Page 34 of Only Girl Alive

“The media will follow when I leave. I want someone staying here inside the house. Two of you follow in the van to hold the media back.”

Clyde volunteered to stay behind. Ray and Collin had media control. Eve climbed into the passenger seat. Bina drove. It didn’t take long to reach Sheila’s home. They pulled up to a house that she pointed out. It was also larger than the Tanners’. Bina drove through the open double gate of the courtyard. Ray and Collin would keep the media behind the white brick.

Maybe they would finally have answers.

Eighteen

“How many sisters do you have?” Eve asked.

“Ten.”

Sheila made eleven wives total. There was nothing Eve could do about Sheila’s perspectives on marriage or anything connected to the polygamist church. She kept her feelings to herself.

“Who will give us the most trouble?” she asked. The hierarchy of women would save Eve time.

“Sister Kathryn.”

“Do you have advice to deal with her?” From experience, Eve knew forcefulness when dealing with the women got results quicker but it never hurt to ask.

“Insist on speaking with Candace.”

Bina stayed in the vehicle with Sheila. Collin and Ray were keeping the media back but the men from the church would show up eventually. There was no way they could stop them from entering the courtyard.

When Eve’s team spoke to women in the community, the men always objected. Everything the women did was monitored to keep them in line. The fear of damnation was also used. The men didn’t want the women speaking to anyone outside their immediate home. Talking to Eve or members of her team caused punishment, sometimes severe.

A woman, maybe in her early forties, dressed exactly like Sheila, opened the front door and stepped outside before Eve climbed from the SUV.

“That is Sister Kathryn,” Sheila whispered.

Kathryn had left the front door open behind her. Eve closed the car’s door and stepped forward. The older woman tried to see behind the SUV’s dark windows.

“I’m Detective Sergeant Eve Bennet. I’m here to interview Candace,” she said. “I need her out here immediately.”

“What have you done?” the woman shouted at the car. Eve walked past her to the front door. “You can’t go inside. Leave at once,” the woman called.

Eve spoke loudly so her voice carried inside the home. “I’m here to interview Candace Wilson about four homicides. I can get a court order or call the county attorney to intervene. Will that be necessary?”

It took less than a minute before a small woman stepped to the door looking nervously past her to Kathryn.

“Are you Candace Wilson?” Eve asked.

“Yes.”

“Candace, do not speak to her,” Kathryn insisted.

Eve turned and lifted her hand to Bina. She stepped out of the vehicle at the same time Sheila opened the back door.

“Detective Blau, stand between the house and the SUV while I conduct the interview.” She turned slightly to Sheila. “Do you wish to stay out here or go inside?”

“I’ll go inside,” Sheila said, not looking at the older woman. It surprised Eve when she stopped where Candace was and spoke to Kathryn. “I had to do what was right.”

“Your sins are counted; you know the punishment. How could you?” Kathryn’s anger needed an outlet and unfortunately Sheila would receive the brunt of it.

Eve pointed Candace to the SUV and closed the doors against the argument. Threats against Sheila would not help this interview. Eve needed her to talk openly. Sheila was on her own when it came to punishment and Eve could not interfere. Her stepsister knew there would be a penalty. Eve had to get Candace talking before her husband arrived. If he forbade her cooperation, Eve could walk away empty-handed.

She checked to be sure her recorder was on before climbing into the driver’s seat. Candace worriedly watched the interaction between Kathryn and Sheila, their voices faint through the glass. Eve could see her panic building and needed to get her attention off the women.

“Candace,” Eve said, which made the young woman turn. “This isn’t the greatest place to do an interview but it’s vital I speak with you. You were married to Bart Tanner, correct?”

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