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Jenna removed one glove then reached into her pocket for her notepad and slid the pen from the side attachment. “Can you tell me your whereabouts on Friday night during the hours of eleven and one?”
“In bed asleep.” He huffed out a cloud of steam. “I went to bed about ten thirty. You can ask the wife.”
“What about Monday morning?”
“I came into work to meet a client at eight, took them to view the apartment beside the bank here in town. We went to Aunt Betty’s for a snack and stayed there until about ten, I believe. It’s nice and warm in the restaurant and, like you, the client has a problem with cigars. I took all the paperwork with me and we did the deal in the café.” He frowned. “Plenty of people saw me there, why?”
“Just routine enquiries.” She indicated with her chin toward the cream SUV in the driveway. “That your only vehicle?”
“No, I have an old Ford pickup back at the ranch.” Davis raised both eyebrows. “I use it to collect the chicken feed from town once in a while. I don’t like stinking up my SUV in case I have to drive clients around to properties.”
Maybe give up smoking cigars would help as well. “When did you last drive the vehicle to town?”
Davis had a look of surprise rather than the expression of someone caught in the act of a crime.
“Last day of the month.” He scratched his chin and eyed her with curiosity. “You can speak to old Mr. Todd at the produce store. I pick up my order same time every month. Is there a reason you want to know about my old car?”
“Like I said, it’s just routine enquiries.” Jenna smiled at him. “Does anyone else have access to the vehicle?”
“No, my wife doesn’t drive.” He rubbed his chin and gave her a worried look.
“Would you mind if I send an officer to take some photographs, to eliminate it from our investigation?”
“Not at all. I’ll call my wife and tell her to expect you.” He pulled his coat closer around his rotund body. “Did the Woodward girl have any luck finding her grandmother? She said she’d drop by and let me know.”
Seeing a natural way into questioning him about the information he had given Sarah, Jenna shook her head. “I haven’t spoken to her since Saturday. Did you point her in any particular direction?”
“Well, Mrs. Woodward didn’t want a big place but she had the money to make an older home comfortable. There are only a few on my books but I do remember suggesting the Old Mitcham Ranch because the owners have kept up the running of the place. It has water and it only needs reconnection to the grid.”
She blew out her breath in a cloud of steam. “It’s a shame you didn’t remember about Mrs. Woodward’s interest in the Old Mitcham Ranch the last time we spoke to you.”
“I remembered her face but it wasn’t until I read over the list of properties and my attached notes I recalled our conversation.” His brows knitted. “Old age plays havoc with memory. Days turn into years, it’s hard to keep track.”
“I believe you sold Stan Clough’s old property before he went to jail?”
“Yeah, he needed the money to pay his lawyer.” Davis’s expression became closed and defensive. “I can’t give you details. I believe there are privacy laws concerning any type of deals.”
“You sold him a new property when he got out of jail as well, didn’t you?” Jenna shot him a hard glance. “I don’t want to know the cash details of the deal but you must know I only have to go to the Lands Records Office to find out who owns what property. Do you know it would be a violation of his parole if I don’t know his current address? You wouldn’t want me to have to arrest him again, would you?”
“Okay, okay.” Davis gave her a beaten look. “I sold him a piggery. He wanted something isolated. After what happened, he isn’t too social. The property runs close to the border of the Daniels’ ranch on Rocky Mile Road, and before you ask, yes, there are a couple of properties in that area on the list I gave Miss Woodward.”
Another thought percolated into her mind. “Just one more thing. Did you mention who owned the Old Mitcham Ranch to Miss Woodward?”
“The owners’ names and contact details of all the properties are on the list I gave her—and you.”
Had Sarah called someone before her death? She nodded, pushing down her annoyance. “Of course, thank you for sending the list to my office.” She pushed on. “When was the last time you spoke to Stan Clough, or noticed him in town?”
“That would be Monday. He doesn’t have cellphone reception out there and no landline as yet but he does come into town to pick up supplies.” Davis paled slightly. “I noticed him waiting out the front of Miller’s Garage by the gas pumps. He was probably waiting for the store to open so he could fill his pickup.”
“You are sure you saw Mr. Clough before eight on Monday morning?”
“I’m sure. Like I told you before, I had to meet a client here at eight and I noticed Miller’s Garage didn’t have the lights on the pumps.” Davis gave her an annoyed glare. “They never open before eight in winter.” He gave her a pained expression. “Is that all?”
She closed the notebook and slid the pen into its holder. “Okay, that’s all I need. Thank you.?
??
“Any time.”
