Chapter 13 #2
Eddie stood behind the counter processing paperwork, while Marcus Garcia—one of their weekend staff—helped the family select paddle sizes. The hum of activity and chatter filled the space, punctuated by the slap of water against the dock pilings.
Not ideal for a sensitive interview.
Laney caught Eddie's eye and gestured toward the door. He said something to Marcus, and then made his way over, wiping his hands on a towel tucked into his belt. Laney led him out into the gray afternoon and around the corner to a quiet picnic bench out of the sight of others. “Have a seat, Eddie.”
“Is there a problem, ma’am?” His Adam’s apple bobbed, but he did as she requested, folding his long legs underneath the table. The wind ruffled his hair, revealing some gray at the temples. Dark circles ringed his eyes. It didn’t look like Eddie was getting much sleep.
“We need to ask you a few more questions about Ava.” She kept her voice neutral, but her gaze was locked on the other man.
Jonah had planted himself a short distance away, leaning casually on a nearby tree.
Close enough to hear the conversation, but far enough away so as not to be intimidating.
A calculated move, Laney was sure. They needed Eddie to feel comfortable enough to talk.
“Why didn’t you mention Ava was a volunteer at Piney Woods? ”
Eddie blinked. “She was?”
Playing stupid? Or genuinely confused? Laney couldn’t tell. “She worked with you during the Spring Jamboree in the wildlife center. You were her direct supervisor.”
His cheeks heated, and his gaze slid away from hers. “Last spring was a hectic time. I…I had no idea…I didn’t remember her. We had a lot of volunteers for the Jamboree and…” He pulled at the collar of his shirt as his explanation drifted off. “Is that important?”
“Right now, everything is important.”
His leg jittered underneath the table. “Oh, okay.”
Laney let the silence drift. A tactic that usually got people talking.
Eddie, however, didn’t rush to fill the quiet.
His attention was locked on a leaf resting on the table, and his leg never stopped moving.
Laney switched directions. “I remember the Spring Jamboree was a rough time for you. Your dad had recently passed, and you were going through a divorce.”
Eddie nodded, but didn’t add any additional details.
“Why didn’t you tell me that your ex-wife took out a restraining order against you?”
He jolted, his gaze shooting straight to her. Something akin to panic crept across his face, deepening the lines around his mouth. “It’s not what you think, ma’am.” The words came fast, nearing running together in his rush to get them out.
Laney gave him a reassuring look. “Okay. Tell me then.”
Eddie licked his lips. “Our divorce was contentious. My ex-wife has a temper, and she didn’t like that I got to stay in our family home.
The house had been a gift from my dad. It was mine outright, and not part of the marital property.
She…” He wiped a bead of sweat from his forehead.
“She would drive over to the house and break things. A planter hanging from the porch, the front window. Then she started leaving nasty stuff on my doorstep. It was…it was bad.”
His fingers began tapping against the table.
“I should have let it go, but I was grieving and not in the best headspace. I drove to her house and confronted her. We got into a heated argument, and as I turned to leave, she grabbed my arm. I tried to free myself and accidentally smacked her in the face.” He stilled, his jaw tightening.
“The next day, she filed a restraining order against me. I realized what a foolish idiot I’d been. I stayed clear of her after that.”
His eyes lifted to hers, his expression nearly pleading. “I should have told you. I know. But I didn’t want to lose my job. I love it here…” He drew in a shaky breath. “I’m sorry.”
Laney let that sit for a moment. His apology and his explanation seemed sincere, but she couldn’t ignore the fact that he also seemed nervous.
Eddie didn’t have a solid alibi for Ava and Tyler’s murder.
He claimed to have gone home and watched a game.
She waited a beat and asked, “I assume you’ve heard about the murders in Cabin 3. ”
He nodded, his gaze once again skittering away from hers.
“Did you know Nolan Carlson or Lisa Valdez?”
“No.”
That could be true. She’d checked the boat rentals, and neither Nolan nor Lisa had come up. “Where were you on Wednesday night between the hours of seven and midnight?”
“Uhhh, Wednesday?” He seemed to search for the answer in the leaf on the table. “I’m sure I was at home. I'm there most nights.”
“Can anyone vouch for that? Did you make a phone call? Or see anyone?”
His jaw tightened, and he shook his head.
He still wouldn’t look at her. And his leg was jittering again.
Laney considered pressing, but she didn’t see the point.
It would be better to hear from other volunteers who had worked with Ava and Eddie first. Then she might have something more concrete to challenge him on.
“Okay, Eddie. Thanks for talking with us. You can go back to work now.”
His head jerked up. “You…you aren’t going to fire me?”
“No. We’ll need to deal with your lack of transparency about the restraining order, but I want to think about it and consult with Andy before any final decisions are made.”
If Eddie’s story turned out to be true, she didn’t want to penalize him for a mistake.
Romantic relationships could be messy, and she could understand that Eddie might’ve been embarrassed and upset about the restringing order.
He still should have told them, but that error in judgement didn’t erase his years of park service.
Eddie popped up. “Thank you, ma’am.” With a nod in Jonah’s direction, he headed for the boathouse. His stride was rapid, as if he couldn’t get away fast enough.
Jonah sighed before joining Laney at the picnic table.
He sat shoulder to shoulder with her in silence for a while, and the warmth of his arm pressed against hers was distracting.
She was all too aware of his breathing, the subtle scent of peppermint from his frequent use of breath mints, the way his hand rested just inches from hers on the weathered table.
Finally he said, “You know he’s lying, don’t you? ”
“About which part?”
“The details about the argument with his wife. Definitely about where he was on Wednesday night.”
Disappointment settled inside her like a stone. “I know.”
Eddie was hiding something. That was very clear.
But was it murder?
Her cell phone beeped with an incoming text message.
Laney pulled it from her pocket and glanced at the screen, a smile tugging at her lips.
“It’s Breanna. She’s inviting us to have dinner with her.
Pizza.” The phone beeped again, and this time Laney laughed.
“She’s also asking us to bring the pizza. ”
“Tell her yes.”
She turned and eyed Jonah. “You sure? You’ve been running on fumes, and I know socializing takes a lot out of you.
” They’d attended church this morning, and Jonah had been pretty quiet throughout the service.
He talked less and less the more tired he became.
“I don’t mind skipping it. We can have dinner with them another night. ”
“A break from the case would do us both good.” His expression was warm, and when the breeze lifted a stray strand of her hair across her cheek, Jonah reached out to push it back.
The move was unexpected. Not part of their usual friendship dance.
Laney’s pulse jumped, and she froze at the sudden contact.
His fingers left a trail of heat in their wake. Butterflies ignited.
Jonah seemed to take his time, moving slowly. Deliberately. His thumb brushed along the sensitive curve of her ear, and her breath hitched. “Arrange dinner with your sister, Laney. I’d be happy to go with you.”