“Money,” Walker answered honestly. He was still gazing at the young woman. “She’s too young to be dead,” Walker remarked without thinking.
“I think so too. Do you think your brother did this?” Rob asked him.
Walker rubbed his hand across his face. “Jesse is many things but a murderer? Especially, a young woman he’s been with? I don’t think so. Why this one and not the other?”
Rob nodded his head. “You can step outside now.”
“Thank you,” he responded. He was shaken when he returned to Simon’s side. The sheriff was questioning Simon about Walker’s whereabouts. Walker gave Simon a knowing look.
“He was with my daughter all night at the hospital. You can ask any of the nurses on duty. He never left her side. You can also speak to Danni, my daughter. She will confirm where Walker was last night.”
Walker knew it was just police procedure but, he also knew his record made them suspicious of him. John Johnson looked at Walker. He met his gaze, without flinching.
Then the deputy joined them and asked his father to step away. Walker talked softly to Simon. “It’s Laura, the young blonde. Early twenties. The deputy,” he nodded in his direction, “asked me if Jesse could do something like this.”
Simon scoffed at Walker. “He’s a petty criminal. Racketeering. Money laundering. Drugs.” He added for Walker’s benefit.
“That’s what I said.” He rubbed his hand over his face. He was tired from sleeping in the chair.
The sheriff returned to Simon and Walker. “I’d like you to come to the station with me.”
“I’ll bring him.” The sheriff hesitated like he might insist he ride with him. “If he’s not a suspect, then there is no reason that I can’t bring him,” Simon insisted. “I’ll follow you, if you want.”
“Let’s go,” the sheriff replied.
He said something to his deputy and Simon and Walker climbed in the truck and waited for him to get in his cruiser. Simon took out his phone. Walker looked at him, wondering who he needed to call at this time.
“Hawk,” their sheriff. “Simon Hatfield.” He explained what had happened in Severe. He was taking Walker to the police station for questioning. They talked for several minutes while the walls felt like they were closing in on Walker.
Simon was looking at him. He could feel his gaze. He glanced over at him. “What?”
“It’s all right, son. Don’t panic. Hawk is calling John. He knows him. He’ll set him straight where you and Jesse are concerned before we even get to Severe’s station. If I think we need a lawyer, I’ll call mine and get him here to be with you during questioning.”
Walker nodded but he still felt like he was suffocating as if he could once again take the fall for Jesse’s mess. Then Simon made another call.
“Rachel, honey. Walker and me, we ran into a bit of trouble. We’re going to be a while. I’ll explain when I drop him off.” He was listening to her. Walker turned his head to Simon and looked at him. “Danni okay?”
“Could I speak to her?” Walker asked.
Simon looked at him then he asked Rachel to put Danni on. Walker wanted to talk to her. “Danni hold on a second.” He handed the phone to Walker. He hesitated with the phone in the palm of his big hand then he lifted it to his ear.
“Danni,” he croaked her name.
“Walker is everything okay?” He wasn’t sure, not as sure as Simon seemed to be.
“Yes,” he said. He didn’t want to worry her. “I have to go to the police station in Severe to answer some questions about Jesse.” He hoped that was all. Simon nodded at him. “I just wanted to hear your voice.”
“I can’t wait to see you,” she told him.
Soon, he thought. He hoped. They had nothing on him, he reminded himself. They couldn’t keep him even if it was a murder investigation. He knew so little about his brother Jesse.
“I can’t wait to see you either.”
He wanted to tell her that he loved her like she had him this afternoon, but her dad was sitting next to him. He wasn’t ready to say those words to her yet. Maybe not ever. He still wasn’t convinced that he was good for her.
“I gotta go, baby.”
“Okay. I’ll see you soon,” she replied.