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Double damn.
She sensed someone’s approach right before Ryder sat at the bar stool next to her.
She glanced over at him. “I guess I can’t convince you to have a beer.”
“No.”
“Your loss. Did you eat?”
“At the house.”
“Everyone still working?”
“No. Matt was serious that he wanted everyone to take a break.”
“Clear heads and all that.” She nodded toward the thick folder Ryder had brought, now on the bar in front of him. “Breaking the rules, Ryder. I’m surprised at you,” she teased.
“I did as you suggested with Neil’s calendar, focusing on January first. On New Year’s Eve, Brian Stevens was involved in a three-car accident—more specifically, it occurred early in the morning on New Year’s Day. The police cleared him of wrongdoing—he wasn’t drunk, and the accident was deemed weather related. I’ve requested all the files from that night.”
“Yet Neil had that day circled. Why wouldn’t he have the reports?”
“He may have. I’m still going through the emails Seattle sent back this afternoon. He was communicating with a detective from Seattle, Rachel Huang. I put in a call to her, then followed up with an email, so I hope to have more information tomorrow.”
“That’s great. But you didn’t have to come down here and tell me that.”
“I had one other thing about Jason Mott. I talked to his sister Jessica again, confirming our meeting tomorrow. I told her specifically what information we needed. Neil was certain that her brother and Brian Stevens were murdered, and he knew who the killer was.”
“And the killer is...?”
“She doesn’t know. Neil wouldn’t tell her, for her safety. She will be here in the morning to go over all the files, because she said Neil was looking into more cases than just her brother’s death. For example, four years ago she had sent Neil a report about another suspicious death that was ruled an accident. There’s nothing like that in the files from his house, but there are several emails to Tacoma police during that time about the disappearance of a man named Eric Travers. Ms. Mott is going to bring everything she has with her and help re-create Neil’s files.”
“That’s terrific.”
“Is it?” Ryder asked. “Because according to Ms. Mott, Neil was concerned about her safety and cut her out of the investigation nearly a year ago, told her not to come up here. They met once since, but in Seattle.”
“If Neil was concerned about her safety, that tells me his suspect is on this island.”
“Does it?”
“Otherwise, why would he care whether she came up here or not? I’ll bet Neil didn’t want Jessica’s presence alerting his suspect that he was onto him.”
“Would you join me for the interview with her?” Ryder asked.
“Why do you sound nervous? Of course I will.”
He looked relieved. “Thank you.”
“But even if I wasn’t there, you’ve got this. You’re a natural.”
“I’m good at analyzing information, but I don’t know if I’ll ask the right questions.”
“You know what you’re doing, Ryder. Jessica Mott likely knows more than she thinks she does, and now I’m interested in this second so-called accident that Neil was looking into. Neil may have only had a theory, but that theory could have gotten him killed.”
Damon brought out her fish and chips and another stout. “Anything else?”
Ryder ordered a club soda with lime. Kara laughed.
“Are you sure you don’t want any food?”
