“I know you put all those penguins in Mrs. Yates’s yard. You had concrete dust on your nails yesterday. Were you taking them out of the molds then, or were you just moving them into whatever vehicle you rented?”
“I did not rent a vehicle. I didn’t do any of this. I mean, I think it’s funny, and I’m sure she’s happy with all the attention, but I’m innocent.”
I looked away from his hands and met his gaze. “Crow, you’ve never been innocent.”
His smile was beatific and so pure, angels would kill for it.
“Fair. But you don’t have enough evidence. A hand-written note won’t hold up in court.”
“It will hold you up in a cell. While I shut down your business so I can do a thorough search. I’m sure I won’t find anything in your back room. No empty concrete sacks, no trowels, no rags with cement on them, no cement dust in the corners.”
“Where would I store that many penguins? There must have been dozens.”
“I didn’t count.”
“Well, I did, when I was standing there enjoying the spectacle. So many people. And the reporter, she must have gotten a lucky tip.”
“You called it in, didn’t you?”
“I’m sure there’s no way to ever know.”
“They record their calls.”
“No way to ever know.”
He moved to stand beside me and leaned on the Jeep. “So what do you really want to talk to me about?”
“You putting penguins all over her yard. In the dead of night like some kind of midnight weirdo.”
“Sounds dramatic.”
We stared at each other for a minute. A seagull flew over, squawking loudly.
“Did she like it?” he asked.
“Mrs. Yates?”
He nodded.
I thought about cuffing him, but Mrs. Yates wasn’t going to leave her happy place—in front of any and every camera she could find—to come down to the station and actually charge him.
As long as the statues disappeared—once they were no longer drawing a crowd—she’d probably forget the whole thing.
He nudged me with his elbow. “Well?”
“She didn’t like it. She was furious. Outraged.”
“Hmmm. And then?”
“And then there was a crowd of people, and her penguin wasn’t the center of attention, and she was out for your head.”
“Out for whoever left those statues in her yard’s head,” he corrected.
“She thinks it’s you.”
“Mmmm. Then what happened?”
“You were there. You saw.”
