They reluctantly complied.

  “Now, find a seat at those tables.”

  The boys flopped into the chairs and slammed their forearms on the top of the plastic tables. A couple of them physically sat on the table and snickered until he used his finger to point at a chair.

  “All right this is how it’s going to go. You want to get out of here. I want to get out of here. So, I’m going to ask each of you a few questions. Once you’ve answered them to my satisfaction you’ll be allowed to leave. One at a time.”

  A collective groan rose. Then one guy in a baseball jersey spoke up. “Why are we being detained? Did someone stomp on Mrs. Crabby’s flowers?”

  Those close by gave him a high-five as they shared in hearty, enthusiastic laugh.

  The officer that had been at the door leaned in. “Mrs. Velda Crabtree owns the house and the barn.”

  “Oh, thank you.”

  “You’re welcome.”

  Greg faced the rowdy teens again. “I’m afraid that is not the case. Mrs. Crabtree hasn’t complained to my knowledge although I wouldn’t blame her.”

  “Then why are we being held. My father knows the chief of police. Maybe I’ll give him a call.”

  “Go for it. The chief ordered me to do the interviews.” And least he thought the chief had. Bagger seemed to be the senior officer so who else could the chief be.

  “Whatever.”

  “Yeah, whatever.” Greg crossed his arms over his chest and mimicked the teen. The group around him burst out in laughter that made the teen blush. Greg might have gone too far, but he didn’t care. The boy needed to show some respect.

  “Well, get on with it. I have a TV dinner waiting for me at home.” Baseball jersey kid spoke again.

  In his experience the one with the loudest voice knew something he shouldn’t, but Greg would reserve judgement.

  “For all those ready to split there is a young girl up there on the hill.”

  “So?” Baseball jersey slumped in the chair.

  “She’s dead.”

  “What?” That made him straighten.

  Greg waited for the light to hit everyone’s eyes. Then he remembered. He’d caught a brief glance of the girl himself. Where had that been? Now he remembered where he’d seen her. At the cleaners. It was Ann Marie. It was the sassy little girl that had taken his suit. He barely held back his sigh of realization.

  “It’s Ann Marie.”

  Eyes grew large around the waiting group.

  “So, before you think about leaving I have a few questions.”

  ****

  His heart hammered in his chest. He hadn’t thought she’d be found so soon. She’d been eying him all afternoon. He’d seen her go to the hilltop. He’d thought about going to see her. But he hadn’t. Or he didn’t remember doing it.

  The blackouts could be getting worse. How would he know? The doctor had said another hit during baseball, and he could suffer permanent damage. Maybe he’d been right.

  He massaged his throbbing temple. Alcohol didn’t go well with his medication, but that hadn’t stopped him yet.

  The officer was approaching him. He needed to get out of the barn and go somewhere, anywhere. If he answered questions, they would think he did it even if he hadn’t.

  He hadn’t hurt her. He knew that. That he remembered. They had talked. She’d shared a secret. A secret he was supposed to pass on.

  But who was he supposed to tell…

  Chapter Eight

  Ericka hadn’t wanted to leave until the medical examiner arrived, but Bagger and his new friends had different ideas. Once down the hill and in the barn, Ericka felt even worse. It was like a scene from a bad teen movie. If she thought really hard, she could see Carrie, from the Stephen King novel, on the stage and a bunch of popular kids preparing to dump blood on her head.

  Greg had gotten his kids to listen, hers she was still having trouble with.

  “Lady, what’s this all about? I told my ma I’d be home by eleven. If I miss my curfew again then my pa won’t let me out for a month!”

  Ericka kept from bristling at the comment by biting the inside of her cheek. Once she relaxed, she pulled out her badge. “Do you see this? This says I’m a detective and I can keep you here past curfew.”

  Ericka heard the profanity spewing from the guy but pretended she didn’t. “Now, let’s get started. The sooner I talk to you, the sooner you can leave.”

