Chapter 54
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City Police Station—Sitka, AK
Anya had seen the tiny gun before—in Thomas’s attaché case. No question, Thomas had planted it on her boat—set her up. But why? What was Thomas hiding? Why kill Chilton and not her? Why have her sign the property papers for the fishing cabin…
Officer Collins sat across from Anya. He leaned back in his chair with his arms crossed. Behind him, a large mirror in the wall was obviously a one-way-glass setup.
Anya wondered who was back there watching.
The Browning 25 looked like a toy, sitting on the table in a plastic bag with its evidence label.
Oh, of course, Thomas took…all her papers, everything Chilton had.
The whole file. Anya no longer had proof of anything.
No proof of ownership of her boat, or her fishing cabin, or—and the fishing cabin deed was the only thing she had that was somehow connected to Thomas.
What if she went to jail and what if he never paid her?
Had she signed away her properties regardless?
And now she was under arrest.
Should have paid more attention—to everything.
Collins had grilled her for the better part of three hours. Anya’s head ached. She rubbed her temples with both hands but got no relief. He’d kept asking her the same questions over and over and didn’t even have the creativity to phrase them differently from time to time.
The Radio Shack cassette recorder on the table clicked to a stop. Collins removed the tape, flipped it over, and pressed Play-Record again.
Anya’s eyes looked tired in the mirror. She pulled her hair back into a ponytail and adjusted her posture. The tan line on her ring finger was completely gone. She couldn’t remember what she’d done with the ring.
“What are you doing in Sitka?” Collins repeated, for probably the fifth time.
Anya repeated her answer. “I came here from Pelican to meet with my lawyer, sign paperwork on some property I’m selling, and buy some parts and supplies for my fishing boat.”
“Where is your paperwork for the property you’re selling? Where is any of your paperwork?” Even Collins sounded bored.
“The real-estate company said they’d mail them to me with my check in a few days.”
Doubtful at this point, but better not change the answer.
“Did you murder your lawyer?”
“I’ve told you a dozen times, I didn’t. Why would I?”
“This is the murder weapon—a Browning twenty-five. We found it hidden behind a dinette cushion on your boat. Why was the murder weapon on your boat?”
Anya thought if it had been loaded, she could have probably just grabbed it and put Collins out of his misery—without even removing the plastic evidence bag.
“I don’t own this gun—or any other guns except my Smith and Wesson.
Someone else put this stupid little gun on my boat.
What makes you think it’s the murder weapon? ”
“You’re not interrogating me, Mrs. Baron.” Collins’s voice raised.
Anya banged both hands on the table. “Well, somebody should. You’re the one who claims you found this so-called murder weapon on my boat.
Maybe you planted it. Maybe you murdered Chilton.
You must know each other. You’re a cop. He’s the only lawyer in town.
Was he sleeping with your wife? Would make sense.
She obviously doesn’t have very good taste. ”
Collins slammed the Stop button on the cassette recorder and almost knocked it off the table. “You leave my wife out of this! She has nothing to…Murder is a serious crime, Mrs. Baron. Do you realize you could face life in prison? You’d better stop playing games and—”
The door to the room swung open and a large, much older man stepped inside. He leveled his gaze at Collins. “Take a break, Officer Collins. State police just called. They want to take over this case. They’re sending two guys on a floatplane to take Ms. Baron to Juneau. They’ll question her there.”
Collins stood abruptly, kicking his chair back against the wall. “She’s lying, Chief. I—”
The older man didn’t blink. “Let’s take it down a notch, Ted. Walk with me.” He tilted his head toward the adjacent hallway.
Collins gathered the recorder and the gun and followed the chief out of the room, slamming the door.
Anya was alone, unless someone was still watching from behind that mirror. She straightened her collar, and realized that the bruise on her upper arm had faded completely. She wasn’t going to let Collins get to her.
She’d faced worse men than him.