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THIRTEEN
Two hours later, Chase stood with Aiden outside the interrogation room. Through the clear glass walls of the police chief’s office, Faith was visible. She was feeding Anna a bottle. Her dark hair was pulled into a low ponytail and she seemed to be singing a tune. The side door to the office opened and Holly entered, bearing cups of coffee and a takeaway bag from the local bakery down the street.
Chase and Faith hadn’t discussed their kiss or the feelings sparking between them. He wanted to. Desperately. But the case had to take precedence. Faith and Anna’s safety depended on it.
“One of my officers responded to a tip that Silas was camping in the local state park.” Aiden’s words cut through Chase’s thoughts and brought his attention back to the matter at hand. “He located him on a rarely used trail. Silas had Hillary’s truck with him.”
“What does he have to say about his sister’s murder?”
“He claims to not have known until we told him.” Aiden frowned. “Truth be told, I’m tempted to believe him. Silas broke down when I informed him of Hillary’s death. But when I asked why he had her truck, he refused to say.”
“This isn’t his first run-in with the law.” Chase eyed the man sitting in the interrogation room through the small window next to the door. Silas wore a gray T-shirt and faded jeans. His tennis shoes had seen better days, and his hair was disheveled. Silas’s eyes were swollen and red from crying. Real tears? Like Aiden, Chase wanted to believe so, but he’d seen too many criminals who could fake their emotional reaction. “I’m sure Silas is afraid we’re looking to pin his sister’s murder on him.”
“Or something else. We didn’t locate any drugs in the truck or his campsite, nor were there any alcohol bottles. There was a chip from AA though. One month sober.”
AA was Alcoholics Anonymous, an organization that aided people with addiction. Chase rocked back on his heels. The chip, given to Silas for staying sober for one month, didn’t necessarily mean anything. It could be old. “Even if Silas is sober, it doesn’t mean he didn’t steal his sister’s truck or kill her.”
“Agreed, but right now, we don’t have any proof he’s done anything wrong. Officially, Silas isn’t under arrest. He’s at the station voluntarily. I can’t hold him for trespassing on state property, because he’d paid to rent the campsite. I don’t have proof he stole his sister’s vehicle either. And there’s nothing concrete linking him to the murder.” Aiden ran a hand through his hair. “Crime scene technicians are combing Hillary’s truck for evidence, but so far, they haven’t come up with anything. I was giving Silas some time to think things over before attempting to question him again.”
Frustration bit at Chase. He glanced at Faith and Anna before focusing back on the man in the interrogation room. “Let me talk to him.”
Aiden narrowed his gaze. “Can you maintain your cool?”
“Absolutely.” Chase straightened to his full height. “No one wants this case solved more than I do, and the evidence has to be rock solid. I don’t want to catch the murderer, only to have him walk free because of a technicality. I’ll do it by the book. You have my word.”
His boss studied his face for a long moment and then nodded. Chase hurried into the break room and grabbed a few waters, along with a snack for Silas. They hadn’t had any luck treating him like a criminal. Changing tactics and acknowledging he was a grieving brother might convince Silas to tell what he knew.
Chase entered the interrogation room and set the drinks down on the table. “Mr. Evans, my name is Detective Chase McKenzie. I’d like to ask you a few questions, if that’s all right.” He pushed the food across the table. “Bought you something to eat and drink. It’s well past dinnertime, and I figured you might be hungry. If you want something else, let me know and we’ll make arrangements.”
Silas barely glanced at the food. “I couldn’t think of eating.” He ran a shaky hand through his mussed hair, making the dark strands stand up on end. “Am I under arrest?”
“No, sir. As Police Chief James explained earlier, we’re investigating Hillary’s murder.” Chase held his gaze. “And we need your help to do it. The sooner you answer my questions, the faster we can get justice for your sister. All I’m interested in is the truth.”
“The truth?”
He held the other man’s gaze. “Yes.”
Silas nodded his head in agreement. Chase went through the procedural paperwork necessary to question Hillary’s brother, including advising him of his Miranda rights. Everything by the book, as he’d promised Aiden. He wanted whatever Silas said to be admissible in court.
Chase set aside the paperwork but kept his pen handy to take notes. “When was the last time you saw Hillary?”
“A few days ago. On Thursday evening.”
The night Hillary went missing. She was murdered early Friday morning. Chase’s gut tightened. That placed the victim with her brother hours before her death. Was Silas aware of that? Maybe not. Aiden had told him of Hillary’s murder but probably didn’t go into details. Chase stole a quick glance at the camera mounted on the wall. Aiden was observing the interview in an adjacent room that housed their recording equipment.
Silas opened a bottle of water and took a swig. He grimaced as though the clear liquid was distasteful. “Hillary came to my campsite with Anna…” His eyes widened. “The police chief told me Anna is okay. He was telling the truth about that, wasn’t he?”
The concern etched across Silas’s face seemed genuine, but Chase didn’t put much stock in it. Criminals, especially experienced ones, knew how to lie. “Anna’s unharmed and being kept someplace safe.”
Silas’s shoulders relaxed. “Good. Good.” He nodded. “Okay, where was I? Oh yeah, Hillary came to my campsite with Anna. I’d sent my sister an email the week before explaining to her I was sober, attending AA meetings, and had a sponsor.”
His expression grew distant as he stared at the opposite wall, as if visualizing a memory. “My relationship with Hillary hasn’t been good in the last few years. My drinking was a big part of that.” He focused back on Chase. “I reached out via email because I wanted to make amends for my past behavior.”
“And did you?”
Silas nodded. “Hillary…” His voice thickened and a thin film of tears shone in his eyes. “Hillary said she was proud of me. We spent a long time talking. Most of the afternoon, in fact. Then Hillary asked me to drive her into town and drop her off. She wanted to meet with someone but didn’t say who.”
“What time was this?”