  The guy who had called her lady raised his hand. “Can I go first?”

  “Sure. Why not?”

  She motioned him toward a table with a few chairs. He flopped into the metal seat and practically laid down. She cocked a brow, and he immediately straightened.

  “Name?”

  “Charles Xavier.”

  “As in Professor X from X-Men?”

  “Dang, I didn’t think you’d know that.”

  “Let’s try again, name?”

  “Jaxon Ryan.”

  “You play baseball?”

  “I do. How did you know?”

  She looked up from her notes. “Your jacket.” She knew he was being sarcastic, but taking the bait wasn’t something she planned to do.

  “Oh, that.”

  She tapped her pen end against the paper. “Can you tell me what you were doing here tonight?”

  “Partying.” He smiled and rubbed his hands across one shoulder then the other.

  She narrowed her eyes.

  “So, you can see that. I guess you could say we were celebrating. The season is about to start. Long practices. Early runs. We just wanted to get together and relax, chill, you know, before it all starts again.”

  “How do you know Velda Crabtree?”

  “Oh, Mrs. Crabtree. Yeah, she retired from teaching and her son used to be on the team so once a year she lets us meet here.”

  Ericka paused. Giving away what had happened to Ann Marie wasn’t something she wanted to do right away. She wanted to see reactions when the kids found out the news. It was important that she phrased everything just right.

  “You got any more questions. You just don’t understand my folks.”

  “Strict, are they?”

  “Sort of, but more like protective. My brother, well, he died when he was young and now, they watch me like a hawk. It’s a miracle they even let me play ball.”

  Ericka could understand that protective nature of a parent although she’d never experienced it personally. “Well, let’s see if we can finish up. Here is my last question.” She leaned forward on her elbow and lowered her voice. “How did you know Ann Marie Hudson?”

  He shrugged. “I knew her like everyone else. She worked at the cleaners. She went to school. Not much else to know.”

  “What if I told you that she’s dead and lying up there in that field.”

  “What?” He leaned forward, his eyebrows were raised with clear shock. “That can’t be right. She wasn’t invited to the party because she didn’t make the cheer team this year. Why would she be here? You’re pulling my leg.” He leaned back and relaxed like he knew the answer so why was he stressed.

  Ericka didn’t reply or move.

  “What? You’re not kidding?”

  “Sadly, I’m not.”

  He rose to his feet and started pacing back and forth. Words came from his lips so fast that Ericka couldn’t made sense of them.

  “Slow down, what are you saying?”

  He stopped and looked at her. “I’m not saying another word.”

  She tucked her chin and blinked. “Excuse me?”

  Jaxon fell into the seat and crossed his arms over his chest.

  “So, you don’t want to answer any more questions, but you’re giving me the sense that you know something. No problem.” She grabbed his arm and jerked him to his feet, then she turned him around, and cuffed his wrists. “You are under arrest for the murder of Ann Marie Hudson. You have the right to remain silent, you have the right to an attorney, if you can’t afford one, one will be provided to you…” She kept going. She hoped he would speak up for fear of his parents, but he said nothing.

  An officer came up to her and she handed him over. “I want you to take him and book him.”

  “Um, Detective Stone?”

  “Yes?”

  “Can I speak with you for a moment?”

  Ericka stepped away from her prisoner. “What is it? I have other people to question.”

  “Well, his father is the biggest lawyer in the county.”

  “And?”

  “Well, he’ll have him out in an hour.”

  “That’s okay.”

  “It is?”

  “It is. Now take him to the station.”

  “All right, if you say so.”

  Ericka turned back to the waiting group of teens. “Who’s next?”

  Their eyes were glued to Jaxon as he was escorted from the barn. Her point had been made.

  ****

  Greg witnessed the perp walk, but he didn’t think that was the perp or Ericka would have alerted them all and stopped interviewing. The kid being hauled out did get the attention of the others in attendance. He hoped Ericka had a good reason for arresting the kid. He heard whispers that taking that kid in could cause big trouble. They didn’t really need any more of that, but they had a murderer to catch, so let the trouble roll.

