Secrets of a Small Town

by Adele M Cooper

  “Please state your name for the record,” Jack began, switching on a device.

  “Cecilia Benson,” Cecilia said, voice icy and eyes narrowed.

  “Thank you,” said Jack, opening a folder. “Cecilia, do you know why I’ve called you here?”

  “No,” Cecilia snapped. “I was at work when your officer came and told me I had to come down to this backwater place. The other nurses are no doubt already blowing this out of proportion.”

  Paige rolled her eyes at the other woman’s dramatics.

  “I’m sorry for the inconvenience,” Jack apologized, not really sounding sorry at all. “Unfortunately, it was important that you come and speak with us as soon as possible.”

  “Fine, let’s get this over with,” Cecilia sneered, leaning back. “You want to talk about my sister, right?”

  The lawyer shot Cecilia an exasperated look. Jack, on the other hand, didn’t seem fazed as he folded his hands on the table and leaned forward.

  “Yes, I do want to talk about your sister,” he said impassively. “More importantly, about your relationship with her prior to her death.”

  “What do you want me to say?” Cecilia scoffed. “It isn’t like you can’t find the information somewhere else, anyway. Our relationship was terrible. Everyone knew it. Even if we did have a good relationship, I probably still wouldn’t see her much, because I hate her husband.”

  “Her husband?” Jack raised his eyebrows. “Why?”

  “Don’t tell me you haven’t heard the rumors,” Cecilia said, rolling her eyes. The lawyer tapped her shoulder and she scowled. “He’s a terrible person. That’s all I’ll say about that.”

  Jack shrugged. “Very well. Let’s go back to your sister, shall we?”

  “I don’t think there’s anything else I need to tell you.” Cecilia crossed her arms.

  “I see,” Jack said, making a note in his folder. “Just as a point of interest, you previously stated that you hadn’t seen your sister in some time before her death?”

  Cecilia noticeably stiffened and glanced at her lawyer.

  “Is that on the record?” the man asked.

  “No, it was simply something that she stated in my hearing recently, not in an official interview,” Jack conceded.

  “Then I believe we will move on to the next question,” the lawyer said.

  Jack nodded. “All right. We found some of your DNA on Cynthia,” he directed to Cecilia, who paled. “This tells us that you met her on the day she died. Could you tell me more about that meeting?”

  “My client would prefer not to answer that question,” the lawyer said calmly.

  “Of course,” Jack answered pleasantly, though Paige could see the stiff line of his neck.

  Now that Cecilia had a lawyer, Jack would have a difficult time getting any information out of her, unfortunately. She would keep her mouth shut about meeting Cynthia on the day she died, especially when every other person involved had claimed that they hadn’t seen her at all that day.

  Paige wished she could help, but Cecilia had every right to have a lawyer, and he was simply doing exactly what she would do if she were in his position. She watched as Jack grew visibly more irritated.

  Now that she had clammed up entirely about Cynthia’s death, there were very few avenues available. Jack could, however, still ask some questions, and Paige watched as he flipped a page in the folder and straightened.

  “You did previously state, on the record, that you saw Cynthia in the week before her death,” he said, flipping back a few more pages. “Could you tell me more about how Cynthia seemed at the time?”

  Cecilia relaxed slightly, likely just as Jack intended. Now that they had moved on from the day of her sister’s death, she would think herself in the clear. The lawyer, however, remained tense, and rightfully so; Jack had lulled Cecilia into a false sense of security in order to increase the chance that she’d slip up.

  Jack definitely knew what he was doing. Paige watched in fascination as he looked up, face calm but eyes determined, silently prodding Cecilia for an answer to his question. Not once had he lashed out at the lack of answers. He had remained calm and professional through it all. She saw, in this moment, how he had made his way to sheriff. He was in his element here, and she felt her heart beat faster in amazement.

  “We ran into each other in Newport,” Cecilia said with a shrug. “She was there to discuss something with her husband; she didn’t say what, but now that I know about the divorce, it was probably about that. We made small talk, and we parted as soon as we were able. It was an amicable exchange.”

