by J C Fuller
“Because Janie flirted with Kevin a couple of summers ago? That’s a stretch. Kevin and Angie are still together. What’s the motive there?”
“Phil, of all people, you should know how unbalanced a jealous woman can sometimes react.” Lane gave him a level stare. Philip grunted in return and looked out his window, silently agreeing.
“There’s nothing to say the two weren’t having an affair. May have been why she avoided the island?” Lane tapped her notepad and looked over at Philip with a slight grimace. “I’ve also written down Gabe Garent.”
“Whatever in the world for?” He looked at her, truly surprised.
“Because he was in the park the morning Brent met Janie on the trail.”
“You said he was coming down as Brent was going up. Janie was still alive and well.”
“According to Brent.”
“No, according to the timeline of the coroner.”
Lane shook her head. “I’m not disagreeing with the coroner. I’m questioning Brent’s timeline. Until I confirm he was in the park during the time he says he was, then Gabe is just as capable of killing Janie as Brent.”
“But why would Brent say he was the last person to be with Janie if he wasn’t?”
Lane shrugged her shoulders. “How close are Brent and Gabe? Could he be covering for his buddy?” She wrote another name. “Oh, and there’s Lucas Wilson.”
“And why would Lucas want to hurt Janie?”
“No clue. But he was in the park. So, it puts him at the scene.”
“How do you even sleep at night?” Philip asked, wowed by her cynicism.
“Not very well,” Lane admitted. “Can you think of anyone else?”
Philip frowned in thought. Lane had already come up with seven suspects, maybe not all optimal, but seven all the same. “How about someone from the mainland? Could they have followed her to the island?”
“So, a stranger to us, but not to Janie? I like the way you’re thinking, Ranger.”
Philip smiled, feeling a little proud.
“Anybody else?” she asked, continuing to write.
“Not that I can think of.”
Lane flipped a page. “Okay, so now. Who could have killed Danie?”
Philip shook his head sadly. “Lane, Danie’s death was an accident. Not everything has to be a murder.”
“Just…humor me, Phil.” She gave him a pleading look. “There’s Brent.”
“He’s the one who jumped in the water to save her!”
“But you said he had a head injury. Maybe it was from being scratched or pulled at.”
“He hit his head on a rock when he dove into the water.”
“That’s an assumption.”
Philip shook his head stubbornly.
“And then there’s Gabe again.”
“Gabe was giving her CPR!”
“After the fact. Possibly he had tried to kill her and then seeing she might be rescued, he had to save her. It would have looked odd not to do so.”
“But why revive her only to have her point the finger at him?”
“True.” Lane shook her finger at him, nodding her head. “It would have been dangerous for him if he had succeeded.” She made a check mark by Gabe’s name. “Angie?”
“I still don’t remember her being there.”
“Okay, we’ll have to find out why she wasn’t there or if she was even on the camping trip. Maybe she didn’t go because of Janie and Kevin?”
“Brent and Janie seemed to be together by then. Who’s next?”
“Lucas. He has to stay on the list.”
“Why?” Philip scoffed. “He was sweet on Danie. He was the last person who would have wanted to hurt her.”
“Everyone seemed to be doing something when Danie walks off on her own. What if Danie had arranged to meet someone at the point and made the excuse she was going to go for a swim? Maybe that person was Lucas?”
“He was with Janie!”
“So, he says. Janie’s not around to confirm it now, is she?”
“I like your theory, don’t like your person of theory. It fits, but not for Lucas.”
“We’ll agree to disagree for now. Then there is Sue. I still think murder for hire is the best solution. She picks off the first sister, waits a year, then picks off the next.” Lane flipped her notepad closed and handed Philip back his pen. “We can head out now.”
Philip stared at her for a moment in awe, before starting the truck and pulling back onto the road.
“You really think Janie and Danie’s deaths are connected?” He looked at her with a serious expression.
“I do.”
“But their deaths were a year apart.”
“By one day. I doubled checked. That’s more than coincidence, Phil.”
