Page 44 of Final Escape
“And now you’re mixed up in this, too. I’m just going to start praying that the state investigators come up with better answers than our sheriff’s department will, or my brother will never truly be free. And now, neither will you. My biggest question is this—since Logan isn’t a killer, then who has tried to frame himtwice?”
CHAPTER ELEVEN
She’d been questionedfor hours on Sunday, then returned home to find a large van and several dark sedans parked close to the murder site. The investigators from the BCI talked to her at length, as well, showing marked interest in the recent emails Billy had sent, the history of their troubled marriage, and the prowler who’d been in the area.
By Monday morning the numbness and shock began to wear off and the true horror of it all felt like a cold, hard anvil weighing down her heart. Billy, for all his faults, had charmed her once. She’d loved him back then, and therehadbeen good times. The thought of his brutal murder—of his lifeless body and the unbelievable amount of blood at the scene—made her stomach pitch and her eyes burn.
On the verge of tears during a long, sleepless night, she debated calling in sick, then resolutely dressed and turned up for work anyway, figuring it would feel better to be occupied and surrounded by people than to sit at home with her dark thoughts.
Appearing uncharacteristically sympathetic, Mr. Grover appeared at her door halfway through the morning and beckoned her out into the hallway.
“I heard about what happened at your place,” he said solemnly. “I’m sorry to hear about your loss. The victim was your ex-husband, I hear.”
She nodded.
“Obviously suspicious circumstances.”
She swallowed hard, trying to clear the sudden lump in her throat. “Yes.”
“The BCI has been asking questions of us here. So has the sheriff.”
The lump in her throat turned to granite. “Questions?”
“About your character. Suspicious activities. That sort of thing.”
She stared at the principal, unable to form any words. She already knew the investigators had an interest in her. It made sense, given the history between Billy and her, but after all the questioning over the weekend she’d assumed they now believed in her innocence and would be looking for other suspects. Apparently not.
“I just wanted you to know that we’ve had nothing negative to say,” the principal continued. “As far as we know, you appear to have good rapport with the students, and care a lot about them.”
“Thank you.”
He smiled faintly. “I’m sure they’re questioning a lot of people, though, trying to figure out what happened that night.”
She nodded. “I just wish Billy had never come here. He’d still be alive. And I wish they’d hurry and find the killer. What if he strikes again?”
“As you can imagine, the people around here are plenty nervous. We even had some families call in this morning to say they were keeping their kids at home today.”
