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Aaron left for work while Shirley and Sean were at the Raines’ house tending livestock and chickens.
Wiley and B.J. were only minutes behind Aaron. The day was just beginning.
Dani was up early, excited about signing the lease for the little cottage, and thinking about the new job and new life ahead of her. She was about to go down to breakfast when her phone rang. She sat down to take the call.
“Hello?”
“Hello. This is Sheriff Woodley calling for Dani Owens.”
“This is Dani,” she said.
“Miss Owens, Chief Warren has informed us of what you witnessed yesterday evening, and of the journal you found. We have a copy of your statement, but there are a few things we’d like to talk to you about, as well. To make it easier for you, we’d be happy to speak to you at the police department in Jubilee, rather than ask you to come here. Are you free this morning?”
“I am going by the Realtor’s office this morning to sign a lease on a rental property and pick up the keys. I guess I could go back to the police station after that.”
“Good. Good. Will around 11:00 a.m. work for you?” Woodley asked.
“Yes, sir. I’ll be there,” Dani said.
“See you then,” Woodley said, and disconnected.
“Shoot,” Dani muttered, then dropped her phone and room key into her purse and went to breakfast. She should have known it wouldn’t be over this easily.
While she was eating, she made the calls to her landlord and then the movers, and got a date for the van’s arrival in Jubilee. She was going to have to wait four more days, but it was what it was.
A couple of hours later, Dani walked into the Jubilee PD with her new house keys jingling in her purse, dreading this meeting. The deeper she got into this mess, the more it felt like she was putting herself in danger. But there was a boy fighting for his life. If shecould help find the man who shot him, then she was willing to take the risk.
What she wasn’t expecting was the same good-looking policeman waiting for her in the lobby.
“Thank you for coming, Miss Owens. I’m your escort to the conference room we have set up,” Aaron said.
Dani paused. “How is Charlie?”
“He’s holding his own and getting stronger. Not awake yet, but progressing. Thank you for asking.”
“Of course,” Dani said, and then glanced around the lobby, checking out the people waiting.
Aaron frowned. “Miss Owens? Is everything okay?” he asked.
“Yes. Sorry. Please call me Dani,” she said.
“This way, then,” he said, and walked her down to one of their conference rooms.
Aaron saw her frown as they entered the room, then saw her relax. He didn’t know what was going on with her, but she was obviously unsettled.
Chief Warren pulled out a chair for her, then began introductions.
“Miss Owens, this is Sheriff Woodley. He’s handling the Charlie Raines case because the crime happened in his jurisdiction. However, since you turned in evidence in this jurisdiction regarding his case, the Jubilee PD is officially assisting Sheriff Woodley at his request.”
Dani nodded at the sheriff and shifted anxiously in her seat as Chief Warren continued introductions. “Andthis gentleman is Keith Taggert. He does composite drawings for police departments all over the state. The rest of us, you’ve already met. Now I’m going to turn this over to Sheriff Woodley.”
Rance Woodley could tell the young woman was nervous and hoped to put her at ease.
“Thank you for agreeing to meet me here. I’m recording this interview for my case file, so would you please state your full name, address, and occupation?”
Dani took a deep breath. “Daniella Maria Owens. I just rented a property at 211 Glass Avenue. I was hired as the new first-grade teacher at Jubilee Elementary School this coming August.”
“Thank you. Now would you please describe the incident you witnessed yesterday regarding the man you saw coming up from the creek north of the music venues?” Woodley asked.
