Frozen Body Christmas Mystery by Ifeanyi Esimai

Author:Ifeanyi Esimai
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781635898118
Publisher: ShotReads

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Zach Larkin sat in interview room one. His spiked black hair was blonde on top and went in every direction. He seemed to have been roused from sleep. A leather bomber jacket lay on the table next to him. His red sweater must have won the last ugliest Christmas sweater competition. Below he had matching red lounge pants.

Vikki turned to the sound of approaching footsteps. It was Gomez.

He peered in. “He looks like something the cat coughed up.”

“Let’s hope he doesn’t sound like one,” Vikki said. She opened the door and entered. The smell of stale beer and dragon breath hit her. She swallowed to keep her lunch down.

Gomez was a loose cannon. “Wow. Dude, are you a stale beer taster?”

Zach eyed him with suspicion and said nothing.

Vikki pulled out the chair opposite Larkin. She waited for Gomez to take the chair to her right, then said, “I’m Detective Victoria Mattsen, and my colleague, Detective Gomez. What’s your name?”

He gazed at Vikki, then Gomez. He crossed his arms—his jaw set and his lips tight, attempting to mask the worry that twitched in his brows. His eyes glinted with defiance as if daring anyone to tell him what to do. Then he changed his mind. “Zach, Zach Larkin.”

“How old are you?”

“Twenty-four.”

“All right, Zach. Thanks for coming in,” Vikki said. “We have a few questions for you.”

“Thanks for coming in?” Zach said. “I didn’t know I had a choice.”

Gomez shook his head. “Not at all. You don’t have to talk to us. You’re free to go if you want to. We can always come back with a warrant, and then we’ll have to keep you for a while.”

Zach didn’t move. “Well, since…since I’m here, what’s this all about?”

“You work at Iceberg Ice Cream, right,” Vikki said.

“Yes.”

“Did you ever drive the ice cream truck back to your house? Like two nights ago?”

“Oh God! That rat of a manager has finally grown herself some brass balls. Driving the truck home. Is that what it’s all about?”

“So did you?” Gomez asked.

Zach did a one-shoulder shrug. “Yes, I drove it home—like I’ve done half a dozen times before. In the mornings, I always brought it back. Why did she involve the police? I don’t get it.”

“She didn’t call us. We came while investigating something else,” Vikki said. “So why did you take it home?”

“It’s winter. The cars rarely go anywhere. Moreover, I was dropped off for my shift. I didn’t have a ride when it was time to go, so I took the truck.”

Vikki wondered if they should Mirandize him now. Whatever he said now could be used against him in a court of law.

Gomez leaned forward. “So where were you between eleven p.m. and two a.m. on the twenty-first?”

Zach chuckled. “That’s easy. I was at a Christmas party.”

“You didn’t drive to Bally Street by one a.m.?”

Zach gave him a what have you been smoking? glance. “What for? Leave the party.”

“Did anyone see you there?” Vikki asked.

Zach’s eyes widened. “Of course. I was the main event.

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