“Where were you when the power went out?”
“I was near the stage.”
“Did you see Candy leave?
“Yes! I was shocked because the storm was really blowing at that point. Of course, there was a lot of alcohol flowing, which causes people to make poor choices.”
“Did you try to go after her?”
“Nope. I was busy.”
“Can anyone vouch for you?”
“I was with Harmony the entire night,” Cass said as she shifted in her seat.
“Did you two stay up all night?”
She looked at him like he was dumb. “Of course not. Did I not mention the alcohol? When the adrenaline wore off after a couple of hours, we crashed hard.”
“That’s convenient,” Durante said.
“It’s the truth,” Cass shot back. “The truth still matters when it comes to law and order, just in case you forget.”
“What I know is that people have forgotten how to tell the truth.”
“Well, it’s a good thingyouropinion isn’t the law,” she pointed out.
She left, and Durante hung his head. He was just about done.
Tosh came in next. He looked wrecked. He’d been in a dysfunctional relationship with Candy.
“I have nothing helpful for you,” Tosh said before he could ask a question. “I have a lot of regrets, though.”
“Who did you leave the party with?”
“I was alone. People were piling into vehicles, but I waited as long as possible to see if Candy would come back. She didn’t.”
“Were you the last to leave?” Durante asked, sitting up a little higher.
“No, I was one of the last, but Efrain made sure everyone got out. His airport crew were the last to leave.”
“Where did you go when you got to town?”
“Home.”
“Was anyone with you?”
“Not a soul. I’d had enough of people at that point. Some wanted to cling together. I wasn’t one of them.”
“So, you have no alibi.” It was a statement.
“I have a lot of alibis for coming off the mountain. None for when I got to town.”
“You were the closest to Candy.”
“I don’t think anyone was truly close to Candy. She was a free spirit. Did we have sex? Yes. Were we a couple? No. Was it fun? Yes. Would it have lasted long? No. Did I want it to end the way it did? Hell no. I liked Candy. It wasn’t love, but it was fun. Her death is tragic. She didn’t deserve what happened to her.”
“That’s why it’s called murder,” Durante said. Tosh flinched. “Don’t go anywhere.”