“Might be. Might not be.” He pulled up to the sheriff’s office, taking up three parking spots sideways.
“I know.” Lane rolled up the window before grabbing the door handle and sliding over to climb out. She then paused, looking back towards Philip. “Phil…”
“Yeah?” Philip was grinning into the rearview mirror, checking for poppy seeds between his teeth.
“I have a project for you.” Lane smiled, inching closer.
“What’s that?” He studied Lane cautiously, suspicious of her sudden forgiving nature.
“Do you think you could find a way to talk to all of Danie and Janie’s friends? Find out what they remember about the girl’s relationships? Focusing on the day of Danie’s drowning?” Lane asked, really curious if he could do it.
“Sure. But why would I do that.”
“Because you’re going to investigate Danie’s death, while I investigate Janie’s.”
Philip opened his mouth to protest.
“I know, it’s only a hunch. Call it a sneaking suspicion or a cop’s intuition. But it needs looking into.”
“Why have me ask—”
“Because people talk to you, Phil. People like you and frankly, I’ll just scare them off. You’ll be able to ask questions I couldn’t. Not without raising an eyebrow or two.” She punched him lightly in the arm. “Besides, I’ll be doing the real investigating. Heading over to the mainland, meeting with Janie’s agent, going through her apartment. You’re just nosing around a bit.”
Philip’s face was a mixture of irritation and amusement. He felt like the B squad.
“Might have to skip lunch to do it.” Philip shot her a sideways glance.
“That’s fine.” Lane scooted to the door and grabbed the handle.
“Probably the majority of it afterhours.”
“I know you’ll find a way.” She opened the door.
“Spend my entire day off—”
“You’re the best!” Lane hopped out and turned back towards Philip, holding the door open.
“I guess, any real spare time I have…”
Lane sighed heavily, “I’ll pay you in beer. Happy?” She shut the truck door with a bit of a slam, pounding heavily on the side, signaling her good-bye.
Philip quickly rolled down the passenger window and hollered at Lane’s retreating back, “I don’t accept light beer!”
Chapter 22
“Caleb, mind stepping into my office?” Lane requested, walking through the sheriff office’s main door to find Caleb watching TV on his phone.
“Sure,” Caleb yawned, stretching his arms up in the air, cell phone still in hand. “I’ve got five more minutes on this episode. Be a few.”
“NOW, Caleb!” Lane raised her voice, marching towards her office, not looking to see if he was following behind. By the sound of his chair lurching back and springing up, she knew he was. “Have a seat,” she added, opening the door and grabbing her own chair. She spun it around, sat down, and leaned forward facing Caleb, who seemed more annoyed than wide-eyed with fear as she was hoping.
“Caleb, I need to know something. Why are you in law enforcement?”
“To better serve and protect the people of Washington State and to uphold the
Constitution and laws of the State of Washington and the United States—” Lane shook her head, interrupting him.
“No, Caleb. Don’t recite to me a mission statement. I want to know why YOU wanted to be in law enforcement.”
“To stop bad people from doing bad things to good people,” Caleb said, over simplifying his answer this time around.
“You wanted to do some good in this world,” Lane shortened it even more. “That’s a great reason, Caleb. Why aren’t you doing that?”
“What do you mean?” Caleb’s brow crinkled in confusion. “I’m here every day and I—”
“That’s my point, Caleb. You’re just…here. You’re not present, here.” Lane reached over and lightly tapped him on the side of the head. “Or here.” She moved her hand down to his heart. “I want to know how to change that.”
Caleb pulled back from Lane’s reach and looked down at his feet.
“Sheriff, may I be frank?”
Lane tensed and sat up straight, bracing herself. “Of course, Deputy.”
He paused a moment longer, then blurted. “I hate it here.”
Lane was almost relieved at his answer. That was something she could work with. An unwilling heart was something else.
“It’s hard living on an island, even one so close to the mainland. It’s isolated. Everyone knows your business. There’s not much variety in our choices of stores, restaurants…people.”
