Chapter 18
Eighteen
E zra sat in Ethan’s office the following day to report his findings.
“Thornton died from a single gunshot wound penetrating the heart. The wound is consistent with a 9mm bullet. I retrieved a partially deformed bullet and sent it for ballistics analysis, but it is most likely from a Glock 19,” he stated. “The bullet traveled through the body in a downward trajectory, indicating the shooter was probably standing at the time. Thornton was struck first, then shot. Judging from that, the indentation to the back of his head and extensive bleeding, livor mortis suggested he had been lying on a hard surface for several hours before being dumped in the pond.”
Ezra looked up from his report. “I don’t have to tell you that Thornton was dead before being dumped in the pond.”
“How tall would a person need to be to knock a person out?” Ethan’s mind was racing with questions.
“Well, David was six two.” Ezra thought for a moment. “So someone had to be at least six feet if David were standing, less if he was sitting.”
Okay, that potentially eliminated a woman, particularly Jane, who was only five feet two. Also Tanner, who stood at around five feet ten. Potentially being the key word since a shorter person could have hit Thornton while he was bending over or sitting. But the shot to the heart could have come from anyone. Ethan wondered if more than one person was involved in Thornton’s death.
Jane claimed she didn’t own a gun, and Tanner owned several. Ethan made a mental note to have ballistics check them. The one thing he didn’t want was to have his constituency claim he was partial to family or friends.
“What else can you tell me?” Ethan inquired.
Ezra shifted through his notes. “The absence of pond debris and mud on the body indicates Thornton was already dead when dumped into the pond. The cooler water slowed the decomposition significantly.”
Ethan grimaced at the thought of someone being alive while they were drowned.
Well, as if there were any positive ways to die, Thornton was lucky. Ethan had read that death by drowning was unbearably painful, not counting the terror of being alive while being dumped into the water.
“The body had gone through a full cycle of rigor mortis and decomposition,” Ezra continued. “Based on his stomach content, he died two to four hours after eating, so he was most likely killed sometime a week ago in the late evening.”
“What did he eat?” asked Ethan. Perhaps if he dined in a restaurant, someone might have seen something.
Ezra scratched his brow. “Maybe a hamburger or some kind of meat dish and something with apple in it.”
“Apple pie? Apple pastry?”
“It was rather small chunks, so probably not a pie,” Ezra replied.
Great. How to track down where David ate a hamburger or a similar dish and something with small pieces of apple in it. The possibilities were endless.
Ethan let out a sigh.
His department had their work cut out for them.
The thought of the case becoming more personal and painful crossed his mind. However, it was his duty, an oath he took to serve and protect, and that was what he was going to do.
His first order of business was to question Vanessa Crumb.
Vanessa Crumb lived outside the town’s limits in an older development.
The drive over was pleasant, considering the day was gray and cold. The tree-lined streets, which had showcased their vibrant colors just a few weeks ago, were now bare. The leaves had been raked up, bagged and taken away.
A few people were walking the sidewalks as Ethan pulled up to a cute 1950s bungalow that looked like it’d been recently renovated. Weathered brick steps led up to a small front porch with a dormer overhead.
Ethan parked in the driveway behind an older car and took a minute to gather his thoughts. Unfortunately, Maggie Thornton left town, and no one knew how to get ahold of her. Not that he was looking forward to contacting her. Maggie hated the town and everyone in it. So he was following up on other leads until he could speak to her.
Time to go. He blew out a deep breath, got out, put on his hat, and knocked on the door. A minute later, Vanessa answered, her eyes wide.
“Sheriff, what brings you here?” She frowned. “Everything’s okay at the store, isn’t it?”
“Yes, ma’am. I’d like to ask you a few questions,” he replied. “Can I come in?”
She opened the door wider to let him in. The aroma of freshly brewed coffee wafted from the kitchen. A grandfather’s clock ticked steadily in the small foyer. A soft green paint covered the walls, extending into the living room.
Another woman was sitting in the small living room sipping coffee.
“This will just take a few minutes,” he said. “We can go into the kitchen, if you’d rather.”
Today Vanessa wore her chestnut hair down. Ethan usually saw it in a bun when she was working. Streaks of gray made her look older than her fifty years.
She had a black pair of slacks with a top of different shades of purple, which was unsettling. He was more familiar with her in her baker outfit.
“No, come on in. Let me introduce you to Jane Goodwin,” she said, pointing at Jane. “She’s your neighbor.”
