[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

choice later.
 Back to the wharf will be fine, Sebastian replied in a frosty
tone.  We can find our way from there.
 Whatever you like. Meanwhile, if you ll both have a seat in my
office, we can get this over with in a few minutes.
His expression guarded, Sebastian followed Will to his desk. He
and Briana sat down in mismatched chairs in front of it.
 Just a few loose ends to clear up. Will flipped open his little
notebook.  Briana and I went over most of this information already,
but I wanted to get your perspective, too, Mr. Morgan. Why don t you
start by telling me how well you knew Ami?
Sebastian s eyes narrowed. Briana suspected that he wasn t
buying Will s casual act, either.  I had her removed from my
property, as you know. Aside from that, I scarcely exchanged five
words with her.
Will tapped his pen on the blotter.  You had Miss Dempsey s
brother arrested at the same time. Seems like everyone got over that
pretty fast. The four of you seem to be out socializing quite a bit these
days.
Ebook piracy is stealing. It is a federal offense.
Report ebook piracy to legal@sirenbookstrand.com.
180 Cassandra Pierce
 The trespassing incident turned out to be a misunderstanding.
Miss Dempsey s brother apologized, and as a gentleman, I felt
obligated to accept.
 Sure, I can see that. It s a small town. We all have to get along.
Will paused.  So what happened in The Chum Bucket last night?
 Your question suggests that you already have a description of the
event, Sebastian said.
 It really amounted to nothing, she cut in.  Sebastian and I came
in just as Ami was leaving.
 But you both stayed long enough to hear her threaten Mr.
Morgan s sister. Then she turned on Miss Dempsey, according to
several witnesses. Is it safe to say that might have piqued a little
gentlemanly outrage?
 Don t twist Sebastian s words around like that! Briana burst
out.  Ami was drunk and rude. True, the scene wasn t pretty. But I
think we all stayed very restrained, considering the circumstances.
 Briana, Sebastian cautioned in a stern voice.
She hurtled on, ignoring him.  We know Ami s state last night.
She went staggering along the docks, slipped, and fell in. It s
obvious.
 Is it? Only one problem there: the coroner doesn t think she
drowned. She was in the water, all right, but the cause of death seems
to be strangulation. That doesn t happen by accident.
 No I don t believe it. That s impossible.
 Why? Because things like that don t happen in Darkisle? Will
sighed.  I wish you could see half of what I see in the course of my
duties, Miss Dempsey. I know it seems like we don t have much
crime here, but that s been changing lately. We get the occasional
assault with a deadly weapon...not to mention a few rapes, both
attempted and accomplished.
Briana felt her ears go red. She refused to look at Sebastian,
knowing they both remembered the boy with the knife. Not reporting
that incident was a mistake she wished she could undo. Telling Will
Ebook piracy is stealing. It is a federal offense.
Report ebook piracy to legal@sirenbookstrand.com.
Heirs to Darkisle 181
about it now would look suspicious assuming he even believed
them.
 So you see my dilemma, Will continued.  I have to ask
myself who had a conflict with the deceased? Only four names have
come up so far. Two end in Dempsey and two in Morgan.
Sebastian got to his feet.  Briana and I want to help keep our
island safe. And we both want justice for Ami. But the tone of these
questions suggests to me that we should say nothing until we ve
engaged the services of an attorney. He stood and reached out his
hand to Briana. She took his clammy fingers and got up as well.  I
hope you don t think us abrupt, but as we have already discussed, it s
dinnertime.
Garvey s eyes narrowed as he stood too.  I understand. And I can
assure you both that I ll be doing everything in my power to solve this
case. Ami s killer will be brought to justice whoever he or she
might be.
 We would expect nothing less.
They started to turn for the door, but Will held up his hand to stop
them.  Oh, one more thing. I m in the process of collecting DNA and
hair samples to assist in the investigation. This is strictly voluntary, of
course, but could I get a strand of hair and a saliva swab from both of
you?
Sebastian never flinched.  I told you I intend to consult my
attorney. You may deliver any and all warrants to him.
Will turned to Briana.  I hoped I wouldn t have to go that route.
Easier if we can eliminate both of you as suspects right away.
 Well, I m willing to help, Briana said.
 I appreciate that, Will said.  Come with me. Mr. Morgan, you
can wait here.
 Briana, I ask you to reconsider, Sebastian said. His tone was as
controlled as always, but the note of desperation clawing at the edges
concerned her.
Ebook piracy is stealing. It is a federal offense.
Report ebook piracy to legal@sirenbookstrand.com.
182 Cassandra Pierce
 We won t be long, Will informed him in a clear dismissal. He
had taken Briana s elbow. Briana watched Sebastian struggle to
suppress a flash of rage.
Garvey led her into a smaller room lined with metal shelves and
file cabinets, though apparently it doubled as a lab in a pinch.
Removing a test kit from one of the shelves, Will swabbed the inside
of her lower lip with a cotton swab, which he deposited in a jar. He
then plucked a couple of hairs from her head with tweezers and put
the samples in an envelope.  Appreciate it, he said.
She felt a lot less positive about her decision to cooperate now.
 No problem, she answered in a shaky voice.
 Briana, I considered your father a friend of mine.
 I know. You ve reminded me plenty of times.
 Because I think it bears repeating. Truth is...I hope you know
what you re getting into with this fellow.
 I can see how people around here would find him strange. He s
lived most of his life in Europe. They do things differently over
there.
 They sure do. Police work, for one.
 Excuse me?
 Did you know your friend was under investigation there? Could
that be why he left?
The words had barely left Will s lips when Briana felt as if he d
lashed out and slugged her in the gut. Every muscle in her body
clenched in dread, and the floor seemed to tilt under her. Desperately
she tried to hide her reaction from Will, but she could see from his
expression that she hadn t been successful.
If anything, Will seemed pleased.  I can see that you didn t know.
Maybe he hasn t been as forthright with you as you thought.
Briana struggled to mask her roiling emotions. What Will had said
couldn t possibly be true. Either he was making things up to rattle her,
or he d stumbled upon some huge misunderstanding.  Under
Ebook piracy is stealing. It is a federal offense.
Report ebook piracy to legal@sirenbookstrand.com.
Heirs to Darkisle 183
investigation for what? she asked in as calm a voice as she could
muster.
Will crossed his arms and leaned against the file cabinet.  Believe
it or not, the murder of a young woman.
 As a matter of fact, I don t believe it. Where did you get that
information?
 Amsterdam police. Background check came in this morning by
fax. Seems they found a body in one of their canals. She d been in the
water a while. Hard to say what happened, but they did say the neck
area showed...well, some kind of strange damage. Could have been
strangulation. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]