Room for Murder - Tim Myers [70]
Grady snapped, “What are you talking about, Alex? Have you lost your mind?”
Alex said, “It just makes sense, doesn’t it?” He turned to Conner. “Did you know about it too, or was he just using you?”
Conner sputtered, “Alex, you’re certifiably insane.”
Alex shook his head. “I don’t think so. It all makes sense. Oxford found out Grady was stealing from the bridge fund. It was kind of poetic justice when he confronted you there about your theft. So you killed him.”
The warm, friendly mayor they all knew was suddenly replaced by a caged animal ready to strike out.
Grady pulled a gun from his jacket and said, “You had to push it, didn’t you, Alex? Well, knowing what happened isn’t going to do you a bit of good now.”
Tracy said in a stunned voice, “Then it’s true?”
Grady waved her over to the rest of the group, away from the door. “Don’t look so shocked. All my life I’ve been serving the people of Elkton Falls. It was about time they started serving me.”
Conner said, “Shut up, Hatch.”
“You think I’m going down without taking you with me? You knew all about my dipping into the fund.”
Conner said, “You lying dog. I didn’t know you’d killed Oxford or that troublemaker out in the parking lot, either.”
Alex said, “You killed Toby Sturbridge?”
“The fool brought it on himself. Oxford and I thought the parking lot would be the safest place to talk with everybody at the rededication. Oxford demanded I return the money, the do-gooder. Sturbridge must have heard the threats. After Oxford left, I was shaken up pretty good, so I leaned against Mor’s truck for a cigarette to settle my nerves. This thug came up and threatened me if I didn’t cut him in on what I’d stolen. He grabbed me, I panicked so I pushed him. Okay, maybe it was a little too hard, but I swear, I didn’t mean to kill him. I stuck him in the nearest truck and got back up onstage.”
“I thought you looked like you had the jitters that day,” Alex admitted. “I just couldn’t figure out why.”
Tracy said, “What did Conner know, Grady? Tell us that much.”
“I told you to shut up,” Conner said as he started to lunge for Grady’s gun.
The mayor held it up, his finger white on the trigger. “Don’t make me shoot you, Conner. I’m too favorable toward the idea as it is.”
Conner backed off, and Grady finished, “He knew something was going on, but he didn’t know quite what the handle was. I couldn’t afford any attention, so I promised to help him get elected if he’d stay out of things until after the election. I planned to be long gone by the time he blew the lid off it.”
“You can’t prove I knew anything about this mess,” Conner shouted.
“I don’t have to,” Grady said. “I’m not a cop.”
Alex said, “So what are you going to do now, Grady. You can’t kill all of us.”
“I’m not some kind of cold-blooded killer, Alex. Sturbridge was a fluke, and Oxford was threatening me. Where I’m going, nobody will ever be able to find me.”
“How are you going to get anywhere?” Elise asked. “There’s a hurricane out there.”
Grady smiled. “It’s the perfect cover. Everybody’s going to be too busy digging out from under the debris to come after me.”
The mayor threw the doors open and looked outside at the eerie calm. Alex could see that a few trees had come down around the property, but remarkably, the inn itself didn’t appear to have suffered much damage. There was a shimmering green pall to the light, and a hushed stillness that defied description. It was, to Alex, almost as if he’d gone suddenly deaf, the quiet was so complete.
Conner said, “You’ll never make your getaway in a motor home, Grady, not during this storm. Don’t be a fool.”
“The only fool thing I’ve done is hang around here too long, and I’m about to correct that right now.”
Grady was gone before they could stop him, and Alex fought the urge to go after him.
Elise must have read his mind. “Don’t even think about going out there, Alex. It’s too dangerous.”
“I know, but it’s hard just letting him go.” Alex knew that the other side of the storm would be there soon