| |
Logan strode down the hall toward them. Shandra stood, placing a hand on Ryan’s arm. The stern expression on Logan’s face said he wasn’t happy about something.
He bypassed them and strode right up to Wendy. “When was the last time you saw the knife you gave Tripp?”
Wendy started from his aggressive tone and leaned back. “I’m not sure. He showed it to some guys last week outside of the Ketch Pen.”
“What have the doctors told you about Tripp?” He continued to watch Wendy.
Shandra glanced at Ryan. What Logan asked had perked him up.
“They were checking for internal bleeding. But no one has come to tell me what they’ve found.” Wendy glanced toward a door just beyond the admittance desk.
Logan spun around and raised his chin in a motion that meant something to Ryan because he followed the Tribal policeman to an area far enough away she and Wendy couldn’t hear what they talked about.
“Why do you think Logan isn’t acting like Logan?” Wendy asked.
“Could be someone is giving him flack about not solving Nelly’s murder.” Shandra wondered why she hadn’t bumped into the FBI agent since their first meeting.
Ryan walked back over. “I gave Logan the note. He’ll take it to Agent Tremaine. The FBI can run it through forensics quicker than the state police and it’s their crime anyway.”
“Do you want me to stay with you, Wendy?” Shandra asked, even though she could tell Ryan had something he wanted to tell her.
“No. You go. But could you wait until I change into my clothes? Then you can take my regalia back for me.” Wendy stood and gathered her clothing.
“Yes, we can wait.” Shandra noticed Logan was talking to the woman behind the admittance desk.
When Wendy disappeared down the hall, she turned to Ryan. “What has Logan practically steaming?”
“The lab here at the hospital determined there was more blood on the knife than Tripp’s. There was also the same blood type as Nelly.” Ryan glanced over her shoulder in the direction Logan had been.
“Really? That is the knife that killed Nelly?” The next thought that hit, made her stomach churn. “The killer was at the celebration dance.”
“And tried to kill again.” Ryan closed his mouth tight as Wendy returned.
She shoved her regalia into Shandra’s arms. “Thank you for taking these. Just drop them off at my house any time tomorrow.” Her gaze landed on Shandra. “Oh! I’ll need a ride home when I learn how Tripp’s doing. There’s not enough time for me to miss working on your dress.”
It was getting late, but she had an idea. “I’ll call Coop to bring my Jeep here. You can use it, and he can ride home with us.”
“You don’t mind me using your Jeep? I could call mother to come get me but...”
“I understand. It’s no problem.” Shandra pulled her phone out of her pocket and dialed Coop.
“Hey, how’s Tripp doing?” he answered.
“We’re not sure. No one has come out to tell us. I know it’s getting late, but Wendy needs a vehicle. Could you bring my Jeep down here? We’ll give you a lift back to the ranch.” It was rare for Coop to turn her down when she made a request.
“If you don’t mind if we stop by Sandy’s cousin Ruby’s to get her bags. Mom told her she could stay with us. The house is crowded but not nearly as crowded as Ruby’s place. They are having a birthday party for her paternal grandmother and everyone has come to stay.”
“That’s fine.” Shandra ended the conversation and turned to Wendy. “Coop’s bringing the Jeep.” She faced Ryan. “But we’ll have to stop by Sandy’s cousin’s to get her bag.” She smiled and shrugged.
Ryan barely heard what Shandra said, he was watching Logan, who still conversed with the woman at the admissions desk. “Sure, no problem.” What was the officer thinking? He could tell Logan wasn’t happy with Wendy’s answers. And frankly, neither was he. If Tripp could give them a better estimate of when the knife could have been taken out of his pickup it might help them narrow down the suspect pool. Right now, it was Wendy and Tripp. But it didn’t make sense for them to stage such an elaborate way for the weapon to be found.
A hand waved in front of his face.
“Earth to Ryan,” Shandra said.
“Sorry. I was bouncing around what ifs in my head.” He reached out, drawing her toward him in a one-armed embrace.
“That’s okay. I’ve been doing the same thing.” She nodded toward the double doors at the end of the lobby. “Logan went in there. He’s probably hoping to ask Tripp the same question he asked Wendy.”
He nodded. “And possibly more if Tripp’s up to it.”
She led him over to two chairs. “We may as well sit here until Coop arrives.”
Ryan didn’t feel like sitting. He felt like taking a walk and thinking. “I think I’ll go for a walk.”
Shandra stood back up.
“You stay. I want to think and you’ll be a distraction.”
Her eyes narrowed.
