“Of course, they will. She should come with us, Sharon,” Martin nodded.
“No,” Sharon said flatly. “I want her to stay back here with Dad.”
“Why?” Dani asked. “Sharon, you almost sound as though you suspect me of being involved in this!”
Sharon didn’t say anything. Her cold eyes stared Dani down. “You always did take after mom,” Sharon said. “Of the three of us, you’re most like her.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Dani asked.
“Only that you haven’t been in town a day and, already, things are a fine mess,” Sharon said.
“Are you really accusing me of-”
“I’m not accusing you of anything, Dani,” Sharon said. “Let’s just say I’m superstitious, and I think you bring bad luck. You haven’t been in town for ten years, so a half day more shouldn’t make a difference. Sit this one out. For my sake.”
Dani felt the betrayal even more keenly because Sharon was the one person she’d always looked up to. For her to think so little of Dani was unbearable. Nevertheless, Dani wasn’t going to sit by idly while others did the work.
“I’m coming,” she said, squaring her shoulders. “Unless you strap me into a straitjacket yourself, I’m coming and you can’t stop me. If you’re really so concerned about Dad being alone when he wakes up, you stay behind.”
Sharon’s nostrils flared and her eyes glinted with hate. “Fine. Come then. Let’s not waste any more time.”
*****
Considering it was spring, it was a surprisingly cold day. Darwin hugged his jacket to himself as he moved through the trees calling Caroline’s name. He’d been surprised when Sheriff Mackenzie agreed to the search party. Normally, she was a stickler for technicalities and, technically, Caroline Hedley was a fully grown woman who had the right to skip town if she wanted. Legally, they shouldn’t have organized a search party until at least twenty-four hours had passed. He’d fully expected Sheriff Mackenzie to choose to focus on Jessica’s death instead of Caroline’s disappearance.
Yet some instinct must have needled her because Sheriff Mackenzie agreed almost instantly to Sharon’s demand for a full search of the woods behind their house. He’d seen a worried look pass over the sheriff’s face and, now that he thought of it, he wondered if the Sheriff didn’t believe that Caroline had been killed, too.
Perhaps they were looking for a body, not a missing person.
“Caroline!” Next to Darwin, Dani cupped her hands to her mouth and let out a yell. “Caroline, where are you?” Her face was pale with anxiety, and if it weren’t for the fact that he was in uniform, Darwin would have enveloped her in a hug. She looked brittle and scared.
“We’ll find her,” he said. “I promise we will.”
“Did you try and track her cell phone down like you’d mentioned?”
Darwin nodded. “Jim’s still working on it. It takes a little time to get the right permissions. Most judges won’t sign off on it until 48 hours have passed since the person went missing or unless-”
He paused, there was no tactful way to say the next bit.
“Or unless you have reason to believe the person committed a crime?” Dani asked.
“Right,” he agreed.
“Do you really think she did it?” Dani asked.
“I didn’t say that. But, if you were a neutral observer, what would you think?” Darwin asked. “She and Jess fought yesterday, you witnessed it. Jess slapped her, didn’t she?”
Dani nodded. “But that doesn’t mean anything. She wouldn’t kill her best friend.”
“Most murders that take place outside of urban areas have a known element at work,” Darwin said. “In other words, it isn’t a hooded stranger that commits the crime. It’s generally a trusted relative or neighbor. Or just a friend.”
“I know my sister,” Dani said. “She didn’t do this.”
“Do you?” Darwin asked. “When’s the last time you really connected with your sister? How much do you actually know about her?”
“I know enough! And, don’t forget, you knew her, too!” Dani exclaimed. “So you’re not a neutral observer, as you put it. You know she’s not a murderer. It’s Jess you should be focusing on. She’s the victim here. If someone wanted her dead, she must have done something to irritate them.”
Like slap them, perhaps. Darwin thought to himself. He didn’t say anything, however.
“Who was Jess dating, do you know?” Dani asked.
“I have no idea,” Darwin shrugged. “As far as I know, she was single. I’ve seen her down at The Antelope knocking down shots and flirting with men more than once.”
