Read Online exposed (Twisted Cedar Mysteries Book 3) by CJ Carmichael - Free Book Online

and trace those emails.”
    “Speaking of Marnie...How old is she? She looks about twenty, but I suspect she’s the kind of woman who looks younger than her true age.”
    Wade’s eyes narrowed. “Why do you ask?”
    “Just wondering if I should encourage her crush on you. Or suggest she look elsewhere.”
    Damn, it was cute seeing the sheriff blush.
    “I’d rather you focused on the job at hand.”
    Dougal’s sense of fun vanished. “Don’t worry about me. I want Chester home and Ed back behind bars more than you do.”
    “Good to hear. While you’re home you better pack your toothbrush and a change of clothes. We’ll want to keep the lines of communication between you and Ed open as much as possible. If he wants to chat all night—I want you to be here for him.”
    “Yeah,” Dougal had to agree, even though it would mean breaking his promise to Charlotte.
    “With staff working around the clock there’ll be lots of sandwiches and other snacks on hand. Feel free to help yourself.”
    As Dougal followed Wade down the corridor, he paused to glance inside the room being used to manage the investigation. The long wall was covered with maps, lists, names and photos. Every inch of the large, rectangular table held computer equipment, files, and stacks of paper.
    “Any progress?”
    “We’re figuring out lots of places Chester isn’t , if you call that progress.” Wade rubbed his jaw, worried. “I know you figure Ed has the boy. But there’s still a chance the kid is hiding out somewhere.”
    “Have you still got guys searching the woods around my place?”
    “Yeah. The K-9 unit is out there with about thirty volunteers from Search and Rescue. Unless we find something—a bike tire print, a scrap of fabric, anything like that—we’ll be pulling out at the end of the day.”
    “Okay.” Dougal put a hand on Wade’s shoulder. “You look as beat as I feel.”
    “Not going to be much rest for any of us until we find him.”
    Dougal nodded. He and his old friend had had their differences. But they were definitely on the same side now.
    * * *
    On the drive to the Librarian Cottage, Dougal couldn’t help thinking about the first message he’d received from his father, back in May of this year. At the time he’d had no idea “Librarian Momma” was his old man.
    His father had been crafty. Since Dougal had refused to take his calls or open his emails, Ed had snared him by using the moniker of “Librarian Momma” and dangling a series of unsolved mysteries under his nose. As a true crime writer looking for a subject for a new book, Dougal hadn’t been able to resist.
    If he’d just ignored the bait, Joelle Carruthers and her baby daughter might still be alive. Chester would be in his classroom right now, bored, probably, but at least safe.
    On his drive out of town Dougal placed a call to Charlotte, filling her in on the latest developments and promising to drop by later that evening, warning her he wouldn’t be able to stay long.
    “That’s okay. I appreciate what you’re doing. I know you don’t want to write your father’s story.”
    “If it helps Chester, it’ll be worth it. How’s Cory doing?”
    “I decided to send her to school. It’s the best thing for her. Hanging around here is soul-sucking.”
    “Hopefully it won’t be for much longer.” But he was afraid Ed Lachlan wouldn’t let the boy go until the entire book was written. And even then—well, Dougal didn’t feel the odds were in their favor.
    Unless...maybe the old man was taking advantage of the boy’s disappearance to coerce Dougal into writing the book. There was always that possibility. Dougal allowed himself to hope. Maybe, right this moment, a bloodhound was on Chester’s trail. Any minute now a volunteer might be radioing in the happy news: “We’ve found him!”
    But as soon as he rounded the last corner to the cottage, Dougal’s faint hope died. Over a dozen vehicles were jammed around the property. The only