Free No One Else to Kill (Jim West Series) by Bob Doerr Page B

isn’t it?”
    I figured he wasn’t going to give me a free pass, so I
decided to answer his questions but not give him anything additional. Sean’s
story wasn’t mine, and I still wanted to hear the end of his story.
    “Of course it is.   I
imagine he felt like he lost a part of himself when she left. I assume he was
still in love with her?”
    “In his mind, she was the anchor that held what was left
of his life in place.   Her departure
devastated him.   He tried to kill
himself, twice.”
    “That’s taking it serious.”
    “Individual’s abilities to handle their emotions
vary.   Sean has a tougher time with his.
Like I said, it’s been a long time, and he’s still in bad shape.”
    “Where were you today?”
    “We went back to the site of the original incident, or at
least what we think was the original location.   The place has grown and private homes have taken the place of the rental
cabins.   Fortunately, the road is still
there.   Paved now, instead of dirt, but
it follows the same route.   The cabin
stood near the end of the road. Nothing’s there now. It’s part of a larger
lot.”
    “Any landmarks?”
    “The old driveway, mostly overgrown but
definitely a driveway at one time. The owners have left everything but a
small area around the new house in its natural state. The house is set back off
the road, probably centered on the lot.   There was no fence and the owners did not appear to be home, so we just
walked around.”
    “Did it do any good?”
    “You never know; we talked about the event again, but
we’ve done that a million times before.”
    “Ever done it out here before?” I asked.
    “No. First time out here and my hope was that his seeing
the trees, the mountains, driveway, whatever, would help bury the original
memories of the place.”
    I wasn’t sure how that was supposed to help, but then I
wasn’t the shrink.
    “I don’t mean to sound rude, but why are you here instead
of with him?”
    “I’m not a lawyer.   They won’t let me guide the interview, and besides, I think the guy in
charge accepts our story.   While Sean and
I were out there we talked to a mailman. We also got gas at the country store.
We used a credit card.”
    “He was shot early today.   They may just think you went there afterwards to build an alibi.”
    “From what the detective said, I think we were getting gas
about the time the guy was shot.   Besides, we don’t even know the victim.”
    “Well, I hope it works out for you both. Maybe the shock
of this event will actually help him.”
    “I’ve thought about that.   It’s a possibility.”
    “Will they be bringing him back?”
    “I doubt it.   I
agreed to meet the detective at the station at four. He said Sean would be
released to me if nothing else came up.”
    “Detective Bruno appears to be a straight shooter.”
    “I don’t trust cops,” he said and finished his beer.   “I need to go back to the room for a few
minutes before I go.”   Colt stood
up.   “Thanks for the beers.”
    I watched him walk away.

 

 
Chapter 10

 
 
 
    “Y
    ou two looked like you were having
a serious conversation,” Bev said. She had walked up behind me as I was
watching Colt leave.
    “We were. By the way, how’d you know what he was
drinking?”
    “The Sam Adams?   Easy, that tap drips
for a while after every pour. I hadn’t used it today, but I saw it dripping
when I returned to the bar.”
    “Quite the detective,” I said.
    She smiled.   Her
smile looked genuine and warm. It could grow on me.
    “I imagine he didn’t say his brother was the murderer.”
    “No, he’s actually his cousin, and I think I believe
him.   How long did you say you’ve lived
here in this area?”
    “Only a few years.   Why?”
    “His cousin went through a tough time about fifteen years
ago.   Seems like a
woman came to visit him, just to bleed all over him and his cabin before
dying.”
    “What?”
    “You don’t have a computer