  “Hey, what did he do?”

  “I have no idea. Let’s talk about what you’ve been doing… um…”

  “October Williams.”

  “Mr. Williams, can you tell me about this afternoon?”

  “We were having a party until all these cops showed up.”

  “I see that. Thank you. Why do you think the cops are here?”

  “Well, you said that someone was killed.”

  “I did. Ann Marie Hudson was murdered on the hill overlooking the barn.”

  He blinked. “Say what?”

  “I said—”

  “No, I heard you, but what was Ann Marie even doing here? I mean, she wasn’t supposed to come. Only cheerleaders and baseball players were allowed, ’cause it was a beginning of the year celebration. And she quit. Up in the middle of the season. She threw up one time! The cheerleaders start practice before us. Then they do it with us. But I mean, one time she throws up and then she just stopped coming to practice, quit the team, everything.”

  “I see.” He paused. “Wait, baseball has cheerleaders?”

  “It’s like unofficial. We do fundraisers to get money for uniforms, but they don’t run out on the field like at football games.”

  “All right, that’s a new one.” He looked at his paper then raised his head. “Did Ann Marie have a boyfriend on the team?”

  “Yeah, Michal Lewis.” October pointed to him.

  It was baseball jersey guy. Why was Greg not surprised?

  “Can you think of any reason someone would want to hurt Ann Marie?”

  He shrugged. “Not really. She didn’t have any enemies that I knew about. Just hurt some feelings, that’s all.”

  “All right, thank you.”

  “I’m free to go?”

  “Yes, you’re free to go.”

  He hurriedly wrote out some notes before pulling the next kid in to talk. But he had his prime suspect. That was Michal Lewis. Something about his earlier demeanor and attitude spoke volumes to this situation.

  ****

  Sweat beaded on Michal’s brow as Jaxon was hauled out of the barn and October was released. The officer who’d just finished talking to October sent a curious glance his way. No doubt October had shared that Ann Marie had been his girl. Of course that was over now. Heather and he had started something just a few days before. And he wasn’t a cheat.

  Michal cracked his knuckles. If he got the opportunity to talk again, he knew exactly who he’d be pointing fingers at. Half the team had banged Ann Marie or so she liked to say. The boys didn’t talk about it in the locker room, so he couldn’t be sure she’d told the truth, but she liked to mix it up quite a bit. He had no qualms throwing them all under the bus.

  The officer who had busted Jaxon made her rounds. Next up in her group was Beverly. That should make for an interesting event. He wished he was close enough to hear it.

  Chapter Nine

  Ericka approached a girl in a short pleated two-colored skirt and a top that looked like something a Dallas Cowboy cheerleader would wear. She cleared her throat and waited to be noticed, but the girl was mumbling a cheer and then kicking her leg up into the air and touching her toes with her hand.

  “Excuse me?”

  “Excuse yourself.” She turned away.

  Oh, this one was going to play difficult. And she was going to do it on a day that Ericka was not in the mood. She was supposed to go to a poker game in a few hours and beat experts. Then she was supposed to play awesome in a baseball game. Then who knew what else she was supposed to do. Putting up with this girl’s crap was not something on the list.

  “Are you Beverly Willis?”

  “Yeah, what’s it to ya?”

  “Oh, I’m Detective Ericka Stone, and I’m investigating the murder of a girl who looks a lot like you. It could be a serial thing. But I’m sure you don’t need protection. You’ve got that whole foot kick thing going on.”

  “What?”

  That got the girl to stop and look, but then she added, “I thought it was Ann Marie who got whacked. She doesn’t look anything like me.”

  This girl was a real gem.

  “I need you to come and sit down with me. I need to ask you a few questions.”

  “I don’t think so.”

  “You don’t think so?”

