“We didn’t have a choice,” Cass pointed out.
“Still appreciate it,” he replied. “I’m taking statements one at a time. Don’t talk to each other about what youthinkyou saw. If you have a lawyer, I suggest you call them. If you don’t, you might want to use some common sense. We’re going to be here for a long time.”
“Can we at least get out of the weather?” a person asked.
“One at a time at the diner,” Durante said. His jaw was hard. He was pissed and letting them know it.
“Candy deserves better than this,” Mary muttered.
Durante met her eyes, his not flinching. Neither blinked.
“Candy deserves the truth,” he said. “You’re first.”
Mary smiled, no fear in her eyes. She had nothing to hide, and she was more than willing to speak her mind. She followed him into the diner. She stood several feet from him, hands clasped together.
“You left in a rush last night,” Durante said.
“I left when the storm demanded we leave.”
“Did you see anything on the way down the mountain?”
“I saw a road that wanted to destroy us,” Mary told him. “I also saw men who think every disaster is a personal invitation for heroics.”
“Meaning?”
“Meaning that half of this island will volunteer to be a hero when the cameras are clicking,” she answered. “Some will even bring a shovel.”
Durante looked at her as if he wasn’t sure whether to write down her words. “Did you return to the airport last night?”
“Nope. I was sort of busy.”
“Can anyone confirm that?”
Mary smirked. “I can confirm it.” She gave a humorless laugh. “If you want a list of people who enjoy watching me sleep, I can provide that, too. It’s longer than the list of solved cases.”
“I think I’ll pass,” he said.
“It was hectic when we came to town. People were coming and going, and none of us got much sleep. As for alibis, that’s going to be difficult, Sergeant, as no one is watched twenty-four-seven.”
“We’re going to get to the bottom of this,” he said, his voice sure.
“I hope so because your record of solving crimes isn’t too great.” She glared at him. He glared back. Her daughter would hang between them for the rest of their lives.
“We’re done for now. Don’t go far.”
“I wouldn’t dream of it.” She exited the room.
Efrain came next.
“Start from the beginning, when you arrived.”
“We came to assess damage. We saw the display and called it in.”
“Display?”
Efrain shook his head. “That’s what they made Candy, a display for all the world to see how much smarter the killer is than the rest of us. They’ve been able to display all three bodies with no one any wiser to who they are.”
“Did you notice anything suspicious from the night before?”
