She tipped her head up the path, toward the mess hall.
He scrambled to his feet and followed her. “I wanted to talk, too. Sorry I didn’t find you last night. I discovered something.”
“What?”
“Owen’s journal from that summer. I think…” Daniel scanned his surroundings. “He was targeting Margaux. I don’t have definitive proof yet. But it’s a gut instinct.” For that reason alone, he shouldn’t be sharing his suspicions. His behavior wasn’t professional. He trusted her and wanted to include her.
“Huh.” She scrunched up her face.
“What’s up? You don’t agree?”
“I don’t know. The solution makes sense, I guess. Could Margaux’s security detail have run Owen off the road?”
“She doesn’t have any.” At least, none that Daniel had been made aware of.
He shouldn’t have said anything. Telling her only highlighted how weak his evidence and argument was. He’d never have shared his unfounded musings in the early days of an investigation with any of his deputies. He liked solid proof.
But he’d let his need to prove himself to her and their former connection spur him to openness. “Or maybe her driver was heading back to the airport at the time? Maybe it was a real accident? I don’t have specifics. I will. I promise. What did you want to talk about?”
She filled in a deep breath. “I have several things to tell you. Last night, Jennifer had sort of a strange reaction to the news about Owen.”
“How so?”
“Cold? Stilted?” Emma shook her head. “She was talking about secrets and…”
“What do you know about a hit and run involving Jennifer?”
Emma’s face went blank, her mouth dropping open.
“I overheard some other campers. This would have happened years and years ago.”
“I have no idea. When we were all talking at dinner, we remembered a time capsule. Nothing about a hit and run came up.” She tapped a finger to the cleft in her chin. “Christine mentioned trouble at home when she was a kid. I don’t know what she meant but am a little unnerved that I never saw in any distress. Was I a self-centered kid?”
“Or she’s good at hiding her true feelings?” he mused.
Emma shrugged. “More to consider. We’re heading out to the little island in the lake to dig up the time capsule. Can you join us?”
“Are you sure?” He hated the idea of traipsing through the woods. The path must be overgrown. He wasn’t sure even a machete could cut back the branches and shrubs enough for safe passage. With limited cell service, they didn’t have a guaranteed way to call for help besides his radio. Would the others agree to stick that close together in case of an emergency?
“I wasn’t. But if you really think Owen was behind the threat, then Margaux won’t have any reason to fear for her safety, although…”
“What?”
“She didn’t seem that anxious last night.” Emma shuddered. “Like she knew she was in the clear? I don’t know. I had a bad feeling about it. Between Margaux, Christine, and Jennifer, I can’t shake my worries. I know you said not to be alone with any of them. I don’t trust being in the group without you there.”
He’d always admired the way she trusted her gut instincts. If she didn’t like a situation, she got herself out. And he wasn’t liking what she told him. “I have back-up coming to help with Margaux. They should arrive tomorrow. Can we hang back and wait here?”
Emma shook her head. “No, everyone is on board with going. If we delay, we might miss the chance. The longer we’re here, the more likely we are to pack up and leave. The Thomases grief is palpable. I want to dig up the time capsule. I’m praying something might help me recover my lost memories. I want to do what I can to help solve Liz and Owen’s deaths.”
He couldn’t argue with such a noble pursuit. “What will you do after?”
“I don’t know. Make sense of everything? Find resolution? If Liz’s death wasn’t an accident or what I feared, do I have some buried clue we need?” Emma shook her head. “I can’t help but wonder if it will help with our investigation, even if I come up empty.”
“I suppose it’s worth a shot. What’s the second thing?”
“What do you think about Margaux claiming the key fob is hers?”
He shot Emma a blank look.