“Well, what were you doing there yourself?” Dani asked.
Darwin smiled. “Unwinding.” He rubbed a hand across his face and Dani noticed that he hadn’t shaved that day. Black circles stood out under his eyes and the slight stubble added to an overall look of a grumpy bear. He’d been up since 3am that morning, she realized.
“How’s your daughter? Ellie?” Dani asked. “How do you manage, especially when you have to get up at odd hours like today?”
“I leave her with my brother and his wife,” Darwin said. “They’ve got two kids of their own and live right across the street. It’s a huge boon. I don’t know what I’d do if they ever moved. Probably quit my job.”
“And Ellie’s mom?” Dani asked. “Doesn’t she ever help out?”
In reply, Darwin cupped a hand to his mouth and yelled out Caroline’s name. Only silence answered him. Then, he thought he heard a vague shout. From the way Dani perked up, he assumed she’d heard it too.
“This way!” he exclaimed, crashing through the undergrowth. Dani followed, close on his heels. They both shouted Caroline’s name, over and over, racing closer to the answering calls. When they finally stepped into a clearing, Darwin’s breath stopped.
Caroline lay leaning against a tree, clutching her ankle and shivering. As soon as Dani saw her she rushed to her side and enveloped her in a hug.
“Dani?” Caroline’s voice was slurred. “I thought I heard you. Thank God you found me!”
“You’re alright. You’re alright!” Dani couldn’t stop hugging her sister, or stop the flow of tears that rained down her cheeks. “Caro, I was so afraid you were gone forever!”
“How did I get here?” Caroline asked. “I don’t remember anything, Dani. What happened to me?”
“I don’t know. But we’ll find out,” Dani said, trying to help her stand. “What’s the last thing you do remember, Caro?”
“Telling you I wanted to go to sleep early,” Caroline said with a frown. “That’s really the only thing I remember. I’ve got such a headache, Dani…”
“Darwin, we have to help her,” Dani said, looking up at him. But the Deputy was staring at Caroline with a frown on his face. Unlike Dani, who had eyes only for her sister, he’d noticed the slight hint of dried blood on Caroline’s blouse, and the piece of paper sticking out of her pocket.
“Do you mind?” he asked, quickly putting on a glove.
“Mind what?” Caroline looked confused.
“This.” He reached over and drew the paper out from her pocket. He felt his heart speed up. It was the missing half of a polaroid picture. Jess was missing in this half, but he could imagine how it would look once he pieced it back together.
He held up a photocopy of the other half of the polaroid and, sure enough, they matched. The photo had Jess on the left with her arm around Caroline, her tongue sticking out. Caroline was in the centre, winking at the camera. And Leo Chadwick was on the right, his arm around Caroline’s waist, his eyes scrunched shut and his mouth open in a shout of happiness.
“Caroline Hedley,” Darwin said. “You’re under arrest for the murder of Jessica Thorne. You have the right to remain silent...”
*****
Chapter 7
Caroline’s Denial
Every interrogation room he’d ever seen on TV or film looked the same- grey, dreary, and m
etallic. It was almost a cliche, really. Which was why Darwin was glad that their own interrogations took place in an almost cheerful space. It was a deliberate psychological trick by Sheriff Mackenzie, a way to make the criminal relax instead of tensing up.
The room was painted a cheerful yellow, and had a large picture window on one side, exposing the subject to a fine view of the pine woods behind the police station. Of course, the window and the view were fake- behind it was another chamber, where the Sheriff was no doubt taking careful notes. Instead of metal chairs and a folding table, there were two armchairs and a coffee table in this room. Again, an attempt to make the criminal relax, and be caught off guard. A small refrigerator stood at one end, and Darwin took two colas out of it. He unbottled one and handed it to Caroline, who gratefully accepted.
For a little while, he let her sip it, and wondered if they weren’t being too harsh. Perhaps they should have let her take a shower first. Then again- it was highly likely that he was looking at a murderer. If so, she didn’t deserve any sympathy.
