Chapter 15
FIFTEEN
The tension in the sheriff’s office was thick enough to choke a man.
Jackson stood in the corner of the room. Shawn was seated at a small conference table in the sheriff’s office. He attempted to appear in control, but worry lines bracketed his mouth and his shoulders curved inward. Something about his demeanor resembled a dog that’d been beaten down. His wife, Melanie, was seated next to him, but her body leaned away. As if she couldn’t stand being so close. Her sunny blond hair hung in waves and she was dressed casually in designer jeans and a lace top. She absently twisted her wedding ring with her thumb.
Standing behind Shawn was his father. Paul Kingston’s posture was ramrod straight. His gray hair was cropped short, and he wore an expensive suit tailored to fit his athletic frame perfectly. Looks were very important, and Paul worked out religiously to keep in good health. He was fifty-five but looked a decade younger. His expression was neutral, but Jackson sensed the anger pouring off of him.
“Sheriff, it has come to my attention that you have questions about Shawn’s involvement with a receptionist from our law firm.” Paul’s gaze was sharp enough to cut a man. “We’re here to set the record straight. Although why I wasn’t given the common curtsy of a heads up before investigators questioned my son, I’ll never understand. This entire matter could have been handled quickly.”
Paul was furious. Jackson stepped forward to explain that he was in charge of the investigation, but before he could open his mouth, Derek cut him off.
“Paul, I understand this is difficult for your family, but questioning those closest to the victim is standard procedure.” Derek’s tone brooked no argument. “I won’t treat your family any differently than I would any other citizen.”
“We’ll see how that works out for you when the next election rolls around.”
The Kingstons were a wealthy and influential family. If they backed someone else in the next election for sheriff, it would make things difficult for Derek. It didn’t surprise Jackson that Paul believed he should be treated with special care. The Kingstons had courted favor with the mayor, the city council, and the sheriff for decades. During Shawn’s reckless youth, it had kept him out of trouble.
Apparently, Paul and Shawn were struggling with the idea that they wouldn’t be given special dispensation by the sheriff anymore. To his credit, Derek didn’t blink at the threat. “You are free to do as you please, Paul.” He gave him a relaxed smile. “It’s what makes our country so great. That we can choose which leaders we like. In the meantime, I have a murder investigation to run?—”
“About that.” Paul reached into a leather briefcase and removed a stack of papers, slapping them on Derek’s desk. “There are five affidavits from employees who confirm Shawn was at work during the time the victim was killed. He was at the office until well past eight o’clock that night.
Jackson stiffened. If Shawn had an alibi, why hadn’t he mentioned it during their first interview?
From the crease of Piper’s brow, she was thinking the same thing. She picked up the affidavits and flipped through them. She glanced at Shawn and then at Jackson before handing the papers to Derek. “These appear to be in order.”
Paul scoffed. “Of course they are. It’s preposterous to believe my son murdered anyone.”
“He had a relationship?—”
Paul waved off her comment. “Shawn and Melanie have experienced marital troubles for quite some time. That information isn’t public knowledge, mind you, but his affair with our receptionist is hardly scandalous.”
“Elena,” Piper snapped.
“Excuse me?”
“Your receptionist had a name. It’s Elena.” She turned away from Paul’s smirk and focused on Melanie, softening her voice. “Is that true? Did you know about the affair?”
“I did. Shawn and I have been having marital troubles for some time. We’ve kept it quiet because we aren’t sure how we want to proceed. Our children—” A choke cut her off, and tears appeared at the corners of her eyes. “Our children are the most important things to us.”
“We’ve been sleeping in separate bedrooms for a year,” Shawn added. “Both of us have had relationships outside of the marriage. For obvious reasons, we’ve been discreet. The last thing I want is to cause my wife—or my children—embarrassment. People in town would talk if news about my affair became public knowledge.”
Jackson spotted a box of tissues on the bookshelf and handed it to Melanie. She delicately removed a few and dabbed at her eyes. “Thank you.”
He nodded in silent acknowledgment. Shawn glanced at his wife with concern. She refused to meet his gaze. The interactions were fraught with tension and unspoken conflict. It wasn’t hard to see their marriage was on the rocks. Still, there was something about this entire situation that didn’t feel right. As if they’d rehearsed their parts. Maybe it was his suspicious nature firing overtime, but Jackson wasn’t buying that Melanie knew about the affair before Elena’s death.
