Chapter 19
“The attorney general’soffice has a closed file on the mortgage fraud dating back over twenty years,” Walker’s operativereported.
Walker switched the phone to his other ear and started making notes. “When did they close thefile?”
“Not long after yourfather’s death. Their main suspect was Geoffrey Kennedy, and he died. His mortgage company was sold and the loans scattered. They were following leads on the Menendez family, and the people who snatched up the land under a hippy commune, but Kennedy was the money man. How deep do you want me todig?”
“Give me names, their relationship to the case, and let’s see if we can establish a mapof land ownership. I’m not entirely certain the fraud has ended.” Walker didn’t know why he said that. No one had indicated any problems related to mortgages and foreclosures. The laws had changed since Kennedy had gone on his land grab. He just knew the Kennedys and Menendez were still sparring over casinos and condos and the townspeople wereworried.
Anywhere else, the town inhabitantswould be helpless, caught between two huge developments. Walker had a gut feeling that the people of Hillvale were a different breed. He hadn’t liked taciturn Juan all that much, but he didn’t want the security manager to be the first fatality in a newbattle.
Since he’d worked overtime during the fire, he had drawn the second shift today. He’d spent the day on his own investigation, butit was time to holster up. He buckled on his gun, picked up his cell and tablet, and was headed for the door when the cell ring indicated his research assistantcalling.
Trying to run a business while working a demanding job meant he wasn’t doing either task well. “Yeah?” he said into his Bluetooth as he headed for his officialvehicle.
“I’ve been looking into your Ingerssons,” Sofiasaidproudly.
According to the senior management who had taken over the firm after his father, she’d been trying to become a detective since his father had first hired her. She was actually pretty good at the research end. “And why are you doing that?” Although Walker had been equally curious. He simply didn’t have the time to look into Sam’s maternal family. He no longer had any officialreason to become involved in her personalproblems.
“I’m not charging anyone for it,” Sofia said in indignation. “That poor girl deserves to know what she’s getting into. The Ingerssons used to own the land between the Kennedy lodge and the Menendez property above it. That’s where the hippy commune was established. Is there still a farmhouse there? I’ve always wondered what it was liketo live off theland.”
Walker tried to picture the area in his head as he started the car and headed out. “May have been once, but there’s no house. The fire took out part of that side of the mountain yesterday, so any other evidence of a farm is probably gone. That was half a century ago. What does it have to do withSam?”
He knew Sam’s mother was an Ingersson.Valdiswas Sam’saunt, her mother’s sister. Walker’s interest was captured despite his disparagement of Sofia’s research. Valdis had climbed those hills without fear because they were herhome.
“The Ingerssons lost the land to a bank, one in which Geoffrey Kennedy owned a substantial share. There were suits and countersuits, up until your Samantha’s maternal grandparents died. You might add their deathsto your to-do list. They were only in their forties or fifties, I have their ages heresomewhere...”
“Don’t worry, I can figure it out later. How did they die?” Walker demanded. His gut was getting a real workout thismorning.
“Apparent heart attack for her grandfather. Overdose for her grandmother. They were part of the original commune, of course, so drugs werecommon.”
“And how long ago was this?” Although Walker thought he alreadyknew.
“About twenty-five years ago,” Sofia said. “That’s why I thought it might beimportant.”
Shit in a bottle... “Just before Sam’s mother gave away her baby and fled,” he said withfinality.
“Exactly—around the time that Samantha’s father also died of anoverdose.”
Had the land fraud his father wasinvestigating begun then? How the hell would he tell Sam? “See who owns that land now,” he demanded, then hit the gas pedal and aimed forHillvale.
“Why arewe having a town meeting on a hillside?” Sam asked, wrapping a blanket around her shoulders as she walked. “Couldn’t we hold it at Cass’s place if there’s no meeting hall?” Cass had beenavoiding her, which added to herirritability.
Undeterred by the chilly air, Mariah climbed the rocky path as if she were a mountain goat. “The vortex is safer and more effective, especially at the solstice. We tried meeting at Cass’s once, but Cass draws spirits, and we have too many sensitives. Valdis went bananas and whatever took over Tullah went after Valdis and it got ugly. Harveyand Aaron carried them out here, and they calmed down, so that’s how we’ve done it eversince.”
Sam could actually imagine that, she realized with amazement. She feared this might be carrying an open mind a step too far. But then, she was apparently seeing ghosts, so whynot?
“Where’s your staff?” Mariah demanded, using hers to propel herself up the ruggedpath.
“I couldn’tcarry it and a blanket too.” Accepting the staff bothered her somehow, even though she’d paidHarvey.
“It’s a weapon. You should keep it at hand, if only to beat back bushes.” She whacked at an overhanging branch to prove herpoint.
Sam changed the subject back to one of more interest. “And how long have these vortex meetings been going on?” Trying to piece together her own pastinevitably involved Hillvale history, so she was prepared tolisten.
Mariah shrugged. “Hard to say. I’ve only been here a few years. The older ones managed at Cass’s, so maybe it’s new blood that has stirred up the spirits. Valdis has only been here a little longer than me, Tullah and Dinah a littlelonger.”
Sam wasn’t ready to believe in ghosts yet. Finding water could have beenan accident or Harvey playing tricks. The inexplicable compost pile had shaken her, though. She’d not told anyone about that. She’d almost have to either believe in mind reading or ghosts, and right about now, she was spooked enough to believe if they could happen anywhere, it would be in Hillvale. Could her scientific expertise belong in a community like this? She had a longing for the safety ofthe classroom she’d been teachingin.
