Sudden Second Chance Read Free

head cocked to one side. Leaves rustled and twigs snapped, but that could be animals going about their business. His gaze tracked through the blur of green, but he didn’t spot any movement or different colors.
    City life had his senses on high alert, but a rural setting could pose just as much danger—of a different kind.
    He exhaled slowly and returned to the clearing, where Beth waited for him, hands on her hips.
    “What was all that about?”
    He pointed to the sky. “Those birds took off like something startled them.”
    “I told you I saw a rough-looking guy out here on a bike. Maybe it was him.”
    “Doesn’t explain why he was hanging around. I don’t know that you should be traipsing around the forest by yourself.” He snorted. “You’re hardly an outdoor girl.”
    She kicked a foot out. “I have the boots.”
    He opened his mouth for a smart-ass reply but someone or something crashed through the bushes and they both jumped this time. Duke reached for the weapon tucked in the shoulder holster beneath his jacket and tensed his muscles.
    He dropped his shoulders when three teenage boys came staggering into the clearing, laughing and pushing each other. The roughhousing came to an abrupt halt when they spotted Duke and Beth.
    The tallest of the three boys stepped forward, holding a can of beer behind his back. “Is this, uh, official business or something?”
    The other two edged back to the tree line, trying to hide their own beers.
    “Nope. I was just leaving.” Duke leveled his finger at the boy. “But you’d better not be operating a motor vehicle.”
    “Driving? No way, sir.”
    Beth flashed her megawatt smile at the trio of teens. “Do you boys live here? I’m from the TV show Cold Case Chronicles , and we’re doing a show on the old Timberline Trio case.”
    “Oh, hey, yeah. My mom watches that show all the time.”
    One of the other boys, a pimple-faced kid with a shock of black hair, mimicked the tagline of the show in a deep voice. “ Cold Case Chronicles ...justice for all time.”
    “That’s us.” Beth nodded. “So, how about it? Any of you know anything about that case? Parents around at the time?”
    The one who’d spoken up first said, “Nah, we just moved here a few years ago when my mom got a job with Evergreen Software.”
    The kid with the acne answered. “Same here.”
    The dark-haired boy with the mocha skin who’d been quiet up to now ran a hand through his short hair. “My family was here, but they don’t talk about it. We don’t talk about it.”
    “We?”
    Duke rolled his eyes as Beth tilted her head, that one word implying a million questions if the boy wanted to pick one up. The teen had better run now if he wanted to avoid that steam train.
    The tall, skinny boy answered for his friend. “Levon is Quileute. They believe in voodoo magic and boogeymen.”
    Levon punched his friend in the arm and the tall kid dropped his beer where it fizzed out in the dirt. “Hey, man.”
    All three boys picked up where they’d left off, crashing back into the woods, cursing at each other and laughing, startling a flock of birds with their raucousness.
    “Well, that’s interesting.” Beth tapped the toe of her boot. “I wonder what that boy meant about the Quileute not talking about the crime. Did law enforcement ever question anyone from the tribe?”
    “Not that I know of, but I’ll leave that to your superior investigative talents.” He jerked his thumb over his shoulder. “It’s been real, but I gotta go.”
    “I guess I’ll see you around, Duke. We are in the same hotel, same small town, same case.”
    “Don’t remind me.” He waved over his shoulder and hit the trail back to his rented SUV, putting as much space as possible between him and Beth St. Regis, his mind as jumbled as the carpet of mulch he was plowing through.
    She looked the same, except for the clothes. Beth had always been a girlie-girl—high heels, dresses, manicured nails, perfect hair