Chapter 12 #2
That sure didn’t sound like the cocky woman he knew her to be. “You could have gotten completely lost and frozen to death. This isn’t New York, Ms. Newton, there isn’t a taxi waiting at the corner of every block.”
“Believe me, there isn’t a taxi waiting at the corner of every block in New York,” she snapped. “Only in the movies.”
“I’m going to ask you once more. If you keep yanking my chain, I’m going to have to excuse myself from being your escort.”
That prompted a laugh. He couldn’t decide if the sound reflected amusement or hope.
“You’re my escort?”
“You know what I mean.”
“I was checking out the house across the woods from the chapel and someone pushed me. I went over the edge. If I hadn’t grabbed on to those vines . . . I’d still be lying out there. Frozen probably. Seriously injured for sure.”
“Someone pushed you?” She had to be mistaken. Though no one in town wanted her here, there wasn’t a soul he could think of who would do her harm.
“I was pushed, Conner.” Fury glinted in her eyes. “Then someone chased me through the woods and down the road. He disappeared after that.”
“Someone chased you and then just . . . disappeared?” He made no attempt to hide his skepticism.
“I hid in the trees. He gave up, maybe.” She shrugged. “I don’t know.”
Kale didn’t know a whole lot about Saran Newton. Whether she was easily spooked or not. If she had a vivid imagination. Now wasn’t the time to ask. She was on the defensive from whatever had happened.
He stood. “I’ll get you something for your hands.”
If her story was true . . . But it couldn’t be.
Could it?
Folks were pretty upset about her presence. Someone could be watching her. Hoped to scare her off, maybe.
“I knew you wouldn’t believe me, that’s why I wasn’t going to tell you.” She looked directly at him. “Those compassionate folks you know would never push a girl over a ledge.”
Irritation tightened his lips. “I’ll be back.”
Rather than argue with her, he stormed to the bathroom. He knew these people. Maybe some of them were capable of spooking her . . . but pushing her over a ledge. Not possible. There had to be another explanation.
He located the antibiotic cream and headed back to the living room. Angie stood at attention next to Newton, tail wagging.
Newton had pulled her sneakers back on and was reaching for her coat. “I apologize if I inconvenienced you.” She produced a faint smile. “I appreciate your help. Now, if you don’t mind taking me to my car, I’ll get back to the inn. I’m sure you’re ready to call it a night.”
Oh, no. He wasn’t letting her out of his sight again tonight. “Sit.”
Angie obeyed instantly. Newton, however, stared at him as indignantly as if he’d slapped her with a glove in blatant challenge.
“You’re staying here tonight.”
She scoffed. “I don’t think so, but nice try.”
Nice try?
Then he got it. “Don’t flatter yourself, Newton. You’re not my type.”
She angled her head, stared at him with mounting defiance. “Why would I stay here?”
He searched her eyes, saw the faintest flicker of uncertainty. “Because it’s late. We’re both tired, and you’ve had the hell scared out of you.”
The fight visibly draining out of her, she lowered back onto the couch. “I guess it wouldn’t kill me to stay.”
He didn’t bother asking what that meant. He thrust the tube of cream at her. “This will help your hands.”
She opened the tube and spread a thin layer on both palms. “Thank you.” She passed the tube back to him as she toed off her sneakers.
“Anything else I should know about tonight?” He was beat.
He resettled on the ottoman as she stretched out on the couch and pulled the comforter around her.
But he would stay up as long as he was getting information from her.
Angie, the traitor, hopped on the couch and curled up at their guest’s feet.
She’d apparently lost interest in a midnight snack.
Newton gave her head a little shake.
“Did you get a look at the person who allegedly pushed then chased you?”
Those curiously blue eyes met his in challenge. “He wore a black ski mask.”
“How tall was he? And you’re sure it was a he?”
She thought about that a moment. “Your height or taller. Yes, definitely a he.”
Kale was still skeptical. “Heavy? Thin?”
“Medium.”
“When he was chasing you, did he fall behind like he was out of shape, or did he keep up?” Physical fitness could be indicative of age. This was nuts. Who would do this sort of thing?
She shook her head. “I don’t think he was really trying to catch me. I think he might have been trying to scare me off but got a little carried away.”
“What makes you think that?”
Uneasiness had started to nudge Kale. If she was telling the truth . . . if any of the villagers had decided to take matters into their own hands and go to this extreme . . .
Not good.
He would have to talk to Patterson and Willard about this.
Yet, not a single name came to mind of anyone who would be capable of such a thing.
“Because he was right behind me in the woods,” Newton explained.
“Didn’t seem to have a problem catching up or keeping up with me.
He was close enough that when I fell, he grabbed me by the ankle.
But I got away, and then he never caught up with me again.
As if he’d accomplished what he’d set out to do. ”
“We’ll talk to the chief about this in the morning.” He rubbed his neck. No one was going to be happy to hear it.
“Who’s the guy with the big house through the woods? The one you can see from the chapel?”
“Jerald Pope?” The Pope home was the only one visible from the chapel.
“Who is he?”
“Master boat builder. His work is internationally known. He and his wife and their daughter, Jerri Lynn, live there.”
“I assume he was interviewed and had nothing to add that might prove useful to the investigation.”
“Correct.” Why would she ask about Pope? Sure, his house was close to the scene, but that didn’t mean he was involved or had seen anything. That was Kale’s defensive side talking. Her question was perfectly logical.
She fell silent for long enough to make him start to feel anxious.
“He was watching me.” Her voice cracked when she said the words.
“You think Pope pushed you?” That was seriously outrageous, but if that was her perception, Kale needed to know right now.
“No. He never left his house.”
“Explain,” he ordered.
“I noticed him watching me from his window.” She shrugged. “I guess he saw my flashlight and wondered what I was doing. Or maybe he was worried there was trouble at the chapel again.” As if she’d just had a thought, she asked, “No one called in about someone snooping around at the chapel?”
Kale shook his head. “I doubt it. If anyone had called it in, the chief would have contacted me first.” It seemed both the chief and the mayor were expecting him, and him alone, to keep her out of trouble.
Newton looked unsettled by that answer.
“I’ll take you to meet Mr. Pope tomorrow if you’d like,” Kale offered, in hopes of making her feel more comfortable. “You can ask him if he saw you.”
“I have a list of people I want to interview,” she informed him as she snuggled deeper into her covers. She was exhausted and it was catching up with her.
Great. He couldn’t wait. “We’ll start first thing in the morning after I check in at my office.” He stood. “You let me know if you need anything.”
“You locked the door, right?”
“Believe it or not,” he said, surmising that her question was a jab at life in Maine, “we don’t lock our doors because there are no robberies in Youngstown.”
“Only murders,” she reminded.
Right.
Only murders.