Bring Me Flowers (Detectives Kane and Alton)

“Yeah.” Derick looked over Kane’s shoulder at the tools lined up against the wall, each in their marked position. “She’s my girl.”

Kane stood feet apart and rested one hand on the handle of his Glock. He had mentioned her in the present tense, not something a man would do if he knew she had died. He pushed him a little to see if he had the temper he expected. “Bit young for you, isn’t she?”

“She turns seventeen in a couple of months.” Derick shot him a worried glance. “It’s not like that either. I respect her and plan to marry her someday.”

“Uh-huh.” Kane narrowed his gaze. “I hear you had one hell of an argument over Felicity going to the dance on Friday night.”

“Yeah, we did disagree.” Derick glanced down at his soiled work boots then lifted his chin. “She wanted to go with Aimee, and that troublemaker is only interested in getting laid by Lucky Briggs. I objected is all.” He huffed a deep breath. “Lucky is the guy you need to be talking to about underage girls, not me, and I have her parents’ permission to date her.”

“When did you last see Felicity?”

“Sunday.” Derick shuffled his feet and avoided Kane’s gaze. “We went for a walk and talked some but she insisted on going to the dance without me.”

Kane waited a few beats hoping he would spill the entire story but the young man appeared to be deep in thought. “And?”

“I told her straight. If she preferred to hang around Lucky Briggs and become another notch in his belt, she wasn’t the girl for me.” Derick frowned and straightened, looking him in the eye. “Would you chase after a woman who trashed your heart as if the time we spent together and the respect I gave her meant squat?” He dragged a filthy hand through his hair, making it stick it up in all directions. “She tempted me beyond reason but I kept my word to her parents and never touched her.”

“I see.” Kane remained noncommittal and reached inside his pocket for his notepad and pen. He made a few notes. “So, you had no contact with her from what time on Sunday?”

“’Bout four thirty.” Derick’s expression turned from anger to concern. “Why are you asking me all these questions about Felicity? Her parents haven’t put in a complaint against me, have they?”

“No, they haven’t.” Kane jotted down the details. “I’m speaking to everyone who was in the area of Stanton Forest, Sunday through Monday.” He cleared his throat. “So, Sunday afternoon about four thirty was the last time you spoke to Felicity. Is that correct?” After reading Felicity’s cellphone records, he would know if Derick was lying.

“Has something happened to her?” Agitation rolled off the young man.

“Just answer the question.” Kane lifted his gaze from the notepad.

“Not until you tell me what’s going on!” Derick made a step toward him, fists clenched.

Kane straightened and gave him a “back the hell off” glare. “Felicity was involved in an incident on Monday morning and like I said before this is a routine inquiry.”

“I called her on Monday morning, early from here. I’ve called her since but she has turned off her damn phone.”

“How early?” Kane raised an eyebrow. “Had you started work?”

“Yeah, so around seven thirty, I guess.” Derick stared at his boots. “I was waiting around for George to do the paperwork on a repair. He wanted me to deliver the car and pick up the loaner before I got my clothes all greased up.” He wrinkled his nose. “I took the car out to Stanton Road around eight and got back here around nine.”

“It took you that long to drive a forty-minute round trip?”

“The customer, Mrs. Bolton, insisted I go over the repairs listed on the bill then made me wait for her to write out a check.” Derick pushed both hands into the front pockets of his coveralls. “She held me up, some.”

“I’ll need her address.” He wrote down the details Derick willingly supplied to corroborate his story. “Would you object to giving me a sample of your DNA?”

“My what?” Derick’s cheeks reddened. “Here? Why would you need my DNA? What happened to Felicity?”

“I am not at liberty to discuss the case at this time but whatever incident may have involved her, a sample will eliminate you from any list of suspects we might have.” Kane narrowed his gaze at the flustered young man. “I just need to swab the inside of your mouth. Quick and painless.”

“Oh—sure. I ain’t got nothing to hide.”

Kane pulled a DNA collection kit from his inside pocket and performed the test, making sure the evidence was sealed and the documentation required for collection signed. “Okay, thank you for your cooperation.”

He headed over to George Miller and smiled at him. “Do you remember what time Derick arrived yesterday morning and how long he was away delivering the car?”

“He is a punctual lad, starts seven each mornin’, is never late, does his job.” George rubbed his chin. “He must have brought the loaner back around nine because I was in the office giving my daughter an order for apple pie. We take a break at nine fifteen like clockwork every day. Mary-Jo goes down to Aunt Betty’s to pick up our orders around nine.”

Kane made notes and lifted his gaze. “Thanks.” He pushed the notepad and pen back inside his pocket.

“The lad ain’t in no trouble, is he?”