“Nope. Pretentious pricks. Think they can buy everyone, but I’ve never been for sale. Let’s go around back. Too many eyes in the front.”
Rory moved to the back of the property with Logan. “I take it you don’t care too much for them.”
“Never did,” Logan said. “They think they can intimidate or buy what they want in this area. I’ve never been for sale and never would be.”
Since Logan had been out of town, he might not know about Rory’s relationship with Gale. “Are there people on the McGregors’ payroll in the Sheriff Department?”
“Nothing I can prove. They aren’t stupid enough to get caught. At least not now under Ford. He’s too by the book and careful. Do I think it’s been that way in the past? I’ve heard rumors.”
“Like?”
“Nothing that concerns your sister’s case,” Logan said. “Not while I’ve been here.”
“Fine, what about fifteen years ago?”
“I wasn’t part of the department when your sister was murdered. I came on a few years later, transferring from another county. Your sister’s case has been cold the entire time I’ve had it, but I looked into every lead you gave me.”
“I know,” he said. “And I appreciate it.”
He wasn’t going to bring up the ankle bracelet. That was staying quiet. But he’d be honest about why he was in town. “I decided it was time for me to return here and ask around. Since I’ve been back, I’ve been warned by multiple locals I’ve talked with.”
“Warned how?”
“That there are plenty of people who don’t want the past brought up again. To be careful who I talk to. It hadn’t taken long for word to get out I was here. I spoke with the McGregors directly since their name or businesses are popping up into every conversation.”
Logan smirked. “How did that go over? I’m sure you can assume most are talking about them being linked. You’ll get positives and negatives.”
“I told them I’m researching Rene’s case for a book and my agent was going to try to sell it for a documentary.”
“Some might eat that up,” Detective Miller said, a smirk appearing quickly.
“Not someone with a secret,” he said.
“True. And what were Daniel and Kane’s reactions to it?”
“Daniel spent a lot of time boasting of everything he’s done for the community before and after. Kane was more cautious but willing enough toward the end.”
Which still ate at him.
But if either man appeared unwilling to help, it might shine more light on them.
“They both like to brag. And Kane was a troublemaker in his youth. Got away with a lot of shit but will always bow down to Daddy in the end. Can’t cut down that money tree just yet.”
“Because Daddy bought his way out of stuff?” he asked.
“Doesn’t that normally happen with small towns and cops?” Logan asked. “I’ve got nothing to hide. My wife and me, we are moving on. We’ll be out of here in a few months. I’m positive once I put my house up for sale it will go quickly.”
“Close to the water like this and with the land. You might get an offer from Daniel or Kane.”
“It’s not for sale to them. I’m not having this land developed. No one knows we are leaving yet, but if either of them gets word, I know they will be here with an offer in hand.”
“Are they trying to buy up the land around here?”
“Seems it in the past,” Logan said. “Not so sure about now. They are more into diversifying. You need to have jobs for people to live here, though many will commute the hour to Albany, not to mention plenty of jobs in between there and here.”
“What about the detective before you? Detective Denning? Do you think he did his job well? Was he on the take?”
“I’m not about to make assumptions on if someone was getting kickbacks or not. If there’s one thing I’ve learned around here, it’s keeping my mouth shut without facts. If I’ve got facts, I’ll share them, regardless of anyone telling me not to.”