  “How was she acting?” Jack pressed. “Did you notice anything strange about her behavior?”

  “Strange?” Cecilia put her hand to her chin, thinking. “I couldn’t really say, I guess. I didn’t know her well enough anymore to be able to say what her normal behavior was like. She seemed a bit stressed, but that was it.”

  Jack nodded as though he had expected that answer and made a note. “While I have you here, there is something else I would like to ask you,” he said. “As you know, we’re considering all possibilities. Some of the evidence points toward foul play. Can you think of anyone at all that might have wanted to kill your sister?”

  Paige studied Cecilia closely for her reaction, noting that she paled a little at the question. In the next moment, however, she lifted her head and squared her shoulders.

  “Do you want the list in chronological order or alphabetical order?” she sneered.

  For the first time, Jack reacted, blinking in surprise at the question. Frowning slightly, he leaned forward. “What do you mean?” he asked.

  “Cynthia made enemies wherever she went,” Cecilia scoffed. “People both loved and hated her; she was rich, married to a powerful man, and she drew people to her like moths to a flame. But she had no real friends, and she looked down on everyone as though she was better than them. I’m sure that there are many people out there who won’t care that she’s gone.”

  Paige frowned. She hadn’t seen in Cynthia the behavior Cecilia described; Cynthia had been a bit of a snob, yes, but the more Paige had gotten to know the other woman, the more she had noticed that much of Cynthia’s attitude simply hid a wealth of insecurities. She had genuinely liked Cynthia and wanted to see her happy, which was one of the reasons she was so determined to find out what happened to her.

  From the tightening of Jack’s mouth, he didn’t agree with Celia’s statement either. Paige couldn’t help but recall, though, the senator’s words: “My wife had both friends and enemies; any number of them could be responsible.”

  Senator Johnson had also indicated that his wife had enemies that might wish her harm. Was it true, or did Cynthia’s husband and sister simply share a flawed view of her?

  “Are we done?” Cecilia demanded.

  “One last question,” Jack said with a nod. “You’ve indicated several times that your relationship with your sister was unpleasant. Can you tell me what caused the rift between the two of you?”

  Cecilia’s eyes flashed. “You’ve heard about our mother’s will.”

  “Would it make a difference?” Jack asked, eyebrows raised.

  “I know what you’re asking,” Cecilia said, sitting up straight. “You want to know if I could have killed her. I might have hated Cynthia, but I wouldn’t kill her, even if I’m not terribly sad that she’s dead. Our mother always thought she was better than me at everything. And Cynthia seemed to share that opinion. Obviously, karma caught up with her.”

  Suddenly, she smiled. The expression didn’t reach her eyes, and it put Paige on edge. “Of course, with what I know, no one—especially Mother—would have thought her better than me for much longer,” Cecilia said slyly.

  Jack’s eyes narrowed. “What do you mean?”

  “If I tell you what I know, I need something in return. Immunity.”

  “I can consider a deal,” Jack said, leaning back. “But it depends on the information.”

&
nbsp; Cecilia scowled and turned to her lawyer, silently asking what to do. The lawyer frowned, considering it, and then turned to Jack.

  “We can tell you the nature of the information, but not any exact details,” he proposed.

  “Fine,” Jack said with a nod. “Tell me what this is about, then.”

  “A lover,” Cecilia said. Her eyes narrowed in vicious amusement, and Paige frowned, mind racing. “Cynthia was cheating on Robert. But I’m not giving you anything more than that.”

  A lover? Cynthia had had a lover? Why would that be funny to Cecilia? And why—suddenly, it clicked. Cecilia’s amusement… the potential damage to Cynthia’s reputation if this secret came out… and a pair of eyes that held such deep pain it had made her wince. Paige knew the identity of this mystery lover.

  “Jackson!” she yelped, running to the door and throwing it open, startling the poor officer. “Can you go into the interrogation room and get the sheriff for me?”

