Chapter 51
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City Police Station—Sitka, AK
Anya needed to walk a fine line. The questions were becoming more direct, more suspicious.
Clearly, this Officer Collins thought she had something to do with Chilton’s death.
She needed to tell him enough to convince him otherwise.
On the other hand, she needed to stay quiet about Thomas, the money, and his part in the murder—for her own safety and well-being.
Collins’s blue eyes darted about, never seeming to settle—up toward the clock on the wall of the interrogation room, over to the window, back to Anya’s chest, up to her face again.
Sweat glistened on his freckled brow. He ran his hand over his short-buzzed hair, then picked up his pencil, chewing on the eraser end.
“What did you say you were doing at Chilton’s office? ”
“Mr. Chilton was doing some minor estate work for me. My husband passed away recently and Chilton was putting my affairs in order. Nothing particularly interesting. I don’t see how it could have anything to do with—”
“Mrs. Baron,” Collins interrupted, “we are wondering why we found some notes regarding your case in Mr. Chilton’s home, but nothing in his office. No client files, no mention of you at all.”
Anya wondered why that should matter. “Anya, please. And, I don’t have any idea. How would I know that? Maybe he took all my paperwork home to work on it? What does this—”
“We are just investigating all angles…Anya,” Collins said, cutting her off again. “It appears that you may have been Mr. Chilton’s only active client. All the other files in his office were several months old at least.”
Anya’s toes wiggled inside her shoes. She tried to sit straighter so she wasn’t lower than Collins. “Me being his only client is no reason to suspect me of murder. Remember, I’m the one who called you to report it.”
Collins scribbled a few notes on his yellow legal pad.
His pencil was chewed through the paint to the bare wood.
He looked up again. “Would you mind telling us more about your relationship with Mr. Chilton? Did you meet any other clients of his? Did you learn anything about him that might make anyone want to kill him?”
“Well, he was an alcoholic,” Anya replied. “Was he married? If so, I’d start with his wife if I were you.”
Collins chuckled. “No, he’s been single for quite some time.” He began chewing the end of the pencil again.
“Didn’t seem like the most eligible bachelor in town to me.” Anya tried to hold Collins’s gaze.
Collins raised an eyebrow, put down his gnawed pencil, and leaned back in his chair. “Did you and Mr. Chilton have a personal or romantic relationship?”
“That’s absurd and you know it.”
Collins’s forehead wrinkled. “If you don’t mind, we’d also like your permission to search your boat. It’s mostly for your safety. Since you were Mr. Chilton’s only client, and he was killed, you might be in danger as well.”
Anya crossed her arms. “I’m perfectly capable of keeping my own boat safe, thank you.”
Collins slid his legal pad back. “We could get a warrant, or we could just ask the Coast Guard to search it, but it would be easier for all of us if you just gave permission. We’re going to ask you to stay in town for a few days while we sort things out.”
“So you’re saying I have no choice in the matter. Go ahead, then. Search away. I’ve got nothing to hide.” Anya picked up her handbag from the floor. “Do your men know their way around a power troller? I don’t want anything damaged.”
Anya fished in her purse for the boat keys and slid them across the table to Collins.
Collins stood up and began flipping through the keys on the chain. “Are there any weapons aboard?”
Anya felt things moving in a bad direction. “Yes. I have a Smith and Wesson three-fifty-seven in the second drawer in the galley. I keep it for self-protection. It’s unloaded.”
Collins unclicked and reclicked the snap on his own holster, then seemed to study his pencil again. “You know an unloaded gun isn’t much use if someone starts to—”
Anya’s fingernails dug into her palms. “Yes. I know. Just get on with your search. I’d like to get back to my boat.”
Collins dropped the keys into his pocket and moved toward the door. “Thank you. Our officers will be careful. It shouldn’t take long.”