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“Yeah, the one on the left is a little more intimidating, maybe even menacing. The one on the right is a lot more comfortable.”
“We’ll take the one on the right.” Hoping to change the tenor of the interview, he decided to de-formalize his address. “Jess, can we get you a cup of coffee or something else?”
“We also have bottled water and a bunch of different sodas,” offered the cop before turning to Thorn. “Sir?”
“A little bit of coffee with my cream and sugar,” he replied.
“Coffee—the darker the better; no cream or sugar,” Jessica answered as the cop left them to go get one.
“That sounds bitter,” he said, showing her into the room. The cop had been right about the room. While still somewhat utilitarian, the room had a lovely vintage table—bolted to the floor—as well as comfortable chairs. There was nowhere to lock down handcuffs, so it seemed those in this interrogation room were expected to behave themselves. It was a moot point as Jessica was not in cuffs.
“Matches my mood,” she replied.
“Ouch. I’m going to turn on the recording devices even though this is a more informal interview,” he said once the cop had delivered the coffee and closed the door.
“Informal was up at the B&B. Trust me, this feels very formal.”
“I can understand that. Let’s just run through a few questions. How well did you know the victim?”
“I already answered that. I knew who he was, and Badger’s Drift is small enough that people tend to wave at each other when they pass by in a car or say good morning on the beach.”
He nodded. “And previously you told me you were at a local coffee shop down on the docks?”
“Yes, the Catch. I like to watch the fishing boats pulling out. I woke up early and decided instead of bothering DeeDee, I’d just go get a cup of coffee and a muffin before I started working for the day.”
“So, you had no specific knowledge of the victim or why he might have been found in your room.”
“Correct.”
“Do you have anyone who can corroborate your alibi?”
“Given that I don’t have an exact time of death, I can’t say specifically, but during the window between when I left my empty room and when I returned to find cops swarming around the peaceful B&B where I’d booked a room, I would say Mac and the other guys at Catch could tell you when I got my coffee and muffin and that I was within sight of there as I sat along the seawall.”
“Can you explain the shoes found in your room matching the footprint and forensic evidence collected from them outside the murder scene?”
“First, it’s a common walking shoe here in Badger’s Drift, in fact all over the world. As for the samples in the sole matching the soil outside my room—well, duh, I just said I left via the French doors to head down to the dock so I wouldn’t disturb anyone. But for the record, I locked those doors behind me.”
“Are you sure?”
“Absolutely. My laptop was in there. That thing is how I make a living. It is the single most important asset in my business. You can bet your ass I didn’t just leave it sitting out in a room with an unlocked door.”
Thorn nodded.
She stood up, glaring down at him. “If that’s all, detective, and I’m not under arrest, I think I’m going to find someone to give me a ride either home or back to the B&B.”
“Jessica, please sit down.”
“No.”
Thorn stood up, turning off the recording device. “Sit down, Jess. Now that I’ve got that properly documented, I can prove you’re in the clear.”
She collapsed back into the chair, looking up at him with pleading eyes. “You do believe me, don’t you?”
He reached across the table to take her hand in his. “Of course, I do. I just needed to show you were treated like I’d treat anyone else. Now that we’ve got that out of the way, how about you give me a hand clearing your name and finding the killer?”
“You’re asking for my help?” she asked, surprised.
“Yes. I think having you with me when I talk to people will put them at ease. It’ll also give me someone to bounce ideas off and talk about impressions of the people we talk to and what they said. Could I do this without you? Of course…”
