Bourbon Bliss: Bootleg Springs Book Four Read online

He asked to see me again, and I certainly harbored no objections. The next thing I knew, an entire week had gone by, and I’d spent time with George every single day.

  Saturday evening rolled around, and I needed to make my weekly trip to the Pop In. Normally I would have gone much earlier—it was getting quite late—but I’d been with George all day.

  My schedule was in complete disarray after sharing so many meals with him. But I didn’t mind. I transferred some unused items to the freezer, reworked my plan for the coming week, and made a truncated shopping list. Problem solved.

  Besides, it was worth disrupting my routine for dates with George.

  I parked in front of the Pop In, but as I walked in, I almost ran into my sister coming out the door.

  “Juney,” she said, sounding surprised. She was dressed in her deputy uniform.

  “Are you on duty?”

  “No, I just got off, but I was about to call you.”

  “Why?”

  She glanced around, then lowered her voice. “Something’s happened with the Callie Kendall case. Something huge. Bowie’s family is coming over to our place so I can explain.”

  I glanced down at the shopping bag in her hand. “What’s that?”

  “Dessert,” she said. “I felt like… well, this is big news, and I thought we’d all appreciate some sugar to go with it.”

  “What’s the news?”

  She glanced around again. Was she concerned about being overheard?

  “There’s no one here to listen in on our conversation,” I said. “I think you can speak free—”

  “I know, Juney.” She grabbed my arm and pulled me away from the door. “But this is a big deal. Word’s gonna get out soon, but… I can’t believe I’m about to say this aloud.” She paused, taking a deep breath. “Callie Kendall’s been found.”

  I blinked at her, unsure of what to say. “Is that a joke or sarcasm of some kind? Because you know I don’t get sarcasm.”

  “No, it’s not sarcasm. Just come to my house, all right? I’ll explain it to everyone all at once.”

  I wasn’t sure how to respond to that—had she really said Callie Kendall had been found?—so I didn’t try. I simply went to my car and followed Cassidy to her house.

  She and Bowie shared what had once been a duplex. They’d embarked on a remodeling project to join their two halves into one. The new design was spacious and open, now that most of the central wall was gone. It was decidedly less dusty than the last time I’d visited, but there were still power tools and stacks of building supplies and lumber.

  Cassidy’s cat, Eddie, bounded down the stairs, passing my sister on her way up to change her clothes. My nose tickled at the very sight of him. I was allergic to pet dander, particularly of the feline variety. Usually I came prepared with tissues, but this had been a surprise detour. I sniffed, hoping her two cats would keep their distance.

  A hum of anticipation thrummed through me as I waited for everyone to arrive, processing what Cassidy had said. I’d once estimated the chance of the Callie Kendall case being solved at less than four percent, with a rate of decrease of point oh six percent per year.

  In other words, I was surprised by this news.

  Bowie came down dressed in a waffle-knit shirt and jeans. Cassidy was just behind him in a loose-fitting blue sweater and leggings. She pulled her hair up into a ponytail as she walked.

  “Hey, Juney,” Bowie said.

  Cassidy’s other cat, George-Cat—I called him George-Cat now to differentiate between human George and feline George—twined around my legs and rubbed his face against my shoe.

  “I don’t understand why your cats find me so interesting,” I said. “It’s as if they have an instinctual drive to bother the people least likely to give them attention.”

  “They’re just bein’ friendly,” Cassidy said. “Come here, George. Leave June alone, you’ll make her sneeze.”

  I took a seat on the couch in their newly expanded living room. Although the chaos of the remodeling project was still in evidence, their house was quite livable. Cozy, even.

  It didn’t take long for the rest of the Bodines and their significant others—for those who had them—to arrive. Scarlett and Devlin. Jameson and Leah Mae. Jonah was there, dressed like he’d just left the gym. Gibson arrived last, smelling of wood and stain. He must have been working when Cassidy called.

