Yet.The word wasn’t said, but Amka heard it anyway.
Jeb cleared his throat.“We don’t have autopsy results yet, but I saw Teller’s body, and he was shot in the head by close range.In that truck in your driveway.”
Amka’s stomach dropped.
“But that wasn’t the only trauma.”Jeb crossed his arms.“I observed lacerations and scratches on Teller’s arms and torso.Defensive wounds.From a fight, we believe.”
Amka’s mind blanked completely.
“We’re not saying it was you,” Paige said.
“We’re saying we haven’t ruled you out,” Jeb added, too casually.
“I didn’t scratch him.You all saw us in the bar.We argued, and I may have, um, punched him lightly in the stomach.That didn’t even slow his stride.”She swallowed and stopped talking when Daisy shifted her weight.
Paige took the seat next to her partner, her face softening and looking more at home with the smattering of freckles across her nose.Her red hair was down around her shoulders.“Let me help you, Amka.Did he attack you?Did you have to shoot him to defend yourself?”
Amka’s mouth dropped open.“I didn’t shoot Jarod.”He had nearly attacked her a few times, but not the night of his death.“You already know that I spent the night with Christian.”
Jeb sadly shook his head.“We know that’s what you and your lover said.It’s possible you killed Jarod and went to Christian’s.He might be innocent, but if we charge you, he goes down too.He’ll never be an Alaska Wildlife Trooper, at best.At worst, he’s going to prison.”
Paige planted a hand over a manila file.Her nails were a pretty pink.It was an odd thing for Amka to notice.“I don’t think Christian would survive in a jail cell, do you?”
Amka slowly shook her head.Christian needed the outdoors.
Daisy held out a hand.“Stop trying to terrify my client.She didn’t kill Jarod and neither did Christian.You’re fishing, and I’m getting bored.”She tapped her pen on her so far clean legal pad.“Somebody has tried to kill my client three times.You know this.We believe it had something to do with Jarod’s life, maybe his many trips to Anchorage, and we’d truly appreciate it if you’d do your jobs and find out what.”
Paige sighed heavily and looked at her partner as if at the end of her rope.
Jeb’s chin lowered, giving him the look of a pissed off Doberman.“We have a couple of theories about that.First, what if Amka was setting the explosive and accelerant in the storage unit to catch Jarod there later?We noted that he often spent time at the bar, behind the bar, pouring drinks.Perhaps you got caught in your own trap?”
Amka couldn’t comprehend.“You think I nearly got myself blown up or burned up on purpose?”
“No.We think it was an accident.The fire wasn’t supposed to happen until later when Jarod was in the building.”Paige nodded, her voice cajoling.“We’ve confirmed with Wyland and Sheldon that they wouldn’t have needed to enter the building for another week, which you knew because you know their restocking schedule.”
Sure, she did.They owned a storage building together.“I did not set that fire.”
Daisy tilted her head.The heat was frizzing her hair a little, but she still appeared powerful.“Do you think Amka shot at herself somehow from a sniper’s position?”
Jeb slowly smiled.“No.We think that Jarod was going after some payback for the fire.”
This was freaking insane.
Daisy chuckled.“Wow.You two should write thrillers along with our tanker chief.This is ridiculous.So with your current theory, did Amka cut her own brakes?Or did Jarod cut them as another play in a weird game between them?”
“You catch on fast,” Paige said, her voice dripping with sarcasm now.“We’re not sure.Could go either way.Maybe Jarod cut the brakes and then a very furious Amka murdered him an hour later.Or perhaps she cut the brakes to give herself an alibi for the murder.”
Wow.Amka looked at Daisy.“I can’t even understand any of this.”
Daisy’s eyes narrowed.“Me neither.”
Paige coughed into her hand.“Sorry about that.Spring allergies.Where is Jarod’s phone and laptop?We’ve been told he had both, and yet we can’t find either one.”
“I have no idea,” Amka said.If she did, she’d be erasing the video.
Daisy crossed her arms.“We’re about done with this questioning.You have more.What is it?”
What could it possibly be?There couldn’t be any more.
