Death Waxed Over - Tim Myers [83]
Millie asked him, “Can I get you something?”
“I wouldn’t say no to a cup of coffee. I’ve been up all night, and I’m starting to feel it”
She left to get his coffee, and Markum said to me,
“Harrison, if you need me, I’ll be over there.” He and the sheriff had a heavy dose of natural animosity between them, and they would never willingly be together anywhere, not even to support me.
After the sheriff and I were alone, Morton asked gently, “Are you up to talking about this?”
I nodded. “We might as well get it over with. I was kayaking this morning before I had to open the candleshop. It was a good day to be out; the rain had finally broken, and the sun was coming out There was a lot of junk that had been washed into the water, though. At first I thought I’d hit a log, but then I saw it was a woman’s body. I didn’t realize it was Becka until she flipped over. I managed to tow her to shore. That’s when Millie called you.” I stared down into my empty coffee mug, then asked, “Do you have any idea what happened to her?”
He shook his head as he played with the sugar dispenser in front of him. “There were no obvious signs of trauma, so they’re going to have to look harder. She hasn’t been in the water long, maybe an hour or two at the most, from the look of her.”
“So you don’t have any idea at all what could have happened?” I asked.
Morton said, “That’s right I don’t know, and I’m not about to start guessing. I’ll let the coroner figure it out, and then we’ll go from there.” He paused, then asked gently, “When’s the last time you saw her, Harrison?”
“Are you honestly looking for an alibi?” I asked, letting my words bite, not caring if he felt my hostility in them.
“Take it easy, I have to ask.” When I saw the softness in his gaze, I knew he hadn’t wanted to ask me that question, but I also realized that he didn’t have any choice, either.
Fighting to keep my temper in check, I said, “We went out for pizza at A Slice of Heaven last month.”
“So then you two were dating again?”
Millie brought him his coffee as I said, “No, we were just two friends going out together for a meal. There was nothing happening between us, at least not romantically. What about the guy who was stalking her a few months ago? Is he still in jail?”
Millie hesitated at the table and frowned at Morton— no doubt hovering nearby to offer me her support—when the sheriff said, “As of ten minutes ago he was. Listen, I’m not accusing you of anything, Harrison, I’m just trying to collect information. I know finding her like that had to be hard on you. How are you holding up?”
“I’m not afraid to admit that I’ve been better,” I said. Millie must have been satisfied with the sheriff’s softened tone, because she left us and went back to her register.
I told Sheriff Morton, “Everybody thinks I should hide in my apartment upstairs, but I want to get back to work. I need to keep busy.”
He nodded. “If it matters to you what I think, I believe it’s the best thing you could do. It will help take your mind off what happened.”
He threw a dollar on the table and said, “Listen, I’ll let you know as soon as I hear anything, okay?”
“I’d appreciate that,” I said.
After the sheriff was gone, Markum came back to the table. “What did he want? Did I hear him right? Did he actually ask you for an alibi?”
“Don’t start,” I said. “He’s just doing his job.”
Markum held his palms up. “Sorry, I know I shouldn’t push you right now. Listen, do you want to get out of Micah’s Ridge? It’s a beautiful day. We could drive up to Boone, cruise around on the Blue Ridge Parkway, and then have lunch.”
“Thanks, I appreciate the offer, but I want to work. The truth is, I need to keep busy. It’s the only thing that’s going to help right now.”
He nodded. “Say no more. Why don’t I hang around though, just in case you change your mind? There’s plenty of stuff I can do up in my office, and that way I’ll be close by.”
“Markum, I don’t need a baby-sitter. I’ll be okay.”
He said, “Of course you will.” As the big, burly man stood, he added, “Just in case, remember,