Terra grabbed her cell and swiped over the screen a few times. She turned her phone so Abbie could see the images. “Ever seen any of this before?”
Abbie’s pupils dilated, and she pulled the cell closer. She shook her head. “It just looks like pottery to me. Where did you find it? What does it have to do with what’s happened?”
“The pots are artifacts.”
Abbie shrugged. “So? What are you saying?”
“It looks like your father might have been trafficking these pieces.”
“And you think this might have something to do with his murder?”
“It’s too soon to know for sure, but I’m looking for his connections regarding the pottery he kept at the cabin.”
Terra showed her the picture of the headdress. Abbie shook her head, clearly stunned.
“I can’t believe this.” Abbie pressed her face into her hands. “I didn’t even know about that cabin. I didn’t know he was keeping artifacts. It’s like I didn’t even know my father. Maybe he was having an affair too.”
Anguish pinged Terra’s heart. She hated being the one to deliver the painful news. She hoped she would learn that Jim wasn’t having an affair. Terra left the room to give Abbie time alone and found Jack standing in the center of the living room on his phone.
He shook his head, staring at the floor as he listened. While she waited, Terra mentally listed everything she would need, including Jim’s phone records. Maybe obtaining Pauline’s phone records would be necessary too.
Terra moved to look out the window at the backyard.
Jack joined her at the window. “You look like you’re a thousand miles from here.”
She’d been about a thousand miles away in her mind, for sure, remembering something she’d learned in the sting operation with the NPS. “Did your guys bring shovels?”
Jack turned to her, a question in his eyes. She held his gaze.
She couldn’t hold back her grin. “That’s right, we might need to dig.”
“Why would someone bury artifacts?”
“I knew someone who reburied items on his own property. Then over time, he could dig them up again and claim he’d found them on his private land.”
“And you think that’s a priority right now?”
“It won’t take long. The yard is small. I’ll give it a once-over, and if I see anything suspicious, then we can dig. If not, we’ll revisit later—if necessary.” Terra left Jack standing at the window and headed into the backyard. She lifted her face to soak up the sun, then gazed at patches of grass. She crouched to get a different perspective.
Footfalls behind her signaled Jack’s approach. “Well, am I going to need a shovel?”
“I don’t think we’re going to find anything here.”
He crouched next to her. “How can you say that? This yard’s a mess. I think we should dig.”
“If Jim had buried anything back here, he would have gone out of his way to make the yard look like someone cared.”
“I’m sorry, but I’m not coming to the same conclusion.” Jack stood. “My yard would look like this if I were the type to hide something.”
Terra stood as well. “You’re welcome to dig then. But I have a lead I want to follow, and then I’d like to visit the museum.”
“Did you find the picture?”
“Yes.” She removed the manila envelope from her jacket pocket and pulled out the photographs. “I don’t know who the woman in the picture is, but I think a PI took these photographs.”
TWENTY-THREE
Jack sat at his desk with Terra and copied the museum interview reports to give to her. Terra, meanwhile, looked up all the private investigators in the area. How many could there be? Pauline could have hired someone from another county for more privacy, especially since the general consensus was that everyone knew her husband. How could they not since his face was plastered on billboards around town and the county?
Nathan swiveled in his chair at his desk. “Hey, Terra. It’s good to see you.”
“You too.” Terra didn’t look up from her laptop.
Jack couldn’t tell whether she was that absorbed in what she was reading or she held a grudge against Nathan because of his falling out with her best friend, Erin.
“What are you guys doing?” Nathan rolled his chair over to Jack’s desk.
“We believe Pauline Raymond hired a PI to take these pictures.” Jack laid out the two of Jim and the blonde. “We’re trying to figure out who she hired. I’m working on getting Pauline’s phone records.”
Nathan scrunched up his face as he rolled back to his desk. “Ah, man. A PI reported a break-in at her office yesterday. She called the police, but her business is just outside the city limits. Deputy Pendergrass—Linda—took the information.”
Jack angled his face to Nathan. “And you’re bringing this up because . . .”
“I should have told you sooner. The PI mentioned she had worked with Mrs. Raymond. Linda thought that could be important. She passed it on to me to pass on to you.”
Nathan lifted a paper from his desk. “See? Now I’m passing it on.” Then he handed it over to Jack, making that painful scrunched face again. “I’m sorry?”
“I wouldn’t worry about it. The timing works out.”
“The PI’s name is Dallas Simpson.” He briefly read the report as he stood and pulled on his jacket.
Terra stood as well. “Let’s go.”
Fifteen minutes later, they found the address—an old dilapidated building just outside of town. He parked at the curb and met Terra on the sidewalk. She glanced up at the three-story building with old fire escape stairs. She was probably thinking like he was that Dallas Simpson’s private investigation business wasn’t paying her enough.
He opened the door, and Terra stepped through with a smile. “Thanks.”
She paused in the quiet hallway. “Should we have called to see if she’s even here?”
“Oh, come on. You know you prefer the face-to-face surprise approach.”
“Only she won’t be that surprised to have a detective asking more questions.”
“I’m sure
