Vow of Silence Read online

  “I guess I’m having more fun watching you. I didn’t expect you would enjoy this so much. Hockey’s kind of a violent game.”

  Just then, one of the players body-checked another, and they both slammed into the plexiglass in front of her. She startled at the crash. A fight broke out, and several players raced over to join in the fray.

  “I’m surprised I like it as much as I do. I’ve never seen anythin’ like this. So that’s the guy over there by the net? Number Twenty-Two? That was Cassie’s boyfriend?”

  “If we’ve got the right Keegan Riley, and it sounds like we do.”

  Whistles blew and a referee raced over, breaking up the fight, sending players to their corners and the two that started the brawl to a penalty box. Fans booed the decision. A few moments later, the puck was back in play, and it was game on.

  …

  A few minutes before the game ended, Joe ducked out of the seat with Hannah. He didn’t want the crowds overwhelming her, and they needed to get to the area of the parking lot where the players would exit. He hadn’t expected her to enjoy the game so much and was disappointed they had to leave before the final whistle blew, but they’d left with the promise of him making it up to her by bringing her to another game.

  She’d readily accepted his offer, calling it a date and telling him she expected a fancy dinner as well. He’d seen another side to Hannah tonight, one he wasn’t sure she even realized existed, but he liked it—a lot. She was discovering many things for the first time, and he enjoyed being the one to introduce her to them. From the moment she’d changed into those modern clothes, it was like she’d become a different person. Now that she blended in with everyone else, she seemed more relaxed, less self-conscious. Could she assimilate into this life more easily than he’d given her credit for?

  “I can see the appeal,” she confessed softly as they stepped out the door together and headed for the parking lot. “Why Cassie was so torn between this world and ours. There’s so much to do here, so much to see and experience.”

  Joe took her hand, threading his fingers through hers. “There are many good things and just as many bad. But the conveniences are something one can grow to depend on quickly. I’m glad you enjoyed yourself tonight.”

  “I almost feel guilty for it.”

  “Don’t. You’ve done nothing wrong.”

  “You and I both know thoughts are as sinful as actions. And the thoughts I’ve been havin’ lately… Surely the Lord ain’t pleased with me. When Jacob died… I believed God was punishin’ me.”

  Joe tugged Hannah to a stop and turned her so he could see her face. The parking lot was lit by rows of light poles. The ambient beams shining down cast her in an ethereal glow. “You don’t really believe that.” But the guilt in her expression told him she probably did.

  “I didn’t love him the way I should’ve. Deep down, I never stopped hopin’ you’d come back. I didn’t want to admit that, and I tried to love Jacob, but God sees the heart… So, He took him from me.”

  “Hannah, God doesn’t work that way.”

  “But I never stopped thinkin’ of you,” she continued as if he hadn’t spoken. “I continued to want someone other than my husband. And then He took Cassie from me, too…”

  “My God…” Joe reached up and scrubbed the back of his neck, not sure what to say and pretty damn certain she wouldn’t hear him anyway.

  “And then you came back…”

  “Hannah, bad things happen to good people. I see it every day. You didn’t cause this, and God sure as hell isn’t punishing you. But He can take a shitty situation and work it out for good. Maybe I’m here to do more than catch a killer. Maybe He did bring me back to you, because I look at you now, and it’s like the last eight years never happened. But I promise you, He didn’t cause this.”

  The side door flew open, banging against the wall. Hockey players began piling out and making their way toward the bus. “Come on.” He gave her hand a tug. “Let’s go talk to Cassie’s boyfriend.”

  They stood off to the side, near the doors, where Joe could watch the faces of the players passing by. He was starting to wonder if he’d missed Riley when a guy walked out, flanked by two of his teammates. They were laughing and clasping him on the back, congratulating him on the save that won them the game.

  “Keegan Riley?”

  The hockey player’s steps slowed, and he turned toward Joe.

