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“Why?” my dad asked.
The mayor paled. “The supplier’s daughter was murdered.”
Everyone there stared at the mayor in disbelief.
“Are you saying that Pete Carson, Rita’s dad was your supplier?” my dad asked in disbelief.
The mayor nodded. “He supplied me with mostly pot, though he also had crack, the rage back then, but I didn’t touch that stuff.”
“Did you tell your dad that?” my dad asked.
The mayor shook his head. “Absolutely not. I wasn’t going to take the chance. I had no idea what kind of hell might rain down on me or my family if I snitched. I told my dad that I lost the guy’s number after telling him I wanted out, but if he called I’d let him know. My dad never asked again, and we never spoke about it after that. I think both of us just wanted my foolish mistake to be over and done.”
“Why in heavens name did you push for an investigation into Rita’s death knowing all this?” my dad asked.
“I figured you would fail in your effort, since the people involved are dead or long gone and the townspeople would be disappointed, and you would lose the next election. Then I could get my man in there.” His chin went up defiantly. “You can’t arrest me for this, Sheriff, it was too long ago?”
“Unfortunately, you’re right. It’s been too long, but your dad’s excellent reputation will forever be tarnished as well as all the good he has ever done, and he did plenty after the Carson murder, no doubt to make up for what he had failed to do for Rita. It’s a shame. I always thought him a good, decent man, now because he never made you admit the truth, the murderer of three people will probably never be found.”
“And me, Sheriff?” Marsh asked nervously.
“I don’t have to tell you how wrong you were for not coming forward, but there’s nothing that can be done about that now.”
“So, you’re going to tell everyone?” the mayor said, standing and drawing his shoulders back as if to intimidate. “You will purposely ruin my father’s legacy?”
My dad stepped from around his desk toward the mayor. “Your dad ruined that the day he lied for you. I won’t cover for you like your father did. The truth will be made known, and we can start a proper investigation since we now know drugs were involved which broadens the suspect field. But it will make it even more difficult since it was thirty-five years ago. Your dad was frightened for you back then because he’d just found out that a big drug bust was about to go down by the college. He probably worried you could somehow be implicated. You and he were lucky you weren’t caught up in it, though how Pete Carson wasn’t found out is a mystery. I strongly suggest you resign as mayor so a special election can be held to find someone to replace you.”
“Your wife by any chance?” the mayor asked as if he cared for nothing else.
“At least my Sally would make an honest mayor,” my dad said. “Think on it, James, before the town sees you tarred and feathered so to speak.”
“We’ll see about that,” the mayor said and went to leave.
My dad stepped in front of him. “You may not be arrested, but you are obligated to give a detailed statement to the police about what happened back then, and it will be added to the Carson murder file. Officer Randall here will take you to an interrogation room where you can do that right now.”
The mayor looked ready to argue and stopped. “I will gladly give you a statement and express my deep remorse over my youthful indiscretion and my dad’s love to protect his foolish son.”
“Officer Randall, make sure it’s detailed,” my dad said and turned to Marsh. “You as well need to give a statement.”
He called the front desk to have Josh and Ian sent back to his office.
My dad gave Josh a brief rundown of what he’d been told, and Josh couldn’t hide his shock.
“Take Marsh to an interrogation room and make sure he gives you a detailed statement of what happened,” my dad ordered.
“Those findings must change everything with the case,” Ian said as shocked as Josh had been.
“You’ve got that right, Ian,” my dad said. “Rita’s dad could have gotten Rita and Travis killed because of his drug dealing. I can’t believe Ted Barrett hid this from his deputies. He tied our hands not giving us this information. We were sure to fail, and we did.”
“You’re thinking Pete Carson could have been in trouble with someone higher than him in the drug trade and his daughter and Travis suffered for it,” I said, the thought having had immediately crossed my mind when drugs were mentioned.
