"You're asking me to guard a crime scene?"
"You did say you wanted to join the militia. Or was that just a way to get information on the case?"
She straightens. "I was serious."
"Good. Then guard the scene, please. If someone broke in, there will be footprints outside, but as soon as people hear a commotion, they'll come gawking and mess up the scene."
"Okay, but no one's going to listen to me."
"Make them. Please. If they argue, tell them Eric said that anyone who ignores you is going ice fishing. Let them interpret that however they want."
She snorts a chuckle, then says, "I want militia pay."
"If you keep everyone away, you'll get double. If anyone trespasses, consider it volunteer work."
*
Val is huddled on her couch, comforter wrapped around her. When I walk in, I say, "Would you like a tea?" and she shakes her head.
"It was him," she says. "Sheriff Dalton."
"Let's back up to what happened."
She looks up sharply. "You don't believe me."
"We'll get to that. First--"
She rises, comforter falling from one shoulder. "No, this first, Detective. I'm telling you that I saw a man in my room, and I can positively identify him, and you're ignoring that because he happens to be your lover."
"This just happened, correct?"
"Yes."
"Eric has been with me for over an hour."
"Sleeping with you. Or so you thought."
"It's barely midnight, Val. We were awake."
"You think you were. You don't want to believe he'd do this."
"No, I know I was awake, and I know he was there, because we were having sex."
She blanches, and her voice sharpens. "I did not need to hear that, Detective."
"Apparently, you did. You weren't listening to me otherwise. Eric got home almost two hours ago. We played with the puppy. Then sex. Then talking. He was there the whole time. It'd have been kind of hard not to notice. He has alibis before that, too. For the entire evening."
"He was quick with that, wasn't he? Giving you alibis."
"Because he's been accused of a very serious offense by someone who actively dislikes him. He's a little freaked out right now. If you think that I'm lying to give him an alibi, speak to Kenny, who came running in when Eric and I were in front of the fire, having a beer ... and not wearing clothing. That'd be a helluva trick if Eric had just left your house. This wasn't him, Val. Either you mistakenly thought it was, or you're trying to frame him."
"Frame him? Are you saying I made this up? There was a man in my room, Detective. In my bedroom."
"And the way you're wording that suggests you're no longer certain it was Eric."
She pulls the comforter up again and slides back down to the sofa.
"Walk me through it."