  “Detective Joe Troyer…” He flashed his badge, and the guy muttered a curse. His buddies exchanged surprised glances and hovered near their friend, watching curiously as Hannah and Joe approached. “You got a few minutes? I’d like to talk to you.”

  The lack of surprise on Riley’s face told Joe he’d been expecting this visit, knew was just a matter of time before the truth caught up with him. With a sigh of resignation, he nodded and told his friends. “I’m going to be a few minutes, guys. Go on ahead without me. I’ll meet you at McGrath’s.”

  The two teammates ambled off, and Joe led Riley toward a quieter part of the parking lot. He pulled a picture of Cassie from his pocket and held it up. “You know this girl?”

  The flash of pain registering in Riley’s eyes negated the need for a verbal response. He cleared his throat, gaze darting from the photo to the ground. “Yeah, I know her.”

  “What’s her name?”

  The guy looked surprised by the question, but he needed the verbal confirmation. He wanted information from Keegan Riley, and he wanted the truth. His best chance of that happening was to make sure the gravity of this situation hit home.

  “Cassie Belier.”

  “When was the last time you saw her?”

  The hockey player glanced up, locking eyes with Joe. Yeah, he was looking at a lot of guilt and regret. Riley scrubbed his hand over his jaw, seeming to consider how much he wanted to say. “The day before she disappeared.”

  “What was the nature of your relationship with her?”

  His gaze darted nervously to Hannah, then back to Joe. Was it because he knew Cassie was Amish, or because Penn State’s star hockey player was about to admit to being involved with a seventeen-year-old girl?

  “I think you know. That’s why you’re here, isn’t it?”

  “Still need to hear you say it.” Joe pressed. “At this point, I don’t think you want me making any assumptions about you.”

  “Am I under arrest? Do I need a lawyer?”

  “You’re not under arrest, but I can’t advise you about the lawyer. I think you should probably call your buddies and let them know you’re not going to make it to McGrath’s. I’m going to need you to come to Lancaster with me and make a formal statement.”

  “Then I think I’d like a lawyer…”

  …

  It was late by the time they cut through all the red tape and Keegan Riley got his lawyer, who made a deal that, in exchange for his full cooperation, he would not be charged with statutory rape. Hannah waited in the other room but could see them through the mirrored glass, and the recorders were on, so she could hear everything that was being said. Joe wanted her listening in case the guy said anything Hannah could corroborate or dispute.

  “All right, let’s start over.” Joe sat in the seat across from Riley and his lawyer, pen in hand. “For the record, please state your name and relationship to the deceased, Cassandra Beiler.”

  “Keegan Riley. Cassie was my girlfriend.”

  “How long were you two seeing each other?”

  “Six months.”

  “And how did you meet?”

  “Officially? At a hockey game. But we’d been messaging each other for a while before that.”

  “How long?”

  “A few months.”

  “Did you know she was sixteen?”

  “Cassie was seventeen.”

  “Not when you met her.”

  Riley exhaled a derisive snort and shook his head. When he met Joe’s eyes, he could tell the guy was pissed. “No, I didn’t know how old she was. Sh
e told me she was eighteen.”

  “You believed her?”

  “Of course, I believed her. I don’t card every fucking girl I go out with.”

  “Maybe you should start. Do you see a lot of girls, Mr. Riley?”

  “I didn’t cheat on Cassie if that’s what you’re wondering. I loved her.”

  “But not enough to go to the police when she went missing?”

  “Shit…” Riley dragged his fingers through his hair and exhaled another sigh. “Look, I come from nothing. I’m here on a full-ride hockey scholarship, and the Hershey Bears are scouting me. I’m about to get drafted into the NHL. Do you know what would happen to my career if I got charged with statutory rape? I didn’t go to the police because I don’t know anything, and I’m not about to throw all this away on a dead girl who lied to me.”

