“Isn’t that always what happens in a small town?” Austin said. “That Abdell guy, he knew to keep his mouth shut, or maybe he didn’t. Doesn’t mean it had to do with your sister’s death. Could be about anything.”
But he didn’t believe that. It felt as if Austin wished he hadn’t started this conversation and had kept to his property and his own business.
“True,” he said. “You said your wife and kids. Do you have a daughter?”
Maybe he could appeal to the guy that way. “I do. She was eighteen when it happened and going away to college a few days later. We were all happy to get her away but still on edge.”
“Do you think Cooper Stevens did it and got away with it?” he asked.
“Nah,” Austin said, waving his hand. “Too nice of a guy. He was a handyman in the area. Used to work for the McGregors but left to go on his own. I think he got the shaft just because he was working in the area.”
“Do you remember what house he was working on?” he asked.
Austin scratched his chin. “I think it was the old Hayes house. A little way down there on the left.”
Across the street then. “Don’t suppose you could show me which one it was?”
“Sure,” Austin said, glancing around some more. “I’ve got time on my hands. Retirement is boring.”
“Do you live alone?” he asked, walking next to Austin.
“I do. My daughter moved out of the area. Can’t say I blame her. There isn’t much around here. My wife and me, we divorced shortly after my daughter went to college. Guess she was theonly thing holding us together and once it was the two of us in the house, all we did was get on each other’s nerves.”
“It happens,” he said. What was he supposed to say?
That it was better to divorce over that than the grief of losing a child and what his parents went through.
“That house right there,” Austin said. “The green one. Cooper was replacing the windows or something. Don’t really remember those details. The homeowners said he was there the whole time. Not sure how he was even brought up on charges.”
“He had an alibi for the time?” he asked.
“Yes,” Austin said. “I think that was how he got off. The homeowners were out of town, but the neighbor had been watching the house. Not sure why no one questioned Liza Brown, but she’d brought Cooper a drink. It was hot out. She remembered the timing of it because it was a commercial during her soap opera. He was still working on the windows after the time of death.”
“You’d have to be pretty cold to go do that and then return to finish a job,” he said.
Things Rory was going to read in the court case. He and his parents hadn’t sat through the whole trial. It was long and emotional, them coming into town the last day for closing arguments and to wait out the verdict.
“Exactly. The police back then, they were pushing for anyone to take the fall. Maybe there were some pushing it just as quickly for their own agenda.”
“Who?” he asked.
Austin threw his hands up and backed up to return. “Ignore me. My wife said I always gossip too much.”
Rory didn’t think he was going to get too much more out of the guy now. Best to change the subject, so he turned to walk back.
“I noticed a lot of changes since I was here last. New condos are popping up everywhere.”
“I’ve been asked more times than I care to count to sell my property for more and I’m holding strong. Lots of us are.”
“It’s one company putting them up?”
“McGregors,” Austin said. “And don’t go talking to them. You won’t get anything but their lawyer in your face or Kane trying to sell you something.”
“Kane? Is that the owner?”
“Son. He’ll be taking it over at some point. Lots of money from downstate that moved here over three decades ago. If they had their way, they’d develop this entire area.”
“And lose the charm,” he said.
