forgotten (Twisted Cedars Mysteries Book 2) Read Online Free Page B

follow up on a lead for a potential new crime story about a man who’d murdered four librarians back in the seventies.
    Dougal had been tipped off about the series of homicides by anonymous emails—and all his evidence to date had supported the information he’d been given.
    Four librarians had been murdered, one a year, until 1974, when Charlotte’s Aunt Shirley—also a librarian—had hung herself in the Twisted Cedars Library. Dougal was planning to write a book about the murders, and Charlotte was helping him with the research.
    “No! You actually found Librarianmomma? Was he just playing a game with you?”
    “It wasn’t a game. He was deadly serious. And Monty Monroe was just an alias.” From his pocket Dougal pulled out the note Monty had left him in Borden’s cat carrier.
    Well done, son. Now write the book .
    Charlotte read the note twice, then frowned. “He calls you son. Some men, do that, don’t they? Even when there’s no relation.”
    “Some men do. But in this case, I’m afraid it’s true. I’m almost positive Monty is my biological father, Edward Lachlan.”
    “No, that’s not possible.” She studied his face. Realized he was serious. Less than a year ago, Ed Lachlan had been released from the Oregon penitentiary, where he’d served time for killing his second wife, Crystal Halloway. Fortunately he hadn’t harmed their eight-year-old daughter who’d been on a sleepover at the time.
    “Your father should still be on parole, right? So how could he have ended up in New York City? Let alone afforded to rent an apartment. It’s got to be expensive, right?”
    “I’m guessing he skipped parole soon after his release and got himself set up with a new identity. I’m also guessing he has money stashed somewhere. God knows how or where he got it.”
    Dougal rubbed a hand over his face. He looked so tired. But worse, deep in his eyes, she could see pure misery. Dougal hated his father with a passion.
    “Are you sure Monty is your father? How is it you never recognized him?”
    “I hadn’t seen him since I was six. Plus, he’d gone gray and grown a beard, and was all stooped over. Going up stairs he’d complain about his arthritis. He’s only in his sixties, but prison must have been hard on him. He looks much older.”
    “So what happened when you saw him? What did you say to him?”
    Dougal shook his head. “Monty—I mean Ed—had cleared out by the time I got there. He left Borden with lots of food, water and litter, at least.”
    “Did you call the police?”
    “Yeah, but they weren’t impressed. I have no proof Monty Monroe was really Ed Lachlan. By now he’s probably changed his identity again. They’ll never find him.”
    “I’d have no idea how to change my identity.”
    “That’s because you’re honest. My dad would have the right connections.”
    “Did you ever meet his second wife, the one he killed?”
    “Absolutely not. My mother cut off ties completely from our father after he left. And her friends, the Wards, made it pretty clear that if he ever tried to contact us again, they’d make big trouble. It was only after I turned eighteen and left Oregon that Ed dared to get in touch with me.”
    “I wonder where he is now?”
    “Far away, I hope. South America would be nice.” But even as he said this, Dougal scanned the room anxiously, and Charlotte realized how much this was going to haunt him. From this point forward, Dougal would always be on the lookout for his outlaw father.
    And then something else occurred to her. Less than two weeks ago they’d figured out her aunt Shirley had given up a child for adoption when she was sixteen. This child, they’d reasoned, could be the person sending the e-mails, the infamous Librarianmomma .
    “Does this mean your father—Ed Lachlan—was the baby my aunt Shirley gave up for adoption?”
    “Talk about twisted, huh? Good thing you’re adopted.”
    She wrinkled her nose. The alternative didn’t bear thinking