Twenty

The lights blinking around the pavilion were a distraction as I tried focusing my mind on the barrage of questions Deputy Paugh, Chief Quinn, and a state trooper threw at me. I wasn’t sure if they were trying to confuse me, hoping I’d confess, or if my tired and strained mind just had a hard time sorting out which law enforcement member was speaking to me and which was talking to one of the other people gathered in the food pavilion area.

A hot wind drifted into the open space area, bringing with it the scent of coffee. I drew in a deep breath, hoping the smell cleared my mind. An officer had escorted me back to my RV long enough for a quick change and to retrieve my spare glasses. I grabbed the first two items and was now wearing a t-shirt proclaiming every day was Christmas and an old pair of jeans with ripped holes and a multitude of paint splotches all over it. These were my board prepping pants, and as I was a messy painter, I had one outfit set aside for the task so I didn’t ruin all my clothes.

One by one, members of the cast and crew who thought they had possible information were being dismissed. Ike and Edward, though no longer being formally questioned, remained near the coffee urns. Every now and then, Ike checked the list in his hands. I assumed it was the names of everyone on the cast and crew.

“Ms. Winters.” The aggravated tone returned my attention to Deputy Paugh.

“It’s been a long day.” I shuffled backwards, feeling like I’d been on my feet for sixteen hours. “Hope you don’t mind if I sit.”

“By all means.” Paugh took a seat on the bench across from the table where I sat. Turning sideways, he placed the notebook and pen on the table then faced forward, resting his elbows on his knees. “Are you sure you don’t need to be checked out? I can run you to the hospital.”

I wished I remained standing, now we were face-to-face, almost nose-to-nose. His intense blue gaze was unnerving. “No, I’m fine. Just an unexpected swim. Have you heard anything about Anne?”

“She’s still unconscious.”

“Did she hit her head when she was thrown into the water? Or before? I didn’t hear her scream.”

“I’m not a doctor. I couldn’t say.” He jotted something down. “Let’s talk about Ms. Emerson fleeing the Carmichael house. When did you first notice her in Marie’s room and what was she doing?”

At least he wasn’t asking again about what I was doing in there, or why Katrina hadn’t noticed me right away. Saying I was hiding under the bed would come across as suspicious.

“She started throwing Marie’s items around the room and I confronted her. I was afraid she’d ruin something.”

“That’s when she told you she believed she was Ms. Carmichael’s daughter?”

“What she said was that Marie was stealing her identity.”

Paugh stared at me with one eyebrow raised.

“I kept prying and that’s when she told me about being Luna’s daughter. Which she isn’t.” My last comment was a little too forceful and once again the detective’s brow arched up.

“Is that so?”

“The binder she was stealing was filled with Marie’s research on Luna’s possible daughters. Marie had eliminated Katrina from the list.”

He made a noise at my choice of word.

My gaze left the deputy and roved around until it fell on Paul, who was at the coffee station. From my vantage point, I didn’t know if he was getting a cup or eavesdropping on Ike and Edward’s conversation.

“Why isn’t the sheriff here? I’d think he’d be interested in the fact that a possible suspect was killed, and Anne was injured. Whoever threw us into the lake might be the killer.”

“Why do you think Ms. Emerson was murdered?” Deputy Paugh drawled out, eyes narrowing into a slit. After a few moments of staring at each other, Paugh sat back.

“Because you wouldn’t be here asking me and everyone else a ton of questions.”

“You ladies were thrown into the lake. You don’t think that warrants an investigation? Why do you think it was the killer who threw you in? From what you said earlier, you and Anne were heading toward the side of the lake where Ms. Emerson was found. The person had come up behind you. So, they’d have come from the side of the lake where the diner is. No one passed you. Correct?”

“That’s right.”

“We’ve had a lot of comments saying you and Anne ran out together. In a huge rush.”

“Anne looked upset, so I followed her. Right before the person tossed me over the railing, she said Garrison was in trouble.” The breath locked in my throat. Garrison! Where was he?