  “Fair enough…” Joe tempered his tone, struggling to keep his emotions out of it. He’d taught that “dead girl” how to ride a bicycle. He’d carried her on his shoulders when she was too tired to walk after the Fall Harvest festival, and he’d pushed that “dead girl” on the tire swing back behind the church more Sundays than he cared to remember. “Tell me about the last time you saw her.”

  “The night before she disappeared. We fought.” Riley’s lawyer leaned over and whispered something to him Joe couldn’t hear. He was no doubt cautioning him to be careful not to cast suspicion on himself. Riley already had motive for wanting Cassie dead. But Joe knew this guy didn’t kill her.

  “What did you fight about?”

  Riley hesitated and whispered something to his lawyer.

  “I’d like a few minutes alone with my client please.”

  He glanced at the clock. It was almost midnight. “We’ll take ten. I’ll be back at five after.” Joe pushed up from his seat and headed for the door. One door down, he found Hannah sitting at the table watching Keegan Riley and his lawyer through the glass. He reached in front of her and pressed a button that cut the sound to the room.

  She shot him a surprised look. “What are you doin’?”

  “Attorney-client confidentiality. Come on…” He held out his hand, tugging her from her seat. “I’ll get you a cup of coffee.” He led her out the door and down the hall. “Just warning you, though, it probably won’t be as good as Starbucks.”

  “Anythin’ hot would be wonderful right now.”

  Joe slipped his arm around her and hugged her into his side. “How are you holding up? I can’t imagine how hard it is for you.” He pressed a kiss to the top of her head and couldn’t resist breathing in her lavender scent.

  “I—”

  “Oz…” A familiar voice echoed down the hall.

  Hannah startled and took a reflexive step back, breaking their contact, and nervously ran her hand down her braid.

  “Thought you were in Hershey. What are you doing here?”

  Joe turned as Bill Kent approached. He offered Joe his hand and gave it a firm shake. “I could ask you the same thing. Burning the midnight oil?”

  “I had a case that ran late. Last minute autopsy. The wife wants her husband cremated and had an appointment scheduled for the morning. Police were suspicious about the COD and the hasty barbecue so…here I am.”

  “Yeah? Foul play?”

  “Nah…just a good old-fashioned heart attack. Kinda makes me feel old when people my age start dropping over dead.”

  Joe chuckled.

  “Did you get that message I left you? The court orders came through—signed and filed.”

  “That’s great news. I haven’t checked my messages in a while. I’ll have someone pick up Heinz in the morning.”

  “You either know some important people or you’ve got a lucky horseshoe up your ass, Oz. Things just don’t happen that quickly around here. But the judge recognized your name, and that it was for the Barber case, and he couldn’t sign off on it fast enough.”

  Joe laughed. “Don’t be too impressed. It’s not me, it’s the feds. They’re pulling the strings on this case. Gotta say, I wish I could get shit done this fast back in Minnesota.”

  Kent chuckled and gave him a friendly slap on the back. “Maybe you should stick around, Oz. You’re going to make quite a name for yourself by the time this is all over.”

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  “I found out how old she was, and I confronted her about it. That’s what we fought about.”

  When no more explanation came, Joe glanced up from his notes and locked eyes with Riley. “Go on…” he prompted impatiently. He was getting tired, and Hannah looked exhausted, clutching a white foam cup and sipping coffee that looked and smelled like it had spent the afternoon on the hot plate. He wanted to get this over with so he could get her home. And they still had a half-hour drive back to Churchtown.

  “I told her I couldn’t be with her. That she was too young, and I couldn’t risk my career for her. She was upset. I was upset… I was in love with her, man.”

  “How did you find out how old she was?”

  “One of her friends messaged me on Facebook. Said I deserved to know the truth.”

  “Facebook?”

  “Yeah…Cassie and seven or eight of her friends have a Facebook group they call Breaking Amish. You know, after the TV show.”

  “So, you knew she was Amish?”