  “If you need to know something, ask me while I cheer. The state competition is like, next week. And I have to be ready.”

  “Um, you’re a fake cheerleader for a baseball team. What kind of competition could you possibly go to?”

  Her hand went to her hip, and she began shaking her entire body and wagging her finger. “I’ll have you know that I also cheer competitively at a local place and we’re going to competition. Put that in your pipe and smoke it.” Beverly went back to her cheer pose.

  “All right, if you won’t answer my questions, I’ll arrest you like I did Mr. Ryan and then I’ll call your coach and make sure she knows that you won’t be out in time to compete.”

  “You wouldn’t dare!” Her voice took on a shriek that could have broken glass.

  She started to say try me, but Maggie walked by and answered, “Oh, she would. Trust me.”

  Beverly moved her arms back and forth like an upset toddler until she found a seat and flopped into it. “I don’t know why you’re questioning us. The girls couldn’t or wouldn’t have touched Ann Marie. She was our girl. Sure, she stepped aside for a season, but that was it, a season. Like, her mom was sick, or she was sick or something. Who you should really be talking to are the boys on the team. You know she was with like every one of them, right? She loved to gloat that she could have them all.”

  “Go on.”

  “And then there was her hot boss. That guy is smokin’!” She fanned herself before continuing. “Anyway, we all just figured the boss was making her quit the team so that she could focus on work or something. She didn’t talk to us much after she quit.”

  The answers were getting more and more interesting.

  “Anything else you want to share?”

  “Well, just that,” she looked around then leaned in closer, “Michal and Ann Marie were like a thing until two weeks ago and suddenly he flips and goes with Heather. I mean, what’s up with that. I figured that if she did come to the party, it would be to ask, what the heck? I mean, Michal proposed! He did so on the baseball field. Then he just took it away in private. As if!”

  Ericka had no idea what that meant, but this Michal character was becoming suspect number one. And the fact that Jaxon had refused to point him out meant that he didn’t want to accuse a teammate or perhaps himself. Ericka understood. Or at least she felt like she was getting a clearer picture.

  She released Beverly and looked at her list. One of Bagger’s officers had provided her with a list of names for the people in her group. She scanned the names. There in the middle was Heather Worley.

  This looked like a good person to interview next.

  ****

  Greg eyed his list of names. Michal Lewis kept being drawn to his attention, not only by others but by Michal himself. He’d been the one in the jersey making smart aleck remarks from the beginning. Why would someone draw attention to himself if he’d committed murder?

  Unless he thought he wouldn’t get caught.

  Drumming his fingers on the table, Greg gave himself a few moments. He wanted to make Michal nervous. He questioned him once, but now he was hoping maybe he’d slip up.

  “Michal Lewis…”

  “Stop right there. What are you doing questioning these children without parents present?” A man asked as he entered the room. He wore an Italian business suit and was followed by Jaxon Ryan who had just been escorted out not ten minutes prior.

  That was the quickest bail release in history.

  “Hello, I’m Sergeant Greg Kane and—”

  “I don’t care if your Ghandi. I didn’t give you permission to question these kids, and no other parent did either. Kids, get your things and leave.”

  Greg held up his hands. “Stop right there. They aren’t in custody, so they don’t have to have a parent present to be questioned.”

  “Um, um…”

  “That’s right, I know a bit about the law. Now, if you like you can sit and wait with your child. I have no problem talking to him in your presence.”

  The parent walked with Jaxon to a bench. They huddled their heads together and looked as if they were having an intense conversation.

  Quinn sidled up to him. “I think someone said Jaxon’s dad is a lawyer.”

  “I can see it in the clothes, but he’s not a very good one.” Greg had beaten him with one sentence.

  “I would tread lightly. We’re strangers in town, you know.”

  “I know.” Greg understood the ramifications of getting the townsfolk on their bad side.

  “I’ll question the rest of these kids. You talk to Jaxon again. Although I wish I could be a fly on the wall when you do it.”