"What was the name of this other man?" Owen asked.
"It doesn't matter," Molly said.
"It does if we're going to be able to see the whole picture here," Owen said.
"Ron," Molly said. "Ron Shepstone." May saw her face soften.
"When was the last time you saw him?"
But Molly didn't answer that question.
"I've made such a mess of things. My whole life has been a mess. I know it all sounds so bad," she said, her face now looking pale and drawn. "I didn't mean it to happen. I was so lonely and so depressed."
"It's not important how it sounds," Owen said, quickly. "Just tell us the facts."
"I was in Minneapolis all day," Molly began. "I had lunch with two of my colleagues, then I went back to my hotel room and did some work, and then I went to meet my managers for dinner. I didn't call Ed because we had fought. We did fight before I left, and I was mad at him. And I didn’t call Ron either. We only see each other occasionally, although we speak and message whenever we can. He’s a real good guy. He’s the man I should have married. I believe that I’m in love with Ron. Yes, I was going to leave Ed for him, and I wish now I’d done it sooner. But Ed was being so difficult and so aggressive. I didn’t want to get hurt by him, physically. That’s the honest truth. Ron understood. He told me to take it slow, that he didn’t want anything bad to happen to me, and that he’d wait. And now, something bad has happened, but not to me.”
She stared miserably at May, who saw only honesty in her eyes.
"So, you didn't go back to the house?"
"No," Molly said. "Once I was back in the hotel, I didn't leave until I came home this morning. My team and I had dinner at a steak restaurant next to the hotel, Steak and Sides."
"Do you have an alibi for between five p.m. and seven p.m.?" May asked. That was the approximate time when Ed had been killed. Molly could have driven back. The night away would have been the perfect cover for this crime.
Then, Molly's face slackened with relief, and May felt a knot in her stomach untwist ever so slightly. "I do," she said. "I stepped out of the hotel room at six, to make sure the restaurant table was reserved, and I met my boss in the corridor. We chatted for a while, and he said he'd like to join me for dinner, as he'd decided to stay at the hotel overnight rather than drive home late, so when I went downstairs, I added an extra person to the table reservation. You can confirm that with the hotel dining room and also with my boss. It really happened. I promise you. At that exact time.”
"Your boss's name?" Owen asked.
"Mike Hartley."
"Give me his details."
Quickly, Molly recited her boss's phone number. Owen went outside to make the call to confirm this alibi. May could hear him speaking, and with her ears straining, she got the gist of what he was saying. It sounded positive. The boss was confirming that this had, in fact, happened.
It looked as if it was a solid alibi. Molly hadn't told them the truth. Things between her and Ed had been strained. She’d been cheating on him and had been caught in a miserable situation. But it didn't seem like she was the killer.
And at that moment, May's phone also rang.
Standing up and turning away from Molly, she quickly took the call.
"It's Deputy Eaton here, from forensics," the man's voice said. "Deputy Moore, we've found some additional details at the scene. They might be helpful to you. I think you need to come and have a look."
CHAPTER SIX
May didn't have the heart to charge Molly for slapping Owen. Not when she'd been cleared of the murder and when there was new information to discover. It would be far better for them to move forward and chase the fresh leads on this heartbreaking case.
As soon as she stepped out of the interview room, Owen immediately hissed, "Alibi is confirmed. And I don't want to press charges for that slap, May. She was upset that I found out about the affair. We've let people off for worse things before now."
May nodded. "There's more information back at the crime scene," she said. "Let's go there and leave this for now."
"I hope it’s something good," Owen said. "I'll process her release and meet you in the car."
May trudged back to the car. She also hoped that some of this information was going to get them somewhere because right now, she couldn't think of the look in Sheriff Jack's eyes.
Luckily, Owen managed to do the paperwork quicker than May had believed possible. Just as she was breathing deeply and trying to get her thoughts in order, he slipped into the car seat beside her.
"You know," he said conversationally, "It's really sad how many people seem to be trapped in bad relationships. I feel for Molly, I really do. She was miserable and then when the chips were down, she couldn't say a thing about it because she knew that she'd be an instant suspect."
