His story made complete sense. He’d been struck on the back and side of his head, so likely he’d fallen forward. He’d landed in the perfect position to be hog-tied. “You think your attacker was on a chair?”
He nodded. “That has to be right.”
There’d been no chair in the back bedroom when we’d arrived, but that didn’t mean the attacker hadn’t moved it. “Did you see who struck you?”
“No, but it was a short person.”
“Because of the chair?”
“A tall man wouldn’t need a chair. He’d have the reach.”
“Was it the same person you saw at the Bissonnette House?” I asked.
He nodded slowly. “I think it must have been. They might have thought I could identify them. So they ambushed me and put me out of commission.”
“Maybe Tulla got mad at you,” I said.
“Tulla Tarbutton?” He looked genuinely confused.
“She said you were part of their swingers group.” That was actually a lie, but I wanted to hear his response. “We saw you leaving Clarissa’s place yesterday morning.”
“Have you lost your ever-loving mind? I wouldn’t touch that Medusa with a ten-foot pole.”
“Tulla said you got into the kinky stuff.” Another lie, but I was getting to him.
“She’s crazier than you two. I have a steady girl. And for that matter, an alibi.”
“We’re listening.”
Goode’s mouth was a thin line. “I’ll hold my piece, I think. But if you’re believing anything Clarissa or Tulla tells you, you’re not as smart as I thought you were.”
“Why would Tulla lie?” Tinkie asked.
“Because she’s breathing? Because her lips are moving? Because she’s completely amoral? To throw you off the trail? Shall I go on?”
I had an unresolved question from an earlier incident. “Officer Goode, did you ever figure out what made those marks in the riverbank? You said it might be some kind of boat. Any idea whose?” I needed to know who else had been on the river.
“I talked to some search-and-rescue guys, who said it was a small skiff, flat-bottomed, likely aluminum. They’d been on the river the day before and saw it pushed up on the bank.”
“A fisherman’s boat.” I knew exactly the type of vessel he was talking about.
“Correct.”
“So someone left it there and then paddled off in it. Maybe even picked up Kathleen.”
“It’s the theory I was working on, but everyone in town was looking for Kathleen. If a fisherman had taken her to any of the docks, we would know. She would have been rushed to the hospital.”
He had a point. But it was still a clue that needed to be pursued further.
We didn’t have any time for more questions because the police and paramedics arrived. Tinkie and I were pushed out of the house and told to wait. We were going to be questioned like we were part of the problem, not the solution. And in fact, we did have a little breaking-and-entering charge to avoid. We glanced at each other, and after a quick stop for a washcloth and some ice, we took off into the rising dawn. Dallas was waiting around the corner.
“What happened to your head?” Dallas asked, and there was real worry on her face.
“We ran into a little trouble.” I didn’t want to go into details. “Let’s hurry back to Darla’s place.”
Dallas turned around in the seat to look at me. “Is Jerry okay?”
Something about her tone told me everything I needed to know. “He’s okay, except for a bump on the head and being hog-tied for a while. Jerry said he was dating someone. It’s you. That’s why you know so much about everyone in town.”
Dallas pinched her lips together. “I should have told you. But I really did want to help. That’s why I know he’s not involved in these dangerous games. He’s been with me almost every minute he’s not on duty and I’m not working. I keep that man plenty busy.”
Tinkie sighed and sank into the seat. She was tired. “We should have asked Dallas more questions,” she said. She sighed again. “And Dallas, you should have been more forthcoming.”
“I swear, I really wanted to help.”
And she had been a big help. And maybe more.
31
Breakfast was ready when we returned and no one was any the wiser we’d been out on the case. I came up with a clever lie about my forehead, saying I’d run into a low-hanging branch. We ate the delicious food Darla prepared, and the men took off on their “secret mission.” I had a quick word with Coleman about my case. “There has to be more at stake than cheating.” This was the thing that niggled at me.
“What’s your gut tell you?” he asked.
“Money or revenge.”
“Pick one. I’ll wager the other.”
“What’s the wager?”
“A whole day of total pampering.” He grinned and the very devil was in his eyes.
“You’re on. The motivation is revenge.” I’d come to that conclusion about the case from the very first.
“You were always a bloody gal,” he said. “Okay, I’m betting on the fact that money is at the root of this.” He kissed me in a way that was a promise. “Now I have to finish my mission. Tonight, after the parade, I’m all yours to do with as you will.”
“Great. Just great.” I couldn’t really begrudge Coleman his fun. It was our last night in Columbus. It gave me pleasure to see them having so much fun. I was dying to know what they were up to, but at this point, I could wait until tonight for them to spring the surprise. I’d gone all week without spying on them, and even though Millie and Cece had tried, they weren’t successful at finding anything out.
As Darla was picking up dishes from the table, she cleared