Jerking forward, Paugh braced his palms on his thighs, rose, and scanned the area. “She went in search of Garrison Tyler?”

“I’m assuming that was where she was going.” My stomach was twisting into a knot. I wasn’t liking where this was going.

“And the direction Ms. Lindsey went was where Ms. Emerson’s body was found. Make sure you stay in the area. I might have more questions for you later.” Paugh rose and strode across the pavilion to where the sheriff was in a heated conversation with Chief Quinn. The deputy whispered something to the sheriff, who had just arrived, and both men left.

The chief watched them walk away then focused her attention on me. She hitched up her gun belt and came over. Anger rolled off of her. “What did you tell Deputy Paugh?”

“I was just answering his questions.” I stood and wrapped my arms around myself. The air was still humid, but a coldness was entering my body. There was something going on that I was missing—that I had just created—and I wasn’t liking it one bit. I hated being the cause of strife. And there was something I was forgetting. Something important that might change the direction my comments had sent the sheriff and the deputy.

“What were those questions?”

I had brought my suspicion about Marie’s death to the chief and now I was reluctant to repeat the information to her.

“Ms. Winters, I expect an answer. This is an active investigation. Deputy Paugh might have convinced you that Marie McCormick’s death is their case but Katrina Emerson’s murder, and there is no doubt that is what it is, happened in my jurisdiction.”

I repeated what I had told him. Did Paugh think Garrison had hurt Anne? Killed Katrina? Why would he call her and then attack her? Was he the one responsible for Marie’s death? Why? To protect Luna—who might be his mother or aunt? I just knew there was a family connection between them. And there were only two people who knew what it was—Luna and Garrison.

Visually, I took attendance of everyone present. There were three people missing: Luna, Garrison, and Vernon.

“You have no idea why he was in trouble?” Quinn’s question drew me from my thoughts.

“No. I’m guessing it has something to do with Katrina because of Paugh’s reaction. After I said that, the deputy left and said he might have more questions for me later.”

“Why were you hesitant about telling me?” Anger flashed in her eyes. “What have Rhodes and Paugh been saying about me?”

“Nothing. There’s a lot of animosity between you and the sheriff and I don’t want to get mixed up in a turf war.” Especially over Marie’s murder investigation. It was unseemly and, in a way, made her death even worse. Paul didn’t the need the two local law enforcement agencies at war with each other rather than working together to find the truth.

Though I hadn’t mentioned the cup that was given to Anne and how uncomfortable she was about it. A cup we had left behind at the diner. I groaned and smacked my hand onto my forehead. Well, I guess the good thing about leaving it was it didn’t end up at the bottom of the lake.

Was it Marie’s cup and not the one I found in Marie’s room? Before today, I had only seen one of those cups, and then I saw two. Was it the same or a different one? Had someone planted the cup in the room and Katrina grabbed it and dropped it somewhere else? Had she jumped for the window to get rid of evidence, or at least move it and point the blame at someone else?

“What else did you remember?”

Cringing, I told her. “I can’t remember if Katrina took the cup from Marie’s room or left it behind.”

Quinn frowned and narrowed her eyes. “I do believe she took it with her.”

“That means—”

“That crew member might know who saw Katrina last. Do you know the man’s name?”

“No. Anne might.”

Chief Quinn pressed her lips together and sighed. “She’s still unconscious. There’s nothing you can tell me about this guy?”

“He worked with the film crew.” I regretted not being able to help more. Since he gave Anne the cup, I should’ve memorized something about him. I let a great opportunity of finding Marie’s, and now likely Katrina’s, killer go.

“I’ll head into town and ask around. The waitress might remember him.”

“The table he was at was rowdy.”

“Then she’ll likely remember him or someone from the table.” Quinn placed a hand on my shoulder. “Do me a favor and keep this between us. I don’t want anyone tipping the guy or anyone else off. The best thing for you to do is stay in your RV where it’s safe. Stop asking questions. Two people have died because of—I’m not sure yet. And I don’t want the body count going up.”

“Shouldn’t you tell the sheriff?”

“Some things are better not shared with him. And this is one of them.”