Katie and McGaven waited in front of the interview rooms at the Pine Valley Sheriff’s Department for a deputy to bring in Tom Grand, the office manager from the construction company working on the new building site.
“You haven’t said much about the sheriff arriving home last night,” said McGaven. He held a file folder with some photographs and paperwork.
“There’s not much to say. He’s home and that’s all that matters.” Katie put her hand in her pants pocket, where she felt Buck’s military dog tags between her fingers. She had decided to keep them with her as a lucky charm of sorts—a last-ditch call for help; she never felt comfortable with talismans, only with the truth, no matter what.
McGaven wrinkled his forehead in concern. “Of course, but there are many more unanswered questions.”
“Yes.” She kept her gaze looking down the hallway for the deputy and Mr. Grand.
“You could’ve taken today off to rest. I can take care of Grand.”
“I’m fine. There’s a lot to do and figure out,” she said. “All hands on deck.” She did feel uncertain, but she was determined to do everything she could. She didn’t want her partner to worry about her well-being or if she was able to have his back.
After five more minutes, Tom Grand walked down the hallway with a deputy following him. The officer managed to escort him as he was opening up the office, and Grand walked into the interview room.
Katie looked at McGaven and gave the nod that meant that they would double-interview him. It was a tactic that kept people slightly off balance. It also helped to see when they were lying, as when asked the same question a different way they would produce a different answer.
“Have a seat, Mr. Grand,” said Katie, sounding sweet, giving the impression that the interview was going to be easy and routine.
Grand sat down, looking back and forth at the detectives questioningly. It reminded Katie of a kid waiting to talk to the school principal.
Katie took the seat across from the man.
“Am I under arrest for something?” said Grand. His voice wavered a bit. It was unclear if he was just nervous or if he was guilty of something.
“No, not at all,” she said. “We just have some questions that arose from our investigating.” Katie smiled.
“What do you want to know?”
“We appreciate your cooperation at the construction office and we’re hoping you can shed some light on something,” said McGaven, leaning on the corner of the table. It made him not seem as tall and intimidating.
“Okay?” said Grand, now fidgeting with his hands. Heseemed quite different from their first meeting, when the manager had been very much in control and a little bit arrogant.
Katie would start slowly and then they would knock him off guard.
“Do you know Bruce Collins?” she said.
“No,” he said.
“How about Meredith Collins?”
“No.”
“Raymond or David Young?”
He hesitated and shrugged. “No, I don’t think so.”
Katie saw something there, but would circle back to the Young brothers. They were around the same age as Grand.
“Do you know an Ian Griffin?”
“No,” he said, looking down.
“How about Ian Griffin Jr.?”
He shrugged, but his fidgety demeanor said otherwise.
The detectives were getting somewhere and now they would turn up the heat. McGaven stood, his towering height ominous over Grand. The detective kept a poker face, but seemed intense at the same time. He carefully pulled out some papers and put down on the table the driver’s license photocopy of Ian Griffin Jr.
