by Sharon Sala
"No, I'm okay. More than anything, it was a shock."
"Oh...one more thing. Which one of you drove the Silverado you owned at the time?" Evans asked.
"I did, why?" Camren asked.
"No big reason. Just a footnote."
"Okay. Can I go now?"
Evans nodded.
"Yes, and thank you again for helping clear this up."
Camren got up, his head down and his steps slow as he walked back to the front lobby with the Chief beside him.
Camren left the building without acknowledging the clerk or the man sitting in the waiting area, but Peyton Adams saw him, and the emotional condition he was in, and frowned.
What the hell is going on?
Then Josh called for him.
"Peyton, thanks for waiting. Let's go to my office."
Peyton brought attitude with him and made certain the chief was aware of it as he took his seat on the other side of the desk. When he realized their conversation was going to be recorded, his heart skipped a beat.
"What's going on here?" he asked.
Josh wasn't surprised by Peyton's challenge. It was nothing more than he'd expected. As soon as he had the camera reset, he took a seat.
"Please state your name for the record," Josh said.
Peyton lifted his chin and stared straight into the camera.
"Peyton Carl Adams."
"Thank you. Now, what's going on is exactly what I told you over the phone, and because it's related to a previously closed case, I am videoing the interview so no one can claim misunderstanding later."
Peyton frowned.
"Is that what you and Camren were doing?"
"I'm not going to comment on that. Would you want me to talk about your business with other people?"
Peyton shrugged.
"Point taken, but it was a nightmare going through this the first time, so you should understand my reluctance to revisit it."
Josh tapped his pen against the desk in frustration.
"And I'm sure you can imagine my dismay finding out this case was never properly closed. I don't enjoy this. Quite the contrary. I am not heartless, and knowing I have to resurrect family tragedies does not make me happy, either."
Peyton sighed, then finally sat all the way back in his chair.
"Noted. So, ask away."
"Thank you," Josh said, and then opened the case file. "According to the autopsy, your wife, Ramona, died from drowning. Blood was found on the side of the pool and in the water at your home where it was supposed she slipped and fell, hitting her head before falling in and drowning. Is that correct?"
Peyton nodded.
"Please speak aloud for the camera," Evans asked.
Peyton's eyes narrowed, but he complied.
"Yes, that's correct."
"It also states that Ramona's seventeen-year-old daughter, Caitlin Justice, found her after coming home from a football game."
Peyton grimaced.
"Yes, bless her heart. It was horrible for her."
Josh tapped the open file before him.
"It just states you were out of town. There is no mention of where you were, or follow-up notes to verify your whereabouts. Where were you when it happened?" Josh asked.
Peyton's face reddened in anger.
"I was in New Orleans on business."
"Where were you staying?"
"With friends. Their names were Sam and Alana Owens."
Josh looked up from the file. "Were?"
Peyton nodded. "They died in a plane crash two years ago."
Josh frowned. "Is there anyone living who could corroborate this?"
"Hell, I don't know...Oh, wait. Yes. Maybe. Their son, Larry, was in and out that night, but we did speak. However, I have no idea if he'd remember a house guest their parents had ten years ago."
"I'll worry about that. Do you have contact info for him?"
"No. I barely knew him. I have no idea where he lives now," Peyton said.
"So, his name was Larry Owens?" Josh asked.
"Yes,” Peyton said.
"How were you notified of the death?"
"Caitie called me in hysterics. At first, I couldn't understand what she was saying because she was crying, but when it sank in, I couldn't believe it had happened. Mona was a strong swimmer. It would be later before I learned she had hit her head and fallen in. This did explain my disbelief as to how she'd died."
Josh watched the anger on Peyton's face shifting to sadness as he continued. "There is a mention of a very high blood alcohol level at the time of her death."
Peyton shrugged. "It started from an accident she had about six months prior. There should be a record of it at the high school, and at the hospital. She slipped down the front steps at school when it was raining and landed on her back. They took her to the ER by ambulance."
"I'll check," Josh said. "So, she started drinking after that because...?"
"Because the pain pills didn't kill the pain, so she added alcohol. Then the doctor quit giving her pain meds because he could not find the source of pain, and thought she'd just gotten addicted. When that happened, she chose liquor as the means to numbing her misery. It became a problem, but we were working on it. She had agreed to rehab, and we were getting ready to admit her when she died."
"I see," Josh said, and made a note to set up a time to speak to Caitlin. "By any chance do you have a phone number for Caitlin. I'll need to talk to her, too, since she was the one who found her mother."
"I think I do," Peyton said, and scanned the contact list in his phone. "Yes, here it is," he said, and read the number out to Josh, watching as he made a note of it.
"Thank you," Josh said, and then glanced up. He was taking a chance asking this question, but he wanted to see if it made Peyton nervous.
"So, which one of you was driving the Silverado at the time?"
"We all used it, but I guess I drove it more, why?"
Josh shrugged.
"Just a footnote to the case file. I guess we're done here. As soon as I can verify your whereabouts the night of the incident, I can close this down properly. I really appreciate you coming in."
Peyton relaxed.
