by Vella Day
Logan nodded. “He’s what? How? Okay, thanks. We’ll head over to the Thedia station right now.” He hung up but said nothing, clearly trying to process what he’d heard.
“Logan, what is it?”
“Robert Darnell is dead.”
Chapter Nineteen
Logan wouldn’t lie to Wendy. While he debated not telling her everything, that was almost the same as lying. She needed to know the truth. Logan inhaled and leaned forward, not wanting anyone to overhear their conversation. “Darnell was murdered.”
“Are you kidding me? He was a dragon shifter. How could he be dead?” Wendy huffed. “I don’t see him engaging in a sky fight at his age. Was he shot in the heart ten times or did someone stab him in that soft spot you dragons have?”
Logan had told her that he, at least, was fairly indestructible. “I don’t know all of the details, but Anderson said that someone ripped out Darnell’s heart.”
She gasped. “How horrible.”
“I agree. It had to be a terrible way to die. Unfortunately, it still means a murderer is on the loose.” To think he had decided that Mr. Darnell was the criminal behind everything.
“A murderer who we can’t be sure had anything to do with the boys’ deaths,” she said as she stared at her mostly eaten plate of food.
Logan waved to their server. They hadn’t finished their meal, but he doubted Wendy had any appetite left. Logan sure didn’t. “Anderson asked if we’d meet him at the Thedia station.”
“By all means, let’s go.” Wendy shoved back her chair.
“Hold on. I need to pay the bill first.”
Wendy sat back down. “Sorry. I wasn’t thinking straight. This is such a shock. Do the police have any idea who did this?”
“No.” The waiter came over with the check, and Logan paid. After donning her jacket, they exited. “It’s not far. You okay to walk?” he asked.
“I love to walk.”
“Good to know. Likes red wine and loves to walk. Check.”
She rolled her eyes, and her lips briefly lifted into a smile. “If I get bored, I’ll write my autobiography, so you’ll have all the sordid details of my life.”
Thankfully, her comment held some cheer. “In all honesty, I’d rather learn everything about you bit by bit in person.”
Wendy fully smiled this time, and his libido once more shot to life. Because that was totally inappropriate, he forced himself to think about Darnell’s death, which helped calm him.
When they entered the Thedia police station, the noise level was rather high, and he suspected that had to do with the murder of a high-profile citizen.
At the front desk, they showed their credentials and were then shown to a conference room. Anderson was seated at the large table along with a few policemen. The shocker was the presence of Deke Darnell who looked just like all the photos he’d seen of him. Wasn’t he a person of interest? After all, it was his father who’d been killed.
Anderson nodded to them. A detective asked Anderson to introduced them. His cousin explained they were Avonbelle deputies, called in to work on this case. When Logan checked to see Wendy’s reaction, she was looking everywhere but at Deke, and Logan wasn’t sure how to react. They took a seat across from his cousin and Wendy’s former boyfriend.
Deke’s eyes narrowed. “Wendy, since when did you become a deputy? This is a murder investigation, not a chance for some story,” he said in a low, harsh tone.
“There are a lot of things you don’t know about me, and it’s Deputy Oprander to you.”
Go, Wendy!
Before Deke had the chance to respond, the door opened, and another policeman escorted in a man who appeared to be in his mid-forties.
The detective on the other side of Anderson motioned he take the seat next to Wendy.
“Wendy, this is a surprise,” the man mumbled as he pulled out the chair and sat down.
Before she said anything, the detective in charge continued. “Now that Mr. Landry is here, we can begin.”
Landry? What was a newspaper man doing on a crime-solving panel? At least Wendy had been deputized. Nothing about this murder investigation was making any sense.
“Mr. Landry,” the detective said, “will you please tell us what you found when you visited Mr. Darnell this evening.”
He pulled a handkerchief from his top pocket and patted his forehead. “I had an appointment with Mr. Darnell at seven p.m., but when I arrived, I found him on the floor of his office. Dead.” He shook his head. “It was horrible. His chest was clawed open and blood was everywhere.” The poor man’s voice trembled.
