged, living in a trailer was very doable. Jamie had also thrived with the close proximity to her mother, whom she’d adored. Katie wasn’t the type to criticize her kids or subject them to lots of rules. Katie had given them only love and