  “Yeah, I knew. That was one of the things that attracted me to her. She wasn’t like other girls—spoiled, self-centered puck-bunnies. She didn’t want to be with me because I was Penn State’s star goalie. I fell in love with her innocence. And then I found out she lied to me and almost ruined my career…”

  “Tell me more about this Facebook group.”

  “There’s quite a few people following it. It’s popular with the college crowd. The girls do a bunch of shit for the first time and post about it. Occasionally other people take them out and show them a good time. I commented on one of Cassie’s posts, and she private messaged me. That’s how we started talking. Then she came to one of my games…”

  “Are you a member of this group?”

  “No, it’s a closed group with public viewing.”

  “Do you know who contacted you about Cassie?”

  Keegan pulled out his phone and opened his Messenger app. “Rebecca Fisher.”

  Joe wrote the girl’s name down. “I’m going to need to see those messages.”

  “Sure. Give me your number. I’ll screenshot and forward them to you.”

  Joe gave Keegan his contact information, and a few minutes later his cell alerted him to the incoming messages. “Have you ever met her? Rebecca Fisher?”

  “No, and Cassie hadn’t, either. She was really pissed that Rebecca had contacted me. She told me she had no idea who Rebecca was, said she’d never met her before, and wanted to know who had let her into the group. I don’t know if she ever found out who it was.”

  “Do you know where Cassie got her cell phone?”

  “I bought it for her. She was on my plan.”

  Finally, a cell phone he could track. “I’m going to need your carrier information and her number. Was the last time you heard from Cassie the last time you saw her?”

  “No. She was upset about the breakup and wanted to talk. We were supposed to meet the night she disappeared, but she cancelled at the last minute.”

  “What time was that?”

  Riley went back to work on his phone and called up his messages. “Six-thirty. We were supposed to meet up at six, and she was late. I texted her to see where she was, and she said she couldn’t make it. Her sister needed her help because she was sick or something.”

  “Will you send me those messages, too?”

  “Sure…whatever you need, man.”

  “I’m glad to hear you say that, because I’m also going to need a DNA sample from you. I’ve got a guy from forensics who might still be here. I’ll give a copy of the court order to your lawyer as soon as we’re finished. We need to find out if the DNA that was collected off Cassie belongs to you or her ki
ller.”

  …

  “You’ve been quiet…”

  Hannah watched out the window, staring into darkness. As each mile passed, bringing her closer to home, sadness began to take root deep inside her. But it wasn’t the overarching grief she lived with daily. This was different. “I guess I am.”

  “You want to talk about it? I know that couldn’t have been easy for you—meeting Hannah’s boyfriend, listening to him talk about her.”

  It hadn’t been, but that wasn’t the reason for her melancholy. It would be easier to speak her thoughts in the cover of darkness, when it was just her, Josiah, and the soft whir of road noise. But still she found it difficult to put voice to her thoughts. Once the words were spoken, there was no taking them back. Sometimes it was easier to just go on pretending. She didn’t know how much longer she could keep up this charade she called a life. But would her bid for happiness cost her eternal salvation?

  That fear had kept her in bonds all these years. She’d been raised to believe one did what was expected of them and personal happiness was inconsequential. But she was coming to see it was a lie, a belief the church indoctrinated into their flock to force them into conformity. What better way to control someone than to ostracize them for disobedience? She pondered these thoughts as she ran her hand over the soft fabric of her pants, imagining the looks she would get if her friends and family could see her now

  “What would ya think if I told ya I didn’t want to go back?”

  “Where do you want to go, Hannah?” His voice was soft, his words careful, as if he wasn’t quite sure what she was saying.

  She turned from the window to look at him. The soft glow of the dash lights highlighted a jaw that bore the faintest hint of stubble, but darkness shadowed most of his handsome features. “Wherever ya are…” Her anxiety spiked in the answering silence. “Ye’re not sayin’ anythin’…”

  “Because I want you to think good and hard about what you’re saying—before you do something that can’t be undone. What if you look back one day and see this as the biggest mistake of your life? I don’t want you to blame me for this.”