Considering the circumstances of Robert Darnell’s death, a shifter was responsible, and given Landry was human, he hadn’t done this. The cops asked the newspaper editor a ton of questions about whether he saw anyone when he entered the office building or if he’d heard anything after he arrived, but Landry didn’t know much of anything.
All Logan could say for sure was that either Mr. Landry was an excellent actor, or he truly was distraught over the man’s death.
“If I may,” Logan said, needing to ask some questions. “Why were you meeting with the deceased after business hours?”
Mr. Landry sniffled. “I planned to write a story on his upcoming candidacy. He’d said nothing publicly to any paper yet, because Mr. Darnell wanted to keep it quiet for the time being.”
What candidate wants to keep quiet?
The son’s forehead furrowed. “Dad never mentioned he planned to run for office again.”
Landry looked over at Deke and tilted his head in apparent sympathy. “He was waiting for the right time to tell you.”
Wendy slipped a hand under the table and grabbed Logan’s leg, sending his head in the wrong direction again. He glanced over at her, but he couldn’t tell what she wanted to tell him. If only they could communicate telepathically, this would be easier.
“Mr. Darnell,” the detective said to Deke. “Will you tell the group where you were tonight?”
He looked at each member of the team. “I was working on a document on my computer at home—a document that has a time stamp on it.”
The detective nodded. “I asked Mr. Darnell to show me the computer. He did, and it proves he was at home.”
The man could have worked on a document, rushed out and killed his father, and then returned home, but for the moment, Logan would keep quiet.
Wendy released the pressure on Logan’s thigh. It was almost as if she was trying to indicate who was lying and who wasn’t. He could only hope her ability to see a gray halo over the liar extended to that of her former boyfriend.
“What about Becky, your mate?” Wendy blurted.
From a few wide eyes, he suspected most of the detectives in the room were unaware of who she was. Logan didn’t know why Wendy asked that question, but he had to assume she suspected something. However, he couldn’t imagine what motive Deke’s mate would have for harming Robert Darnell.
“I don’t know,” Deke said. “I needed to do some work, and she said she was on deadline too. I guarantee you Becky would never harm my dad if that’s what you’re thinking.”
“Just curious, that’s all. When you were informed of your father’s death, you called her, right? Or can you telepath with her now?”
Bitterness laced her tone, implying Wendy might still have some feelings for the cad.
“We are not at that stage of our relationship, but I did call her. It went to voicemail.”
That would be easy enough to check, and Deke would know that. Maybe he was telling the truth.
The detective cleared his throat. “If you please. Mr. Darnell, you said you and your mate were close. Is it usual for her to be out of contact with you?”
Deke’s fingers formed a fist. “No, but I’m sure there was a good reason. She might have turned off her ringer so as not to be disturbed. She is a busy woman.”
“What does Becky do for a living?” Wendy asked, clearly wanting or needing answers.
“Ms., ahh…,” The detective glanced down at his tablet. “Ms. Oprander, I am extending you the courtesy of being here because Detective Caspian asked me to, but remember Mr. Darnell is not a person of interest.”
She held up her hand. “I’m sorry. I’m only trying to understand all the aspects of this crime. I have one more question. If I may?”
The detective’s lips pressed together. “Go on.”
“What kind of shifter is she?” Wendy asked.
“A wolf. Why?”
It was possible Deke was unaware how his dad had been killed. Until they analyzed the size of the claw marks on the body and test some hair samples, it could have been almost any kind of shifter.
“Thank you.”
A knock sounded on the door, and then an officer stepped inside. “Sir, may I have a word?”
The detective in charge pushed back his chair. “I’ll be right back. Let’s suspend with the questions until I return.”
Chatter broke out in small groups, giving Logan a moment to find out what Wendy was up to. “What was all the thigh squeezing about?” he whispered.
