“Come on, Eva, the other girls told us you and Cross were having an affair.”
She’d been up over thirty-six hours and could barely string two thoughts together. Her body ached. All she wanted to do was go home. “We were not. ”
“The girls said so.”
“The girls lied. “ She was so tired that her words slurred.
The sheriff leaned so close she could smell the way his sweat mingled with his soap. “You are the liar.”
Her mouth was dry. Her eyes burned. “Josiah raped me. I’m the victim.”
“You had sex with him and in a jealous rage killed him.”
“No!”
“Yes.”
To her shame, she’d wept. God, but she was so tired. “Why don’t you understand? Josiah raped me and burned my own pendant into my flesh.”
“The fireman says the house fire heated the pendant and when you fell back it burned your skin.”
“No. Josiah burned me.”
“Tell me the truth,” he said so softly. “And I will let you see your sister.”
“My sister is here?”
“She’s outside waiting.”
She glanced up at him. She’d held strong while he’d yelled at her, but now that he came at her with kindness her mind tripped with confusion. “I want to see Angie.”
“I know. She’s waiting for you.”
The haze of sleep deprivation coupled with thirst and fear left her so weak. She just wanted the nightmare to end. “Okay.”
“Okay what, Eva? Are you saying you killed Josiah?”
Shame burned in her belly. “Yes.”
She wanted to leave and get away from Garrison who was drawing her into a web she feared would be impossible to escape.
“I saw you in the crowd last night.” Before she could deny it he said again, “I saw you. ”
Eva had learned to walk the tightrope between lies and the truth when she’d been in prison. Too many lies were hard to remember and too much truth endangered her safety. “I was scheduled to work last night. I saw the flames and just kind of froze.”
“How long have you worked at the shelter?”
“About six months. ”
“Why here?”
“Easy work. Good pay.”
She picked at a stray thread. Now the truth would serve her better than a lie because she suspected Detective Garrison ate liars for breakfast. “I work at a pub called King’s. Sally is one of my patrons. A few months ago, she offered me the work and I never say no to work.”
“Mind my asking how old you are?”
“Twenty-seven.”
“You look ten years younger.”
“I get that a lot.”
“And where did you say you worked?”
“King’s. It’s in Old Town Alexandria. I tend bar and waitress. I also rent a room on the top floor.”
He nodded. “Sally said you called last night and that you were running late.”
“You already asked me about that.”
“Humor me.”
“I also serve subpoenas for extra cash. Last night’s delivery took longer than expected and I ran late.”
“How many nights a week do you work here?”
“Depends on my work schedule. One or two.”
“What was your schedule last night?”
If she’d been on time she realized now that she’d be dead. “Nine to nine. I was supposed to spend the night.”
“Being late looks like a lucky break.”
She glanced past him at the charred remains of the shelter. “Yeah.”
“Sally said you had words with a resident six or seven weeks ago.”
“That’s right. Her name was Brenda. She tried to stir up trouble and I stopped her.”
“How’d you stop her?”
“I told her to be nice.”
“That’s it?”
“That’s it.”
He suspected she’d phrased it much differently. “Where can I reach you?” Garrison said.
“Why would you need to reach me?” He reminded her of a dog who’d just picked up the fox’s scent.
“Just for good measure. Questions do pop up.”
She shoved her hands into her pockets. “King’s is in the phone book.”
“You have a cell?”
“Can’t afford it.” Which was true. Landlines weren’t totally extinct, plus she didn’t like being tethered to anything, even if it was just a phone.
He appeared in no rush. In fact, she sensed he got a kick out of dragging this out. Cops. All control freaks.
“Any unusual phone calls? Any cars hanging around the shelter lately?”
“Like I said, nothing out of the ordinary.” A little digging into her past and he’d find out she’d done time. So be it. Her manslaughter conviction would haunt her forever.
He planted his hand on his hip. “You sure about that?”
“Yes. I don’t have a reason to lie.”
He lifted a brow. “Let’s hope not.”
Eva folded her arms over her chest, refusing to allow old fears to rise. “If you have something to say then say it.” He could shove his silence and piercing gaze.
“Don’t worry, Ms. Rayburn. If I have something to say, I will.” Instead of rising to defensiveness, he kept his stance relaxed. “You said you moved here six months ago. Where from?”
The shift in conversation robbed her of some bravado. “Down by the Richmond area.”
“You know a little place downtown called Sid’s?”
“Can’t say I’ve been there.” After she’d been released from prison, she’d spent a few weeks in a halfway house in the Fan district. With only a hundred bucks from the prison system for a fresh start, there’d been no money for restaurants.
“It was mighty popular.”
“Maybe. I wouldn’t know. I didn’t stay in Richmond long.”
“It was off Hanover Street.”
“All I know is Eddie’s on Franklin.” She walked past it daily on her early-morning walks. She’d walked just after sunrise because crowded streets triggered minor panic attacks. Funny, she’d longed for freedom for ten years, but after so much time in partial isolation, regular everyday things like grocery shopping and talking to people on the street overwhelmed her. Hell, her first month out, she kept asking for permission to go to the bathroom.
“I remember. Bar was constructed of lumber from an old mine.”
She ran her fing
ers through her long hair, not surprised he’d know a detail like that. Homicide detectives were good at the details. “Care to quiz me about anything else?”
His quick grin didn’t reach his eyes. “No. No more questions for now.” He pulled a card from his breast pocket. “But you’ll be sure to let me know if you decide to up and move.”
She flicked the edge of the card. “Why do I have to let you know? ”
Steel glinted in his eyes. “For now let’s just call it a curiosity. ”
No missing the thinly veiled order. This guy would track her down if she left the area. And she’d bet a paycheck he’d find her inside a week. “Sure.”
“Thanks.”
She turned to leave, anxious just to stuff distance between them.
“Ms. Rayburn, why’d you move to Alexandria?”
Careful to keep the tension from her face and voice, Eva ignored the way her muscles clenched as she met his direct gaze. “Curious. And more jobs.”
“Just that simple.”
“Sure, why not? You’ve never just gone with your curiosity for a new locale?”
“Maybe on vacation but not to live.” He grinned. “Must be nice to be such a free spirit.”
Actually, it kind of sucked. She longed for roots and a real home. “It’s the best.”
“Mind if I ask you a favor?”
Crap. Favors never boded well. Still, her lips curved into a smile as she turned. “Sure.”
He reached in his breast pocket. “I’d like you to look at a picture.”
“Of?”
“A woman. We found her behind the shelter. She’s dead.”
A sick wave washed through her limbs. “I really would rather not.”
“The shot is just of her face.”
“Still, I’d just rather not.” A deep fear rooted in her bones.
“Please,” he said. “Just one look.”
Why was she so afraid? She nodded, unable to speak.
He held out the picture, holding her gaze until she had the courage to lower it to the picture. The image nearly took her breath away. It was of a young woman, not any older than her. She had pale blond hair and a fair complexion. For just a moment, Eva couldn’t breathe or clear her thoughts. She’d been labeled a murderer and yet never had looked into the face of death.
The woman’s image teased memories on the edge of her mind, but she couldn’t translate the shadowy images into words. Who was this woman? Had she seen her at the pub or maybe along King Street?