“I know you’re going to ask me questions.” Caroline said. “But I promise you, I don’t know anything!”
“You could wait until the lawyer gets here.” Darwin said. “To be honest, the case is stacked against you, Caroline.”
“I know it is.” She said. “I just wish I knew how to convince you that I didn’t have anything to do with it!”
“Both Dani and Martin have already testified that you and Jess had an altercation yesterday.” He said. “We have Martin on tape in a call to us saying that Jess had attacked you and was trespassing.”
“Yes- Jess was really angry.” Caroline said. “So what? She slapped me, but it didn’t mean anything! It wasn’t even a very hard slap- I pushed her, she gave me a light tap- nothing!”
Darwin nodded, and opened up a file. “You’ve been friends with her since grade school, right?”
“I’ve known Jess forever.”
“Did the two of you have any resentments against each other?”
“We knew each other.” Caroline said. “I knew her inside out, and she knew me just as well- so yes, there were things about her I resented and vice versa. When you have a history like ours, fights happen.”
Darwin nodded. He found it best to listen attentively- after his suspects got started talking, they often took their stories in unexpected directions, directions his questions would not have led them to.
Caroline’s hair was plastered to her face. She’d managed to wash the mud off her face, but her hair was still sticky with it. Her jeans were dirty too. She’d been given a different shirt, and her blouse had been sent off to forensics- if Darwin’s suspicions were correct, that would turn out to be Jessica’s blood on her sleeve. Combined with the polaroid in her pocket, it was all quite damning. Still, that cop’s instinct of his told him there was more to this story than met the eye. If Caroline did turn out to be the murderer, it would be easier all around- the Hedley’s were already notorious for their past anyway. People wouldn’t be quite so shocked to see another scandal originate from that family. The case would be closed, and peace and quiet would reign across the town of Innocence, once again.
But as he looked into her eyes, Darwin simply couldn’t bring himself to believe it. Caroline looked shaken, and shocked- and not one bit guilty. Of course, she could just be acting, he told himself. Or maybe it was that she looked a little too much like her sister, and he was a sucker for believing in beautiful women.
“All I remember is that I was upset yesterday, and I wanted to sleep.” Caroline said. “I don’t know why I didn’t. I don’t know why I snuck out. I promise, I cannot remember.”
“Well, we recovered Jessica’s phone.” Darwin said. “We looked through her messages. Does that give you a clue, perhaps?”
“It doesn’t.” Caroline said.
Darwin flipped through the file and read from the printout. “I’m going to read out a section of the text conversation you had last night, between 8.45 and 9.15. Ready?”
“Alright.” Caroline nodded.
Darwin read aloud:
Jessica- “Caroline, we need to meet. We need to talk.”
Caroline- “About what? You already made a scene once, what makes you think I’ll let you do it again? I want nothing to do with you, Jess!”
Jessica- “I found out something today. You need to hear this.”
Caroline- “What is it?”
Jessica-“I can’t tell you like this. Meet me.”
Caroline- “Fine. Usual place?”
Jessica- “No. In the woods behind your house. I’ll be waiting there. I’m on my way now.”
Caroline- “What? Are you nuts? What are you doing?”
Jessica- “Come. Please. Just hop out your window, I’ll be right down below.”
Caroline- “Fine. I’m coming. But don’t play any more games, Jess. You won’t like me if I get angry. You don’t know what I’m capable of.”
Darwin finished reading with a cough. “Does that sound familiar?”
“It really doesn’t.” Caroline sighed, and pressed a thumb against her temple, rubbing it in circles. “I don’t remember a word of this, Darwin.” She squeezed her eyes shut, and tried hard to bring back the memories. “I wish I could, I really do. It’s all just a blank. I remember saying goodnight to Dani and Dad. I remember going upstairs, and then- nothing.”
“Alright.” Darwin said. “Let’s ease off that a little bit. How about we try another tack? Why was Jess so mad at you yesterday? You do remember that, right?”
Caroline nodded. “Perfectly.”
“So tell me about it.”
