“No. I was an FBI Behavioral Scientist.”
“Interesting.” Something in his expression seemed off.
She studied the man behind the civilized mask and kept her face set in pleasant lines. “Really? Why is that?”
He cleared his throat and tapped his fingers on the armrest of his chair. “Well, after the trouble you had as a teenager, I figured law enforcement wouldn’t be your first choice as a profession.”
So Volk had already investigated her. That was quick. He must have decent connections. “You figured wrong.”
“Still,”—his smile didn’t quite reach his dark eyes—“to be accused of murder while just a young teen must’ve been difficult for you.”
Seth shifted his stance. “She was exonerated. Let it go.”
“Not quite true,” Mia murmured. “There wasn’t enough evidence to prosecute me. That’s different than being exonerated.” She met Benjamin’s stare evenly.
The older man lifted a shoulder. “The file said you’d killed a foster parent who’d raped your foster sister and made a move on you.”
Pete leaned forward to protest, and Mia waved him back.
“I know what the report said.” She kept her body relaxed. This asshole wouldn’t throw her off her game. “He made more than a move. He drove me to the middle of nowhere…and met with an unfortunate accident before he could hurt me.”
“He ended up at the bottom of an abandoned well.” Ben’s eyes sparked with curiosity.
“The terrain in the middle of nowhere is uneven.” Mia rested her hands in her lap, focusing on her responses and not the emotional reactions to that day.
Ben hissed out a breath. “Did you kill him?”
“Enough!” Seth’s voice cracked across the room like a whip.
Erik jumped, and Pete set his hand on the butt of his gun.
Yet Mia and Benjamin remained calmly in place.
The older man nodded. “Yes. I apologize for the intrusion into your life. I try to know what’s going on in my town.”
Mia crossed her legs. “In that case, who killed Ruby Redbird?”
Benjamin relaxed back in his chair. “My best guess? The transient seen lurking around town all that week. We don’t get many visitors here, and he stood out. After Ruby died, he disappeared.”
Yeah. Wasn’t it always the transient? Mia studied the Volk brothers from the corner of her eye. Erik had lost his smile and leaned away from both his father and Mia. Seth hadn’t twitched. It was interesting that he’d remained standing. From his vantage point, he could intercept either her or the sheriff if one of them went for Benjamin.
She turned her focus on Erik. “You were dating Ruby?”
“No. We weren’t dating.” He crossed his legs. Wearing ripped jeans and a club shirt, and with his hair clasped at his neck, he looked like he was heading out for the bar scene in Seattle.
“What were you doing?” Mia asked softly.
Benjamin gave his son a look. “They weren’t doing anything, Ms. Stone.”
Erik opened his mouth and then shut it again.
Mia nodded. “Okay, let’s start differently. Erik, did you know Ruby Redbird?”
“Yes.” He ran a finger along the scruff at his jaw. “We live in a small town. Of course, I knew Ruby.”
“Were you friends?”
“Sure. I’m friends with everybody.” His upper lip twisted on the last.