"Sure. Glad I could help," he said. "Are we through?"
"Yes, I'll walk you out," Josh said, and opened the door for him.
They walked to the front without talking, but Peyton did stop and shake his hand before he left. Josh gave him points after the fact and went back to the office to call Caitlin Baptiste.
Caitlin had just dropped her boys off at her mother-in-law's house for the day. One of their Baptiste cousins was having a birthday party and their grandmother was taking them to the party later, and then they were going to spend the night. They loved spending time with Johnny's parents, and Caitlin and Johnny loved a night to themselves.
She was getting ready to stop by Friendly's Grocery to get some flowers for Logan before she went to the hospital when her cell phone rang. She glanced at Caller ID and frowned. Why would someone from the police department be calling her? She pulled over to the curb in front of the Catholic Church and parked so she could answer.
"Hello,” she said.
"Caitlin?"
"Yes."
"This is Chief Evans. I need to talk to you a bit about something. Could you come to the office?"
"Yes, I guess, but what's it about? Am I in trouble?"
He chuckled. "No. I'll explain it after you get here."
"Okay. I'll be there in a few. I'm already in the car heading downtown. Won't take me long to get there."
"Great. I'll wait for you in the lobby of the station."
"Okay," she said, and disconnected, then worried all the way to the station anyway.
But as promised, the chief was waiting for her when she walked in.
"Morning, Caitlin. How are the boys?"
"They're great...at their Grandma's today to go to a family birthday party, and then spending the night with them later."
Josh
grinned. "Ah...you and Johnny have a night to yourselves. Going out to eat?"
She grinned. "Yes, if I can talk him into it."
"Well then, let's go back to my office and get this over with so you can be on your way, and I can get my paperwork cleared up."
"What paperwork?" Caitlin asked.
"I'll explain it all," he said, and led the way down the hall, then seated her in the same chair the others had been in.
When he turned the video camera back on, she frowned.
"You're filming me?"
He sat. "It's the easiest way to record your comments."
Caitlin didn't understand, but waited.
Josh leaned across the table, hating to begin this because he guessed this was likely to be emotional for her, but considering what was at stake, he couldn't avoid it.
"Please state your name for the record."
Caitlin blinked. This sounded so court-like, as if she was on trial for something. It made her nervous, and she was already beginning to pick a hangnail as she answered.
"Caitlin Elizabeth Baptiste."
Josh nodded.
"Thank you. Now...here's what's going on. A couple of days ago, I came across some old case files that had not been properly closed. It's all before I took office, and one of them has to do with your mother's death."
Caitlin's eyes immediately welled.
"Oh no. What's wrong?"
"I know you found her, but I have to verify where Peyton was when her accident occurred. The records state he was out of town, but do you know where?"
She took a tissue from her purse, dabbed at her eyes, and then scrunched it between her hands, her voice already beginning to shake.
"He was in New Orleans on business. He goes now and then because that's where his stockbroker is located. Sometimes the stockbroker comes here, but most times he goes there. Mother always teased him saying he could have done everything over the phone, and that he went for the food and Beale Street."
"What do you mean?"
"Oh, Peyton is a huge jazz fan. He has this really big collection of classic albums and a turntable to go with them."
"I see. So, did you know where he was staying? Which hotel?" Evans asked.
"Not a hotel. He never stayed at the hotel. There were two or three couples who were friends with Mother and Peyton. He would stay over with one of them. I think that trip he was staying with the Owens, but I'm not positive. It's been a long time."
"I understand," Evans said. "I have to ask you some personal things about your mother. The autopsy stated cause of death was drowning, and that she had hit her head on the side of the pool. But her blood alcohol level was three times the legal limit, and there was no follow up on that. What can you tell me?"
"She was drinking a lot the last few months of her life, which really changed her personality. It was hard."
"So, was it something she'd hidden, or something new?"
"It was new. She had an accident at school that hurt her back. The doctor gave her pain pills at first, but physical therapy didn't help, and so she chose to add liquor to pills. Her doctor quit renewing the prescription when he found out she was drinking. He couldn't find a reason for her supposed pain and thought she'd just become addicted. When he did that, she turned totally to liquor to dull it."
"Did that adversely affect her marriage in any way?"
Caitlin shrugged. "Nothing I saw. Peyton sympathized. We both saw the pain on her face. It wasn't faked."
"It says it took a long time for the life insurance company to pay on her policy."
Caitlin nodded. "They didn't want to pay, tried to say it was suicide, but there was that head wound and the blood on the side of the pool and in the water. They finally had to pay up."
"It was a big payoff," Josh said.
"Half went to me, and half to Peyton."
This was news that wasn't on Logan Talman's list.
"The information I had just listed Peyton."
"Well, that's because he was the recipient, but he gave half of it to me anyway."
"Oh...okay. That was really nice of him."
She shrugged.
"Peyton is a good man, but he never wanted to be a father. By the time the insurance company finally paid off, I was already living with Johnny. After we married, we bought the little house where we're living with part of the insurance money and put the rest in savings for the boys’ college."
