Page 39 of Only One More Lie

“Don’t make no sense to me,” Tim said. “Juniper wanted to pretend like none of this happened, to stick her head in the sand. Then out of the blue, she suddenly wants to bring all this attention to her parents’ murders? Why the change of heart?”

“Maybe she realized with the anniversary of their deaths coming up that this guy was going to strike again,” Andi said. “Grief goes through different stages.”

“I suppose.” He still looked unconvinced, like he had a chip on his shoulder.

Andi locked gazes with the man. “So, are you willing to help us? Or are you ready to let the murders of your brother and sister-in-law go unsolved and the person responsible to remain walking free?”

Her words seemed to make him loosen up a little. “OfcourseI want to help. I mean, if I thought I could help, I would have done something a long time ago. But I don’t know anything.”

“We’ve already talked to Juniper,” Duke said. “She told us about her parents. But sometimes kids don’t know everything about their mom and dad, not like peers might. Do you know if Calvin or Mary had any enemies?”

“They were good people, and their whole lives revolved around this camp. I can’t imagine they were targeted because of something they may have done.”

“So they had no enemies?” Andi clarified.

“Not really.” Tim blew out a breath and leaned back as if thinking about the question more seriously. “Well . . . thereisone person I can think of. A guy named Edwin Standard. Calvin and Mary knew him from the Caribou Club.”

Andi perked up at the possible lead.

“Why was Edwin an enemy?” Duke asked.

“My brother thought something shady was going down at the Caribou Club, and he began to distance himself from the organization. When I asked him about it, he said some of the money the club raised was being spent on parties the organization put on for members instead of being given to the intended recipients—people in need.”

That sounded shady, Andi mused. “Tell us more.”

“I guess there’s always a small operating cost taken out from these fundraisers, right?” Tim blew out another breath. “But this money they’d collected was supposed to go to victims of a local wildfire, victims who’d lost everything. Instead, the club had this huge party. Said they’d gotten stuff donated for the event, but Calvin knew that wasn’t true.”

“What did your brother do?” Duke crossed his arms as he settled back in his seat to listen.

“He called the leaders out on it.” Tim shrugged. “That, of course, made them mad. Edwin was the president at the time, and he actually booted Calvin and Mary out of the club.”

“Did they leave kicking and screaming?” That was how Andi pictured the couple, especially Mary. She didn’t seem like the type to walk away with her head down.

Tim frowned and twisted his neck. “Not even close. That was the surprising thing. For some reason, Calvin and Mary left quietly.”

“I wonder why.” Andi tapped her lips as she stored that information away. Maybe it didn’t amount to anything. But it was worth looking into.

“I wondered that too. It was almost like the club had something on my brother and Mary that forced them to keep their mouths shut.”

Duke shifted in his seat. “You know where this Edwin guy is now?”

“Unfortunately, he died about two months ago.”

Andi leaned back, suddenly deflated. Tim could have mentioned that earlier.

She hoped he might have something else helpful to offer.

“Is there anyone else at the club who was involved in that situation?” Andi asked, still determined to find some answers.

“Not that I know of,” Tim said. “I know that’s not helpful. But that’s all I’ve got.”

“What about Heath and Claire Klinkhart?” Andi crossed and then crossed her legs again as she tried to shift her thoughts. “Juniper brought them up earlier. Do you remember anything about them?”

“I know those two had a big falling out with my brother. But I think once they went their separate ways, they were gone for good.” Tim shrugged. “At least, that was what I heard. I haven’t seen them in years. I know Pepper was estranged from them, though I never asked why. I try to stay away from drama.”

Duke shifted before asking his next question. “Did you have any theories about what happened to your brother and his wife?”

Tim didn’t miss a beat. He’d clearly thought this one through. “Really, I think this killer is psychotic. For all I know, he throws darts at a map of Fairbanks, and wherever that dart lands is where he’ll strike next.”

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