as he looked back over the rolling hills and toward my crops, which spread up a slope to the side of the house and patio. “So green.”
“Though there isn’t as much green in the desert, I was surprised to find as much color as I did,” I said.
“It’s a beautiful place, too. They both are, but in different ways. Arizona is home. I’ve been out of the state a time or two, but I’m always a little jostled when there isn’t any cactus around,” Harry said with a smile. He’d removed the hat but he still seemed a little too big for the space he took up—in a good way, though, as if his mere presence invited you into his life. His bigness somehow made you think that if there was room for him, there was also plenty room for you and anyone else. I knew differently, though. In fact, he was more guarded than welcoming, but I was sure his demeanor was a helpful trait for his career choice.
Hobbit shifted on the ground beside my feet. “Any chance I could ask you two some questions? About today?” I said.
“Of course,” Harry said.
I’d seen the quick sideways glance Sam and Harry shared when I’d asked.
“We’ll answer what we can, Becca. Some of your questions might be either unanswerable at this time or perhaps something we have to keep to ourselves,” Sam said.
Again, I loved cop mode.
“Did you tell Sam about everything from Arizona, the things you think Peyton might have been involved in?” I said to Harry.
“Every bit of it,” Harry said.
“Sam, what do the Arizona events have to do with your murder investigation? I guess what I’m asking is, is there any reason you can see how everything would somehow be tied together?”
“No way at all,” Sam said. “But again, Becca, we can’t rule out anything at this point. We don’t have enough to disregard any possible connection, however unlikely it may be.”
I nodded. “Did Peyton admit to anything yet? Maybe even something she did in Arizona?”
“No,” Sam and Harry said.
“Okay,” I continued. “What about Betsy? Did you ever talk to her? Did you know she left the market?”
“I did know she left. Allison called me,” Sam said. “We haven’t talked to Betsy, but . . . well, we think she had an alibi that we’ve confirmed via a third party. She drove up to the Smithfield market early this morning and talked to the manager there. It was thanks to Allison that we even talked to Smithfield. She didn’t think Betsy would want to give up a market business and she thought Betsy might try Smithfield. That’s exactly what she did, before she left the note at Bailey’s.”
“Really? Why would she want to leave Bailey’s for Smithfield? I mean, it’s a great market, but I don’t understand.”
“I think Allison would like to have that answer, too. And we still want to talk to Betsy, but she isn’t a priority at this point.”
Sam looked pointedly at Harry and seemed to contemplate his next words, but I didn’t think it was because he was concerned about saying something he shouldn’t in front of the other police officer. He just liked to think before he spoke. I needed more of that in me.
“Becca, I’ll tell you our theory of the order of events from this morning, if you’d like to know them. You might better understand why we’re talking to who we’re talking to,” Sam said.
I scooted my plate back on the table and leaned on my elbows. I wanted to give Sam my full and undivided attention. I couldn’t believe he was offering to share the information, but I tried to hide my surprise and just look matter-of-fact. “Please.”
“Right.” He’d scooted his chair back from the table. He leaned forward and put his elbows on his knees. “We got the call early this morning, but you knew that part. The call came from Mr. Lyle Manner, an employee at the bank. He found Mr. Robert Ship’s body in the parking lot behind the bank.”
I interrupted, but I couldn’t help myself. “Sam, the whole bankers’ hours
“Though there isn’t as much green in the desert, I was surprised to find as much color as I did,” I said.
“It’s a beautiful place, too. They both are, but in different ways. Arizona is home. I’ve been out of the state a time or two, but I’m always a little jostled when there isn’t any cactus around,” Harry said with a smile. He’d removed the hat but he still seemed a little too big for the space he took up—in a good way, though, as if his mere presence invited you into his life. His bigness somehow made you think that if there was room for him, there was also plenty room for you and anyone else. I knew differently, though. In fact, he was more guarded than welcoming, but I was sure his demeanor was a helpful trait for his career choice.
Hobbit shifted on the ground beside my feet. “Any chance I could ask you two some questions? About today?” I said.
“Of course,” Harry said.
I’d seen the quick sideways glance Sam and Harry shared when I’d asked.
“We’ll answer what we can, Becca. Some of your questions might be either unanswerable at this time or perhaps something we have to keep to ourselves,” Sam said.
Again, I loved cop mode.
“Did you tell Sam about everything from Arizona, the things you think Peyton might have been involved in?” I said to Harry.
“Every bit of it,” Harry said.
“Sam, what do the Arizona events have to do with your murder investigation? I guess what I’m asking is, is there any reason you can see how everything would somehow be tied together?”
“No way at all,” Sam said. “But again, Becca, we can’t rule out anything at this point. We don’t have enough to disregard any possible connection, however unlikely it may be.”
I nodded. “Did Peyton admit to anything yet? Maybe even something she did in Arizona?”
“No,” Sam and Harry said.
“Okay,” I continued. “What about Betsy? Did you ever talk to her? Did you know she left the market?”
“I did know she left. Allison called me,” Sam said. “We haven’t talked to Betsy, but . . . well, we think she had an alibi that we’ve confirmed via a third party. She drove up to the Smithfield market early this morning and talked to the manager there. It was thanks to Allison that we even talked to Smithfield. She didn’t think Betsy would want to give up a market business and she thought Betsy might try Smithfield. That’s exactly what she did, before she left the note at Bailey’s.”
“Really? Why would she want to leave Bailey’s for Smithfield? I mean, it’s a great market, but I don’t understand.”
“I think Allison would like to have that answer, too. And we still want to talk to Betsy, but she isn’t a priority at this point.”
Sam looked pointedly at Harry and seemed to contemplate his next words, but I didn’t think it was because he was concerned about saying something he shouldn’t in front of the other police officer. He just liked to think before he spoke. I needed more of that in me.
“Becca, I’ll tell you our theory of the order of events from this morning, if you’d like to know them. You might better understand why we’re talking to who we’re talking to,” Sam said.
I scooted my plate back on the table and leaned on my elbows. I wanted to give Sam my full and undivided attention. I couldn’t believe he was offering to share the information, but I tried to hide my surprise and just look matter-of-fact. “Please.”
“Right.” He’d scooted his chair back from the table. He leaned forward and put his elbows on his knees. “We got the call early this morning, but you knew that part. The call came from Mr. Lyle Manner, an employee at the bank. He found Mr. Robert Ship’s body in the parking lot behind the bank.”
I interrupted, but I couldn’t help myself. “Sam, the whole bankers’ hours
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