“It means I saw a gray halo.” She leaned closer. “Though Landry’s was close to dark gray for much of it.”
Interesting, but why would a newspaper man lie? “Keep up the good work, but I didn’t understand the questions about Becky?”
“I’ll tell you later,” she said just as the door opened and the detective returned, his face even more dour, if that was possible.
He pulled out his chair and sat down. “Excuse the interruption, but my officer informed me that we have video footage taken around the area of the warehouse that is owned by the deceased. A suspicious looking truck leaving was detained around the time of Mr. Darnell’s murder.”
The room turned deathly silent. No coffee cups were being set down, no scraping of china sounded on the wooden table, no shifting in seats, and no rustling of clothes. Even with Logan’s near perfect hearing, he could only detect rapid breathing.
“What did you find?” Deke asked, his voice low, filled with what sounded like fear.
“Drugs, Mr. Darnell. Crenathum to be exact.”
The silence broke as Deke, for one, shoved back his chair. “My father was selling drugs?”
Logan waited for Wendy to tighten her grip on his leg again, but her fingers only twitched.
“Yes, Mr. Darnell. I take it you had no idea?”
It wasn’t like Deke would admit it, or would he?
He lowered his chin, inhaled deeply and then looked up. “He promised he wasn’t dealing anymore.”
Anymore? That was a surprise.
“When did he deal drugs?” the detective asked.
Deke blew out a breath. “Two or three years ago. I overheard my father bitch about some banker who had refused to extend his loan payments a few years ago. My dad felt like he had no choice but to turn to some illegal activities—selling drugs to be exact—in order to get back on his feet. When I found out, I confronted him, and my dad swore he would stop.”
“And you believed him?” the detective asked.
“I know he stopped. I did a lot of asking around. What I was unaware of was that he’d started up again.” Deke’s lips pressed together. He must be telling the truth or else Wendy would be squeezing the hell out of his thigh.
“Mr. Darnell,” the detective continued. “The building where your father was murdered had security. We will need to access the footage. The killer might have been picked up on it either coming or going.”
“Of course.” Deke didn’t hesitate.
Logan might have to reassess his opinion about this man, though there was still the issue of the two attempts on Wendy’s life. Now, however, wasn’t the time to bring that up. He would mention it to the detective later when they were alone. Considering all that had gone down tonight, Logan and Wendy might be staying in Sawmill a few more days than he’d intended.
The detective stood. “Anyone is welcome to join us. Over the years, I’ve learned the more eyes the better.”
Even though he and Wendy had temporary badges, he was surprised the detective was okay with a journalist being there. Anderson must have told him what she did for a living. Perhaps he didn’t care since he seemed to welcome Thedia’s own Editor-in Chief of the local paper.
When Logan tapped her on the shoulder and nodded toward the exit, her eyes brightened. She acted as if he’d given her the best present ever. He figured he might as well escort her. His curious journalist would somehow find a way to look at the tapes even if he told her not to.
The office was located several miles away so walking was out of the question. When he asked for directions, Deke told Logan just to follow him since he planned to fly. While Logan didn’t like having to depend on anyone, it wasn’t a good time to argue. A plus would be Logan would learn what Deke’s dragon looked like.
The trip to the warehouse was short, and the three of them were the first to arrive. As soon as Logan set Wendy down, both he and Deke shifted. Before he could stop his mate, she rushed up to her former lover. For the smallest of seconds, he thought she would hug her ex-boyfriend. Thankfully, he was wrong. So very wrong.
Chapter Twenty
Wendy’s mind scrambled. While Deke appeared to be telling the truth about his lack of involvement in his dad’s death, there were a lot of holes in his story, and the only way to plug them was to ask. Before Logan could stop her, she rushed up to Deke and planted her hands on her hips. “I have some questions for you.”
“I imagine you do. Look, I’m sorry I never called after I left.”
