Page 65 of The Wedding Party

“She’s offered to give the money to the family.”

“How much?” I press.

“It’s excessive.”

“That’s not an answer.” I let it go. I’ll find out. I have a point, which I make. “The family isn’t supporting Carrie,” I say. “They’re trying to control that money. You’re trying to make that work for you, but you should know that I’m going to make it work for me as well.”

“If you had enough to arrest her, you would.”

“I have plenty to arrest her,” I say, “but I’m not a rookie. I know when to make an arrest and how to make it stick. I’ll be at the hotel when you have that paperwork.” With that, I step around her and leave.

Chapter Fifty-Six

By the time I return to the hotel, York and our team have been clearing guests to go home for hours. I check my email, which includes a note from the ME: I’ll have a report to you by tomorrow night, but don’t expect any surprises. Thus far, all of the studies and testing done by myself and the forensics team support my on-site findings.

In other words, he still believes a woman killed Oliver. It’s hard not to be swayed by medical findings, but I still believe there’s something going on here that defies what meets the eye. Therefore, I remind myself to keep an open mind.

I head to Lana’s room with the news that I won’t be traveling back to Denver with her. I suspect that’s why she’s called me twice in the past hour. I knock on her door to find her anxiously waiting for me.

“What’s happening?” she asks, motioning me into the room.

I follow her inside, only to discover that we’re not alone. Brody is with her. He gives me a grin from the end of the bed, where he’s sitting. “Howdy there, Agent Castle,” he greets.

“Brody,” I say as Lana reclaims the conversation.

“They said we’re free to leave,” she informs me, folding her arms in front of her and watching for my reaction.

“That’s correct,” I reply. “That’s why I’m here. I won’t be traveling home with you.”

She glances at Brody and lifts her chin toward the door.

He pushes to his feet. “Yeah, yeah, I’ll get lost.” He saunters forward but stops a reasonable distance away, still close enough for me to smell the booze on him. “Don’t worry,” he says as if he’s read my thoughts. “I won’t drink and drive, Agent Castle.” It’s a strange thing to stop and pointedly tell me, but with that, he heads for the door.

The minute it opens and shuts, Lana is in front of me. “What’s happening? Everyone keeps calling me because they know we’re friends. It’s making me crazy.”

“I’m not going to talk to you about the investigation, and you can tell them as much.”

“Right,” she says. “Right, I know. I know you can’t.” She presses her hands to her face. “I hate that this is happening. I liked her. We were friends.”

She not only speaks as if Carrie is guilty, she speaks as if Carrie is the one who died. “She’s far better off than Oliver,” I point out.

“I don’t know,” she says. “Is she? If she’s innocent, she’s lost the man she loves, and the world believes she killed him. If she killed him, she’ll rot in jail.” She doesn’t wait for an answer. “Did you find out about the box?”

“We’re following up on that lead,” I confirm. “Try and rest. Are you going to be okay to drive home alone?”

“I’ll be fine. Don’t worry about me. Or I can stay if you like and try to help. Carrie talks to me. Maybe she’ll say something helpful to me? And there’s another friend of hers back home that didn’t attend the party. Erin Sterling. She’s a nurse as well. She didn’t like Oliver. She talks to Carrie quite a lot.”

“Do you know why she didn’t like Oliver?”

“Not really. Erin works in the cardiac unit. I never really got to know her. I just know what Carrie told me.”

“Which is what?” I ask.

“That Erin thought he was arrogant and that’s about it. I think her and Oliver had some sort of a clash at some point. I can get you her number.”

“Text it to me,” I say. “Right now, I just want to get everyone home safely—you too.”

“Home does sound good,” she replies. “I’m sure it would to you as well.”