“It was more like thirty,” Garrett interjected.
Deputy Morgan stared at him.“Are you the one giving theanswers, Counselor?”
“It was a lot longer than five minutes,” Keane continued.This was where they would try to trip him up.“We waited for a while, but Ifinally got up and got the drinks myself.”
“You didn’t stop and ask your girlfriend if she wanted one?”
He had to stay calm.He couldn’t show how irritated he was.It would be noted that he was difficult, and he had too many strikes againsthim already.“She was still sipping on her first margarita and at the time, shewas talking to Gigi and Miranda.I didn’t want to bother them.”
“I thought she was alone.”
He shook his head.“As I walked by, I checked on her.Sheand Gigi and Miranda were laughing.When I came back, Gigi was dancing andOlivia was talking to some other woman.I suspect a friend from town.”
“Lisa Nelson,” Deputy Morgan said with a nod.“She statedthat Olivia was fully in control when they talked briefly at eight p.m.”
“But she wasn’t led out of the bar until almost nine.I’dlike to see the time stamps on those security cameras.”Garrett’s browfurrowed.“I think you have a timeline problem.Those drugs work quickly.Mostpeople who have their drinks spiked have symptoms within fifteen to thirtyminutes.”
“I find it interesting that you know so much about it,Counselor,” the sheriff said with a lazy drawl.“How do you know that specificinformation?”
Garrett’s eyes rolled.“Law and Order: SVU.Youshould try it sometime, Sheriff.You might learn something.”
There was a knock on the door and the sheriff went to openit.He disappeared outside.
Morgan sighed and looked tired.“Mr.Pace, I need to get thetimeline down.If what you’re saying is true, then the timeline is important.”
Garrett sat back and nodded Keane’s way.
“After I brought our beers back, we talked for a littlewhile more and then Gabe was upset about who Gigi was dancing with and we wentto talk to Olivia about it.Garrett went to cut in on Gigi, and Olivia asked meto dance with Miranda.”
“Why would she want that?Again, if you’re her boyfriend,why would she send you off to dance with another woman?”
“Miranda didn’t want to miss whatever show she thought Gigiand Gabe were about to put on.I think Olivia wanted a few quiet minutes.Orhowever quiet it can be at The Barn.It’s been a stressful couple of days,”Keane explained.“I danced with Miranda and Garrett danced with Gigi for onesong, I think.Then he got a call and Gabe stepped in.I danced with Mirandauntil I got his call that he found Olivia in the parking lot.I raced out, andwe got her to the hospital.”
“When did you pick up her phone?”the deputy asked.
His gut still rolled when he thought about it.“I did notpick up her phone.Or her purse.I was in a panicked state.I wasn’t thinkingabout that at all.”
“Do you have any idea how her phone got into your vehicle?”
He shook his head.“The vehicle was locked.I know because Ifumbled with the fob while we were trying to get her in.They probably threw itin the back.I don’t know when.I didn’t check.”
“Shouldn’t you have called 9-1-1?”
“We could get to the hospital faster than waiting for EMS.She was breathing.Her pulse was steady, but she wasn’t conscious.We didn’tknow what was happening, so we got her in the car and drove.We got to theemergency department shortly after that.”
“According to the hospital records, you arrived at 9:23p.m.”
Garrett leaned forward.“What is the timestamp on thesecurity camera?When does it show Keane going to the bar?”
She flipped a few pages, going back over her notes.“Thetime stamp is…” She stopped and frowned.“I’ve got it noted at 8:12 to 8:26p.m.”
“So you think he roofied the drink but Miranda didn’t takeit back to their table until almost nine p.m.”Garrett sounded surer now.
She huffed a breath out.“The surveillance footage shows youstanding in front of her drink.There’s a margarita on the side waiting to bepicked up.You walked to the end of the bar even though it was more crowdedthan the middle.”
Keane sighed, a sign of his weariness.“I just walked to thebar.The bartender was busy.I waited.”
“Did you see the drinks beside you?The ones that werewaiting to be picked up?”
