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“That’s what she gets for snooping?” the mayor said, before I could respond to Marsh. “Though it didn’t teach her a lesson.”
“So, it was you and Marsh talking that day,” I said, looking straight at him.
“Is that what this is about, Marsh and me talking privately and you hanging out of a window at Yesterday’s Treasures to listen to our conversation?” the mayor asked, looking relieved.
“Not only then, but in Marsh’s garage as well,” I said, though I hadn’t heard all of it, but he didn’t need to know that. “Marsh is right. It’s time you owned up to the truth.”
That expression came to mind—he looked like a deer caught in the headlights—I saw that now in the mayor. He was caught and he didn’t know what to do.
“You’re just trying to get dirt on me for the election, making it easier for your mother to win against me,” the mayor said. To my father, he added, “Your daughter snooped on a private conversation. I don’t need to tell you anything.”
“When it pertains to a murder case, you certainly do have to tell me,” my dad said.
“The sheriff is right,” Marsh said. “I’m tired of keeping your secret, especially now that Travis has been found.”
“People won’t like that you kept quiet all these years,” the mayor warned, trying to get Marsh to keep silent. “Your business will suffer.”
“A fit punishment for my crime,” Marsh said.
“Did you kill Travis, Mayor?” my dad demanded.
The mayor’s eyes popped wide. “Are you crazy asking me that? My dad would have never covered up a murder, not even for me.”
My dad couldn’t hide his shock. “Are you saying your dad did cover something up for you?”
I waited, not believing it myself. Could Sheriff Barrett have hid something pertaining to the murder, something that had prevented it from being solved?
The mayor clamped his mouth shut.
Marsh shook his head. “It’s over, James. It’s time for the truth. Travis and Rita deserve it.” He looked to my dad. “James arrived home with bruises from a fight the day before Rita was found murdered. He told his dad it was nothing more than a guy thing and it was settled. It was settled all right. It was that day he started and stopped selling drugs. Travis caught James trying to give Rita free samples. Rita wanted no part of it.” Marsh nodded at the mayor. “He always had a thing for her, but she had no interest in him. I was there when Travis caught him giving Rita pot. Travis vehemently opposed drugs. He gave James a good beating and told him he was going to tell the sheriff. James sobbed and begged him not to do it. After we learned Rita was found dead and there was no sign of Travis. James begged me not to tell anyone and I stupidly agreed.”
“For a sum,” the mayor reminded.
“Yeah, hunger will have you taking whatever money you can get, to feed your mom and siblings, against your better judgment. But I’m not in that position anymore. I can speak the truth without worry.”
“Tell me everything, Mayor,” my dad ordered.
The mayor wore his defeat on his face. “I stupidly wanted some fast money since my dad told me I’d have to work to get my own car.” He shook his head. “It was a dumb thing to do. My dad suspected there was something more to my story. He thought I might have seen something, took a beating for it, and was afraid to speak up. He was right about one thing. I was afraid. I thought Travis killed Rita and that he might come after me out of pure spite. So, I confessed everything to my dad, including it was the first time I ever sold drugs… and the last. I never saw my dad look so frightened. He knew it didn’t look good for me, so he told me to keep my mouth shut and I was never to sell drugs again or he’d turn me in himself. I gave him my word, since I hadn’t planned to ever do it again. The fright of the whole situation scared me straight. I went to Marsh to get him to agree never to speak of what had happened since he was the only one who could bear witness to my foolishness. He was reluctant but I offered him what little money I had, one hundred dollars, and like he said I knew his family was hurting and one hundred would be a whole lot more to them.”
“It sure was to me and my family,” Marsh said.
“And how did your supplier react when you told him you wouldn’t be working for him anymore?” my dad asked, and my ears perked up—a possible murder suspect.
“It didn’t matter. All drug dealing ended with Rita’s murder,” the mayor said.
