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“I did. The day before she left town, as a matter of fact.”
None of the money had been found, either in Stephanie’s vehicle nor at her house. Claire had spoken to her extended family members personally. Stephanie hadn’t owned much. Her bank account, at the time of her death, had three hundred dollars in it.
So what happened to the cash?
Patrick’s brow furrowed. “Sheriff King knew all about this. I told him myself. It’s part of the reason he believed Stephanie left town.”
Anger washed over Claire and it took everything inside her to keep from balling her hands into fists. Randy King purposefully left out pertinent information in his case file and when they spoke to him on his farm. To protect the Scott family. Claire wasn’t surprised—Sheriff King and Mayor Scott were old friends—but his decision infuriated her all the same. He’d put people’s lives at risk. Gavin’s. Her son’s.
She would deal with Randy King, but at the moment, Claire had bigger issues. She took a deep breath to temper her anger so it wouldn’t bleed into her voice. “When did you tell Ian about giving Stephanie the money?”
“After she left town.” His gaze skipped between Claire and Gavin. “I fail to see why these questions are relevant.”
“They’re trying to prove Ian murdered Stephanie.” Heather’s tone was hard. Her ruby lips flattened into a thin line and hatred seemed to seep from her pores as she stared Claire down.
A cold finger of doubt crept down Claire’s spine as a memory bubbled to the surface. Ian wasn’t the only one who lied about his relationship with Stephanie. Heather had too.
Patrick straightened. “I told you, my son had nothing to do with Stephanie’s murder.”
There was a ring of sincerity in his words. Patrick could be telling the truth. Or he could be protecting his son at any costs. It was time to hit the mayor with some evidence and see where that got her.
“Two years ago, about a week before Stephanie’s murder, you filed a police report notifying authorities that a handgun had been stolen from your home. We’ve found the weapon. Can you explain how it ended up buried with Stephanie in her car at the bottom of the lake?”
Patrick’s expression hardened, and he adjusted his suit jacket as if he was going to battle. “Clearly, there were details missing from the police report. That handgun was stored next to my bedside in an unlocked drawer. I noticed it missing after I had a campaign event in my home. Half of Fulton County attended. Anyone could’ve stolen it.”
Gavin’s brows arched. “A guest in your home went upstairs, into your bedroom, and stole a handgun? That’s very specific. Was anything else taken?”
“Some of my late wife’s jewelry. I don’t suppose you recovered any of that in Stephanie’s car?”
His tone was sarcastic, and it grated on Claire’s patience. This wasn’t a joke or a game. “The missing jewelry wasn’t listed among the stolen items.”
He shrugged. “The deputy must’ve forgotten to include it.”
“I’ve had enough of this.” Heather’s posture straightened as heat colored her cheeks. “Ian didn’t murder anyone and I can prove it. Sheriff, you believe the same person killed Stephanie and Faye. Well, we were all having dinner together—Ian, the mayor, and I—at my home on the night Faye died. My chef made salmon.”
Patrick placed a hand on Heather’s shoulder. “She’s right. Ian and I were speaking about our family’s grocery business for hours afterward. I was with him until well after midnight. Talk to the head housekeeper. She’ll tell you the same.” He arched a brow, as if challenging them to argue. “In the meantime, if you have any other questions, contact my attorney. We need to check on Ian.”
Heather rose. She gripped her bag with one hand. “Sheriff. Ranger Sterling.”
Patrick escorted his daughter-in-law to the door. He waited until she crossed over the threshold before turning back to face Claire. “Thank you for saving my son, Sheriff. You’ve done a good deed for my family today, so I’m going to give you a piece of advice. You’re skating a thin line. Don’t make an enemy of me. It won’t bode well for you.”
Beside her, Gavin stiffened. Claire held the mayor’s gaze, despite the tangle of dread curling in her stomach. “I told you when this case started, I will see it through to the end. No one—including you—will stop me from doing my job.”
Patrick’s glare could melt glaciers. He spun around and left the room, slamming the door behind him.
Sixteen
Gavin hung up his phone, frustration nipping at him. “I hate to say it, but Mayor Scott was right. Ryker interviewed the head housekeeper. According to her, the family had dinner together on the night Faye was murdered. Heather had a headache and went to bed early. Mayor Scott and Ian discussed business in the study until eleven thirty. The housekeeper was in and out of the room frequently, bringing drinks and additional food. The mayor left around eleven thirty. Neither man could’ve killed Faye.”
Claire was silent for a long moment. She stood in front of the whiteboard, studying the timeline and crime scene photos. The noise from the deputies beyond the glass walls of her office filtered in. Keith, Claire’s chief deputy, rose from his desk and disappeared into the break room. Probably for coffee. Gavin was tempted to grab a cup for himself. It’d been an emotionally draining day and his energy was waning.
“This doesn’t make sense,” Claire said, drawing Gavin’s attention back to her. She’d changed into a fresh uniform after the hospital. The crisp creases and polished badge matched the determination in her voice. “Every one of our suspects has an alibi for at least one of the murders. Either someone is lying or—”
Claire inhaled sharply and her eyes widened. “There’s more than one person involved. We could be looking at two killers, working together.”
All thoughts of caffeine fled as a jolt of adrenaline shot through Gavin’s veins. “That’s an interesting thought.”
“It’s something I’ve been pondering for a while. Stephanie’s car was pulled into the lake using a boat. It’s technically possible that one person could accomplish it, but it makes a lot more sense if two people are involved.”
