Chapter Thirty-Four
Jessica finished everything on her plate and was working on dessert when Steven leaned back in his chair with a groan.
“I can’t eat another bite,” he pointed out unnecessarily, nodding toward his now empty dish.
Jess picked up her napkin and wiped her mouth. “That was delicious. I had no idea how hungry I actually was until I took the first bite.”
“I’ve always been a huge fan of Mexican food.” Steven took a drink of his water before continuing. “It’s second only to sushi in my book.”
“Sushi is my favorite as well.” She picked up her sweating water glass, watching the small ice-cubes float around inside. “I have to figure out a way to clear my name.”
Returning his glass to the table, Steven held her gaze for long moments. “I agree. We just need to figure out where to start.”
“I think we should begin with Eustice Martin.”
Steven didn’t blink. “Easy enough. We can go back to my office and pull up everything I had on him from years ago. But that’s only going to get us so far. We need to find out what was used to write the words on your wall, and also see if we can locate Sandy Weaver’s murder weapon.”
“You think Eustice would keep the murder weapon just lying around? Assuming he did it, that is.”
With a shrug, Steven dug his wallet out of his pocket. “Hard to say, but since he’s not a suspect, I doubt he’d go out of his way to hide it. Especially if he intends to use it to frame you.”
Jessica’s heart summersaulted. “Frame me?”
“If he killed Sandy Weaver, it was to make it look as if you did it. Otherwise, what would be the point in killing her?”
“Maybe because she was a psychic, and he worried she might see something?”
Steven shook his head. “Doubtful. If she hadn’t seen anything before now or turned him in after thirteen years for threatening her, he probably didn’t consider her a threat. No, I’m thinking someone killed her to make you look guilty.”
Jessica’s food settled like a brick in her stomach. “He’s the only one who had motive to kill her.”
“Perhaps, but we don’t know that for certain. We have no idea what all she was involved in. She could have been killed for reasons that had nothing to do with you, and you just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.”
“Then they might never know who killed her. Which will always leave me their prime suspect.”
Laying enough money on the table to cover the bill and the tip, Steven pushed his chair back and stood. “Stop worrying, Jess. As long as they don’t have a murder weapon, that’s all you’ll ever be to them…a suspect.”
Jess didn’t want to be suspected of killing Sandy any more than she wanted Owen suspecting her of breaking into their home and leaving those words on the wall. “I just want this all to end, Steven.”
“I know you do.” He offered her his hand, which she readily accepted.
How was it that a man she barely knew could make her feel safe and protected, while her own husband—the man who’d vowed to cherish her until death do they part—could betray her?
Steven’s warm palm closed around her hand, his thumb grazing softly over her knuckles. “I promise you, we’ll get to the bottom of this.”
“I wish I had your optimism.”
Another swipe of his thumb across her knuckles. “I wasn’t always so optimistic. It took years of digging, researching, and bloodhounding to develop that particular skill. I’ve learned that the truth can always be found if you dig deep enough.”
Once they reached the car, Steven released his hold on her hand and unlocked her door. “You’re welcome to the guesthouse if you need a place to crash for a while.”
“I couldn’t possibly impose.” She ducked into the passenger seat.
Steven closed her door, skirted the front of the car and got behind the wheel. “It’s no imposition. In fact, stay as long as you’d like.”
* * * *
Jessica wasn’t sure how she felt about staying in Steven’s guesthouse, but the alternative would be a motel room without transportation. She highly doubted that Owen would allow her access to her car, especially after her earlier stunt in the elevator.
The look in Owen’s eyes had secretly torn at Jessica’s heart, yet for the life of her, she couldn’t understand why. He didn’t trust her, and he’d gone so far as to accuse her of staging the break in. Not to mention having her Baker Acted.
She moved around the small guesthouse, admiring the furnishings. Steven had excellent taste, she noted, running the palm of her hand along the back of a red loveseat. Owen had never taken an interest in their home’s décor, leaving all the furnishing decisions to Jess.
Why was she comparing the two men as if they were in some sort of competition? Perhaps it had to do with the fact that Steven trusted her. He didn’t think her crazy or unhinged, and if he did, he hid it well.
A knock sounded on the door, startling Jess.
“It’s open,” she called, knowing without looking that it would be Steven.
He stepped into the room, holding a thick folder in his arms. “I thought we could start here.”
Jessica nodded toward the folder. “What is that?”
“Some of the notes I took when I was covering the Dayton boy’s disappearance.”
Steven set the folder down on a small coffee table and took a seat on the red loveseat. Taking hold of the corner, he flipped the folder open. “Have a look.”
Ambling over to sit next to him, Jess plucked up the first paper in the thick stack. It happened to be a picture of the drunk, blond man she’d had a confrontation with not long ago. “This is Dale Schroder. Why would you have a photo of him, was he a suspect?”
“No, but he had no alibi for the night Terry went missing. He also refused to cooperate during the investigation.”
Jess studied the picture closely, noticing a certain emptiness to Dale’s eyes. “He looks like your typical weirdo to me.”
Steven nodded. “I agree, but being a weirdo doesn’t make you a killer. Besides, he’d just lost his wife to cancer a couple months before Terry disappeared. That could have something to do with his lack of cooperation.”
Jessica could relate. She’d completely lost interest in anything and everything when Jacob died.
She laid the photo aside and picked up the next paper in the stack. “This is Eustice Martin’s criminal history.” She read through the charges, taking in everything from two DUI’s to his murder charge. There were also numerous domestic abuse allegations, but he’d never been arrested for any of them.
“His wife never pressed charges,” Steven pointed out unnecessarily. “I tried talking to her on several different occasions, but she remained tight-lipped. Out of fear, I’m sure.”
Jessica spent the next half-hour, going through the folder. “What about Terry’s parents? Did they have anyone in particular they suspected?”
Steven blew out a breath and leaned back against the couch. “I tried dozens of times to interview them, but Melanie was inconsolable. The one time I did manage to sit down with her, she cried through the questioning.”
“So she wasn’t much help,” Jessica murmured. “I can sympathize. It took me three years to be able to speak Jacob’s name without breaking down. I still get choked up if I allow myself to dwell on him.”
“I’m sorry, Jess.”
Uncomfortable with the attention now on her, Jess changed the subject. “What about Terry’s father?”
“Jasper Dayton? What about him?”
Jess shifted on her seat to face Steven. “Did he have any helpful information?”
“Not really. He was pretty distraught as well. Although, he did demand the police look into Mr. Hawthorn. He claimed he’d caught the man looking into his windows with a pair of binoculars on more than one occasion.”
Jessica’s mouth dropped open. “Benny Hawthorn…a peeping Tom?”
“So, I was told. Although, I never found any evidence to validate the accusation. No police report had been filed.”
Jess quickly stood. “I want to speak to the Daytons.”
“Didn’t you already attempt that? As I recall, it didn’t go over too well.”
Staring down into Steven’s calm expression, Jessica admitted, “You’re right, it didn’t go over well at all. But I have to try. Maybe one of them will remember something that will help me figure out who is doing this to me and why they want me gone.”
Steven ran a hand down his face and then pushed to his feet. “Okay, but I’m going with you.”
“No,” Jess blurted a little harsher than she’d intended. She took a deep breath, softening her gaze. “It’s just that…I think it will look as if I brought reinforcement. Melanie would probably go on the defensive. Let me try this on my own.”
Steven watched Jess from his great height for several heartbeats before pulling a set of keys from his pants pocket. “Take my car. A cab would be far too expensive.”
Jess accepted the keys. “Are you sure?”
“Of course. Drive safely.”