Chapter 34
THIRTY-FOUR
MINA
By late afternoon the next day, I had heard nothing from Roy Dennison or Lock.
I checked out of the Bayview and ended up coming back to the office.
It felt like the only place on earth that was my territory alone.
I changed my clothes here. I didn’t know my next step and tried to bury myself in work.
At four o’clock, Mark poked his head in. “Palicki’s refusing a public defender,” he said. “He was served with an arrest warrant for Fiona McBride about an hour ago. We need to go public with it first thing in the morning. I’ll handle the press conference.”
Mark would take whatever limelight this case would offer. Let him.
“I’m surprised Dennison didn’t send me a copy of the arrest warrant.”
“He sent it to me,” Mark said.
I scrunched my face. “Why?”
“Ask him.”
He didn’t wait for a response. Mark disappeared down the hallway.
Eight minutes past four. Roy should still be in his office.
I shouldn’t have heard about Palicki’s arrest on Benton County charges from Mark.
Roy promised to come see me today about what I showed him last night.
I wouldn’t blame him if he were angry with me.
I should have come to him from the very beginning. I regretted so many of my choices now.
I grabbed my purse, shut down my laptop. Mark was already behind a closed door as I stepped out.
“Ash,” I said. “I’m heading over to the sheriff’s if anyone needs me.
” I stopped myself from telling her I planned to head home after that.
I would sleep here again tonight. I knew Ashley suspected something was up.
She’d been discreet, but she caught me brushing my teeth in the women’s restroom this morning.
“Have a good night,” she said, cheerful, nonjudgmental.
As I walked to Roy’s office, something felt off. I got a strange look from the desk sergeant. She quickly turned her attention back to whatever was on her computer screen. I made my way toward Roy’s office. I heard voices coming from inside.
“Knock knock,” I said as I stood in his doorway. Sheriff Rafferty sat perched on the edge of Roy’s desk. As soon as he saw me, he bolted to his feet.
“Mina,” he quickly covered. “Good to see you. I’ll get out of your hair.”
Rafferty scurried past me like his rear end was on fire.
“Hey, Mina,” Roy said. “Why don’t you catch the door?”
I closed it behind me and sat down in front of his desk.
“I was hoping to hear from you today,” I said. “I want to apologize for coming to your house last night. That was inappropriate. I was in shock. I needed a friend.”
Roy gave me a sympathetic nod. “I’m sorry. The day kind of got away from me.”
“I heard. You prepared an arrest warrant for Palicki on McBride. I’m surprised you didn’t run it by me or at least give me a heads-up it was happening.”
“I figured you’d want a low-key day. I honestly wasn’t sure if you’d even come in.”
“Why wouldn’t I? I still have a job to do.”
“Right. Look, Mina… I feel terrible about what you’re going through. If somebody delivered photos like that of Tonya… man. It makes me furious to even think about it.”
“You don’t have to worry about my feelings. I just want to know what you’ve found out about Corrine Egan. Have you questioned her?”
The expression on Roy’s face provided some answers as to why Rafferty wanted out of this office so badly.
Roy must have told him what I shared with him.
My nostrils flared. It was probably all over the department by now.
Which meant Mark would know soon enough.
And it provided the reason why Roy cut me out of the loop on Palicki’s new charges.
“You’re not planning to question her, are you?”
Roy folded his hands on the desk. “I really think you should take some time. Clear your head. Give yourself a chance to process everything.”
“I don’t need time. I need answers from Corrine. I told you she must have taken things from my house. She gave you phony evidence and lied about where it came from. That’s obstruction at a minimum, Roy. She needs to answer for that.”
Roy’s face turned to stone. It was then that I noticed the fat yellow envelope on the credenza behind him. He’d brought the packet of photos with him. I turned back and looked at the door.
“You showed those to Rafferty?” Rising anger simmered just below the surface. “Was he entertained?”
“Mina, nobody is making light of this.”
“Do you think I’m lying?”
“No. Of course not.”
“Then why haven’t you brought Corrine back in for questioning?”
“Mina, I don’t think Corrine Egan was responsible for vandalizing your car.”
