Page 36 of Only Girl Alive

She was lying.

“You do know. Elijah needs me to find who murdered him.”

Candace cried into her dress again. “Elijah was guilty too,” she said angrily when she glanced back up.

Eve had not expected this. Did Candace not realize Elijah was forced into whatever he did? When you interview someone, you keep your expression neutral. Eve’s mask slipped.

“You know what men are capable of,” Candace accused. “Don’t act like you don’t. I know you were one of us. You know what it’s like here.”

“You can leave. Is that what you want? I can help you.”

Candace shook her head. “I have two babies. Bart can’t have them.” The statement didn’t make sense.

“He can’t hurt them now,” Eve said softly. “He’s dead. If you want to leave, there is a way out.”

“Is he really dead? Did you see his body?”

“I can’t go into detail but he was murdered along with Marcella and Tracy. I did see his body.” Eve didn’t mention Elijah. “Help me, please. Was everyone accounted for on the night of the murders?” Eve repeated.

Candace took a deep breath and interlocked her shaking fingers. “Kathryn left the house after our husband went to bed. I don’t know where she was but she came home around three.”

“Was Kathryn one of Bart’s former wives? Would she have reason to kill them?”

This fit the scenario in Eve’s head that the crime pointed to a woman. However, she needed a motive.

“No, Kathryn is my husband’s first wife.”

“Is there another reason Kathryn would have hurt the Tanners?”

She stared at Eve. Her eyes darted out the window. Sheila had gone inside. Kathryn was glaring at the vehicle but Bina’s presence kept her from approaching.

“I had a nightmare and I told her what happened in that home. It was two days before they died.”

Eve now had motive at least for Bart Tanner’s death. Revenge for harming Candace. It was weak but they had nothing else at this point.

“Did you see her leave the house that night?”

Candace shook her head. “No. One of the children had a nightmare and I couldn’t calm her down. I went to find Kathryn and she was gone.”

“What time was this?”

She shrugged her shoulders. “Around midnight. She came home shortly after three. She told me to go to bed when I asked where she went.”

“What time does your husband go to bed?”

“Ten, every night after prayer.”

“Do you think Kathryn killed them?”

“No.” She shook her head sharply. “She was angry Marcella and Tracy hadn’t left when they had the chance. She wouldn’t hurt my sisters. Kathryn said it was our sin, not Bart’s, but I was smart to leave.”

Eve pushed back her memories. It was always the women and girls who carried sin.

“Did you notice anything strange about the way Kathryn was dressed when she returned to the house? Did she carry any type of bag or other clothing?”

Candace shook her head.

Eve did not have enough to make an arrest at this point or even obtain a search warrant. Could Kathryn have taken food to them that had been drugged? It was possible but Eve couldn’t see them answering the door and eating something brought that late at night. It was more likely the sedative was placed in their dinner. Eve tried to work it out in her head. Evidence showed one person murdered the family but it didn’t rule out somebody else helping with the drugs.

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