Free Pains and Penalties: (A Geeks and Things Cozy Mystery Novella #1) (Geeks and Things Cozy Mysteries) by Sarah Biglow Page A

understood why Cahill felt betrayed, but that wasn’t her job. She was here to be a silent observer.
    “We found your prints on the teacup and your blood on the weapon that killed Cynthia Ellicott.”
    Captain Cahill sighed and rotated to face Chris head on. “I didn’t realize the thing had cut me until later.”
    “And the teacup? Seems pretty sloppy.”
    The captain shrugged. “Someone would have noticed if I was wearing gloves.”
    “That’s why you went back and touched the cup after Mrs. Davies died.” Kalina couldn’t help herself.
    Both Chris and the captain looked at her. “I saw it in a picture on Facebook.”
    “I guess I should have been more careful.”
    “You had to know you wouldn’t get away with it,” Chris said.
    “I nearly did. You had Margaret Grant in for questioning. If you hadn’t noticed that damn little speck of blood you would have charged her with at least one murder. Probably both.”
    “Would it have been worth it?”
    Captain Cahill let out a bitter bark of laughter. “They killed my father. They lied and put him in jail. He couldn’t handle it in there and so he took the easy way out.” His eyes shone with unshed tears. “My mother thought by moving away we could escape the shame but it never left me. Oh, I wasn’t ashamed of my father. I knew he hadn’t hurt that girl. But the injustice stuck with me.”
    Chris loosened his grip on his gun. “So you came back as a cop, hoping people wouldn’t remember you.”
    “I left here as a child. People change a lot in thirty years. I made sure when my predecessor retired, I was in the right place at the right time to assume his position. I knew people wouldn’t think I could be behind it.”
    “The car accident with Alan Grant. That was you too,” Kalina said. She just couldn’t keep her mouth shut.
    “Clever aren’t you? Yes, that was me too. He had my father’s case forced on him. And can you believe he went on to marry one of the witnesses who put my father away? They had to pay for their crime.”
    Chris holstered his gun and pulled a pair of handcuffs from his belt. “I need you stand up.”
    Captain Cahill again complied without argument. He got to his feet and turned around, hands behind his back. The officers who had been on the periphery approached, weapons aimed at the ground. Chris snapped the cuffs in place. “Daniel Cahill, you are under arrest for the murders of Alan Grant, Cynthia Ellicott and Agatha Davies and the attempted murder of Margaret Grant. You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have a right to an attorney to be present during questioning. If you cannot afford an attorney, one will be provided for you. Do you understand these rights as I have read them to you?”
    “Yes. I am waiving my right to counsel and I would like to give a written confession.”
    Kalina hadn’t been expecting that response. If it shocked Chris, he didn’t show it. He just led Captain Cahill through the maze of headstones and back to the car. He situated the man in the back seat before turning to address Kalina. “Thank you again. We can take it from here.”
    “Sure. I’m just glad I could help.”
    She watched both cars pull out of the parking lot and head down Main Street toward the station. She wasn’t sure what to do so just started walking. She ended up back at the fairgrounds. It wasn’t as populated now that it was late afternoon. The fact that this whole ordeal had lasted only a few days washed over her, instantly draining her energy reserves. She found a bench and slumped onto it, letting the sturdy wood hold her up. With the killer caught, there wasn’t much left to do but wait for the trial, if there even was one. If Captain Cahill was refusing a lawyer and willing to sign a confession, something told her a trial might not be in the cards.

 
    CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
     
    Monday morning came as a shock to the system for Kalina. She’d