Oblivion

by Karolyn Cairns

  Chapter Five

  Gary eyed Dan with a raised eyebrow as they sat across from one another in his office.

  “Dan, I’m not tellin’ ya how to do your job. You’re acting sheriff today, of all days. Do yourself a favor and don’t turn a blind eye to the Chase kid any more. He’s guilty as sin.”

  Dan shrugged. “I’m satisfied Cam’s telling the truth, Gary. Why are you so insistent the kid had something to do with the murder?”

  “Just a gut feeling I have, and years of listening to them.”

  “Ever been wrong?” Dan asked and shook his head.

  “No not once. Call it a gift. I smell guilt all over that kid, Dan. Jace Turner deserves his justice,” Gary reminded him sourly. He stubbed out his cigarette and stood up in Dooley’s new office. “Do yourself a favor and get that search warrant. Call it an early retirement present for me if I’m right.”

  Dan sat back and considered his words, trying to appear like he had thought of it himself.

  “You think he has that ring stashed away somewhere, don’t you?”

  Gary rocked back on his heels and shrugged. “It wouldn’t hurt to have his room searched and even better while he’s in school.”

  Dooley wanted to solve this case. He was all over it. He knew the citizens of Little Bend could vote him out the next election if they didn’t like Gary’s choice of predecessor. Solving the Turner murder could do much for his career. Many said he was too inexperienced to take over. Gary agreed but there was no one else to take the job.

  “What about the attorney? This could look like harassment.”

  “You find that ring; you got Cameron Chase charged with murder one and everybody in this town can sleep at night. The news will be all over the country.”

  Dan tapped his fingers on the desk and whistled. “What gave you the idea the kid did it?”

  “Marnie Slade knows something she’s not telling. She gave it away by admitting she didn’t know Cam was coming over that day. The kid acted on impulse or he had another motive. I think he lured Jace Turner out there and killed him. He had over three hours to get cleaned up and be on that porch. Problem is getting him to admit it. We need a confession.”

  “What was the motive, do you think?”

  Gary raised an eyebrow. “I got the gut. The rest is for you to figure out.”

  “You realize we got nothing on Cam at all right now? No murder weapon, no witness, and his prints should be there. I’d like to know how we look at charging him.”

  “Isn’t police work fun? Get the warrant and hope those DNA samples come back before you see the judge. I’ll bet we can link Cameron there. You don’t stab someone sixty-seven times without leaving something behind.”

  “If you’re wrong about this I’m going to look like a jackass.”

  “If I’m right, you’re gonna look like a sheriff.”