He glanced back at the dog snoring in his crate. “While you’re inside the mayor’s house, I’ll start calling outfitting places in the area and see if anybody’s bought crampons during the last year.”
“I’m sure a lot of people have bought crampons.”
“Me too, but it’s the only thing I can do right now, so I’m going to do it.”
She nudged his arm. “Thanks.” She zipped up her coat. “What do you think about attending church services tomorrow? They’re having a special service on Friday as a dry run for the first big, televised sermon. I read about the plans in the news.”
He turned to look at her. “Why would we do that?”
“I want to put some pressure on Pastor John.” He was a suspect, and observing his reaction to seeing the two of them in his congregation might be helpful. “I wouldn’t mind seeing Zeke Caine’s reaction either. Also, it’d be interesting to study how they relate to each other.” With that, she stepped out of the vehicle and walked up to the front door to ring the bell. Saul Bearing instantly opened the door.
“Agent Snow, please come in,” he said.
The mayor had silver-gray hair and pale blue eyes with dark circles slashed beneath them. For their meeting today, he wore pressed black slacks and a blue polo shirt. “Please sit down.” He gestured toward a flowered sofa.
“Thank you.” She slipped off her boots and removed her coat to hang over her arm before walking through the elegant living room to sit on the sofa. “I’m very sorry for your loss, Mayor Bearing,” she said, unable to think of more comforting words.
He crossed around and fell onto the matching floral chair. “It’s just too much. What with my sister-in-law Sharon dying just months ago and now Teri.” He shook his head. “This is supposed to be a safe place to live. How do we have all of these murders?”
“I don’t know.” Laurel would never forget the sight of Sharon’s frozen body at the cabin after Jason Abbott had brutally murdered her and then cut off her hands. Those hands had been found down by the lake near the cabin where Sharon had stayed. It had been owned by the mayor, actually.
The mayor scrubbed both hands down his face. “They say we have more serial killers in Washington State than anywhere else. Is that true?”
“No,” Laurel said. “I believe the last time I checked, California had more active serial killers. However, Washington State has been associated with several high-profile serial killers such as Jason Abbott, Frank Zello, Ted Bundy, Gary Ridgway, and Robert Yates.”
“So we just get more bad press?” the mayor asked.
Laurel nodded. “I suppose so.”
The kitchen door opened, and Steve Bearing walked inside. “Hey, this interview didn’t start without me, did it?”
“No,” his father said. “We were talking about serial killers in general.”
Steve took the other floral chair. His thick blond hair was swept away from his face, and his blue eyes appeared serious behind round black glasses. “I’m here in a representative capacity for my father.”
“That is so noted,” Laurel said, unsurprised that the young attorney wanted to protect his dad. “I’m very interested in finding the person who killed your mother, and I’m sorry for your loss, Mr. Bearing.”
Steve looked away and then back. “As am I. Who in the hell would do such a terrible thing?”
“I don’t know, but I will find out,” Laurel said. “I need to ask you a few questions.”
“Go ahead,” Saul said wearily.
“Why in the world did you leave town during an active murder investigation, especially considering your wife was the victim?” Her voice remained level.
Saul flushed. “I had to get out of here. My cousin owns a cabin in the Flathead Lake area, and the boys and I went to grieve. We didn’t know anything about her murder. Still don’t.” His voice cracked on the end, and his facial micro expressions showed signs of truth.
She tried to find the kindest approach with him. “Do you know at which spa your wife planned to stay during the time she disappeared?”
Saul ran a shaking hand over his eyes. “Apparently she didn’t really have a reservation anywhere. I think she was lying to me.”
Laurel sat back. “Why would you think that?”
He shook his head. “She’d been going off lately and not telling me where or why. I thought maybe she was moonlighting in Seattle, helping the homeless or something. She liked to have her secrets.”
Laurel had read once that the spouse always knew deep down when their partner became unfaithful. Just how much did Saul know? “I hate to say this, but I have to ask you a difficult question. Are you aware that Mrs. Bearing was having an affair with Pastor John Govern from Genesis Valley Community Church?”
Saul paled and pushed himself even farther back in the chair.