“I don’t mind any of that.” Caleb slouched in his chair, “Though, it would be nice to have a Starbucks around.” He gave a half-smile.
“You’re disappointed,” Lane said, with realization. “This post isn’t what you thought it would be and you’re, what? Bored?”
“Out of my mind!” Caleb leaned back in his chair, throwing his head back in exasperation. “I mean, nobody does anything around here but argue over their stupid parking tickets. I thought…” Caleb shook his head. “I thought there would be more discord on a small island. You know, property wars. Illegal poaching. Maybe some drug smuggling up to Canada? That sort of thing.”
“What made you think that?” Lane asked, surprised at his assumptions.
“You’re kidding, right? When you got here, you had a murder to investigate right out of the gate!”
“Yeah, but…”
“I mean, it just fell in your lap! And you even had a shootout. You were almost killed! That’s pretty damn exciting.” Caleb threw his hands up in the air, as if to make his point. “I thought it would be more of that.”
Lane looked down at her hands, suddenly remembering the thrill of the chase as she and Philip did their best to track down a murderer. “Caleb, to use your words, that murder investigation didn’t just fall into my lap. I had to follow the trail. I had to put in the foot work. Ask the hard questions. I had to go out and solve it. It didn’t solve itself.”
Caleb sighed and tossed his head side to side. “I know.”
“Do you? We have a murder investigation needing to be solved sitting in your lap right now and you don’t seem even excited about it.”
“That’s because I’m stuck manning the office, while you do all the investigating. What’s there to be excited about?”
“Being part of a team. Caleb, I saw you come alive in the interrogation room. I need that Caleb all the time. I need your eyes open, ears perked, and your feet moving. Your input is invaluable.”
Caleb half-smiled, realizing he was being given a pep talk.
“Yes, Sheriff.”
“You wanna be a part of this?”
“Yes, Sheriff.”
“I need you to mean it.”
“I mean it, Sheriff.” And he did.
“Alright, then. Now, tell me. What’s your opinion of Brent Allister?”
“I don’t trust him,” Caleb said, firmly.
“Why is that?” Lane asked, curious to his answer.
“He was being evasive. Even though he was there about Janie, you could tell he didn’t want to talk about her.” Caleb grabbed the chair’s arms, lifting himself into a better sitting position. “And why didn’t he want to tell us who he saw on The Mole Hill? Or give us his DNA?”
“Caleb, you asked him an interesting question. If Janie had wanted to see him? What made you ask that?” Lane was seeing a spark and she wanted to flame it.
“Amy mentioned Brent had complained to her about Janie avoiding him. Said he’d gone over to Seattle to see her a few times and Janie refused to come to the door. Got me thinking maybe he’s sort of a stalker?” Caleb looked up at Lane and seeing an approving smile continued, “Maybe he was stalking her on the mountain and when she got to the cliff, she had nowhere to go and he pushed her. Would explain the guidebook being left behind on the trail?”
“That’s a theory. But remember, I found a couple of granola bar wrappers.”
Caleb shrugged his shoulders, “Maybe he was hungry afterwards.”
Lane smiled. Her deputy had a bulldog attitude. Which would be helpful if put on the right scent.
“Deputy, you and I are heading over to the mainland tomorrow.”
“We are?” Caleb scooted to the edge of his chair, an eager tone in his voice. “What for?”
“We’ve got some people to interview and an apartment to catalog. So, don’t be late. Or you will be left behind manning the desk.”
Chapter 23
“Mr. Evans?” Lane approached the middle-aged man sitting in a patio chair outside of Starbucks. He was wearing a Seattle Seahawks jersey, shorts, and sandals with socks. Exactly what he said he’d be wearing over the phone.
“Yes. Hello, Sheriff Lane.” Jim Evans stood up and nervously waved at Deputy Pickens, who walked past him heading into the shop to order coffee. “Hello.”
“May I?” Lane pulled out a chair from his table.
“Please.” He extended his hand towards the seat and sat himself down. “I hope you don’t mind meeting here. I don’t have what you would technically call an office. I work from home.”
