Page 88 of Midnight Secrets

“They have counselors for all those things, you know,” Ellis quipped.

Ozzie shot a quick glare at him. “Not helpful, El.” He turned back to Warren. “The current lover—what do you know?”

“Nothing. It’s just a feeling. She’d say she was going out with friends and then come home smelling of a man’s cologne. Our sex life was practically non-existent, and if you knew Marie, you’d know that’s not like her. When our marriage was good, we were together several times a week. The same thing happened when she had the affair in St. Louis. She stopped sleeping with me.”

I fought to keep the disgust off my face. I did not need to know that.

A thoughtful frown appeared on his face. “Her friends might know more. Grace. And Kaya. They’d never say anything to me, but they might talk to you.”

Ozzie tipped his head. “You think she’d tell them about the affair?”

Warren nodded. “Especially Grace. That woman was forever up in our business. Every time I went to a school function with Marie, she’d make some comment about something I said or did. Just to make it clear she still thought I was a dirtbag and didn’t deserve her friend.”

Considering that for a moment, Ozzie nodded. “All right. What about the things that have been happening with Claire? You said you’ve been watching her. Have you seen anyone hanging around?”

“Just you.”

I sat forward, leaning in a bit. “You’re sure? No cars that keep driving by that don’t belong in the neighborhood, or people out running?”

“Running? In the weather we’ve had? No. And I don’t recall any strange cars. Your street is pretty quiet. But I’ve only been watching for a few days, like I said.”

“Where were you before that? Not your cabin, because we checked,” Ozzie said.

“With a friend. His wife and kids were out of town visiting family, so he let me stay with him. She came back, though, so I had to leave. I’ve been squatting in an RV at a campground. That’s when I decided to ask you for help.” He nodded at me. “I couldn’t really ask questions anywhere to find out who she’d been seeing, and the few times I tried to eavesdrop on her friends I almost got caught. I couldn’t stay in the RV forever. When I heard you found my car, I figured you might be my best bet to solving my problem.”

“Well, you’re right about one thing.” Ozzie crumpled the first-aid trash into one hand. “You can’t stay in the RV. But I’ve got a nice warm place for you.”

Warren’s shoulders fell. “Jail. I figured that would be where you took me. I won’t fight you, Detective. I just want this to be over.”

“Good.” Ozzie stood. “I need to make a couple phone calls. Thank you for telling me what you know.”

“You believe me, don’t you? I didn’t kill her.” Head tipped back, he stared up at Ozzie.

“I promise I’ll do everything I can to bring her killer to justice.”

I blinked. That didn’t sound like he believed Warren’s story.

“Ellis, keep an eye on him for a few minutes, would you?” Ozzie asked.

Ellis, arms still crossed, nodded once, and Ozzie walked away.

Giving Warren a quick, reassuring smile, I gathered the first-aid supplies in my lap and hopped up, following Ozzie into the kitchen. “You believe him, don’t you?” I unloaded my armful of items onto the counter.

“I’m not sure.” He pulled out the trashcan drawer and dropped the bandage packaging and gauze into it. “He could be spinning a yarn to take the focus off himself. Getting caught outside your house wasn’t part of his plan. I’m inclined to say he didn’t do it, but I can’t rule him out until I get proof someone else did.” Moving to the sink, he turned on the water.

“What are you going to do? Besides put him in jail.”

“Talk to Marie’s friends again, for one. And the friend he said he stayed with. I need to get a warrant for his medical records too. Make sure that gash is really from a branch and not a knife.”

My eyes widened. I hadn’t even considered that. “You think someone—maybe Marie—slashed him before he stabbed her?”

Ozzie shrugged. “It’s possible.” He squirted some soap in his palm and lathered his hands. “I’m glad we have him, but this isn’t over. Not by a long shot. And you’re still in danger. I do believe him when he says he wasn’t the one who torched your office or broke in here. His surprise seemed genuine.” He rinsed his hands. “I’m going to ask Ellis to stay with you, if that’s okay? Now that we have Warren, if he’s not the killer, whoever is might get bolder. They still haven’t gotten the evidence they think you have.”

While I would rather have Ozzie here than Ellis, I understood why it had to be that way. Ozzie had a job to do. “That’s fine. Just catch him. I don’t like thinking there’s a murderer walking around. It’s creepy.”

Drying off his hands with the towel I kept draped over the bar on the oven door, he came around the counter. “I’ll find this person, Claire.”

Lifting a hand, I touched his chest. “I know.”

---