âWere you so sore about her husband that you decided to take it out on her? That sounds like something you might do!â
âDom,â I said. âYou should keep your attack doghere caged at least until you feed her. Loose and hungry like this, sheâs liable to bite herself to death.â
âI said to stop it!â said Dom, this time in his I-donât-want-to-say-this-again voice.
âSure,â I said. âNo problem. Back to your question, I donât have anything against Abigail. Like I said, Iâve never even met her. For that matter, I only saw her husband that one time in the fish market, and I wouldnât have known who he was if somebody hadnât identified him.â
âYou saw him again in the sand trap.â
True. âYouâre right. I was there when you dug him up. Thatâs twice, I guess.â
âTell me again about the scuffle in the fish market,â said Dom.
Police often have people tell them about events several times, in case details change. And they often do, because the people remember things theyâd forgotten or forget things theyâd remembered before. Or, if theyâre lying, they lie differently, adding or subtracting or changing what theyâd said before. Out of all this, the police hope to find out what really happened.
I told him what happened. When I was done, he said, âThatâs not how Annie Duarte saw it. She says you started it and would probably have killed Highsmith if you hadnât had witnesses.â
I was already annoyed with Annie Duarte. I said, âAnnie Duarte and Joanne Homlish arenât sisters, are they? Neither one of them seems to know what sheâs looking at.â
Dom smiled coldly. âThey may make good witnesses in court.â
Court had not been mentioned before. âThere were several people in the fish market,â I said. âAnnie Duarte isnât the only one who saw what happened. Check outsome of the other witnesses before you decide what really went on.â
âYou donât need to tell us how to do our job!â snapped Olive.
âThis is the third time Iâve told you two to cut that crap,â said Dom in a mild voice that deceived no one. âIâm not going to say it again.â He looked at Olive and she seemed to shrink inside her uniform. Then he looked back at me.
âOfficer Otero is correct,â he said. âI donât know yet whatâs going on here, but we have a probable murder and a possible assault that may be linked, and youâve been tied to both victims. If I were you, Iâd give thought to getting myself a lawyer. Meanwhile, stay out of our way and let us handle this.â
âSure,â I said, hearing anger in my voice. âYou already think I may be involved in both of these felonies, but you want me to trust you to do your jobs. Iâd trust you a lot more if you hadnât already made up your minds!â
Domâs voice was intended to be soothing. âNobodyâs mind has been made up, J.W.â
I stared at him and he stared back. I tried to push my anger and fear away, but only partially succeeded.
âAre we through here?â I asked.
Dom nodded. âFor the time being, but donât take any long trips. I may want to talk with you again.â
âI live in paradise,â I said. âWhy would I want to leave?â I got up and went to the door and stopped. âI had nothing to do with Highsmithâs death or his wifeâs accident,â I said.
âSo you say.â
I went out, feeling Domâs cold eyes and Oliveâs hot ones on my back.
As I drove home, I fought against both my fear andmy anger. I felt trapped. I didnât like it, and worked to control my emotions before I got back to the house.
There, Zee was preparing supper. She stopped and came to meet me. âWhat happened, Jeff?â
I put my arms around her. âNothing,