Page 28 of Ambush

“They want us at three.”

“You want me to watch the boys?”

“If you don’t mind. I could ask another employee, but they like you.”

“I like them too, and besides, I live right there. Creed is a bad man. Be careful what you say, Blake. I get the impression he wants to close the case and doesn’t care how he does it.”

“I’ll be careful. I asked Hez to meet us there too.”

“That’s a good idea.”

His tight voice and jaw showed his worry. “I think you’re right about Creed. I might need to start investigating the murder on my own.”

“I’ll help,” she said quickly.

“You’re already knee-deep in finding out what happened to your parents.”

“This is a more immediate threat. The neighbor won’t be back for two weeks, and we don’t have any good leads to follow right now. I want to help.”

“I could use the support.” He ran his hand through his hair. “The refuge is already on shaky ground, and if word leaks out that we’re the prime suspects, I don’t know what that’ll do to the business. It could be our death knell.”

She knew how a rumor could torpedo a business. “You’ll probably be gone awhile. Tell your mom I’ll handle dinner with the boys.” Paradise didn’t know how it happened, but she found her hand on his arm. “I know you’re worried, Blake. This is all still fresh. We can figure it out.”

His hand covered hers. “You don’t know how much that means.”

The moment stretched between them because she didn’t want to move unless it was to step closer to the faint whiff of his cypress-eucalyptus soap. She forced herself to pull her hand away, but it was an effort. This was not good.

***

The Bon Secour sheriff substation was a small block building that featured three offices, an evidence-processing room, a holding area, and an interrogation room. Blake had thought he and his mom would be interrogated together, but they were separated as soon as they arrived. He’d volunteered to go first, and Hez had accompanied him to the room, a small space with a long table with enough chairs to seat six. He’d never expected to find himself at the center of a murder investigation. A stench of despair mingled with some kind of strong disinfectant.

An expressionless Creed Greene dropped into a chair on the other side of the table and tipped back the chair. “Let’s get to the bottom of this, Lawson. The autopsy pinpoints Danielle Mason’s death between 10:00 p.m., January 8, and 2:00 a.m., January 9. Where were you?”

Blake glanced at Hez, who gave a small nod. “I usually go to bed around ten thirty, but I was tired and hit the sack just before ten. Nothing awakened me, and I got up at six like usual, showered, and joined my family for breakfast in the house. My little brother Levi slept with me. He’s the seven-year-old.”

“You live over the garage? Does it have a separate entrance?”

“Yes, it’s got its own staircase inside the garage.”

“Can anyone see you coming or going from the house? Can anyone corroborate your statement?”

“Not the actual staircase. My mother would have been able to see me enter the garage if she happened to be looking. I’m sure she didn’t though. She goes to bed earlier than me, and she’s usually busy with the boys. But like I said, Levi stayed with me.”

Creed frowned but didn’t answer. “What time did you enter your apartment?”

“After dinner I played Uno with the boys, and we watched cartoons for a bit. Levi and I went to my place around eight so Mom could get Isaac bathed and in bed. Levi showered at my apartment, and we went to bed at nine and watched a few cartoons. Again, that’s my usual schedule. I turned the TV off at ten.”

“You don’t go out with friends?”

“I left the Marines to help my mom with the boys after Hank died. My brothers need a male role model they can depend on, and it’s something that’s important to me. I see a friend on occasion for lunch, but evenings are devoted to the boys.”

Creed blinked, and his nose curled. Maybe that sounded pompous, but it was the truth. Mom couldn’t do everything by herself. She would try, but The Sanctuary was a lot of work, and there would be little time left for the kids. They deserved more than the leftovers.

“So you have no real alibi.”

“I have Levi.”

“Who could have slept through you sneaking out.”

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