“Based on what?”
“Based on the fact that she was here, in this building, just down the hallway, being questioned by me. Belinda walked her out that day. She took her to her car and watched her drive away.”
“I found Cerise Afterglow paint cans in my garage. I told you! Corrine’s been in my house.”
“The paint cans were in your own garage?” he asked, clear accusation in his tone. This was all going wrong.
“You think I’m delusional? What, you think I vandalized my own car? Roy, it’s more than just these photos or the paint. What about the dead dove on my doorstep? It had been strangled with a red ribbon.”
“You mentioned that last night. Do you have a picture of it?”
“I buried the poor thing,” I said.
The compassion melted away from Roy’s expression. “I’m not sure you’re thinking clearly. This is a shock. You just found out your husband is having an affair. Those photos are horrifying. Whoever sent them to you is a monster.”
“But you don’t believe me that it’s Corrine?”
“In the photos? I don’t know. You can’t see her face. I wouldn’t be a good detective if I jumped to one conclusion.”
“She is the one who told the Kalamazoo County sheriffs that her stalker’s name was Matt Woodson. You think it’s a coincidence I found a letter addressed to him in my own husband’s closet? Or this?” I pulled the ribbon back out from under my smartwatch. Roy looked pained.
“I really wish I could see that letter.”
“Because you won’t just take my word for it.”
He didn’t believe me. He thought I was hysterical.
“Mina, you were right beside me the first time Corrine Egan described her red ribbon. You said nothing. You were upset though. I just didn’t put together why. But you ran out of the room. I’d forgotten that until last night.”
“Talk to her. That’s all I’m asking. I don’t care that Belinda walked her through the parking lot the day my car was destroyed.
She didn’t walk her in, did she? We have no idea when my car was painted.
Or maybe she’s working with someone. I don’t know and it’s not my job to figure that out. It’s yours.”
“Think about what you’re saying.”
“I have. And stop looking at me like that. Like I’m crazy. I’m not asking for your pity or even your understanding. I’m asking you to bring Corrine Egan back here and ask her these questions.”
Roy sat there, stoic. The more I raised my voice, the more I knew I’d lost him.
“Fine,” I said. “If you won’t talk to Corrine, then I will.”
“Mina, I strongly advise you against that. She is still a victim. A witness.”
“You and Gilchrist,” I said. “You’ve been talking about me behind my back. Let me guess, you told him you don’t think he should keep me on the Palicki case.”
“Do you think you should stay on it?”
“Roy?”
I whipped around. Deputy Lennon stood in the doorway. She gave me a grim smile and I knew instantly she’d been made aware of my allegations.
“Sorry to interrupt,” she said. “But could I borrow you for a couple of minutes?”
“I’m sorry, Mina,” Roy said. “I’ve got to finish up a few things before I leave. Listen, maybe some take time off. Give yourself a few days. You’ve been burning the candle at both ends just like I have.”
This was a ploy. I had the strongest sense that Rafferty had sent Amanda in to rescue Roy from me.
“This isn’t over yet, Roy,” I said, rising. “I know what I’m talking about.”
“I understand,” he said, placating me. I wanted to rip his face off. Part of me wondered if he hadn’t called Lock after I showed up at his house last night. Man to man.
I stormed out. He wasn’t going to help me. He thought I was just some jilted wife. Unraveled. Hysterical. Mark Gilchrist probably did too by now.
If Roy wasn’t going to confront Corrine Egan, then I would have to. It was one thing for her to screw my husband. But this was now threatening to hurt my career.
I turned the corner and went down the hall to the conference room. My key card gave me access to it. Roy kept everything he’d accumulated through TRACE here. He’d turned it into his war room on the McBride murder.
I shut the door behind me. With sweat beading on my brow, I went to the boxes stacked on the long table against the wall. I found the one with Corrine Egan’s file. I leafed through it using my phone’s flashlight. I didn’t dare turn on the overhead lights. It was better no one knew I was here.
I found Corrine’s initial statement. I leafed to the bottom. Just below her signature, she’d written down her address.