Josh hid his surprise. Both of the men who'd received big insurance payouts were looking better than he'd first imagined. So, what was he missing?
"Who was driving the Silverado owned at the time?"
"All of us did at one time or another. I drove it to school some, but I guess Peyton drove it the most."
"Okay then," Josh said, made the last few notes he was taking, and then closed the file. "That's all I needed to ask you, and thank you."
"You're welcome. Can I ask you a question?"
"Sure," Josh said.
"Who shot Logan?"
"I don't know, but I'm working on it," he said.
"Are all of these questions related to her?"
"I can't comment on an ongoing case," he said.
"Do you still need me to ask her about her brother?" Caitlin asked.
The Chief took a deep breath. Damn. "Not at this time, but I'll let you know if I do."
Caitlin leaned back in the chair and glared. "Fine. You know why she's here, don't you? It has to do with Damon. She did tell me one thing early on, and that was why they left town so fast."
"What did she say?" Evans asked.
"You already know the answer to that, don't you? Are we through here?" Caitlin snapped.
"Yes, ma'am."
"Then I'll be going. I was on my way to visit her when you called."
Josh sighed. "Don't drill her on anything. The less you know, the safer you'll be."
Caitlin blinked as she absorbed the horror of what he’d said, and then clutched her purse up against her breasts and walked out.
He got up and turned off the camera for the last time, then went to refill his coffee. He had a knot in his belly and the beginnings of a headache, but then he thought of Logan. She had a whole lot more to deal with than a headache, which shifted his focus from his aches and pains to the business at hand.
He took a quick sip of the coffee and frowned. Arnie was a damn good clerk, but his coffee sucked. He stirred in a little sugar hoping to mask the burned taste, then went back to his office and began running down leads on Larry Owens’ location. He still had to verify where Peyton had been the night Mona died.
Chapter Eleven
Logan ate breakfast better than she'd eaten supper the night before, but she still had no appetite, which was beginning to bother Wade. He used his fork to point at her plate.
"You need to eat some more of your eggs," he said.
"They have no taste. They're overcooked."
"Besides that?" he asked.
She poked the eggs with the tip of her finger then watched them spring back up – like rubber. "Isn't that enough?"
"I'm sorry, Logan. Is there a café in town that delivers?" he asked.
"There's Barney's, but I don't know if they deliver," she said. “It doesn't matter. I'm not going to be in here long enough to worry."
He frowned. "Who said?"
"Me," she said.
"You will leave here when the doctor dismisses you and not an hour sooner," he said.
She shrugged, shoved the tray table to the side, and closed her eyes.
He knew that move and grinned. When she didn't like something, she ignored it. There was a knock at the door and then it opened enough that Wade saw Caitlin's face.
"Come in. She's not asleep. She's just sulking."
Logan glared at him, then saw her friend and grinned. "Yay! Someone who's going to be nice to me."
Caitlin smiled. "I'm so nice I brought you fresh doughnuts from the deli at Friendly's. I was going to bring flowers and then saw these."
"Thank God," Wade drawled. "The sulk had to do with the poor quality of the eggs."
Caitlin giggled.
Logan managed to grin. "I'm awful, and I'm sorry Wade."
He winked and patted her arm. "I was just teasing you. I'm so happy you're alive that as far as I'm concerned, you can be a bitch for the rest of your life."
Caitlin handed Logan the sack of fresh glazed doughnuts.
"Oh my gosh! They look and smell heavenly," Logan said. She pulled one out of the sack and took a big bite, then rolled her eyes. "This is so good. Thank you for thinking of me, Caitie. Want one, Wade?"
"Do bears—"
"Never mind. Of course you do," she said, and handed him the bag. "Caitie, how about you?"
"I had two on the way over here, so I'll pass."
"Wow, these are amazing," Wade said, and finished one off before Logan had taken her second bite. He took one more and then handed the treats back to her. "Keep these away from me."
"You look so much better, but how are you feeling?" Caitlin asked.
"Good, considering,” Logan said.
"Do you know when they'll let you leave?"
"Not yet, but I'm asking the doctor when he makes rounds. I haven't even been up to walk yet."
Caitlin nodded. "That's because you nearly bled to death," Caitlin said. "But, when you're released, will you be going back to Dallas then?"
The smile slid off Logan's face. "Not yet."
"Still chasing ghosts?" Caitlin asked, unaware of how close her offhand remark was to the truth.
Logan couldn't look at Wade for fear she'd cry. "In a manner of speaking. Where are your boys?"
The question shifted Caitlin's focus as she began explaining what was going on, and how happy she was to spend some alone time with Johnny tonight.
About fifteen minutes later, a nurse came in to help Logan bathe, and sent Wade and Caitlin out of the room.
Caitlin kissed Logan goodbye as she left, and Wade wanted to kiss Logan goodbye, too. Instead, he just pointed toward the hall.
"I will be right outside the door."
"Would you bring me a Pepsi from the vending machine when you come back?" she asked.
"Absolutely," Wade said, happy to give her something she wanted.
As soon as they were gone, the nurse untied Logan's hospital gown and let it fall down around her waist.