  “Thanks for coming, y’all,” Cassidy said. She stood in front of the group gathered around her—some seated on the couch or chairs, others on the floor. Gibson stood next to me, leaning against the wall. “There’s really no way to take the shock out of what I’m about to say, so I’m just going to go ahead and say it. Callie Kendall was found this morning.”

  There was a shocked silence, lasting the space of a heartbeat, before the room erupted with noise, everyone asking questions at once.

  “Are you serious?”

  “Where?”

  “Who found her?”

  “What happened?”

  Bowie held his hands up for quiet. “Come on, now. Quiet down and let her talk.”

  “It’s fine, we reacted the same way at the station when we got the news,” Cassidy said. “Here’s what I know. She was picked up early this morning on a highway outside a little town called Hollis Corner, about five hours from here. Didn’t have anything with her, just the clothes on her back. The trucker took her to the nearest hospital. They contacted local police and her parents.”

  “Oh my god,” Scarlett said through her hands covering her mouth.

  Cassidy took a deep breath. I could tell by the way she stood that she was tired. “Once the hospital staff gave the all-clear, the local cops interviewed her. Took a long statement. After that they called us.”

  “Are they sure it’s her?” Devlin asked.

  “Judge Kendall came out himself and gave a positive ID,” Cassidy said.

  “What happened to her?” Scarlett asked. “This is killing me. Why did she disappear?”

  “According to the report she gave the Hollis Corner police, she’d met a guy online. He was older, in his twenties, so she didn’t tell anyone. He convinced her to run away with him.”

  “What?” Scarlett shrieked.

  Cassidy nodded. “She didn’t go home that night because she was running away to be with him. She cut through the woods and hitched a ride out of town, trying to get to Perrinville. The guy she’d met had a bus ticket waiting for her.”

  “Why in the hell didn’t he just come get her himself?” Scarlett asked.

  “I don’t know,” Cassidy said. “The report doesn’t answer that. Maybe he didn’t have a car.”

  “She hitched a ride?” Jameson asked.

  I could almost hear the unasked follow-up question. Had it been their father who’d picked her up?

  “She said your dad stopped and gave her a ride.”

  “Shit,” Jameson said under his breath.

  “They didn’t make it all the way to Perrinville,” Cassidy continued. “About a mile outside town, he almost hit a deer. Slammed on the brakes to avoid it. She hit her face on the dash.”

  “Blood on her sweater,” Scarlett said under her breath.

  “Yep. The report isn’t clear on what happened at that point, exactly, or why her cardigan was left behind. Only that she continued into town on foot and caught the bus.”

  “This could explain the presence of her fingerprints in your mother’s car,” I said.

  “It could, although I don’t know why he would have been driving our mom’s car,” Bowie said.

  “We know he drove it a few days later,” Jameson said. “Maybe his truck was broken down at the time.”

  Bowie shrugged. “It could have been. I don’t remember for sure.”

  “Wait,” Scarlett said. “If Callie ran off with some guy she met online, why’d she disappear for so long? Did she marry him and move to Australia or something?”

  “No, I don’t think she married him,” Cassidy said. “Not legall
y anyhow. It turns out the guy she’d met was in a cult.”

  “What?” Scarlett shrieked again, and Devlin rubbed her back as if to calm her.

  “Yep. He lured her into running away with him and kept her prisoner at the compound where they lived. Wouldn’t let her leave. She finally escaped this morning.”

  “How?” Jonah asked.

  “The report says that a couple of days ago the cult leader decided they had to move. She described the situation at their compound as chaotic. Sounds like they were all scrambling to get out of there before they were attacked by demons or something.” Cassidy shook her head. “Anyway, Callie hid, and they left without her.”

  “Did they come back for her?” Jonah asked.

  “She didn’t know. The Hollis Corner police have been assuring my dad all day that they have everything under control.” Cassidy rolled her eyes. “But they don’t know either.”

  Even I could tell Cassidy was being sarcastic.

  “Where is she now?” Scarlett asked. “Still at the hospital?

