Page 10 of In Her Fears
“So you called the police,” Jenna prompted.
“Yeah.They took forever to come.I just sat there on the ground, like twenty feet away from...from him.I couldn’t look, but I couldn’t leave either.”
Jenna studied Teddy’s face intently.Everything about his account rang true—the halting delivery, the emotional response, the small details that a fabricated story would likely omit.This was not a rehearsed account; this was trauma being relived.
“Teddy, did you know the man?”she asked gently.
“No.I mean, I recognized him when they showed me his picture later.I’ve seen him around town.But I didn’t know him.”
“One more question,” Jenna said.“Why did you change your story about why you were at the cemetery?”
Teddy’s face flushed.“I didn’t want to get Tina in trouble.Her parents are super strict.If they found out she was waiting for me to sneak into her room at night...”He trailed off.
Jenna nodded, then sat back slightly.“Thank you, Teddy.You’ve been very helpful.”
The boy looked up, surprise flickering across his face.“That’s it?”
“For now,” Jenna confirmed.
Willis leaned down to murmur something to Teddy again, then straightened.“If there’s nothing else, I’d like to get my client back to his cell.He’s been up all night and needs rest.”
“Of course,” Jenna said, rising from her chair.
Willis guided Teddy to his feet and led him toward the door.The boy’s shoulders were slumped with exhaustion, his steps unsteady.Just as they reached the door, he paused and turned back.
“Sheriff?”His voice was small, but steadier than before.“I didn’t kill that man.I swear.”
“I believe you, Teddy,” Jenna said simply.
Something like relief flickered across his face before Willis ushered him out.As the door closed behind them, a heavy silence fell over the room.
Morgan was the first to break it, pushing away from the wall with an irritated huff.“Well, that was a waste of time.Kid’s obviously rehearsed that story with his lawyer.”
Jenna turned to face him, crossing her arms.“Chief Morgan, with all due respect, I see no evidence that Teddy Rose is your killer.”
Morgan’s face darkened.“You’ve been here what, twenty minutes?And suddenly you’re an expert on my case?”
“The evidence doesn’t support holding him,” Jenna said firmly.“No blood on his clothes, no murder weapon, no motive, no connection to the victim.Just the bad luck to stumble across the body.”
“And the cemetery location?”Morgan countered.“What kind of kid hangs out in graveyards at midnight?”
“The kind who’s trying to see his girlfriend without her parents knowing,” Jake interjected dryly.“So...basically any teenage boy since the beginning of time.”
Morgan glared at him, then looked to Spelling.“Colonel, are you buying this?”
Spelling’s expression remained neutral.“I think Sheriff Graves makes valid points.The physical evidence doesn’t support holding the Rose boy.”
Morgan’s jaw worked, a vein pulsing in his forehead.Then, abruptly, his shoulders sagged.
“Fine.I’ll release him to his parents’ custody.But I’m keeping his phone, and he’s not to leave town.”
“That’s reasonable,” Spelling agreed.
Morgan stalked out without another word, the door swinging shut behind him with more force than necessary.
Spelling’s mouth quirked in a humorless smile.“Morgan’s not great at collaboration.Or admitting he might be wrong.”He studied Jenna’s face.“So, Sheriff, what’s your assessment?Beyond the obvious fact that the kid didn’t do it.”
Jenna knew that he was looking for one of her uncanny insights.But there was nothing to offer this time.
