Page 101 of Indigo Ridge (The Edens 1)

“Yes. It’s awful. These kids . . . they’re just kids.” Heartfelt sympathy filled his voice.

“It is awful.”

A crease formed between his graying eyebrows. “You don’t think I had something to do with it, do you? I never even knew those girls.”

“Tell me more about how you found the purse.”

He cocked his head, staring at the object in question. “I thought you wanted the purse because it was stolen or something. Same with the wallet. Figured you’d tell me when we got here. I get it now. You think I had something to do with those girls, don’t you?”

Instead of answering, I leaned forward, bracing my elbows on the edge of the desk. “When did you find the purse?”

“I’m no killer.” He gritted his teeth, not answering my question. “I’m losing my mind. I’m losing myself. That’s a humbling realization for a man. To know that there’s not a damn thing I can do to stop it. I’m facing my own mortality, Ms. Covington. Not murdering innocent girls.” The color in his cheeks turned pink. His shoulders stiffened.

“Let’s just talk about the purse.”

“Whose was it?”

“Harmony Hardt.”

He dropped his gaze. “Was that the woman Harrison found? Or Griffin?”

“Griffin,” I answered. “When did you find this purse?”

“What day is it?”

“Wednesday.”

“Sunday.”

That was the day of the fire. “You’re sure? This past Sunday?”

“Yes. I went for a hike early that morning. Came home. Put them on my bookshelf to sort out later. Went outside to do some yard work, and well . . . you were there.”

Then he’d had an episode.

“Was the wallet inside when you found it?”

“No.”

“Where did you find the wallet?”

“Same place on Sunday. Both were together.”

Harmony Hardt had died years before Lily Green. Those pieces shouldn’t have been together.

Unless Lily Green had kept a purse like Harmony Hardt’s. I’d assumed at first that the H monogram had been for Harmony but maybe it was the designer’s logo. When I’d gone to identify the purse, I’d started with Harmony’s mother. When she’d recognized it, I hadn’t cross-checked it with Melina Green.

I’d be making a stop after taking Briggs home. And doing more research on the origin of this purse.

“Did you find the purse or wallet first?” I asked.

“The wallet. It was right in the middle of my usual trail. Nearly stepped on it.”

“Where was the purse?”

“In a bush about thirty feet away.”

“On the trail?”