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“And this is your big secret? The one that you couldn’t sharewith me, even in confidence, instead forcing me to consider you a primary suspect when a few words would have cleared up the misunderstanding.”
She says nothing.
“Seriously?” I shake the bag. “You know this is legal in Canada, right? That no one would give a shit about it, and if you were really concerned about your image, you could have brought in edibles?”
“Edibles don’t work for me.” She turns to Anders. “You can leave now, Deputy. Take the dog back to town. Casey and I will return together.”
He looks at her and then laughs. “Uh, no.”
“I need to speak to her in private.”
“Then you’ll come back to town and do so there. This ‘secret’ of yours doesn’t make any sense, so I’m sure as hell not leaving you here with Casey. If you’re concerned about me sharing whatever you tell her, my record speaks for itself. I know how to keep a confidence.”
“When you’re sober, maybe, but I am aware you have a drinking problem.”
He stares at her. “Wow. That’s…”
“Blunt? Yes. And no, your friends didn’t tell me. I need to know who I’m working with, and that is important data, which I obtained.”
“All right then. I have a problem. I could say I haven’t had more than an evening beer in nearly two years, but that’d be none of your business. Your concern is that I might not keep my mouth shut when I’m drunk, but if that was an issue, how long do you think I’d have lasted as town deputy?”
“That was out of line, Yolanda,” I say. “But obviously Will is right. No matter how incredible he is as a deputy, Eric would have let him go long ago if he had a problem keeping confidentiality. I respect your right to privacy. I really do. But you’ve been throwing your weight around, blocking me on an investigation that you claim to want. If you insist on privacy for this discussion, then we’re having it back in town, because I’m not staying out here alone with you.”
“Fine.” She takes the backpack from me and returns it to its hiding spot. “Let’s go.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
Once we’re in town, I expect Yolanda will want to talk at the town hall or—for added privacy—our house outside town. Instead, she heads to the clinic.
“April will be in there,” I say. “She’ll have gone to bed by now. It’s after eleven.”
“Then I would like to wake her for this conversation.”
I’m about to comment on that when I see a light on in the clinic. “Looks like she’s up late.”
I leave Storm with Anders, and the two of them set out to find Dalton.
The clinic front door is open, but when I go inside, the one between the waiting room and the clinic is locked. That’s why Gunnar hadn’t barged in earlier. April has been locking it with a note telling people that it is past clinic hours and if they have an emergency, they are to ring the bell on the rear door instead.
I double-check that light emanates from under the door. Inside, a cupboard door clicks shuts.
“April?” I say.
No answer. The squeak of a shoe on the floor, which sheinsisted be easy-to-clean linoleum. I glance over my shoulder at Yolanda. Then I reach for my gun.
“April?” I say.
Still no answer. Gun in hand, I consider my options. If there’s someone inside, the back door must be unlocked. But would April leave it that way after the other night?
I turn to Yolanda and whisper, “Do you have the key—?”
The door opens, April standing there. Her gaze drops to my gun.
“You are lucky I’m the one who opened the door, Casey,” she says. “We have a killer in town. You don’t want to be sneaking about carrying your gun.”
“I’m carrying my gun because I thought it wasn’t you behind that door. You didn’t answer me.”
“I was in the middle of a task.” She looks at Yolanda. “It is rather late, but as long as you are here, I will require an assistant tomorrow morning.”