“I have a few follow-up questions.” Jackson returned the tissues to the bookshelf .
“Melanie, dear, why don’t you wait outside for us?” Paul’s tone was gentle, his expression sympathetic. “There’s no need for you to hear anything further.”
She quickly rose and scurried from the room like a mouse. The door clicked closed behind her.
Jackson faced Shawn. “We’ve had time to review Elena’s text messages and her phone calls. She broke things off with you about two weeks before she died. Elena was unhappy you wouldn’t get a divorce. You persisted in pursuing her, even after things were over. Honestly, I’m confused. If your wife was aware of the affair, and you and Elena were in love, why didn’t you simply agree to a divorce?”
Paul placed a meaty hand on Shawn’s shoulder and squeezed. “Don’t answer that.”
Shawn flinched. His hands gripped the arms of the chairs and his jaw clenched, as if he had an answer, but was forbidden from saying it. Jackson knew Shawn’s relationship with his dad was fraught with tension. Always had been. Paul expected his orders to be obeyed at all times. The fact that Shawn was a grown man, capable of making his own decisions, didn’t matter in the Kingston family. Paul was the patriarch, and his word was law.
He scowled at Jackson. “My son’s personal life is not relevant to your murder investigation. He has an alibi for the time Elena was killed.” Paul stressed the word Elena, his gaze shooting to Piper briefly before returning to Jackson. “I understand you may be short on suspects, but I will not allow you to rummage around in our private business. Shawn has an alibi for the murder. That’s enough to clear him.”
Actually it wasn’t. The affidavits were from people who worked at the law firm. Jackson wasn’t sure if the employees would lie for their boss, but it was possible. Shawn and Paul signed their paychecks. Not to mention there were multiple entrances and exits in the building. Shawn could’ve slipped out without anyone knowing.
Jackson didn’t say any of that though. He didn’t want to tip off the Kingstons to the avenues they would be investigating.
Paul’s expression hardened. “This matter is resolved. If I find out that anyone has been asking questions or digging into Shawn, I’ll sue for defamation.” He locked gazes with Derek. “It’s in your best interest, as the elected sheriff, to ensure this town is safe. That means protecting all of its citizens in every way. I don’t expect my family’s name to be dragged through the mud.”
With those parting words, Paul and Shawn left.
Piper blew out a breath as she watched the Kingstons hurry across the bullpen through the glass walls of the office. “Anyone else feel like we were being handled?”
“Oh yeah.” Jackson rocked back on the heels of his boots. “I suspect Shawn told Paul and his wife about the affair following our first interview. This was damage control.”
“An effective one.” Derek picked up the affidavits. “I’ll have deputies individually question these individuals, but if their statements hold up, it appears Shawn had an alibi for the time Elena was killed. ”
“That doesn’t preclude him from hiring Wally to do his dirty work.” Jackson was more convinced Shawn was neck-deep in this somehow. He hated the thought. Shawn was an old friend, but his handling of the matter only reinforced the idea that he had something to hide. And Jackson wasn’t convinced it was an affair.
Derek sighed. “I don’t like what just happened any more than you do, but we don’t have any proof that Shawn hired Wally. We have to follow the evidence, and right now, our primary suspect is Wally. If Shawn hired him, then we’ll find proof of it during the investigation.”
Jackson reluctantly nodded. Derek was right. Suspicion and gut instinct didn’t go very far in a courtroom. Everything they’d uncovered thus far pointed to Wally. He rubbed his forehead. A headache was brewing along his temples. Maybe he was too close to this investigation. With Piper’s life being threatened, Jackson had to admit he might not be seeing things clearly.
“You two take the rest of the afternoon off,” Derek said. “Neither of you can move without wincing. We’ll reconvene in the morning and see where the investigation is.” He pegged Piper with a stern look. “Rest, Detective Jensen. That’s an order. Don’t even look at this case file until tomorrow morning.”
She wrinkled her nose. “I can read over evidence reports?—”
“No. I’ve got Ranger Perez and Ranger Capshaw in the conference room to do that. Plus, more rangers are showing up tomorrow.” Worry darkened his brown eyes until they were almost black. “I’ll have extra patrols go by your house, Piper, and once the night shift starts, someone will be stationed on your street. Use caution.” His gaze shifted between Jackson and Piper. “Both of you. I’m not sure how the bombing, the shooting, and Elena’s murder fit together yet, but until we know more… assume you’re in danger.”