Sunny nearly burst out at her dad’s innocent identification. She hadn’t shared with him what Mrs. Martinson had told her. As they approached, Sunny could see Dawn nodding jerkily to something Christine said. The older woman nodded back and then moved off. Sunny stepped up. “We’ll be going now. Thanks for your consideration.”
Dawn was still obviously changing mental gears. She stared at Sunny blankly for a moment, then remembered who she was. For a second aggression flickered through her eyes, but then Sunny’s words sank in. “You’re welcome,” Dawn finally said. “Excuse me—there are some more people—”
Mike offered his condolences, and then they escaped to reclaim their coats.
“Okay,” Sunny said. “We rushed to get here, got crushed in with a lot of snooty people, caught some attitude from Dawn, and now we’re outside freezing in our good clothes. Was it worth it?”
“You were decent to that girl when a lot of other people weren’t,” Mike replied. “That’s paying respect.”
They’d just gotten to Sunny’s Wrangler when her cell phone began bleeping. With a practiced movement, Sunny answered it and put it to her ear to hear Will’s voice. He sounded worse than anyone at the funeral had.
“I tried you at home and wound up getting the machine,” he said. “Look—I got a call from one of my old Portsmouth friends. Trumbull and Fitch got Jane out of her office and brought her down to the station again.” His voice got more strained. “I can’t go down there. It’s a lot to ask, but could you—”
“Actually, we’re pretty close by,” Sunny told him. “Tonight was the memorial for Martin Rigsdale, and Dad felt we should go.” She glanced over at Mike. “Would you mind a trip to the police station?”
“As long as I’m not in custody, okay,” Mike replied, a twinkle in his eyes.
“Okay. We’re heading there now,” Sunny said to Will.
They got in the Wrangler and headed for the municipal complex.
“I don’t know how long this may take,” she warned Mike.
“It’s not as though I have anything pressing tomorrow morning,” he said. “You’ll have to worry about getting to work.”
As it turned out, neither of them needed to worry.
Sunny brought her Jeep up to the porch outside the station entrance just in time to see Tobe Phillips and Jane emerge from the building, laughing and smiling.
Behind them, she could see a glowering Detective Mark Trumbull standing at the glass panel.
Sunny shook her head.
18
Sunny opened the door of her SUV and got out. “Are you guys all right?” She honestly wondered if Jane and Tobe might not have been drinking, they were so giddy.
“We’re fine.” Jane got her laughter under control, but she still smiled at Sunny. “They came in towards the end of office hours, Fitch and one of the sheriff’s men. Rita was kind of hysterical—” Jane glanced at Tobe. “Or was that me? Anyway, Rita knew to call Tobe, and he was here waiting for me. Damn good thing, too, because without him I’d probably have said something stupid and be sitting in a cell by now.”
She lowered her voice, leaning toward Sunny. “I have to thank Will for suggesting Tobe. He was really great in there.”
Then Tobe took up the story. “I think they honestly expected to close the case tonight.” He wasn’t loud, but his face shone like a member of the winning team being interviewed in the locker room after the big game.
“They weren’t at all prepared when I brought up the connection between Martin and Christine Venables, and I think the political side of it really knocked them for a loop. They’ll have to do a bit of homework before they even start thinking of questioning Jane again. Thanks, Sunny.”
Mike opened his window and leaned out. “I guess I should say congratulations,” he said. “You don’t usually see people coming out of a police station looking so jolly. What had you laughing like that?”
“Hi, Mr. Coolidge.” Jane took a moment to introduce Tobe. “It’s nothing, really. I was just so sure when they took me in here that I wouldn’t be coming out. And then, as we were walking away, I began to tremble. I guess Tobe must have realized it. He took my arm and mentioned something silly from school.” A giggle escaped her at the memory. “It’s something I probably hadn’t thought about in twenty years. Next thing I know, I’m laughing, and so is he.”
“I guess that’s a good thing to get your spirits up,” Sunny said. “But did you realize that Detective Trumbull was on the other side of that glass door watching you?”
Hearing that sobered Jane up pretty quickly. She shot a glance at the door, but the space was empty now.
“Maybe that wasn’t such a good thing,” she said quietly. “I wouldn’t want him to think we were laughing at him.”
Tobe got a bit more serious, too. “Well, I don’t think it’s a good idea to go back inside and try to tell him,” He sent a considering gaze over Sunny and her dad. “I’m pretty impressed that you two showed up so quickly. Did Rita call you also?”
