right, because we wanted the answer as badly as you did. We talked to the right people, we sent the right information into the state labs. But nothing tied Otis to this thing—nothing.”
“You don’t know that.”
“I’m a lot more sure of it than I am of what you’re telling me,” he answered. He drew a deep breath. “I know this thing has eaten you up since it happened, and you know what? It’s eaten me up, too. And if it had happened to me, I would have acted the same way you are. I would have gone crazy had someone run down Brenda and gotten away with it. I probably would have looked for answers on my own, too. But you know what?”
He stopped, making sure that Miles was listening to him.
“I wouldn’t have believed the first story that came my way that promised an answer, especially if it was from a guy like Sims Addison. Think about who you’re talking about here. Sims Addison. That guy would turn on his own mother if he could get money for it. When his own freedom is at stake, how far do you think he’d be willing to go?”
“This isn’t about Sims—”
“Of course it is. He didn’t want to go back to prison, and he was willing to say anything to ensure that. Doesn’t that make more sense than what you’re telling me?”
“He wouldn’t lie to me about this.”
Charlie met Miles’s gaze. “And why not? Because it’s too personal? Because it means too much? Because it’s too important? Did you ever stop to think that he knew what it would take to get you to let him out of here? He’s not stupid, despite his boozing habit. He’d say anything to get himself out of trouble, and from the looks of it, that’s exactly what happened.”
“You weren’t there when he told me. You didn’t see his face.”
“No? To tell you the truth, I don’t think I had to be there. I can imagine exactly how it went. But let’s just say you’re right, okay? Say Sims was telling you the truth—and let’s totally disregard the fact that you were wrong in letting him go without talking to me or to Harvey, okay? Then what? You said that he overheard people talking. That he wasn’t even a witness.”
“He doesn’t have to be.”
“Oh, come on, Miles. You know the rules. In court, that’s nothing more than hearsay. You don’t have a case.”
“Earl Getlin can testify.”
“Earl Getlin? Who’s gonna believe him? One look at his tattoos and his rap sheet and there goes half the jury. Throw in the deal I’m sure he’ll want, and there goes the other half.” He paused. “But you’re forgetting something important, Miles.”
“What’s that?”
“What if Earl doesn’t back it up?”
“He will.”
“But what if he doesn’t?”
“Then we’ll have to get Otis to confess.”
“And you think he’ll do that?”
“He’ll confess.”
“You mean if you lean on him hard enough . . .”
Miles stood up, not wanting to listen anymore. “Look, Charlie—Otis killed Missy, it’s as simple as that. You might not want to believe it, but maybe you guys did overlook something back then, and I’ll be damned if I’m going to let it go now.” He reached for the door. “I’ve got a prisoner to interrogate—”
With a swing, Charlie caught the door, closing it.
“I don’t think so, Miles. Right now, I think it would be best if you stay out of this for a little while.”
“Stay out of it?”
“Yeah. Stay. Out. Of. It. That’s an order. I’ll take it from here.”
“We’re talking about Missy, Charlie.”
“No. We’re talking about a deputy who overstepped his bounds and shouldn’t have gotten involved in the first place.”
They stood eye to eye for a long moment before Charlie finally shook his head. “Look, Miles, I understand what you’re going through, but you’re out of it now. I’ll talk to Otis, I’ll find Sims and talk to him, too. And I’ll make a trip up to see Earl. And as for you, I think you should probably head on home. Take the rest of the day off.”
“I just started my shift—”
“And now you’re finished.” Charlie reached for the doorknob. “Now go on, go home. Let me handle this, okay?”
He still didn’t like it.
Twenty minutes later, sitting in his office, Charlie wasn’t convinced.
He’d been a sheriff for almost thirty years, and he’d learned to trust his instincts. And his instincts now were flashing like strobe lights, cautioning him to be careful.