Burn You Twice - Mary Burton Page 0,97
obsessed with him.” Gideon shifted his gaze from the body to the doctor. “And if I’ve learned anything about prisoners, they are incredibly resourceful. Elijah did work in the warden’s office, so he might have had more access than most prisoners. Also check the DNA against Ryan Davis’s. He’s playing the part of the wronged boyfriend, but I’ve been surprised before.”
“Was a diamond engagement ring ever found with Lana’s body?” Joan asked.
“No. But one was found with Jessica Halpern’s remains,” Dr. Christopher said. He moved to a bin filled with the few personal belongings that had not been destroyed by the fire. He held up three baggies, each containing rings. Two were melted beyond recognition, and though the third was also misshapen, the trio of diamonds was clearly visible. She snapped several pictures.
They each thanked Dr. Christopher and, in the adjoining room, stripped off their gowns and gloves. Outside, they stepped into the sunshine and drank in fresh mountain air.
“Tucker said Lana was showing off her big engagement ring to a waitress named Nora last week. A ring like that, if it was real, required deep pockets.”
“That suggests that Lana’s boyfriend had money.”
“Let’s talk with Nora,” Joan said. “It’s critical we find this mystery boyfriend.”
Gideon called the diner and discovered that Nora’s shift would not begin for another hour, so he and Joan headed to the woman’s apartment, hoping to head her off.
They pulled up in front of the apartment building a few minutes before four. As they were getting out of the car, a woman was exiting the building. She was wearing a pink Tucker’s uniform, a heavy black sweater, and sensible white shoes.
“That must be Nora O’Neil,” he said.
“You think, Detective? If I had a nickel for all the times I put on that pink dress,” Joan said, shaking her head. “I guess if one good thing came out of the College Fire, it was that it destroyed those uniforms.”
“Too bad,” he said, almost in a whisper. “I always thought they looked good on you.”
“You’re kidding.”
He shrugged. “Nope.”
They started moving toward Nora, a tall, shapely woman with thick, dark hair tied back in a ponytail. “Ms. O’Neil,” Gideon said as he held up his badge.
Nora came to a stop, her fingers tightening around her keys, but said nothing.
“I’m Detective Gideon Bailey, and this is Joan Mason.”
“Detective,” Joan corrected. “We came to ask you a few questions about Lana Long.”
Nora’s expression did not relax. “She ate at the diner sometimes.”
“Tucker said she showed you an engagement ring at the diner last week.”
“Yeah, it was something to see. Three big diamonds. She was proud of it.” Jessica Halpern’s ring had sported three large diamonds, but when Jessica had visited the incinerated salon, she had not been wearing the diamonds.
“Do you know who gave it to her?” Joan asked.
“No clue. She hardly talked about her guy, like it was a big mystery. But she sure was thrilled to say she was getting married.”
Joan opened the photo featuring the Halpern ring. “Did it look like this?”
Nora studied the picture. “Yeah. That’s the ring.”
“How can you be sure?” Gideon asked.
“Because of the three diamonds, and the setting was high like that one.”
That ring was not cheap, and the chances of two similar ones floating around town were slim to none. “You and Lana must have talked about something,” Joan said. “Tucker said she ate at the diner a lot.”
“I asked her once why she came there, and she said her boyfriend lived nearby, in Deer Lodge.”
“That’s over an hour away,” Gideon said. “Why would she not live there or in Helena?”
“Because her beau was planning on moving back to Missoula.”
“Was he a prisoner?” Gideon asked.
“That wouldn’t surprise me. Highest concentration of men in Deer Lodge are locked up.”
“Did he give her the ring, or did she pick it out?” Joan asked.
“I don’t know. I had orders to fill, and Dan hates it when I talk to the customers too long.” She glanced at her watch. “Speaking of which, I got to go. Dan’s not at the diner right now.”
“Where is he?” Gideon asked.
“He took the afternoon off to help my mom, if you can believe it.”
“What’s he doing?” Gideon asked.
“Mom’s been after him to help set up her iPad.”
“That’s some boss,” Joan said.
“Little secret,” Nora said. “We’re dating.”
“Where was he last night?” Gideon asked.
“Don’t know. You’ll have to ask him. He’ll be back at the diner tomorrow.”
Gideon handed her his card. “Call me if you think of anything.”
She shoved the card in her