“Well,” Mason took a moment to think about his answer. “A person can dry drown, but it normally happens with kids.”
“So you support the suicide by drowning result?”
“No,” he said with a headshake and another drink of water. “It just doesn’t settle, but we don’t have the time to research cases that don’t make the news.”
I sucked the last of my iced coffee, trying to wet my suddenly dry throat. I sat back in my seat. A chill cooled my arms, fighting against the city’s heat.
“Anything else?” Mason asked.
Yeah, like a million things, but nothing that the reporter might answer.
This meeting with Mason shook me harder than I wanted to admit.
We made quick goodbyes, and I was deep in my thoughts as Dane and I left the café.
“Dane, I have bad news,” I said as we walked back toward our place.
“Let me guess.” Dane sighed. “Another ghost tour. Possibly a séance this time?”
He was so far off.
“We have to break into Boone Hall.”
14
“No,” Dane said, holding up his hand in front of him. “Absolutely not.”
“Yes, absolutely so.” We stopped at a corner and waited to cross. “How else will we find out who killed William to take his job?”
I’d put an entire theory together while interviewing Mason and figured out what happened to William.
It was simple, really.
He’d gotten the job at the plantation, but someone else in the running wanted it more. They tracked William to the boat that night, drugged him, and pushed him overboard. Easy peasy. Once we learned who got that coveted position at Boone, we’d have our killer.
“You were going to look online and find out who they hired. There’s no need to risk a jail sentence,” he said as we passed the City Market.
At some point, I needed to stop there and pick up a few souvenirs. I tried to buy something special from each of the different cities I visited while doing research. It was better than the plastic junk I eventually threw away. I did a little window shopping at each booth visible as we walked past.
“I did,” I said once we were past, and I returned my attention to Dane. “But they never announced the new hire. They aren’t listed online under the employees’ section on the website.”
How were we going to figure out the killer without getting ahold of those records?
“Listen, Dane,” I said, using my best in-charge voice. “This is my investigation, and we do it as I think is best.”
He reared back an inch and blinked. “Is that so?”
“Yes,” I said and crossed my arms. He’d see the genius of my plan when it all came together.
“I have access to some useful resources.” Dane started across the street two steps before me.
“We’re hitting too many dead ends, Dane. Now is the time to move forward. This is the connection we need to break the case wide open.” And find the killer, solve the case, and go home winners. “This is it. I can feel it.”
“I can’t.” He slowed his steps enough to make eye contact with me and hold it.
Why did he have such pretty eyes? It made it more annoying when he looked at me like that.
“Fine,” I said and stopped in the middle of the sidewalk. People walked around us. “If not Boone Hall, where can I break into?”