If Ethan had thought about how his visit would go, seeing Jane sitting in Vanessa’s living room, sipping coffee and munching on cookies, would have been so far out there, he couldn’t have imagined it.
Jane looked up at him, gave him a finger wave, and smirked.
“Oh, Vanessa, we know each other,” Jane said.
“Oh good,” Vanessa replied. “Sheriff, why don’t you have a seat? Would you like a cup of coffee?”
“Sounds good.”
Ethan took a chair across from Jane. “What the hell are you doing here?” he hissed.
He heard Vanessa in the kitchen getting a cup for him and resisted the urge to shoo the nosy woman sitting across from him out of the house.
Jane gave him a small smile. “Helping to clear my name, since you seem to think I killed David Thornton.”
“This is an ongoing official police investigation. Not a scene from one of your books.”
She put her hand to her heart. “I’m crushed, Sheriff. But I’m not here in any official capacity, just as a friend.”
“Humph. I don’t…” Ethan leaned in to say more.
“Here you go, Sheriff,” said Vanessa, handing him a cup of coffee. “Cream and sugar on the coffee table. Oh, please help yourself to some cookies.”
“Thank you, Vanessa.” He settled back into the chair. “Do you have any idea why I came to see you?”
She bit her lip and nodded. “Jane was just filling me in on what happened and the rumors swirling around.”
Ethan gave Jane a dirty look. He’d deal with the meddling woman later.
“I didn’t kill David. I hated him for what he did to me, but I would never kill him or any other person,” said Vanessa.
Wasn’t that what all killers said?
“He was murdered a week ago,” he said. “The coroner thinks it was at night. Do you have an alibi for the past week?”
“Hmmm.” Vanessa thought for a moment. “I’m usually at the bakery until late. I have to say, Sheriff, I’m too tired at the end of the day to kill anyone. Besides, my daughter has been staying here while some renovations are being done at her place. You can ask her.”
“I will. Do you know if Thornton had any enemies? Anyone who might have wanted him dead?”
Vanessa’s eyes flickered with hesitation. “David was a complicated man. I loved him, but he was always getting into arguments and stirring up trouble, especially about Jane’s land. He just couldn’t let that sale go, for some reason.”
Ethan nodded, writing notes in a small leather notebook. He looked over at Jane, who was taking a bite of cookie. “Jane, anything you’d like to add?”
Jane put her finger to her cheek and widened her eyes. “Ah, you might want to look into his associates rather than innocent people.”
Hoo boy, that woman was merciless. He almost grinned—almost.
“Vanessa, can you think of anyone else who had a grudge against Thornton?”
“Well, Jim Jenkins was mighty angry with him.”
Good lord. Was the whole town involved in this mess? “Why Jim?”
“Jim and I were in an on-and-off relationship for a long time. When David came back to town, I broke up with Jim. He was furious and threatened to kill David. But that was all posturing.”
Ethan blew out his breath. “When was this?”
“Ah, a couple of months ago. But David left town for a while on business, and I know Jim cooled down.”
“Okay. Anyone else?” Ethan sighed. This was like pulling teeth.
“Well, Annabelle did. Right, Vanessa?” Jane piped up.
Annabelle? He glared at Jane, who just rolled her eyes. Ethan wrote Annabelle’s name on the longer list of potential suspects.
Vanessa nodded. “He was cheating on Annabelle too. While I hated her for going out with him, I know she wouldn’t kill him.”
“Let me decide that, okay?” He looked expectantly at her.
“I can’t think of anyone else, Sheriff,” said Vanessa.
Ethan stood, put his notebook back in his pocket and placed his hat back on his head. “Thank you, Vanessa. I’ll be in touch if I have any more questions. If you think of anything to add, call me.”
She walked him to the door. “Will do, Sheriff, thank you.”
As Ethan stepped out into the still overcast day, he glanced back at Jane, who was enjoying another cookie, and pointed his finger at her. “You stay out of this investigation and trouble,” he gruffly warned.
Jane smirked. “No promises, Sheriff.”
“Please don’t make me regret not bringing you down to the station.”
She shook her head and shrugged. “The only thing I’m guilty of is gliding through a yellow light.”
Ethan just shook his head.
Wherever Jane went, trouble seemed to follow. He’d keep a closer eye on her for sure.
Yup. That’s what he’d do. It had nothing to do with her prickly attitude, nose for trouble, and sweet lips. Not at all.
As he walked to his truck, he had leads to follow up on and a murder to solve that hopefully didn’t involve anyone else he knew.
But like his father used to say, there were no guarantees in life.