unpleasant one, and for a moment, Casey was afraid the chief was actually going to do it.
Instead, Kay said, “Rules.” She held up a finger. “No more assaults.”
“Fine.”
Second finger. “I want to be kept informed. If you find out anything new, no matter how small, I want to be told.”
“Okay.” How was Kay going to know? Easy promise to not keep.
Third finger. “No harassing the citizens. If I find out you’re bothering people I will put an end to it.”
Casey held up her hand, as if she were swearing in. “I promise to be a good tourist.”
Kay shook her head. “Now get out of my house before I change my mind.”
So Casey fled.
With dignity.
Chapter Thirty-two
“I thought they’d never let you out.” Eric was waiting in the lobby on the other side of the bulletproof glass, and put his iPad aside.
“You and me both.” The sight of his smile gave Casey’s weary heart a lift. How had this man, whom she’d known for less than a month, become someone who could set her pulse racing? She wanted to press up against him right there in the police station, and feel his strong arms around her back. It was crazy. Where was any sense in that? She stood in front of his chair, looking down into his face. “Did they question you, too?”
“Only for an hour or so. Apparently you get treated differently when you assault a police officer.”
“I didn’t—” She cut off when she saw his grin.
“Come on.” He stood. “Let’s get out of here.”
They were on the opposite side of town from their motel, but seeing how the entire town was only a few blocks long it wasn’t a hardship.
“All that questioning made me hungry,” Casey said as they walked. “But I don’t think I can stomach that diner again.”
“Great minds, and all that,” Eric said. “I found us a place a few miles down the road.”
“You know they’re going to be watching. Some infant cop will probably try to stop us from leaving town.”
“And you’re going to let him?”
Casey looked back as they left, only to see Death gesturing frantically toward the police station. “I’m going to stay. See if I can get photos of the rest of the file. Now that you’ve asked those questions, she’s got to go through it all again. I’ll be in touch. Yikes! She’s starting!” And Death was gone.
Casey and Eric got back to their rooms, washed up, and headed out in the rental car. He made a detour down a side street and parked at the edge of a community park. Parents were out playing with their kids for this last hour before bedtime, and the air was filled with shrieks and laughter. To one side a small group of boys, from about nine to thirteen years of age, were arguing, one of the bigger ones holding a football, with one of the smaller boys in his face. As Casey watched, they worked out their differences, as boys will do, and began to play.
“What are we doing here?”
“You know that photo of Cyrus with his car? This is where he parked it.”
“I hadn’t even thought to check it out. It’s not like there will be anything left to discover.”
“Still. Want to take a quick look?” He led her down the path to the far corner of the park, which was wooded, with a moss and birdpoop-covered picnic table, alongside one of those grills that was more rust than metal, and which no self-respecting cook—or person who wanted to avoid tetanus—would ever use. On the edge of the trees was a scraggly lawn, and beside that was a small, unused parking lot, whose asphalt had become more a mine of cracks and weeds than an actual level slab. Casey pulled the photo from her pocket and tried to line it up with landmarks.
Eric pointed to the left, where the grass met the pavement. “The cop I spoke to said Cyrus was killed right about here. He and Elizabeth would park the car in the corner spot, use the picnic table for eating, and those restrooms.” A still-used, and probably updated, building sat across the park. From that distance Casey could just see the “Boys” and “Girls” signs above the opposite sides.
“Cyrus was found half-on, half-off the asphalt,” Eric continued. “As far as the cops knew, the car hadn’t been burgled. His and Elizabeth’s supper still sat on the picnic table.”
“What about her things? Did she take anything with her?”
“Apparently not. When the family