She waved a hand. “I don’t care about that.” His eyes widened. “Did you ever tutor a boy by the name of Tom Sanderson in Edendale?”
Deke sucked in a breath and glanced at the sky, probably trying to decide how much of the truth he should reveal. “I did.”
She hadn’t expected the confession. “Why didn’t you tell me? You know I’m a big fan of volunteer work.”
Logan stepped next to her, but he said nothing. He too seemed interested in what Deke had to say.
“I didn’t tell you because, well, my motives weren’t the best.”
“What do you mean?” she asked, her heart speeding up.
“Before I moved to Edendale, I was about to knock on my dad’s office door when I overheard him talking rather loudly to someone on the phone. Dad was complaining about a man by the name of Sanderson. He said this guy was some banker who had refused to extend one my father’s loans. To be honest, I didn’t think my dad needed loans. I mean, he always seemed flush with cash.”
“I’ve heard he vowed revenge against this banker. Do you know anything about that?” Wendy wasn’t about to say some Fairy told her, and she was thankful Deke didn’t ask for her source.
“Not at that time. Dad must have sensed I was standing outside the door and abruptly hung up. He then whipped it opened and told me to come in. From the way his face was still flushed, he was angry with me for eavesdropping.”
“What does all of this have to do with tutoring Tom Sanderson?”
“My dad told me about the banker’s refusal to extend his loan and asked that I find Mr. Sanderson’s son and offer to help him in some way.”
She could put the pieces together. “I gather it wasn’t to help some high school student get better grades, but rather to spy on the family?”
Deke dragged his hands down his face. “Yes.”
“What was your father planning to do with the information? Find the best time to kill Tom’s dad?”
Deke held up a hand. “I swear I don’t know. I told him that I didn’t want to be his spy, but he said he’d cut me off if I didn’t. By that I mean, no money. No job. No inheritance.”
“So you sacrificed a young boy’s welfare for your own well-being?” What had she seen in this guy?
“I didn’t know someone would kill the kid!” The strain in his voice and the lack of gray halo implied he was telling the truth
.
Logan piped up. “Do you know who poisoned the teen?”
Deke shook his head. “I have no idea. I swear.”
Wendy stood up taller. “Where did I fit in your plan?”
Car engines sounded. The police were arriving.
“My father asked that I keep an eye on you.”
An eye on her? So she was just a job to him? Wendy wanted to shift and claw his heart out, but Logan would surely stop her if she tried. “Why? He never met me.”
“He knew you were sniffing around the Ted Yancy case.”
Her heart pinched, and her mind spun. “What did Ted Yancy have to do with Tom and Mike? I mean, I know he worked for your dad, but I found no evidence your father was involved in his death.”
“My father said that the circumstances of his employee’s death needed to be kept a secret, only he wouldn’t tell me why.”
Logan stepped forward. “Did your father kill Ted Yancy?”
“No. We were together for a father-son weekend during the time Ted was killed, if you can believe the irony of that.” Deke shook his head. “It was the first time he’d ever asked me to go fishing with him. Hell, I don’t recall him ever fishing before. It was something I liked to do.”
Logan huffed. “He wanted you as his alibi.”
“That’s my guess too.”
Wendy’s sympathy swelled, but only for a short time. Deke was still scum. “All the time we were together, you were merely following your dad’s orders?”
Even though Logan was standing there, Deke gently clasped her shoulders. “Wendy, I loved you. Why do you think I left in such a hurry? Dad asked me to, ah, kill you, if you learned any more about the case.”
“Seriously? You knew your father was a murderer, and yet you ran back to the man? Who are you?” Her knees buckled at the outrage. It was Logan who was there to keep her upright.
Car doors slammed, and the rest of the round-table crew descended before she could question Deke further. It wasn’t too hard to fill in the blanks though. Right now, if Deke’s dad hadn’t been dead, she’d have killed him herself.
The police detective motioned them toward the building. “Can you show us to the security room, Mr. Darnell?”