Page 46 of So Insane

“Back?” he chuckled. “I never went in in the first place. My brother was the cave guy. How do you call it? Spunkler?”

“Spelunker,” Michael offered.

“Right. Well, anyway, he was the guy who liked caves. That’s why Carol fell in love with him. She liked caves too.”

“Did you and your sister-in-law have a relationship?” Faith asked.

Diller frowned. “I thought you weren’t gonna talk.”

Faith lifted her hands placatingly. “I’ll sit right here the whole time.”

Diller scoffed but didn’t protest further. “Well, to answer your question, no, I didn’t screw Carol. Everyone seems to think I did because she was actually kind to me, but I didn’t. I loved George. I would never hurt him like that.” He frowned. “Why are you even asking about her? She’s been dead twenty-two years. So has George.”

“We believe that someone is murdering people who visit the mines,” Michael said. “We’re talking to you because you’re the only remaining family of the victims of the mine’s first collapse who still lives in the area.”

“So I must be the killer, right?” Diller replied contemptuously.

“It’s probably a good idea to avoid sarcasm,” Michael advised. Faith noted the similarity between that advice and the advice he gave Tom Martle. She also noted the similarity in Diller’s response.

He lifted his hands, and much of his attitude faded away. “All right,” he said, “Fair enough. Look, I don’t know exactly what I can tell you. The mine wasn’t shored up properly, so when they dug too deep, it caused a cave-in. Some people made it out. George and Carol didn’t.”

“I’m more interested in the two people who have been murdered in the caves over the past two weeks,” Faith said, “What can you tell me about that?”

“Other than that they're damned fools? Nothing. I knew the Stone Boy by reputation. He was a deadbeat loser. Spent all day playing video games or screwing around in the caves."

“So he visited the caves before?” Faith asked.

“All the time. He and the Grant boy would go in there looking for buried treasure or whatever boys do when they’re up to mischief. Brought a few girls back there in high school.”

“Was Clara Montpelier one of those girls?” Michael asked.

"No," Diller asked. "She showed up a couple years back when Trevor Hart came back from college. Sweet kid, from what I could tell. She liked to run around the caves, too, but as far as I know, she never ran into the Stone kid. Not that I paid much attention. The point is, no, I don't think the two of them were involved."

“You still haven’t confirmed your whereabouts,” Faith pointed out.

"I was here," he said. "Couple hours at the Tin Can, but…" his anger faded, replaced by a grief so deep and palpable that Faith almost felt sorry for him. "Well, I guess when they dug up the mine, all the memories came back. I might be a washed-up old drunk, but I still don't like crying in front of people."

Faith looked again at his filmy, bloodshot eyes. She had assumed he was just drunk, but now it occurred to her that he had been weeping as well.

“How do you feel about people visiting the mine again?” Faith asked.

He chuckled. “They’re fools. Like I said, that mine’s been dangerous since it opened. Would you go exploring a mine that had twice caved in and killed a dozen people? To say nothing of the folks that wander in and end up getting found at the bottom of a shaft?”

“We’re going to be looking for evidence of the murders there as soon as a team of specialists gets here,” Faith informed him.

He showed none of the fear he might have shown if he were guilty. Instead, he shook his head contemptuously and said, “then you’re a fool too.”

Michael and Faith shared a look. Turk seemed calmer now. Like Faith, he seemed to have decided that Diller was likely not their killer, but just a bitter old drunk who had never overcome the loss of his loved ones.

“Is there anyone else you think might have a problem with people going into the mine?” Michael asked

“To the point that they’d follow them in there just to kill them? No. I don’t think anyone’s that stupid.”

“Not even your nephew?” Faith asked.

Once more, there was no shock of guilt or fear. Instead, Diller laughed. “Benny? Are people saying Benny did this?”

He threw his head back and laughed again, potbelly heaving with the force of it. Michael and Faith exchanged another look, and when Diller’s laughter quieted enough that she could be heard, she said, “Why do you find that funny?”

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