Page 81 of Montana Manhunt

“Extenuating circumstances, gentlemen. Fortress will even cover the cost of copying the journals. The only thing you’ll be out is a few minutes of your time.” She beamed at them as though the detectives cooperating was a given. Casey turned to Noah. “Where are they in the SUV? I’ll be glad to get them for the detectives.”

Freeman stood. “I’ll go with you. Wouldn’t want you to get lost on the way back to the station.”

She laughed. “I’ll be glad for your company.”

Rayne gave the key fob to Casey. “Black SUV in the parking lot on the east side of the station.”

The lawyer joined Freeman. “Come along, Detective.” They left the room together and returned two minutes later, with Freeman carrying all the journals. He placed them in front of Violet. “Where are the latest journals?”

Violet sifted through them and handed Casey two.

“Very good.” Casey headed for the door again with the detective on her heels. “Let’s make copies so my clients can rest.”

“I’ll make copies if you want to finish the interviews,” Freeman muttered as he followed Casey from the interrogation room.

“Do you have anything you want to add?” Ellis asked the operatives.

Noah glanced at the others, who shook their heads. He picked up his phone and sent copies of the photos he’d taken of Camilla’s apartment. “I sent you photos of how we found Camilla’s apartment before the explosion.”

The detective grabbed his phone and studied each photo. His frown grew deeper as the minutes passed. “This is not how we left the apartment. I don’t understand this.”

“I do.” Violet leaned closer to Ellis. “Either your crime scene team ripped apart Cami’s apartment or someone broke in and tore everything to shreds.”

The detective stiffened. “We didn’t trash your sister’s place.”

“Then someone else did,” Noah said. “The question is why?”

“Looking for something, perhaps.”

Grant shook his head. “Pattern is wrong.”

“What do you mean?”

“Whoever broke into the apartment wasn’t looking for anything in particular,” Rayne said. “They were interested in wholesale destruction. The only items spared would have made too much noise to break.”

“No picture frames were broken,” Violet said. “Cami’s dishes were intact. But her furniture was torn up, items dumped from drawers in the nightstands and office desk. I assume you took her computer.”

Ellis nodded.

“The destruction was mean-spirited,” Grant said. “The mess doesn’t appear to be from a methodical search.”

The detective looked at Violet. “Do you know if something was missing from your sister’s apartment?”

“I’ve never been to her apartment. I would notice something personal, like her journals going missing. Otherwise, no.”

“You said you and Camilla were close.”

“We were.”

“You made her come to you. You never came to Morrison to see her.”

“I have terrible memories of growing up here. Cami understood. We got together every couple of months in a neutral place and talked on the phone frequently.”

Ellis looked at the operatives. “You have an idea who trashed the apartment?”

Noah squeezed Violet’s hand. “Camilla’s killer.”

A frown. “Why would he come back to damage her belongings?”

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