“A good distraction but a distraction.” He kissed her cheek and left through the emergency room automated doors. Once outside, he strode through the lit parking lot and onto the dark paved road that circled the whole building. He wanted a chance to talk to Logan again. Something was off about this whole thing. Duke was involved, he could feel it in his bones. However, he didn’t believe the drug dealer stabbed Tripp. He’d only been in the wrong place at the wrong time and was pinched by someone who hated him.
Had Pim manipulated everyone? Had she given Wendy the note to make sure she and Tripp were off alone somewhere discussing it. Because he was pretty sure that was why the two were looking for some place quiet to talk. But how would she know where the two would go and get Duke to be in the same area? And did she have enough revenge in her heart to stab Tripp, a young man Shandra felt Pim still had feelings for? He’d made two trips around the grassy area and the medical center parking lot when he spotted Logan coming out the emergency doors.
He met the Tribal Officer at his patrol car.
“I wondered where you had gone.” Logan said, leaning his butt on the hood of his car and crossing his arms.
“I was thinking. Did you get a chance to talk to Tripp?”
He nodded.
“When was the last time he’d seen that knife?” Ryan shoved his hands into his pants pockets.
“The Sunday before Nelly died. Said he’d shown it off after a Seven Drums service at the Community Center.”
“Did you ask him if anyone saw him put it under his seat?”
“He said anyone who walked out to their cars could have seen him putting it away.” Logan shoved away from the car and walked away several steps and back. “That is kind of a lame excuse. And I talked to the doctor on duty. He said the stab Tripp received barely punctured the peritoneum. Whoever did it was either weak or squeamish, or it was done for show.”
“Not the same actions as the person who stabbed Nelly,” Ryan said.
Logan nodded. “Which means, either Tripp is the murderer and he conned someone into knifing him to take the heat off him or someone found the knife and wanted to make it look like whoever killed Nelly wanted Tripp dead, too.”
“This is either a crime of passion or revenge.” Ryan spotted the Jeep’s headlights pulling into the parking lot. “I’ll ask more questions of the Elwoods and Sandy. There is a connection with something. Either drugs or relationships, that is the root of this crime.”
“I agree. Tremaine is on the drug angle. He’s been beating the bushes trying to get information that will pin this on Duke. Between you and me, he’s going about it all wrong but refuses any help.” Logan smiled for the first time since Wendy’s scream. “I’m betting we figure this out before he does.” He slapped Ryan on the shoulder as Shandra’s copper Jeep pulled up beside the police vehicle.
Logan folded his body into the car as Coop jumped out of the Jeep.
“Did someone try to finish the job?” Coop asked.
“No. Just comparing notes.” Ryan said, as Sandy joined them. “Let’s take the keys to Wendy and gather Shandra.”
They entered the lobby and found Shandra sitting by herself. She rose and walked over to them. “They allowed Wendy to go back and see Tripp.” She put a hand on Coop’s arm. “Thank you for driving here at such a late hour.”
“I told you, we needed to make the drive to Nespelem anyway.” Coop smiled at Sandy.
“Leave the keys to the Jeep with the desk attendant and let’s get going,” Ryan said.
Coop and Sandy walked away and Shandra leaned closer to Ryan.
“What did you and Logan talk about?” she whispered.
“I’ll tell you later. On the way home we need to ask your cousin and his girlfriend more about the love triangles involved in this murder.”
She studied his face. “You mean, Nelly, Pim, Wendy, and Tripp?”
He nodded as Coop and Sandy rejoined them.
“Liz called while you were outside. She filled me in on Pim. While she’s been acting strange... from what Liz said about her family and upbringing, I think she’s just very needy for friendship and love.” Shandra had gotten the same impression the times she’d had a conversation with the young woman.
“I’m not writing her off the list.” Ryan started the vehicle as Coop opened the back door.
Coop and Sandy slid into the back seat. Shandra put her seatbelt on and sat sideways as they left the parking lot.
“I was wondering. Was Pim in love with Wesley Tibble?” Shandra asked the occupants of the back seat.
Ryan watched the two in his rearview mirror.
Sandy started to shake her head then stopped. “I’m not sure. I know she could get clingy with the guy she was dating. But love...” she glanced at Coop. “I’m not sure. They didn’t go to parties at the lakes or socialize that way. Pim always held herself to a higher level than the rest of us.”
Coop nodded. “If you went out with Pim, you couldn’t drink or do drugs, and be prepared to be teased.”
Ryan’s interest piqued. “What do you mean by that?”
Coop shifted nervously and his gaze flit to Sandy and back to the rearview mirror. “She would talk like she had goods to share, if you know what I mean, then when a guy finally gave in and did her bidding to get those goods, she’d turn into an ice princess.”
“And you know this how?” Sandy asked.