  “Why?” Jackson asked suspiciously.

  “Just do it!” Paige demanded. “There’s no time!”

  Convinced by the urgency in her voice, the young officer nodded and followed her through the door. She stood to the side, out of sight, as he entered the interrogation room with a knock and an apology. Through the glass, she watched as he leaned down to murmur something into Jack’s ear.

  “Excuse me for a moment,” Jack said to Cecilia. “I’ll be right back.”

  “The offer won’t last for long,” Cecilia warned.

  Jack nodded and followed Jackson through the door. As soon as it closed behind him, he scowled and crossed his arms.

  “This had better be important,” he hissed. “I’m sure you can see what’s happening, and this might be my only link to another suspect.”

  “It’s fine, Jack,” Paige explained. “You don’t need Cecilia to tell you who Cynthia’s lover was. I know.”

  “You know?” Jack asked, startled.

  “I figured it out,” Paige said with a nod. “Please, Jack, trust me on this.”

  Jack stared at her for a long moment. Then he nodded slowly and turned around, heading back into the room.

  “Sorry for the delay,” he said amicably. “However, I’ve decided not to take your offer. You’re free to go now.”

  Cecilia leapt to her feet.

  “What?” she exclaimed. “I’m prepared to give you information that no one else knows, and you’re just going to turn that down?”

  “It’s not in my best interests to strike a deal with you right now,” Jack said with a shrug. He opened the door for her.

  Cecilia stood for a moment, clenching and unclenching her fists. Her lawyer tapped her warningly on the shoulder, and she snarled before stalking through the door: “Fine. I promise you, though, you will never find anything more out without me.”

  Paige pressed herself into the shadows. We’ll see about that, she thought.

  13

  Chasing Suspects

  “I hope you actually know something,” Jack said grimly, staring daggers at Paige from across his desk.

  Part of him still couldn’t believe what he had just done; Cecilia had offered him information that no one else knew. Offering her a deal would have been risky, but it might have been worth it to get that information.

  Now, though, he knew only that Cynthia had had a secret lover, but not that lover’s identity. Paige’s claim of having “figured it out” had not been particularly inspiring, but he trusted her. The pleading expression in her eyes and the excited determination on her face had convinced him that she at least believed that she had the answer.

  He just hoped he hadn’t thrown his case away because he hadn’t been able to resist trusting her.

  “It all fits!” Paige insisted, eyes shining. She paced restlessly in front of his desk. “As soon as Cecilia got that disgustingly smug smile on her face and said that about her mother… there’s only one person it could be!”

  “And who would that be?” Jack asked, more impatient than he normally would be. “I need a name, Paige.”

  “I don’t have one,” Paige admitted.

  There was a pregnant pause.

  “You let me turn away a witness with vital information because you figured out who the lover was, but you don’t even know a name?” Jack forced himself to speak slowly, at a normal volume. He gripped the edge of his desk and drew in a deep breath. “Then what do you know?”

  “I know it sounds bad,” Paige said. “But I met someone at the search right before we found Cynthia. She was standing near Olivia; she said that she didn’t know Cynthia, but I didn’t really believe her. The pain in her eyes… speaking about Cynthia hurt her. It makes sense. That’s why Cecilia said her mother’s opinion of Cynthia would have changed had the truth come out. Cynthia’s lover was a woman—the woman I met at the search.”

  Jack frowned, thinking. For one, hysterical moment he wondered at Elizabeth Benson’s potential reaction to the fact that her oldest daughter was in a relationship with another woman and shuddered. He had a feeling that the fallout would have been more spectacular than when Cecilia had dated an Indian boy in high school.

  “Can you describe her?” he asked.

  “She had short, brown hair, and she was carrying a camera,” Paige recalled, propping her chin on her hand as she thought. “She said she lived in Otter Rock but was at the state park when the search started.”