“This is fine.” Lane smiled and gave Jim Evans a brief evaluating glance. He seemed nervous. His smile was slightly crooked and he kept looking over at Caleb in a somewhat jittery manner. “Mr. Evans, I appreciate you taking the time to talk with me. I’m hoping you can give us some insight on Janie.”
“I wish I’d reported her missing sooner.” Jim bowed his head, his voice sounding sincere.
“It wouldn’t have made a difference, Mr. Evans. Janie was killed on Thursday morning. Even if you’d called as soon as she didn’t show up at the ferry dock Thursday evening, she was already deceased.” She said the words in an effort to comfort his guilt. His expression seemed to say it only made him feel worse.
“It’s my fault she even went to the island. I should have let her go to the Olympic National Park like she asked.” He grabbed his coffee, but quickly put the cup down, standing up from his chair as Caleb returned to the table with two iced lattes.
“Janie didn’t want to come to the Rockfish Island Park?” Lane nodded her thanks and took the iced beverage handed to her, pushing a chair out with her foot for Caleb.
“Not really. It made more sense for her to go to the Olympic National Park. Especially since those are the goats they’re removing. Of course, you know journalism. The reader doesn’t know those goats aren’t from the Olympic National Park unless you tell them.” He gave a nervous chuckle and then stopped, seeing Caleb’s stoic stare. “Anyway, the magazine is a non-profit and barely standing on its own two legs. They couldn’t really afford hotel and rental car fees, so I mentioned Janie’s aunt lived on the island. It’s what got her the shoot. Her costs were way below the other photographers who were being considered.”
“So, Janie didn’t automatically have the job?” Lane took out her leather notepad and flipped it open.
“Well. Um, not exactly. See, I’m new at this whole agent thing.” Jim fumbled his shorts pockets and pulled out a bent business card. “Janie was my first…um…person to represent.”
“How did you meet Janie?” Caleb swished his iced coffee, rattling the ice cubes against the plastic cup before taking a sip.
“She was a referral.” He smiled at Caleb and then looked back at Lane. “Actually, it was her old agent who referred her. Albert Gutierrez.”
“Why were they parting ways?” Lane’s pen hovered over the notepad, anxious for an answer. “Did they have a falling out?”
“Oh, no. Nothing like that.” Jim shook his head. “Al is a good guy. He said Janie had experienced a great a loss in the family and seemed to have lost her interest in the work. At least, the work he was offering.”
“And what kind of work was that?”
“He offered her an assignment covering the Jackson Hole mountain guides for the Grand Tetons. It seemed right up her alley according to Al. He said she turned it down flat. Then he got her a gig in Yosemite Park for El Capitan, covering the free climbers. She didn’t want that one either. Al assumed she was still in mourning over losing her sister and then her aunt back east from cancer.”
“So, Albert then hands her over to you?” Lane slipped his business card into her notepad.
“Just till she was ready to get back in the saddle. She was basically on loan. Al knew I was getting started as an agent. I’ve been in the magazine world for eons and I have a lot of connections. I was a writer for several of those years and…well, the wife and I have three kids and writing from home seems almost impossible at times. Decided I’d give this a try and do the occasional writing gig on the side.”
“How did Janie feel about the switch?” Caleb shook his cup again, swooshing the coffee and ice together before taking a sip.
“Fine! She and I met once a month. She’d let me know she was still looking for low key assignments. Stuff close to home, here in Seattle.” Jim smiled nervously, watching as Caleb took a long pull off his drink. “I was able to find a few local assignments for her. She seemed happy.”
“But she balked at the mountain goat assignment?” Lane shot Caleb an annoyed look as he shook his cup again, the ice rattling noisily against the half-empty cup.
“Not at the assignment itself. Just going to the island. She really wanted to go to the Olympic National Park.” He took a quick sip of his coffee and managed an anxious smile. “Couldn’t really blame her for arguing with me. The place is gorgeous. But I finally convinced her.” Jim looked between the sheriff and deputy, waiting for the next question.
