To Love and to Perish - By Lisa Bork Page 0,47

get Ray to admit it, but I’m sure he thinks so, too.”

I remained silent.

She popped up from her chair, still clutching her briefcase. “I’m going out to the car to make a few phone calls. They’re through questioning Brennan until they get Cory’s story and yours. Then they’ll start in on Brennan again. I’m going to line up an investigator for whatever comes to light here today.”

She leaned down toward me. “Listen, Jolene, just tell them the good, the bad, and the ugly. I can’t help Brennan if I don’t know the whole story. Neither can Ray or anyone else. Will you do that for me?”

She didn’t wait for my answer. Maybe she already knew what it was. I wished I did.

The bad and the ugly could cost Cory his relationship with Brennan. It could cost Cory and me our friendship. My business might need to hire a new mechanic. On the other hand, a killer was definitely on the loose in our hometown. Again. Last time he might have been caught sooner if I’d been more open with Ray during the investigation.

When the door opened forty minutes later and they called me in, I felt like I was walking the plank. The sheriff himself, who bears a great resemblance to a most familiar and right jolly old elf, interviewed me along with Max, Ray’s peer. They simply asked for my story.

And I told them the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.

So help all of us.

_____

Ray was nowhere in sight when I left the department. I wondered if he’d been dispatched to interview any one of the people I’d named or perhaps to get a search warrant signed for Brennan’s home. The sheriff’s eyes had sparkled at the mention of the yearbook and the check registers. Brennan and Catherine were in for a long night. I wouldn’t expect Ray home on time.

Cory was in the waiting room. We walked out to his car in

silence. Only after we were safely inside its cocoon did we speak—simultaneously. “I told them about the check registers.”

We both laughed with relief.

Cory leaned back against the headrest. “I was afraid you wouldn’t tell and you’d get in trouble.”

“I was afraid if I told and you didn’t, you’d hate me.”

“No way, Jo. We go back too far.” He sighed. “I feel like a huge weight has been lifted off my chest. I don’t think Brennan is guilty, and the only way they’re ever going to find Wayne Engle’s killer now is to know all the facts. If Brennan hates me forever, then so be it. And if by some bizarre twist of fate, he is a killer then I’m just lucky to find out now before I invest any more in our relationship. The truth will set you free.”

I smiled at the all-too-familiar gift shop quote. We all spent too much time in our tourist town, which had its share of clichés for sale. “I have to admit I feel better, too. Let the professionals handle it. I’m happy to sit this one out.”

“I doubt they’re finished with us yet.”

“I saw Catherine Thomas before I met with the sheriff. She wanted me to tell her the whole story. I wasn’t comfortable telling her then, but now, hey, the sheriff didn’t tell me to keep quiet. He did ask me to stay away from everyone we spoke to. What about you?”

“The same. If Catherine asks again, I don’t see why we can’t talk to her. It’s in the interest of learning the truth, right?”

“Right.” Still, I wondered what Ray would say about that. I’d ask him later.

Cory and I drove back to the shop, stopping to pick up submarines for a late lunch. The answering machine light wasn’t blinking when we entered the shop. We set up lunch on my desk.

I bit into my tuna submarine.

Cory’s roast beef remained wrapped.

“What’s wrong?”

“They’re probably talking to Brennan now, interrogating him.”

I chewed and swallowed. “I’m sure they are. But they’ll figure this out. We were just the catalyst.”

“We must know the killer.”

“I’m sure we do, but for the life of me, I don’t know which person it is.”

Cory shook his head. “We don’t even know for sure if we’re looking for one killer or two. And James Gleason’s death could still have been an accident.”

“The sheriff wanted to get the original of that YouTube video I found on the Internet. He said maybe they could enhance it to see the crowd behind James and Brennan better. Before he