  “No one has moved into town in some time… you said she had a camera? She might have been taking pictures of the scenery, so a tourist, maybe? Or at least someone staying here only temporarily,” Jack contemplated. “We can check some of the inns in town. If we describe this woman, we might be able to get a lead on her identity.”

  “Are there many inns in town?” Paige asked curiously. “I only remember there being one.”

  “Most of them are in neighboring towns, but we do have a few here,” Jack said.

  “I didn’t think there’d ever be a need for more than one, small as this place is,” Paige laughed.

  “The tourists drawn to Beverly Beach State Park keep the inns pretty busy, actually,” Jack said, grinning. “Anyway, you probably remember the Alpine Chalets, but one of our biggest inns now is the Inn at Otter Crest. We can start at the closest ones and go from there.”

  “Now?” Paige asked, startled.

  “Unless you have something better to do,” Jack replied dryly, remembering that she had taken the day off to garden.

  “Now is fine,” Paige said, rolling her eyes.

  Jack stood, a gleam in his eye. “Then let’s go; we have some inns to investigate.”

  Having lived in Otter Rock throughout her childhood, Paige had never had any reason to stay in an inn there. Even when she came back to visit, she mostly avoided the town and hid out at her parent’s house.

  The friendly and warm atmosphere at the Alpine Chalets impressed Paige. The kind staff answered their questions as best they could, although they had no guests matching the description of the woman Paige had met.

  “Imagine working in an inn,” Paige mused as they left. “You would meet so many different people, wouldn’t you?”

  “I guess so,” Jack said with a shrug. “I never really thought about it.”

  “They’re so welcoming, too,” Paige continued, ignoring him. “I suppose they have to be, though, since so many people come to stay there.”

  Jack glanced at her out of the corner of his eye.

  “You’re oddly interested,” he pointed out.

  “Yes, well, I think it would be fun, owning an inn,” Paige said, smiling at him.

  Jack stared at her for a long moment. Then he snorted, obviously amused, and she frowned.

  “You don’t think I’d be able to do it?” she demanded, insulted.

  Jack laughed. “I think you can do anything you put your mind to,” Jack said fondly. “But I can’t quite see you being settled enough to own an inn, I guess.”

  Paige acknowledged that she was hig
h-strung and ambitious, but surely that didn’t mean she couldn’t direct her focus and drive into owning an inn if she wanted to. Pouting, which made Jack laugh harder, she crossed her arms. “What’s the next one, then?”

  “The Inn at Otter Crest,” Jack read off the list they had hastily made before they left the station. “Probably our largest inn.”

  “Large” was certainly right. The Inn at Otter Crest consisted of several buildings thrown together, as though it had started as a small house and then had more added to it later. Paige stared at it, fascinated, as she got out of the car; despite the odd nature of it, it charmed her. Perhaps, though, that was her newfound interest in inns speaking.

  The inn overlooked the ocean, so a pleasant, salty breeze blew through her hair. She breathed in the scent of the ocean, thinking she could quite easily stay out here for the rest of the afternoon.

  “Come on,” Jack said, gesturing as he led the way to the front door.

  Only one person occupied the spacious reception area, a young girl who flicked, bored, through a magazine. She looked up and smiled as they entered.

  “Can I help you?” she asked brightly.

  Jack flashed his badge. “Hi, I’m Sheriff Lewis,” he greeted. “I need to ask you a few questions related to a case I’m working on.”

  The girl’s face took on an expression of giddy excitement. Paige imagined that nothing so exciting usually happened around here; Cynthia’s murder was probably the most exciting thing to happen… well, ever.

  “Of course, anything you need. I’m Allison. I work here full time while I save up money for college.”

  “Excellent,” Jack said, beaming. “You’re exactly who we need to see, then. We need to find someone who might be staying here.”

  “Do you have a picture?” Allison asked. “I might be able to recognize them.”

  “No picture, just a description,” Jack said, glancing at Paige.

  Taking that as her cue, Paige stepped up, drawing Allison’s attention. “A woman, a little shorter than me, with short, dark hair that was a bit messy. She was carrying a camera—”