There was another long pause. “Don’t go anywhere.”
“Like I have somewhere to go,” Zach muttered. He walked away. He knew it was simply a matter of time before the deputy threw handcuffs on him. The man was itching to do it.
As he left the room, Durante’s radio crackled. He moved to the corner and spoke privately as Torie came in. She sat, then got back up and began pacing, as if sitting might imply guilt. Her arms were wrapped tightly around her middle. Durante walked to her.
“I heard you and the victim argued.”
“Everyone argues with everyone on this island,” Torie said.
“I’m specifically talking about last night.”
“We made a truce last night. We were fine,” Torie said.
“That’s not what witnesses are saying.”
“I’m sure there are some who will attest to that. Candy and I had problems, but that didn’t mean I wanted to kill her. I couldn’t do something like that.”
“Jealousy is a fine motivation.”
Torie glared. “I have nothing to be jealous of with that woman. I’m smarter, prettier, and far more balanced. She’s nothing, a drifter who moves from man to man to get what she wants,” Torie spat.
“That seems like motivation to me.”
“It’s not. She was nothing. She would’ve disappeared soon. She slept around. I’m sure there are a lot of people who wanted her dead.”
“Including you?”
“I didn’t want her dead. I wanted her to wear the shame she deserved. I wanted everyone to see who she really was. Now, she’ll be a martyr. That’s the last thing I wanted.”
“She walked away from the group, and you followed,” the deputy said.
“I tried, but it was raining so hard I couldn’t keep up with her. She looked back. She even smiled like she knew a secret. Then she was gone.”
He paused for a long time. “Did you come back here last night?”
“No.” Torie’s chin lifted. “If you’re going to arrest me, do it now. I’m sick of being haunted by a woman who wrote lullabies and took what she had no business taking.”
“If you want to confess, we can get that arrest over with,” he said.
“I didn’t kill anyone,” Torie shouted.
“Don’t go anywhere. You’re on the island until further notice.”
“I can’t stay forever. I have a family to get back to,” she said.
“Let them know your vacation has been extended.”
She hung her head, but nodded. She walked out with a lot less confidence than she’d walked in with. This was getting them nowhere fast. But that didn’t mean they could stop.
Harmony came in with her shoulders back and her lips turned up the slightest bit, trying to show she was relaxed. She was failing.
“I heard you and the victim spoke quite a bit.”
“Yes, I enjoyed speaking with Candy.”
“What about?”
“Songs. Fear. Love. Loss. Escape.”
