Waiting. That was the hardest part. Kate already had a shower and was now pacing up and down in the motel room she checked in not so long ago. The Stardust Inn was Hillrose’s only motel, and was run by Inga Pike, a local lady with a great smile and the air of openness observed mostly amongst small town folks. She lasted a whole five minutes before started questioning Kate about the investigation. Although Inga couldn’t tell her anything new, she had theories about gangsters and vendetta killings. Kate promised her she will consider this angle and locked herself away in the airy room, with a view at the small garden out front.

They were invited to the Sergeant’s house for dinner at 8, so she still had about an hour and a half left. Kate tried to take a nap to get rid of the headache that was squeezing her temples the whole day, but her mind was wandering. Inga Pike had no painkillers, but brought her a herbal drink that she just called “the old family secret”, and swore it will help Kate in an instant. After sniffing at the green sludge she risked a sip, but regretted instantly when the bitter liquid made her stomach turn upside down. She thanked Inga and decided to suffer in silence.

It would have been great to talk to Ben, put their heads together and mull over the information they gathered this afternoon. But being the gentleman as always, he had offered to drive Maggie Grey home to Pine Creek – a sleepy town just half an hour drive from Hillrose -, and won’t be back for at least another half an hour, and then it will be time to leave for the dinner. Kate unpacked her bag, and put on a fresh black shirt. She let out a sigh when she realized everything she brought with her are either black or grey. Great…

A quick call earlier to Doctor Franklin confirmed that June Sanders was indeed five weeks pregnant, however he did not want to go into further details before he finished checking everything. Another call placed to Tim Hawkes’ neighbour also backed up the bar manager’s story about the previous night.

Kate’s mind kept replaying the last few minutes of the conversation with Maggie in the café.

“You met David last night?” Ben asked in a neutral tone.

“He was at the bar. I’m not sure when exactly he arrived, because I was working upstairs yesterday. He had a beer downstairs, so it was around midnight, I think. By the time I spoke to him, he was quite drunk. Like I imagined, he did not take June’s news very well. I can’t say I blame him. I tried to call June, but she did not pick up. I remember I thought she probably wants to be left alone, you know, spend the night crying at home. I planned to go and see her today…” A sad head shake. Another squeeze on the shoulder from Ben.

“Did he tell you what happened?”, came the question from Kate.

Maggie nodded. “They met in that barn, around 10.30ish… this was nothing new, they did that a few times, you know, for the excitement. But then he told me she was somehow different. He was not happy about the baby. Like I said they barely even knew each other. David told her he will take care of it, offered to pay for… you know, but June found the thought horrifying. He told me they argued… David told her he wants no part of this, and although she begged him, and screamed and cried, he left her. June was my friend, but I felt sorry for David.”

“What was the relationship between you and David Foster?” Kate interjected.

“Oh, not what you think”, Maggie said, and looked away. “I know I said he spent the night at my place, but not because of what you have in mind. He was drunk, and couldn’t even walk straight. I didn’t want to let him drive, so I told him, he should come back to mine, I drive. It wasn’t the first time he was there, they used to come over a few times with June. I normally have my own car, but it was at the local garage, so I thought this is still better than getting a taxi.”

“Did he tell you anything else?”

An annoyed look passed over Maggie’s face, but when she spoke, her tone was shaky, but not irritated. “Listen, I was working last night, okay? It was quite busy, so I didn’t have time to talk to him much. By the time my shift was over at 2am, he was barely conscious, and slept all the way in the car. When we got home I gave him a blanket and he curled up on my sofa. This morning he had one hell of a hangover, so he was not exactly in a talkative mode, but he kept telling me the same thing: June tried to force her into something he didn’t want, and he wanted no part of it whatsoever.”

*

The dinner at the Ellers house was nothing like what Kate expected. She hadn’t been looking forward to spend the entire time discussing the murder on hand, but she was in for a pleasant surprise. After he handed over June’s diary to Kate, Sergeant Ellers informed them that he put out an APB for David Foster based on Maggie’s testimony, gave a brief interview to a journalist from Montclair, and that was the last time they spoke about the case for the rest of the evening.

“I tried to convince Greg to retire early”, said the sergeants wife when they were sitting in the living room, enjoying the red wine she brought up from their special collection for this occasion. “But it’s like talking to the wall.”

“Tansy, you are sweet”, the sergeant replied, patting her hand affectionately, “but you would be the first one to run away if you were locked up with me the whole day.”

They all laughed at that, but Kate couldn’t miss the worry in Tansy Ellers’ eyes. Although they lived in a small town, where nothing really brutal ever happened, until now, that is, their job was not exactly easy, or safe. She saw the same look on Matt’s face every time she came home after a long day, and she could hear the heavy stone roll off his chest. She made it once more.

“So how did you two meet?”, Ben asked, to lighten the mood.

The Sergeant and his wife looked at each other with a mischievous smile and launched into the story that they had probably told many times already.

“It happened nine years ago, when I took two weeks off and went fishing”, Ellers said. “It was a beautiful day, and I just sat down by the lake to have my lunch at the lake…”

“… and I happened to pick that day and that time to fall off my horse and land head first in Greg’s picnic basket”, Tansy continued and snuggled up to her husband even closer, laughing at the memory.

By the time they learned how the sergeant rescued his future wife from a horse gone mad, and then later endured long months of courting, during which he thought this lovely lady will surely realise what an old moron he is and sends him packing, Kate’s headache was gone. She lent back on the sofa with a satisfied sigh, and smiled at the odd couple. It’s never too late for love.

*

The hot water swallowed her body like a warm hug. The scent of lavender filled the tiny bathroom where Maggie lay still in the tub, flickering candles around her. Memories of last night flashed up in her mind. David. His frustration was like an ugly mask. She covered her eyes with her palms, feeling the water dripping down her face. This doesn’t mean anything. He had every right to be outraged. That doesn’t make anyone a killer. This is what she told the detectives as well. They don’t have to know about David’s outburst. It meant nothing. Surely…

*

Kate bolted upright and threw his arms up to shield her eyes from the blinding light. What was this noise? Where am I? She felt around with her left hand while trying to keep her eyes open. She jumped when her fingers ran into something cold and she heard a crashing noise.

The door. Someone was trying to open the door.

“Kate! Are you all right?”

Crap, it’s Ben.

“Damn it!”, she swore when her foot landed in a cold puddle and she nearly slipped.

“Kate?”, Ben rattled the door again.

“Give me a second!”, she grumbled.

Finally her eyes were open, and she realized she’s still in the Stardust Inn, standing in the middle of something that used to be some herbal drink and now is just a spilled mess on the carpet. She carefully stepped over the broken glass, and unlocked the door to find Ben standing there in his pajamas.

“Sorry, I think I fell asleep reading June’s diary. What time is it?”, she said, wiping her eyes.

“3 am. They found David Foster”, Ben said, his face grim.