Dead By Dawn Read Online Free Page A

that?”
     
    “Because they found a bag of pot in the house,” she said.
     
    “That was it?” Lindsay said. That’s pretty thin.
     
    “No, that wasn’t it. They had too much money to just be farmers,” Carol said.
     
    “In the house or in the bank?” Lindsay asked.
     
    “In the bank. There was a little bit of cash missing from the house. Might have been a motive for the murders,” Carol answered.
     
    “So why do you think they took the children?” Lindsay asked.
     
    “They killed the kids. Except for Jeremy. The older girls probably saw the killers and had to be killed,” Carol reasoned. “That’s what we thought anyway.”
     
    “Your parents raised Jeremy?” Lindsay asked.
     
    “Yes, after a long, drawn out fight with Shelly’s parents. My mom and dad got custody of Jeremy,” Carol said. “It kind of pissed me and my brother off. David and my Dad got into an argument over business and my parents go through this huge custody battle to get his kid.”
     
    “Was David estranged from your parents?” Lindsay asked. Her curiosity piqued.
     
    “Our family has farmed for generations. We own a lot of farm land. Dad sent David to college so he could take over the family business. When David got out, he worked for dad for a while and then decided to do his own thing,” she said.
     
    “So you and your brother don’t work in the business?” Lindsay asked.
     
    “Oh, we do. But, David was the smart one. Dad was hoping he could expand the business. Instead, David inherited his own farm from my grandfather and was intent on starting his own vineyard,” she said. “Dad was always waiting for David to throw up the red flag and come running back with his tail between his legs.”
     
    Nice family, Lindsay thought. “Do you have any idea how I can get a hold of Shelly’s family?”
     
    “I don’t know. Her maiden name was Doran. She was from Modesto, I think.” Carol paused for a moment. “You’re not really going to help Jeremy with all of this, are you?”
     
    “Why not?” Lindsay asked.
     
    “There’s nothing good that can come out of this. All of it happened a long time ago,” she said. “Just let it all go.”
     
    “That’s not really up to me. It’s up to Jeremy,” Lindsay said. “You mentioned that Jeremy decided not to go into the family business.”
     
    “Yes, he went off on the same stupid tangent his parents did,” Carol said.
     
    “And what would that be?” Lindsay asked.
     
    “Grapes,” Carol said. “David would have been one of the first people out here to plant grapes. Jeremy is a little late.”
     

Chapter 5
     
    Lindsay told Jeff about her meeting with Jeremy Davenport over dinner. “The part about the aged sketch sounds kind of creepy,” he said.
     
    “I have to tell you, it looks just like Tracy,” Lindsay said.
     
    “Coincidence?” he asked.
     
    “I think so. But, I think I’m going to take his case,” she said.
     
    “Why?” Jeff asked. Like a lawyer, he already knew the answer. “Because you are bored?”
     
    “Yes, and it’s kind of a cool old case,” she said.
     
    “I don’t want this to be a conflict of interest with Tracy,” he said.
     
    “I don’t think this has anything to do with Tracy. I think Jeremy will leave her alone, now that I’m taking the case,” she said. “Honestly, he had no idea he was scaring her. He was sincere about that. He seems like a decent guy.”
     
    “Okay then, take it. It will do you good to get out of the house a little more,” he said.
     
    “I will be going up to get the file in Paso Robles from Calhoun. He dug it out of the old case files for me,” Lindsay said.
     
    “Who is going to watch Evan while you are gone?”
     
    “That’s why I’m bringing it up. Do you want me to take him to your Mom’s for a few days or have my Mom come over here?” she asked.
     
    “I guess I would prefer your mom here. That way Evan is in his own house and I can see him when I get home at