  “Nope,” Cassidy said. “Judge Kendall whisked her out of there as soon as she was discharged.”

  “They just let her go?” Scarlett asked.

  “She was a missing person, not a suspect in a crime,” Cassidy said. “And she didn’t have any injuries that warranted hospitalization. With a positive identification from her father, there was no reason to keep her there. If it had been me on the scene, I’d have done more. Asked more questions. Taken fingerprints. Something.”

  “Wait—they didn’t take fingerprints?” Devlin asked.

  Cassidy rolled her eyes again. “The notes in the report say they had a hard time getting her to cooperate due to her traumatized state. I think they had to really coax the story out of her. And once her dad showed up, he wouldn’t let anyone near her.”

  “I guess it makes sense for her father to try to protect her,” Jonah said.

  “I know, and I don’t mean to be callous about it,” Cassidy said. “I just don’t think the Hollis Corner police department did their job as well as they should have.”

  “I can’t believe this,” Scarlett said. “Callie’s alive.”

  The room went quiet for a long moment. It seemed as if everyone was struggling to digest this news. This had deep ramifications for the Bodine family. Their father’s name would be cleared. Not to mention what it was going to mean for the town as a whole.

  Bowie put his arm around Cassidy, and she leaned against his chest. Scarlett shook her head slowly while Devlin rubbed her back. Jameson held Leah Mae’s hand in both of his.

  Jonah stared at the floor. He’d arrived in town around the time his late father had become a person of interest in the case. I’d always had the impression he didn’t think much of the man he’d been named for.

  “You all right, Gibs?” Scarlett asked.

  All eyes moved to Gibson. His arms were crossed and his icy blue gaze was fixed on something near his feet.

  “That’s it, then,” he said, his voice a low growl. I couldn’t tell if it was a statement or a question. He turned and walked out the door and it banged shut behind him.

  “Please don’t tell me he’s mad because Dad’s innocent,” Scarlett said. “I mean, I know he was involved if he gave her a ride. Don’t know what he was thinking there. But he didn’t do anything terribly wrong. Callie could have told him anything to convince him to drive her to Perrinville.”

  “Giving a teenage girl a ride out of town ain’t exactly good judgement,” Bowie said. “But it certainly doesn’t seem like he did anything malicious.”

  “Gibs needs to let go of some of that anger he’s so keen on holding,” Scarlett said. “It ain’t healthy.”

  “Yeah, well, I don’t know if that’s possible at this point,” Bowie said.

  “Why didn’t Dad tell anyone?” Scarlett asked. “All those years, he knew the truth and he never told. Why would he do that?”

  “Maybe he was afraid he’d be a suspect,” Bowie said.

  “Or maybe he’d been drinking,” Jameson said quietly. “He could have been worried about getting in trouble for that, too.”

  “Could have been both,” Bowie said. “What I don’t understand is why he kept her sweater.”

  “Maybe he thought it would be important someday,” Jameson said.

  Scarlett pounded the couch cushion with her fist. “I’m so angry with Dad right now.”

  “I suspect he harbored a great deal of guilt over keeping that secret, whatever his reasons,” I said.

  “Yeah, you’re probably right,” Scarlett said. “Thanks, Juney.”

  “That must have been a terrible secret to keep,” Jonah said.

  Everyone went quiet for a moment. Jonah himself was a secret their father had kept. I was about to point that out when Jameson spoke.

  “Do you reckon Mom knew the truth?”

  “I bet she didn’t,” Bowie said. “She’d have made Dad come forward. And we already know he kept things from her.”

  Jonah cleared his throat.

  Bowie patted him on the back. “I think I speak for everyone when I say I’m glad you’re one secret that’s no longer hidden.”

  “Hell yes to that,” Scarlett said. She reached over and squeezed his arm. “Even if you are yet another brother.”

  Jonah smiled. “Thanks, Scar. Thanks, y’all.”

  Scarlett sagged against Devlin. “I feel like I’m in shock. I don’t know what to think right now.”

