“No,” Bud said, a healthy color coming back into his face. “I’ll get the doc’s okay and then will be back to cover Anna.”
My heart warmed. “That’s nice of you, Bud.”
His dark gaze met mine. “I wouldn’t wish you on any of my brothers.” Then he hobbled toward the door.
Pierce argued,but I made him stop at Duke’s Jewelry, right next to my building, before he drove me to the police station. Christmas was coming up fast, and while my life was a disaster, it helped to fixate on something positive, although I wasn’t completely sure about Aiden’s present yet. I’d just get Duke to do what I wanted, and then I’d figure out whether or not I should give the gift to Aiden.
Soon I sat in the interrogation room when Pierce brought in Bernie McLintock, who was in full Santa uniform, complete with candy canes sticking out of his pocket. Bernie’s faded eyes were concerned, and he patted my hand when he sat next to me. “I heard through the grapevine what happened, and I’m so sorry. I just don’t understand it.”
I took in his new outfit, impressed by the fluffy fur. “I’m okay and so is Bud.”
Pierce sat across from us, looking irritated. Since it was his default setting, I didn’t worry too much about it. “The uniforms brought you in from the Timber City Mall?” he asked.
Bernie nodded. “Yes. It’s almost Christmas, so we spend every day at the local malls. Tomorrow we’re having a blowout in the Spokane Valley Mall with all of the Kringles in one place, and the next day, on Saturday, we’ll be here at our mall. Everyone loves my new suit.”
I shook my head. “I thought you were going to lie low until we figured out who keeps shooting at you?”
“I’m Santa,” he said quietly. “Santa doesn’t hide.” Then he grinned, showing he’d gotten new dentures. They looked nice.
Pierce noticed as well. “New dentures?”
“Yeah. Early Christmas present from Flo,” Bernie said happily.
I kept a sigh from emerging.
“She’s already spending her inheritance on you?” Pierce made a notation in his book.
Bernie lost the smile. “Geez. You sure know how to be a downer.”
I nodded. That was true. “Who wants you to go to jail, Bernie?”
“I don’t have any enemies,” Bernie said. “Except for Hoyt Forrest. Why don’t you ask him if he shot at me and then attacked Anna today?”
“He’s on his way in,” Pierce confirmed. “I’ve been trying to find him since you were shot at the other night, and apparently he’s been out of town and just got back. We’ll see what he has to say.”
That reminded me that I still hadn’t had a chance to track down Hoyt’s ex-girlfriend and see what I could find out. As things were going, Bernie was still a good suspect in Lawrence’s murder, although the fact that somebody wanted Bernie out of the way might work in his favor if it was the real murderer. Unless it was Hoyt trying to exact revenge for his father’s death, in which case, Bernie was the only viable suspect right now. Except for Flo.
Pierce ran Bernie through a gamut of questions, and I kept alert to make sure my client didn’t say anything that hurt him. Basically, Bernie didn’t know more than either of us. Finally, Pierce let him go with a stern warning to stay in the local area.
I walked Bernie down the stairs to the front door. “I really wish you’d take some time off.”
“After Christmas.” Bernie adjusted his Santa hat on his head. “With Mick and Lawrence gone, we’re down a Santa. Managed to talk Earl into joining the Kringle Club, but he hasn’t been trained completely, and his ‘ho-ho-ho’ is a little weak.”
I frowned. “You’re in danger.”
“So are you.” He patted my arm and ambled outside.
True. Very true. I jogged back up the stairs and almost ran into Pierce in the hallway. “I’d like to watch you interview Hoyt.”
“Sure.” Pierce strode into his office and then emerged with a sparkling red file folder. “I did a deep background check on Sharon Smith now that you found her, had some colleagues in Montana speak with her neighbors, and confirmed her alibi for the night Lawrence was murdered.” He handed over the folder.
I watched as sparkles fell lazily to the ground. “Where do you find these?” He always had a bright and sparkly folder for me when he was being nice and sharing information.
“In the storage closet. Nobody wants them, and they remind me of you.” He watched as two uniformed officers placed Hoyt in an interrogation room down the hallway—the same one we’d just vacated. “You can watch, but don’t leave the station while I’m in there.” Without waiting for a response, he turned and walked back down the hallway to enter the interrogation room.
I hustled after him, going around the corner to the quiet viewing room and walking up to the two-way mirror.
Hoyt hadn’t shaved since I’d seen him last, and his beard was fuller than I would’ve expected. His eyes were bloodshot, and stains dotted his plain T-shirt. He’d taken off his coat to place around his chair and looked like a walking headache.
