Page 80 of All You Want
“That’s not what happened,” Chad says. “The witch met a wolf at her car, so I left them to go look for my sisters.”
“You have to tell Todd.” I grab Chad’s arm. “How big and tall was the wolf?”
“Taller than the witch.”
“Description?” I grab a paper napkin and start scribbling. “Height. Weight. Details of costume?”
“He had a wolf’s mask with glowing eyes, a flowing black cape that went down to the ground, and white gloves.”
“A black cape as large as a tablecloth?” My voice is too loud, because everyone in the diner is gathered around, and I notice the deputies edging closer. The Vice Squad left their corner booth whereas the Drunk Tank came in a few minutes ago, and they’re all watching and listening intently.
“Diana Van Dirk was wearing a wolf mask with red eyes,” Corny says. “I took a picture with her.”
“She’s not the only wolf last night,” her nephew, Dillon, says. “She had a red cape, not a black one.”
“Didn’t Al say someone stole his black cape?” Johnson asks. “That’s what the fight at the Sixty Miners was about.”
“Wasn’t a black cape,” Justin speaks for Al. “It was a black tablecloth with eye holes.”
“But still. It could be used for a cape,” I point out. “What if Diana ditched the red cape, knowing it’s conspicuous?”
“I’ll have to ask Uncle Chip if she had a black or red cape,” Vivi says. “What about the white gloves?”
“I saw someone with white gloves talking to a witch,” Justin says. “That was earlier, right after the kids left.”
“Whoever hit me wasn’t wearing white gloves,” Chad says. “Otherwise, I would have seen them coming.”
“Was the baseball bat painted black?” Linx asks.
“Yes, I believe it was black.” I shudder at the glistening blood on its shiny surface.
“She could have taken off her white gloves and put on black gloves,” Justin, who is the brightest of the drunk tank, says. “Didn’t you say your aunt and Viola were arguing about something?”
“Viola argues with everyone.” Dillon backs away from the group, sounding defensive. He wheels around and points a finger at me. “In fact, Viola has proof the mine underneath your property belongs to our family.”
“There’s a mine underneath the property?” I gape at him, disbelieving.
“If anyone wants Viola killed, it’s you,” Dillon yells. “You’re the one who found her body, and you were covered with blood.”
“No, no, there was someone there,” I exclaim. “I already told you. A figure dressed in dark clothes who attacked me when I found the body.”
From the corner of my eye, I spot lanky Randy, Molly’s half-brother, shuffling into the diner with his hands in his pockets.
“Who?” Dillon gets in my face. “I heard there was no one on the security camera except for Viola and then you.”
“He must have gotten there earlier. He was hiding behind the dumpster.” Or Molly or Evan could have tampered with the video feed. I whirl toward Randy and ask, “Where were you? Weren’t you supposed to stand guard?”
I remember he was wearing a fur-covered costume with brown grease paint on his face. He could easily have been a wolf by adding a mask and black cape. And Molly would have no qualms covering up for him.
“I was out and about, doing my job.” He shrugs. “Keeping the crowd safe.”
“Did anyone see you?” I’m not going to let him get off so easily. “Where were you patrolling?”
“Here and there. Seriously, Tami, there were so many people milling around watching the fireworks, anyone could have killed someone without being seen or heard.”
Twenty-Nine
~ Todd ~
