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“Alex Swartz came in this morning,” Officer Cutler said. His eyes glittered strangely; it was clear they were no longer in the “nice, cozy chatter” part of their conversation. “He said some pretty strange things about you.” He swallowed. “Like... Elise, why are you on Mackinac Island right now? Business or pleasure or...”
Elise wasn’t sure what to say. Her smile waned. “I had never been here before. I learned that my mother really liked it when she was younger, and she recently died, so...”
Officer Cutler furrowed his brow. “I’m sorry to hear that.”
“Thank you.”
He seemed for a moment not to fully know what to say. “In any case...Well. Where were you during the fire last night?”
“I met these women the day before last. Anna, Tracey. Anna was getting married, and I just happened to find their little celebration near the Grand,” Elise said. “They invited Wayne and I along. I was at the restaurant where they had a little party last night. When I left, I found the Willow Grove on fire.”
“And you do know that the Willow Grove is owned by the Swartz family,” Officer Cutler said.
“I do,” Elise said. “But I only know that because Alex Swartz broke into my room and demanded that I leave the island.”
Officer Cutler’s cheeks burned red. He stuttered, then said, “The Swartz family has had a few incidents similar to this. They’re one of the richer families in the Midwest; certainly, they’re the richest on Mackinac Island. People see all that they have: that big house on the trailhead, their estate down in Florida, their sailboats and their trips across the world, and people covet it all. Alex himself had a girlfriend for a number of years, who, it seems, was using him for his money.”
So this is a personal problem.
Alex is always hunting for people who he thinks are wronging him.
He’s been wronged, and he can’t forgive the world.
“I see,” Elise said.
“Have you suggested to the Swartz family that you’re in some way related to them?” Officer Cutler said.
Elise heaved a sigh. She felt a bit like a little kid, taken into the principal’s office at school.
“I just came here to answer a few private questions I have about my life,” Elise said. “I am not here to cause anyone stress or harm. I’m certainly not here to set fire to a beautiful bed and breakfast. I loved Willow Grove.”
Office Cutler tapped his nails across his desk.
“Alex wanted me to find a way to kick you off the island. I’ll be honest with you; the Swartzes have a lot of clout around here, and it doesn’t behoove me not to pay attention to what he says. But I don’t see any reason to arrest you or force you out or...” He trailed off. “The investigation into the fire is ongoing. Maybe I can take your information down, keep you in the loop.”
“Of course,” Elise said.
Hurriedly, she wrote down her name, her phone number, her email address.
“I imagine you’ll head back to California soon, anyway, right?” Officer Cutler said, taking the form back. “Autumn is coming fast, something you Californians aren’t so used to. Right?”
Elise sensed this was a side tactic, a way for the officer to shove her back on the ferry, making her think it was “her will” to run back to the west.
“I don’t know. I’ve never experienced autumn,” Elise said. “It interests me. Maybe I’ll stick around a little while longer.”
Officer Cutler looked like a defeated dog. His shoulders fell forward; his eyes lost their light. “Okay. Well. I don’t have any more questions for you. I’ll give you a call when we know more.”
“Thank you, Officer Cutler. I appreciate it.”
