“Aye,” Link said. “Doesn’t seem right.”
“As far as her accessibility to the murder weapon,” I said. “Zane and I both looked around her store. She has different ribbons and twine. We saw jute wrapped around candy boxes.”
“Last one.” Rota clicked on another folder. “Reed Masterson. Age, thirty-three. Selkie shifter. Single, no children. Moved to Mystic Cove with his parents when he was eight. He’s been a fisherman since he graduated high school. He does have a criminal record, all here in Mystic Cove. One charge eleven years ago was for disturbing the peace and public intoxication. Then five years ago he was arrested for drunk and disorderly, disturbing the peace, and assault. He has stayed out of trouble since then. The last arrest with the assault, he ended up serving two weeks in jail, tons of fines and restitution, mandatory anger management, and twenty hours of community service doing coastal cleanup.”
“So like Sasha Carter,” Zane said, “he has a temper as well.”
“I saw a little of it in City Hall the day Mari died,” I said. “He was arguing with the woman who does permits.”
“Motive to want Mari dead?” Rota asked.
I grimaced. “It’s a little weak, but Reed was in the group that harmed Eliza fifteen years ago. Of all our suspects, he seems to have the least amount of motive. At least, as far as we know. In fact, it sounds like over the years, Mari was the only one Reed really kept in contact with. A few weeks after the incident theirsenior year, he broke up with Rayna and stayed away from them for the most part over the years. But, like the others, he might have been afraid Mari would talk after receiving his valentine.”
“Alibi and opportunity?” Rota mused.
I shook my head. “He doesn’t really have an alibi. Other than he was at home alone from three to five-thirty. Afterward, he went to a bar to drink.”
“Murder weapon accessibility?” Rota asked.
“He was using some kind of twine to tie off bags when we spoke to him earlier,” I said. “Plus, he goes into the marina’s store, so he could have grabbed some there.”
Rota turned from her computer and took a sip of mead. “So what’s next?”
“More interviews,” Zane said. “Especially since we have new evidence regarding a life insurance policy and the addition of Eliza Nordic to Mari’s will.”
18
“Ican’t explain why I want to question the bartender,” I said as Zane held open the door to Bottoms Up. “I just feel it might be important.”
“You don’t have to justify your instincts, Kara.”
It was between hours for the bar. Most of the barstools and tables were empty. The vampire behind the bar, David, looked up when we walked in, and I gave him a small wave.
“Great,” he grumbled. “PADA. Just what I need.” He looked around the empty bar. “You’re gonna run off all my paying customers, Valkyrie.”
I laughed. “Good to see you too, David.”
He leaned against the counter. “What can I do for you two?”
“Do you know Rayna Halter?” I asked.
“Of course I do.” He tapped his temple. “Steel trap up here.” He grinned, flashing his fangs. “Plus, she went to school with my older sister.”
Zane chuckled. “Were you working when she came in around three o’clock yesterday on Valentine’s Day?”
“Yep,” David said. “I remember her coming in.”
I frowned. “Really? You don’t have to check your books for a receipt?”
“Nope.” He nodded to someone over my shoulder and turned around to grab a bottle before turning back to us. “I remember because when she came in, she had blood on her shirt. I said something to her, in case she didn’t know, and she said it was ketchup.” He shook his head and poured the liquid over ice. “Wasn’t no ketchup.”
“How do you know?” I asked.
He stopped pouring and gave me a long, flat look. “I’m a vampire, Valkyrie. I know blood when I see it and smell it.”
I laughed. “Touché.” We’d already seen Rayna’s copy of the receipt, but I asked anyway. “What time did she leave? Can you tell us that?”
“Little before four.” He handed the drink to the server who’d stepped up next to me. She thanked him and hurried away. “And before you ask, I had Valentine’s Day plans with my girl, so I pulled an open-to-four shift. Rayna and the guy she was drinking with were the last two I rang out.”
