“I’m sorry, but it will have to wait.I need to ask you a few questions.”
His face screwed up as if in pain.“My baby girl is ill.She might need to go to the hospital.”
“I’ll call the school when we get to the station,” Dot said.“Please come with me.”
“Can’t whatever this is wait?”
“No.”She tucked her gun away.“This way.”
That hesitation again, but then he sighed and walked over to her.“Let’s make it quick.”
Rodney came out of the back door and spotted them.He scowled as he joined them.
“This is my colleague, Detective Rodney Taylor, who is with Organised Crime,” Dot said.
“Detective, I was just explaining to Sergeant Campbell that my daughter is sick and needs to be picked up from school.Can we talk later?”
“Afraid not,” Rodney answered.“We’ll make sure your daughter is taken care of.”
They drove back to the station and when they arrived, Dot called the school and spoke to the principal, Jenifer Fredericks, about Steven’s daughter.
“There’s no one in the sick bay,” Jenifer said.“As far as I know, Natasha Hamilton is in class.”
“Could you please check for me and call me back?”
“Of course.Won’t be long.”
Dot fetched the printed image from last night and a notebook and joined Steven and Rodney in the interview room.The recording device hadn’t been turned on yet, so Dot switched it on and did the preliminary introductions before sitting on Rodney’s side of the table.She handed Rodney the printout and gestured for him to take the lead.
“What were you doing last night?”Rodney asked.
“I went to the brewery with my family for dinner.”
Interesting he should be at the brewery where Dot had planned to go with Ryan and Hannah.Had she mentioned her plans to anyone?It might be a coincidence.
“What time did you leave?”
“About seven o’clock.The kids needed to get to bed.”
Dot jotted notes as Rodney asked, “Did you go out again afterwards?”
“I went fishing.”
“Where?”
“In the gulf.”
“Which boat ramp did you use?”Dot asked.
“The southern one.Heard the fishing was good down there.”
The boat hadn’t headed in that direction, but it was possible he’d swung back around after he left.The southern boat ramp was the one she hadn’t checked, and he could have towed the boat to town before she arrived at the marina.
“Is this you?”Rodney handed over the photo.
Steven squinted at the image.“It’s hard to see.It might be.”
“It’s your boat though,” Dot said, pointing out the name.
