Copper Canyon Killers by J. R. Roberts

Author:J. R. Roberts
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Penguin Publishing Group
Published: 2014-05-27T04:00:00+00:00

TWENTY-THREE

Upstairs Beth excused herself and went into the kitchen, leaving Clint in a small sitting room. Off to one side he saw two doorways he assumed led to small bedrooms. He wondered how two people could live up there.

“I don’t have coffee,” she called from the kitchen. “Will you take tea?”

“Sure.”

“And I have some cookies.”

“That sounds great.”

She came walking in a short time later, set down a tray of tea and cookies on the table in front of the sofa.

“Come sit here,” she said.

He obeyed, sitting next to her as she poured the tea into cups. The cookies were oatmeal, and they were very good.

“You make these?” he asked.

“Yes, I did . . . they were my father’s favorite.”

He stopped chewing and stared at her.

“No, no,” she said, “it’s fine. Keep eating them. I’d like them to be enjoyed.”

“Oh, okay,” he said, and continued to chew.

“So,” she said, “what did you find out downstairs?”

“Not much, I’m afraid,” he said. “I didn’t smell anything, or find anything, but if Jason is telling the truth, it looks like there was more than one killer.”

“How many?”

“At least two, a man and a woman,” Clint said.

“Maybe more?”

“Maybe.”

She picked up her cup and sipped her tea.

“If this is too difficult for you—”

“No, no,” she said, “not at all. What’s difficult for me is to think that I immediately blamed that poor boy for my father’s death, when I should have known better.”

“Should have?”

“I know that Jason is a sweet boy,” she said, “and that he has some . . . mental problems. He’d have no reason to kill my father. I just . . . I was upset, and when I was told he was the killer, I . . .it was just easier for me to believe it.”

“And who told you that?”

“Judge Miller.”

“Why would the judge tell you that and not the sheriff?”

“The judge came to my shop to tell me what happened,” she said. “He said he wanted to be . . . helpful.” She frowned. “That should have been another tip-off.”

“Oh? Why?”

“My father and Judge Miller were on the town council together,” she said, “and they never got along.”

“Is that a fact?” Clint said. He sipped some tea. “Who else is on the town council?”

“Well, there’s Daniel Thayer, Big Al Henry, a few other storekeepers. But most of the talking is usually done by Big Al, Thayer, the judge, and . . .”

“And your father?”

“Yes.”

“And tell me,” Clint said, “who did your father usually side with? When it came to voting, and making decisions?”

“Big Al and my dad were usually on one side, while the judge and Thayer were on the other.”

“That’s very interesting.”

“Are you saying my father was killed because of something that went on in town council meetings?”

“I don’t know,” Clint said. “Could be.”

“That poor boy,” she said again. “Can you get him out of jail?”

“Probably not,” Clint said. “Judge Miller is determined to try him. I can’t just get him out. I have to prove he didn’t do it, and then .

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