I groaned.
“Hell,” Luke muttered.
“We’re so screwed,” I said.
Toren chuckled from the porch.
Ozzie parked behind my car and got out, slamming his door. The dark, angry scowl on his face spoke volumes.
“Once again, I find you somewhere you shouldn’t be.” He strode closer, eyes locked on me and Luke. “Why are you here?”
“Asking questions you might not think about,” Luke answered.
One dark eyebrow rose on Ozzie’s face. “Like?”
“Like what gossip Toren’s heard.”
“Gossip?” Ozzie’s tone was nothing short of incredulous.
“You didn’t ask about any gossip,” Toren said.
I glanced back to see him leaning against a post, arms crossed. His rifle was back against the wall of the house.
“We haven’t had the chance yet,” Luke said. He turned those gray eyes on Toren. “Has anyone said anything interesting about Moira, her disappearance, or about any of the people involved?”
“No.” The single, succinct word came out clipped and final.
“Well, look at that.” Ozzie held his arms wide. “He knows nothing I wouldn’t have thought to ask about.” Sarcasm dripped off his words.
“Maybe not, but that’s not always the case. I spoke to Kent Morrison earlier. He gave me some insight into Walter Shuman’s character. I guess Walter’s all about the money. Kent said it wouldn’t surprise him if someone paid Walter to look the other way.”
“You think Shuman willingly let someone close up a body in the wall of his store? For money?” While Ozzie clearly thought Luke was crazy if the tone of his voice was any indication, there was a note of curiosity in his expression.
“If he got paid enough, why not?” Luke shrugged.
“Maybe because it would have smelled terribly?”
“So your argument is he’s guilty because it would have smelled? That he wouldn’t willingly do that sort of thing because of the stench? People do less for money. It would be a simple thing to claim there was a water leak or something and close fora few weeks while it’s repaired. Have you looked into whether that happened?”
“No. But the only thing that would prove is that he was aware of the body in the wall.”
Luke snapped his fingers and pointed at Ozzie. “Exactly.”
Ozzie sighed. “We’re getting way off track here.” He circled a hand through the air. “I came to talk to Toren about the info he has on my case.” He turned his attention toward the porch. “The message said you had information about Moira Duluth’s case. Can you elaborate, please?”
“Sure.” Toren gave him a quick rundown of the same things he told Luke and me just minutes earlier.
“Can I have those coordinates?” Ozzie asked when Toren finished.
With a quick nod, Toren pushed away from the post and went inside.
“I should arrest you two for obstruction,” Ozzie growled once the door closed.
“We didn’t obstruct anything.” I raised my hands, giving him a look of wide-eyed innocence. “And don’t pretend we haven’t been useful.”
“What you’ve been is a pain in my backside.”
“Yes, but one that got you an identity on your victim and a lead on why she was killed,” I pointed out.
