Newton gave her head a little shake.
“Did you get a look at the person who allegedly pushed then chased you?”
Those curiously blue eyes met his in challenge. “He wore a black ski mask.”
“How tall was he? And you’re sure it was a he?”
She thought about that a moment. “Your height or taller. Yes, definitely a he.”
Kale was still skeptical. “Heavy? Thin?”
“Medium.”
“When he was chasing you, did he fall behind like he was out of shape, or did he keep up?” Physical fitness could be indicative of age. This was nuts. Who would do this sort of thing?
She shook her head. “I don’t think he was really trying to catch me. I think he might have been trying to scare me off but got a little carried away.”
“What makes you think that?”
Uneasiness had started to nudge Kale. If she was telling the truth ... if any of the villagers had decided to take matters into their own hands and go to this extreme ...
Not good.
He would have to talk to Patterson and Willard about this.
Yet, not a single name came to mind of anyone who would be capable of such a thing.
“Because he was right behind me in the woods,” Newton explained. “Didn’t seem to have a problem catching up or keeping up with me. He was close enough that when I fell, he grabbed me by the ankle. But I got away, and then he never caught up with me again. As if he’d accomplished what he’d set out to do.”
“We’ll talk to the chief about this in the morning.” He rubbed his neck. No one was going to be happy to hear it.
“Who’s the guy with the big house through the woods? The one you can see from the chapel?”
“Jerald Pope?” The Pope home was the only one visible from the chapel.
“Who is he?”
“Master boat builder. His work is internationally known. He and his wife and their daughter, Jerri Lynn, live there.”
“I assume he was interviewed and had nothing to add that might prove useful to the investigation.”
“Correct.” Why would she ask about Pope? Sure, his house was close to the scene, but that didn’t mean he was involved or had seen anything. That was Kale’s defensive side talking. Her question was perfectly logical.
She fell silent for long enough to make him start to feel anxious.
“He was watching me.” Her voice cracked when she said the words.
“You think Pope pushed you?” That was seriously outrageous, but if that was her perception, Kale needed to know right now.
“No. He never left his house.”
“Explain,” he ordered.
“I noticed him watching me from his window.” She shrugged. “I guess he saw my flashlight and wondered what I was doing. Or maybe he was worried there was trouble at the chapel again.” As if she’d just had a thought, she asked, “No one called in about someone snooping around at the chapel?”
Kale shook his head. “I doubt it. If anyone had called it in, the chief would have contacted me first.” It seemed both the chief and the mayor were expecting him, and him alone, to keep her out of trouble.
Newton looked unsettled by that answer.
