Queen of the Wood ✅

16 - The Bare Facts

I was positively buzzing.

I didn't know how long it would take Leo to get to the house, so took to pacing around the back porch as we waited. My mind was swirling with questions. What would be in the report? How much had the sheriff's department found out before the OSBI had taken over? Were they still investigating?

How the hell had Leo gotten the report and removed it from the sheriff's department?

"Relax," Brett said.

"I can't. I... he got the report, Brett." I stopped and turned to face him. "We don't know what could be in there."

He nodded as he leaned forward and rested his elbows on his knees. He then looked up at me.

"We need to tell him about the tiara."

I recoiled, thinking about the tiara stashed under my bed in a small plastic bin. I didn't want to risk further contaminating it even though I hadn't exactly decided what to do with it.

"I... no. He'll have to turn it in."

"They can test it."

"They'll know I had it," I replied, fear crawling up my throat. I wasn't about to hand over anything that could land me in jail.

Brett sighed and rubbed his face.

"I trust 'im, Ash. He could help," he said wearily.

"Yeah, but I don't."

I heard the front door slam shut and looked toward the doors that led into the house. It didn't take long before Leo appeared, a smug smile prominent as he walked through the kitchen and out onto the deck.

"Ask and ye shall receive," he proclaimed as he walked over and dropped a file onto the table.

We all stared at it, no one moving to open or touch it.

"How did you get it?" I asked, taking a cautious step closer.

"For plausible deniability, I'm gonna refrain from answerin' that question," Leo said. I looked at him, my mouth dropping open as my eyes widened. "Christ, I didn't break any laws. At least, I don't think I did. That's a copy. I left the original right where I found it."

I breathed a bit easier, though I still wondered if it was okay that we had a copy. I looked back at the folder and took another step closer. Brett looked up at me, his eyebrows lifted in question. I nodded. I wasn't sure if I had the strength to look for myself.

He reached out and opened the folder, his brow furrowed as he flipped through the pages. Truthfully, it didn't look as thick as I was expecting.

"That's all I found, but there's prolly more, considerin' how obsessed Whittaker was. Suspect his widow might have his things," Leo said as he walked over and sat next to Brett.

"What's it say?" I asked nervously.

"Not a whole lot." Leo sighed.

I looked at Brett as he met my eyes. He just shrugged before looking back down to read.

"Everyone said about the same thing. They were at the bonfire. Didn't see nothin'. Maeve was there, and then she wasn't," Leo continued. "Which wasn't unusual considerin' everyone was sneakin' off to do God knows what in the woods."

I looked over Brett's shoulder, reading some of the page he had opened. It was a list of names, all that I recognized. I remembered seeing most of them at the party.

"Unfortunately, Whittaker was focused on you and no one else," Leo said, flipping pages.

The deputy looked up at me as he pointed down. My blood turned cold as I read the page. It was filled with notes from my short interview. In the margin was scrawled, "Turners are hiding something. What?"