Amanda called Graves from the passenger seat of the department car while Trent drove. They were headed to speak with Lance Crane, who had reported the fire. A quick background showed Lance was a resident of Triangle, thirty-eight, single, with no priors. His home address put him within walking distance of Prince Park.
She filled the sergeant in on their visit to Roy Archer and their suspicions. Graves saw merit in them but stressed they were to “play nice” unless the evidence cemented his guilt. She volunteered to handle the subpoena request for Jill Archer’s phone records—communications and GPS tracking—and forwarding of that on to the service provider. She’d have the file sent to Amanda and Trent when it became available.
Amanda ended the call. “Huh.”
“What?”
“Graves volunteered to help. She’ll get Jill’s phone records for us, including GPS.”
Trent turned to face her. “Really?”
“I’m about as shocked as you. But I get the feeling this case hits close for her too.” She could have hit herself for adding too. He didn’t strike her as open to discussing his aunt.
He fell silent and retreated inward.
“You know you can talk to me about your aunt. That’s if you want to.” What am I doing? She hated it when people pushed her for personal information.
He ran his hands over the steering wheel. Said nothing.
“Or if you don’t want to, that’s fine too obviously.”
“I tried calling her this morning and found out her number isn’t in service.”
“Sorry to hear that, Trent. Could you drop by for a visit? Is she in the area?”
“She’s in Woodbridge, from what I last knew. Suppose I could go over. I’d just need to be careful. I wouldn’t want Don taking my visit out on my aunt. You know, in case he suspects I’m there to take her away from him. Who knows what runs through that man’s screwed-up mind?”
“I could go with you if it would make it easier.”
Trent looked over at her, and he bobbed his head lightly as if to acknowledge and thank her for offering.
Just a few seconds later, Trent pulled into the driveway of an end-unit townhouse and they got out.
They knocked on the front door three times before there was an answer.
A man wearing jogging pants and an oversized T-shirt squinted in the sunlight and danced his gaze over them. She got the impression they had woken him up.
“Who are you?”
They both held up their badges.
“Are you Lance Crane?” Trent asked.
“I am. What’s this about?”
Trent gave the introductions, then said, “We’d like to ask you a few questions. If we could…” Trent gestured into the home.
“Ah, sure.” Lance opened the door wider and stepped back.
The place was modest but tidy. Lance took them to a small living room with an overstuffed couch, a bulky wood coffee table, and a media unit that took up a chunk of floor space. A large flat-screen television sat on top.
Lance gestured to the couch. “Sit if you’d—” A barking dog interrupted, and Lance excused himself. “That’s mine. I better get her before she ticks off the neighbors.”
Amanda nodded, though prepared to bolt after him if he ran out the back door. No need, though, as Lance returned within seconds, with a panting black Lab pup. She was still growing into her paws, and her hurried pace was comical as she tried to gain purchase on the wood floor. Regardless of the slick terrain, she still successfully navigated jumping up on Amanda’s legs.
“Bad, Sophie. Get down.” Lance waved his canine companion away. “Sorry about that,” he said to Amanda.
“It’s fine.” She’d be smiling if they weren’t there for such a serious reason. She loved dogs, and puppies made her heart melt. This one’s entrance had certainly lightened her spirit.
“You said you had questions.” Lance petted the dog, who had dropped onto her rear beside him.
“Why don’t we sit?” Amanda suggested as she did just that.
“Sure.” Lance lowered himself onto a chair, and the dog jumped onto his lap.
“We’re here because you called about the fire at Prince Park,” Amanda began.
“I figured, though I’m not sure why that brings two detectives to my door.”
Amanda would supply more information once she’d felt him out. “We’ll get to that. But where were you when you saw the fire?” He couldn’t have been in his neighborhood. There were too many obstructions in the way including woods and a highway.
“I was out walking this girl.” Lance scratched the pup’s head. As a reward, the pup panted harder and flashed a wide doggy smile.
“Where did you walk?” Amanda asked.
“To the park.”
“Over the highway?” She was a little skeptical, though it was possible he’d crossed the two lanes.
“That’s right.”
“Why so early in the morning?”
“I work the evening shift. Start at three in the afternoon and get off at midnight. Then I come home, eat, unwind for a bit, go for a walk, turn in.”
This seemed to confirm her first impressions that they’d roused him from sleep. “So we woke you up just now?”
Lance bobbed his head. “Yes, and no. Sophie heard the door first and started whining. I popped her out back just before I got to you guys. As you saw, she’s a little exuberant with visitors.”
“Doesn’t exactly have the makings of a good guard dog.” Trent glanced at the canine.
“Black Labs aren’t known to be aggressive. Sophie would slobber any intruder to death.”
His remark was harmless, but Amanda stiffened at the man’s light banter about death. “We’ll need to verify your work schedule with your place of employment. Is there anyone who could confirm why you were out this morning?”
“No,” he dragged out. “I live alone.”
“Anyone who can attest to your movements since and including last Tuesday?” She was basing the timeline on what Roy had told them.
“Basically the last week?”
“Yes.”
“I was at work Tuesday and Wednesday. Also Saturday, Sunday, Monday. I had Thursday and Friday as my weekend, but I didn’t go anywhere. Stuck around here, watched TV and read. Oh, I stopped for groceries on the way home Sunday night. Of course, I took Sophie out for her daily walks. Now, I’ve cooperated with you, but I’d like to know what’s going on.” Lance’s voice tightened, his mouth thick with saliva. He patted the pooch on the butt to get her to move, and she hopped onto the floor, sought a knotted rope, and settled with it at Lance’s feet.
“My partner and I are with Homicide. After your call, two bodies were found in the woods. Would you know anything about that?”
“Bodies? Uh, no.”
“Now I’m sure you can appreciate why we’re here asking questions. We need some answers.” She didn’t feel it was necessary, at this point, to let him know the victims were a mother and her daughter.
“Well, I have none to give you… Not concerning bodies.” He choked on the word bodies this time, his eyes bulging. “I just called about a fire.”
“All the same, we will need the name and number of your employer. Just procedure,” Amanda added.
“Procedure,” Lance parroted. “But, sure. I work for Living Standards and report to Chris Graham.”
That company specialized in the manufacture of sinks and faucets. “Do you know a Jill and Charlotte Archer?” She wanted to gauge Lance’s reaction to the names, and his face was blank. Roy hadn’t made the official identification yet, but that was merely a formality. The pictures with the missing person reports were an unmistakable match.
“No. Is that who was, ah, found?”
She nodded. “You told us you take Sophie for daily walks. Do they always take you near the park like this morning?”
“Usually.”
If Lance wasn’t the killer, he could have seen this person without even knowing it. “Did you run into anyone on these walks in the last week?”
“Heavens no. Not a soul around that time of day. Well, except today… whoever had that fire going.”
She pulled her card and handed it to him. “If someone comes to mind after we leave, call.”
“Will do.”
They thanked Lance for his time and left.
She spoke once they were back in the car. “We could verify he was working, but I’m not even sure that would get us anywhere. So much of his time can’t be accounted for.” She clicked her seat belt into place.
“I noticed you never told him it was a mother and daughter.”
“No need to go there. He showed no visual reactions to the mention of their names.” Amanda’s thoughts trailed off. The identification was a formality, but one immediate anomaly just may be that stuffed elephant. Was she making more out of the fact Roy wasn’t familiar with the toy than it warranted? Or was its placement in the grave a message of some sort?