“Uh-huh, and did anyone else see you?” He makes notes in his notebook. “What time did you retire to your room?”
“Shortly before midnight.”
“Did you go out after that?” He narrows his eyes as if to catch me in a lie.
“I remember talking to Samantha, and then we decided to start Christmas Day with a walk. Since the two dogs were downstairs waiting, we went dogsledding. We must have been out for an hour.”
“That’s unusual. Did you see anyone?”
“No, no one. I thought it strange everyone went to bed by the time we returned. The people in the second sleigh must have arrived before we got home. I was so tired, I left the dogsled on the porch, which is where we found it. I’m sure you can corroborate this.”
“Minor detail, but I’ll make a note of it. Did you count the number of morphine vials?”
I shake my head. “Unfortunately not. I was writing a note to Erica about the half dosage and time when the doorbell rang. I’m still confused about Erica though. Did she return at some point? Lindsay says she went back to town with your deputies.”
“Is that what she says? I’ll have to cross-check everyone’s story. Is there anything else you remember or something that seems out of the ordinary?”
I pause to collect my thoughts. I’ve been on both sides of the interrogation table and know not to waste an open-ended question on the inconsequential. Since Sammie and I are the most likely to be railroaded, I’ll have to point suspicion on someone else. Could it be Lindsay? After all, in most murder mysteries, the person who discovers the body is the most likely suspect.
I’m sure the sheriff has already thought of this, and it would be too obvious to point fingers at her. I close my eyes and go back to the scene in the hallway where everyone popped out of their rooms like prairie dogs.
That’s it. One of the persons I’d expected to appear right away wasn’t there.
“Susanna Brant.” I lift my eyes to meet the sheriff’s steady gaze. “When Lindsay raised the alert, Sammie and I ran down the stairs to the second floor. Lindsay was at Nash’s door. He appeared and so did Damon across the hall. The kids were asleep. Macy and Riley came out of the room they shared, and my dad and Jolene rushed out of the master bedroom. The only adult not on the scene at the beginning was Susanna. You might want to ask her if she overslept. Her door remained closed, although she was on the scene when I administered the Narcan, asking where Erica was.”
He fiddles with his pen between his lips and hums. “Interesting. Can you tell me where you found Narcan?”
“Sammie had it. She ran up to our room and grabbed it.”
His gaze sharpens. “She had it all along?”
“As far as I know. I mean, I wondered why she’d have any handy, but it worked.”
The sheriff scribbles madly on the pad, nodding to himself. “Anything else?”
“If anything comes to me, I’ll let you know. Am I free to go now?”
He frowns and shakes his head. “I’d rather put you in the holding cell until your story checks out.”
“Wait a minute. You can’t hold me unless you arrest me, and you can’t arrest me unless I’m a suspect, and there’s no suspect if there’s no crime.”
“The crime is attempted murder. Would you like to rest in the holding cell, maybe catch some Z’s, or do you want me to officially arrest you? Given both you and Samantha Reed are ex-cons, getting a warrant is easy. So, Mr. Powers, will you stay as my Christmas guest or shall I rouse a judge? He won’t be happy.”
“I’ll take a fresh cup of coffee and breakfast.” I get up onto my feet. “I’d like to call Samantha to let her know I’m okay.”
“That won’t be necessary.” He turns off the voice recorder. “We’ve deputized your two brothers, and they’ve already passed word to everyone to wait for my visit.”
“Since I’m free to go after my coffee and breakfast, I’d like to see my grandfather. I’m assuming you’ve taken his statement. Otherwise, I can sue you for wrongful detainment.”
“You’re our guest.” His brows lower in a scowl, but he knows I’ve got him. “And no, I haven’t spoken to your grandfather yet. The doctors have to clear him first.”
I’ve dealt with law enforcement both behind bars and in front of them. “In that case, Merry Christmas, Sheriff.”
~ Sammie ~
A snowplow makes its way down the road toward the ranch house followed by a police SUV. Everyone stops their inane chatter and lines up sullenly at the bay window.
The front doors open, and a heavy-set man emerges from the driver’s seat. A younger man, probably Seth, swings his lanky legs from the passenger seat and opens the back door.
