Dead of Winter (Cold Case Psychic #15) - Pandora Pine Page 0,58
for her that night. I should have been there to keep her safe, but instead I was stuck with weeks of Geometry homework I’d blown off to spend time with Skye. It wasn’t until I went to rehab and started working my program that I was able to let go of the guilt and grief.” Kyle paused, turning his complete attention to Ronan. “Only a stranger could have killed such a bright light and have been able to go on with their life. No one who knew Skye could have done this to her and remained whole.”
“Do you know the main reasons why people commit murder?” Ronan asked casually.
Kyle shot Ronan a confused look. “I can’t say I’ve ever thought about it before.”
“One of the big reasons is jealousy. Were there people in Skye’s life who were jealous of her? Or of her relationship with you?”
Kyle frowned. “I didn’t want to mention it, but I suppose I have to, especially in light of what happened to Jennifer Baldwin.”
“Go on,” Ronan urged.
Kyle raked a hand through his short hair. “Like I said, I’d known all those girls since I was five years old. Just because I found myself falling in love with Skye didn’t mean the same was going to happen with her friends. At one time or another, all of those girls came on to me.” He paused, looking back and forth between Ten and Ronan. “I know you’re thinking I was just this hormonal kid who thought the world wanted me, but…”
“We don’t think that at all. Jennifer as much as admitted it to us.” Ten shot Ronan a questioning look.
Ronan knew exactly what Tennyson was hinting at. “Jennifer made mention that the two of you may have gotten together after Skye’s death.”
Kyle dry heaved. He bolted out of his seat and rested his face against one of the front windows.
“Are you okay?” Tennyson motioned the staff for a glass of water before going to Kyle and escorting him back to his seat. A volunteer with a nametag reading “Elle” brought him a paper cup filled with water.
“I’ve spent the last thirty-five years trying to block that night from my mind. I was drunk. I wasn’t sure at the time, but I thought Jennifer was feeding me as much booze as she could so I’d give in to her. Now that I’m older, I’m certain that’s what she did.”
“Are you saying she sexually assaulted you?” Ronan asked.
“No. Not at all. I might have been drunk, but I knew what I was doing. Well, until the end when I called out Skye’s name.”
Ronan cringed. “I’m sure that didn’t go well.”
“It didn’t. I think she hit me. I was too drunk and grief-stricken to care. I never saw Jennifer like that again.”
“Why did you call this place Skye’s the Limit?” Ten’s face brightened, looking like he was happy to change the subject.
Kyle smiled. His first real one of the interview. “I’d done so many bad things in Skye’s name, the food pantry was the one good thing I could do for her memory.”
The bell over the front door dinged. A group of people walked in and headed to the counter. Ronan heard them asking for hot lunches. His gut tightened. Homelessness and hunger were two things that always made him open his wallet. “Thank you for your time.” He shook Kyle’s hand.
Tennyson followed suit. “If there’s ever anything I can do to help you…”
Kyle nodded. “I just want to be happy.”
“You will be.” Ten smiled before walking toward Ronan who held the door for him.
“What was that about?” Ronan asked. The last thing Ronan needed was his husband cozying up to Skye’s possible killer.
“I let Kyle know that I was available if he needed anything.”
“Dammit, Ten, we don’t even know if this man killed Skye or Jennifer for that matter.” Ronan’s gut instinct wasn’t telling him Kyle was the killer, but he wasn’t infallible. Ronan had been wrong before.
“Yes, we do, Ronan. We both know Kyle had nothing to do with either woman’s death.”
Ronan frowned. “You might have a point, but there’s no one to prove or disprove his alibi.” Ten was probably right, and he knew it. “If Kyle isn’t the killer, then who is?”
“It’s got to be someone closer to home. Her parents or siblings.”
“What about strangers?” If this killing had come at the hands of a stranger, there was no possible way they would ever find him or her. Stranger danger also didn’t explain Jennifer’s murder.