Buried in Secrets (Carly Moore #4) - Denise Grover Swank Page 0,26
have the opportunity—” his grin spread “—I have to agree with you.”
I lifted my coffee mug. “To a successful investigation.”
He touched his mug to mine. “All of them.”
Chapter Nine
We came up with a short list of people for me to talk to before I went to work, deciding that I should stick to visits I could call social visits, so I didn’t attract the attention of the sheriff’s department or Bart Drummond himself…if he was involved.
“Why isn’t the Ewing police department handling the murder investigation?” I asked as I pushed my empty plate away. “It happened within the city limits.”
“Because the sheriff’s department would end up handling all the forensics anyway,” he said. “We usually claim jurisdiction over murder cases. In some cases, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation comes in and takes it over from both of us.”
“Do you think the state will take over in this instance?”
“No. It’s pretty cut and dry. Pam Crimshaw shot Jim Palmer at close range with a handgun in front of three witnesses—two employees and a customer. There’s no doubt she did it and she confessed. Her motive doesn’t really matter in terms of the case.”
“Even if we prove Bart was behind it, Pam’s still going to prison, isn’t she?”
He gave me a long look. “She killed a man, Carly. A man with a wife and two kids. She stole him from the people who care about him.”
I nodded, knowing he was right, but Pam was so quiet and meek. I suspected it would have taken a lot to make her shoot someone.
“Too bad I can’t talk to the victim’s family,” I said. “If she killed him as a form of repayment to Bart, then he must have gotten himself into trouble. Maybe he even asked for a favor himself.”
“There’s always the funeral or the wake,” Marco said. “I can come with you. The body’s in Knoxville for an autopsy, so the funeral will probably be in a few days.”
“That would be tasteless to ask questions there,” I said, feeling slimy.
He pushed out a sigh. “I can figure out a legitimate excuse for us to go.”
Still, it felt smarmy. We would be questioning the character of a murdered man. Then again, I had no intention of approaching anyone in his family, and it would be a good opportunity to learn more about him.
“I’ve been thinkin’ about Jerry,” he said slowly, as though he anticipated my reaction and was preparing himself for it.
“And?”
“Him workin’ on Drummond’s land might be a good thing.”
My mouth fell open. “You’ve got to be kidding me.”
He held up a hand. “Now hear me out.”
I gave him a dark look.
“Jerry might be a little slow at times, but he isn’t stupid. What if he has his own reason for workin’ for Drummond?”
“And what would that be?” In my mind’s eye, I saw Bart Drummond. Then a new fear struck me. “Oh my God. Do you think Bart considers this a favor?”
His eyes widened. “What? No. Jerry didn’t ask him for a job. He said Bart offered it.”
“So why do you think Jerry took it?” I asked.
“What if Jerry means to spy on him?”
“Jerry? Spy?” I asked in shock, but after a moment’s consideration, I realized it wasn’t such a shocking suggestion after all. Jerry had shot Carson Purdy, saving our lives. He was tougher than he seemed. And yet… “He has no reason to. He has no idea we’re digging up dirt on Bart, and I’ve never heard anything about him having a personal vendetta against the Drummonds. His wife died of cancer, which not even Bart Drummond could have pulled off. It seems unlikely.”
“Maybe so, but we could try to use him.”
“First, listen to what you just said,” I said, getting irritated. “Use Jerry? The man who saved our lives?” I shook my head. “No. We will not be using Jerry.”
He reached across the table and placed his hand over mine. Tingles shot up my arm and I ached to turn my hand over and link our fingers. To prolong the moment. Which irritated me given the fact I was pissed. It made me question my judgment. Again.
“Carly, that’s not what I meant,” he said, squeezing my hand, obviously oblivious to my reaction. “It was a poor choice of words, so just hear me out. That man thinks the world of you. He’d keep an eye out for things if you asked.”
“I’m already worried about him working for the devil himself. The last thing he needs is to put himself