  “It’s gonna take time to sink in,” Bowie said. “And we need to talk to Jayme, just to make sure there aren’t any more legal ramifications we need to know about.”

  “I guess Callie’s parents were wrong about her,” Leah Mae said. “They must be feeling so many things tonight, having her back.”

  Even I felt a pang of emotion at that. Her parents had not only believed her dead, they’d always maintained that their daughter had committed suicide. To have her suddenly alive must have been both shocking and joyous for her family.

  “What do you say we have a toast?” Bowie asked before disappearing into the kitchen. Cassidy followed him, and they returned with a bottle of whiskey and glasses. Bowie poured a small measure of the amber liquid for each of us and Cassidy passed them out.

  Bowie raised his glass. “To Callie Kendall. May her return to her family and society be as smooth and happy as possible.”

  “To Callie,” we all said, then swallowed our whiskey.

  I turned the glass in my hand, listening as the conversation continued. They speculated about what Callie’s life had been like, living with a cult. How the man she’d met had managed to lure her in. Where the cult had gone, and whether the police would ever track them down.

  But there was something tickling the back of my mind. Something about Callie’s story that poked at me, like a puzzle piece that didn’t quite fit. I wasn’t sure why, but I had a nagging suspicion that there was more to her story that had yet to be told.

  13

  George

  It was late when my phone rang, June’s call surprising me. We’d had brunch together and taken a chilly walk down by the lake earlier. She’d told me she was busy tonight, so I was on the couch in pajama pants watching a movie when she called.

  The sight of her number on my screen made me smile. “Hey, June.”

  “I apologize for the unexpectedness of my call,” she said.

  “No need to apologize. I’m glad you called. What’s up?”

  “I’ve been made aware of some surprising news this evening.”

  “Is everything okay?”

  She took a breath. “Yes, it’s okay.”

  “That’s good. Do you wanna come over and tell me about it?”

  “I think I do, yes.”

  “Come on over. I’ll text you the address.”

  “Thank you.”

  About five minutes later, I heard her pull up outside. She knocked, and I let her in.

  “Hi there.” I took her hand in
mine as I shut the door behind her. Brought it to my lips for a kiss.

  “Hello. I like it when you do that.”

  “What, this?” I kissed the backs of her fingers again.

  “Yes, that. It feels very nice.”

  I leaned in to kiss her lips this time, but didn’t linger. She’d come over to talk, and I could see the tightness around her eyes. I gestured to the couch and we both sat.

  “What’s going on? You said everything is okay, but you seem a little keyed up.”

  “Are you aware of the Callie Kendall case?” she asked.

  “Little bit,” I said. “She’s the girl who went missing?”

  “Yes. It will be thirteen years ago this summer. She was found this morning.”

  My eyebrows lifted. “Found alive?”

  She nodded. “Yes, surprisingly. The odds weren’t high, but it’s important to note that although statistics can predict the probability of outcomes, there are still those instances that make up the minority portion.”

  “Right. Even if there’s a ninety-nine percent chance of something, there’s still that pesky one percent.”

  “Precisely.”

  “What happened to her? Do you know?”

  June went on to explain what she’d learned from her sister. I’d heard a bit about the case from Shelby and seen the missing persons posters around town. The picture June painted was stunning. But stranger things had happened.

  “The town is going to… actually, I’m having a hard time predicting what they’ll do,” she said.

  “I expect they’ll be happy she’s alive. And also want to know every detail they can get.”

  “Without a doubt. This is arguably the biggest thing that’s happened in Bootleg Springs since she disappeared.”

  I took her hand in mine, mostly just because I liked touching her. “Think it’s in the news yet?”

  “As of about thirty minutes ago, media coverage was very limited,” she said. “I expect that will change in the morning.”

  “I expect you’re right.”

  * * *

  Media coverage didn’t change the next day. It exploded.

  Saturday night, there’d been a few news sites reporting on the possibility that Callie Kendall had been found. One even had a few photos taken outside the hospital as she was leaving with her father.