Settling an Old Score - Delores Fossen Page 0,40

of that. They’ve been checking on her. I’ll have them talk to her to see if she wants police protection.”

Ashlyn didn’t exactly breathe easier about that, but she was glad Eli was already on top of it. Maybe it would be enough. While she was hoping, she added that maybe Oscar and Remy would give them some information that would help put an end to the danger.

“Dominick should be here soon,” Eli reminded her. “But I’d like to hear what Remy’s saying to Kellan.”

Ashlyn did as well, and she followed Eli to observation, which was located between the two interview rooms. Oscar sat alone in one of them, but Kellan appeared to already be deep into questioning Remy. Remy looked just as flustered and upset as he had been earlier when he’d confronted Oscar.

“You believe Remy didn’t know about Marta’s empty grave?” Ashlyn came out and asked.

“I’m not sure. He’s lying about something. What, exactly, I don’t know. But if Marta’s truly alive, I can’t see Remy not knowing about it.”

She agreed, so maybe what Remy was lying about was his part in the attacks. After all, he had money, too, and while there had been a cash withdrawal from his account, it wasn’t as large as the one Dominick had made. However, it didn’t mean Remy hadn’t gotten his hands on the cash to do the job.

“If Oscar knew the gunmen, Remy could have, too,” Eli pointed out. Then he paused. “But without the money trail, we don’t have probable cause to hold Remy. Besides, letting him go might give us more answers.”

Ashlyn looked at him and thought about that for a moment. “You’re going to put a tail on him?”

Eli nodded. “If he knows anything about Marta, we’ll soon find out.”

Good. Even if Remy wasn’t up to something illegal, they might be able to exclude him as a suspect. And if he was guilty, then Eli could arrest him. However, this could go well beyond that.

If Marta was alive, Remy might lead them to her.

Just considering that possibility sent Ashlyn’s heart into a tailspin. All this time she’d grieved for her friend. No, more than that. She’d felt guilty for not being able to save Marta. Ashlyn would be relieved if Marta was actually alive, but it was going to cause an avalanche of emotions that her friend had let her believe that she was dead. And more. Maybe Marta had been the one to hire the gunmen.

Ashlyn continued to watch as Kellan pressed Remy on the subject of those hired guns. And as expected, Remy denied everything. No way would he just confess to hiring hit men when there was no solid evidence against him. Kellan pressed on Marta, too, but again nothing. After that, Kellan was forced to let him go.

Remy stormed out, and as he went past the observation room, he shot Eli and her a glare. Kellan came out as well. No glare from him. Just the same signs of frustration that Ashlyn was sure were on her face.

“I need some coffee,” Kellan said to Eli. “If you’ve got anything to ask Oscar, you’d better do it now before I start the official interview.”

Ashlyn knew that was the advantage of having a brother who was a sheriff. If Kellan had gone by the book on this, Eli and she wouldn’t have been a part of this.

Eli thanked Kellan and didn’t waste any time going into the interview room with Oscar. Ashlyn stayed right by Eli’s side in the doorway.

“You’re here to have another go at me,” Oscar immediately snarled.

“Jay Hamby,” Eli said, not responding to the man’s comment.

As Ashlyn had done with Remy, she watched Oscar to see how he reacted to that name. But Oscar merely shrugged. “I know him. He’s a bouncer at a bar just up the street from my shop.”

Eli didn’t say anything else. He just stared at Oscar and waited for the man to continue.

Oscar finally cursed, and his mouth twisted as if he’d gotten a bad taste of something. “Let me guess—he’s the guy you shot and killed at Ashlyn’s place.”

“How’d you know about that?” Eli fired back.

“Word gets around.” Oscar cursed again, shook his head. “And now I get why I’m here. You think because I know...knew Jay Hamby that I hired him to take shots at you. I didn’t.”

“Any reason I should believe you?” Eli asked.

Oscar’s eyes narrowed to slits. “Yeah. Because it’s the truth.” He looked away from Eli and repeated some of that profanity