“She was my maid of honor. I’m getting married next week- at least- I was.” Caroline looked uncertain. “I don’t know what happens now.”
Darwin found himself feeling bad for her again, and shut down that emotion with a vengeance. Professionalism. He had to be professional. He’d known the Hedley sisters all his life- so his gut was insisting that this was all wrong, that she hadn’t hurt Jess. But his brain knew that Caroline was probably the culprit. She had to be. All the evidence was lined up against her. Besides, their mother was a criminal- years ago, she’d embezzled funds from the town and run away. It had happened out of the blue, too- in fact, it was Sheriff Mackenzie’s first real case. She’d told him that nobody had suspected a thing, and the entire town was shocked when Angela turned out to be a criminal mastermind. So like mother, like daughter. Being innocent on the outside, cunning on the inside probably ran in the family.
“Jess and I have been friends forever.” Caroline said. “So when Martin proposed, she was the first person I wanted to share the news with. I thought she’d be delighted, like I was.”
“Only she wasn’t?”
“No. She wasn’t. Far from it. She turned around and accused me of only wanting to marry Martin because he was rich and handsome. She said I was being shallow and jumping into things too quickly.”
“How did that make you feel? Did it anger you?”
“It did, but she’s my friend- I kind of understood where she was coming from, and why she’d feel that way. So I explained things to her. I told her I did love Martin, and that I wasn’t being shallow. I told her if she met him more often, she’d see that even though he comes across as arrogant initially, he’s actually just a sweetheart.”
“Ah. So Jess thought Martin was arrogant?”
“She never liked him, for some reason.” Caroline nodded. “Actually- I know the reason.”
“What reason was that?”
“See, since we were in grade school, Jess thought that Leo and I belonged together.” Caroline said. “She thought we were like a king and queen- destined to be together. It was silly teenage stuff, but you know how things are at that age- she was convinced we were a “one true love” sort of situation.”
“But you weren’t.” Darwin raised an eyebrow. He remembered them well from school- they’d been quite the “it” couple. Leo had been quarterb
ack, Caroline the hot but rebellious eyeliner-wearing rockstar. An unusual combination, but they’d worked.
“No. Leo and I… we weren’t meant to be. We broke up.”
“Jess couldn’t reconcile to that?”
“Jess was always the third wheel in our couple.” Caroline sighed. “I don’t know how to explain it, but she was like our counsellor- I think she’d invested just as much in the relationship as we had. Leo and I were always having dramatic fights, and afterwards, we’d each talk to her for hours, and she’d help us sort out our feelings. Eventually, we’d get together again and things would be peachy. Like I said, it was a stupid teenage thing.”
“Jess clearly didn’t think that way.”
“No. Jess thought I should be with Leo. She refused to accept that I was moving on. She kept saying that I belonged with Leo. Long after it stopped being cute, she kept repeating herself.”
“What did you do?”
“I arranged for her to meet Martin more often. I tried taking her along on double dates. I tried hosting fun times together- but-”
“But?”
“But she was judging Martin all along. Everytime she looked at him, I could see her eyes say, “Leo was better”. She was borderline rude to him sometimes, and Martin would bear it for my sake.”
“I see. Must have been an awkward situation.”
“Yeah, to say the least! But then-” Caroline sighed. “We had a party to celebrate our engagement, and that’s when it happened. Jess crossed the line.”
“How so?”
“It was sometime last week. Thursday, I think. You remember the day, Darwin? I’d invited you too, but you said Ellie had some sort of competition the next day that you had to drive her to?”
“Right.” With, Darwin remembered that day. Ellie had a swimming meet early on Friday, and he’d decided to spend the night reading Harry Potter to her instead of attending the party.
“Well, that’s when it happened. Ellie knocked back at least three tequila shots. Martin tried to tell her she’d had enough. Instead of respecting that, she tried to cow him down. She was all up in his face, and saying, “Stop being a doctor for a second, and start being human, will you?” Then she started mimicking him, doing a bit she called, “Robot Martin.””
Killer Dress: A Small Town Cozy Mystery (Shot & Framed Book 1) Page 5