The sheriff made a note. “So you drove here without her?”
The lawyer sighed. “Obviously. She wanted to stay and liaise one-on-one. I told her it was a bad idea. The crowd had grown ugly.”
Though Maris didn’t contradict him, that wasn’t how she’d seen it. But maybe if you were standing in the midst of a chanting crowd, everyone focused on you, it felt different.
“So she got out of the SUV?” Mac asked.
“Yes,” Toler confirmed. “She got out of the SUV, and I came back here. That was the last time I saw her.”
“And what time was that?” the sheriff said.
The lawyer checked his watch. “Two hours ago. She was going to call and we were going to catch an early dinner.”
Mac jotted down the information. “Did she say who in particular she was going to see?”
“No one in particular,” he said, and paused. “But why don’t you ask that loud-mouthed fisherman, the young one, or his buddy, Einstein?”
Maris frowned, but Mac only said, “I’ll be speaking with everyone, Mr. Toler. For now, maybe you could tell me how long you’ve known Audrey.”
The lawyer shook his head. “I don’t know her at all. We only met when we arrived here. I’m one of many legal counsels for the company. I’ve never worked with her before.”
“Did she mention anyone with whom she was at odds? Any enemies?”
The lawyer smirked. “Enemies,” he scoffed. “Hardly. That’s exactly why NAP hires someone like her.”
“Because she’s so likable,” Maris agreed.
“If you’re searching for culprits,” Toler yelled, “why don’t you start in town?” Then he looked up at the ceiling. “Or with that shrill activist upstairs. If you want to find someone who’d want to see her dead, I’d suggest you start there.”
“One final question, Mr. Toller,” the sheriff said. “Do you have the contact information for her supervisor at NAP?”
The lawyer blinked at him. “I think so. I mean, I can dig it up. Why?”
“I’ll need her emergency contact information so that her next of kin can be notified.”
Toler suddenly deflated. “Oh,” he said. “I see. Yes.”
Mac took out a business card. “When you get it, you can call or text.” He handed it to the lawyer, who glared down at it. The lawyer’s shoulders suddenly sagged.
“She was so young,” he muttered.
“Yes,” the sheriff said, his voice tight. “She was.” As he tucked his notepad away, he said. “Plan to stay in town for at least the next few days. I’ll have the coroner and forensics reports by then.”
Toler was instantly angry again. “I’ll be in your face until the murderer is brought to justice, however long that takes.”
5
As Maris escorted Mac upstairs, she said, “Julia’s room is at the end.” But she needn’t have. Julia Mendes was waiting for them.
With a tissue already to her nose, and her eyes watery and red, she was shaking. “Audrey?” she gasped. “Audrey is…dead?”
Of course she must have heard Joseph screaming on the first floor.
Mac nodded, his face grim. “I’m afraid so. Yes.”
Julia shook her head. “No,” she whispered. “No, no, no.” She staggered a bit and Maris quickly moved forward at the same time as Mac. They each took an elbow.
“This way,” Maris said, as the three of them managed to get through the door of her bedroom and over to the bed. Julia sat down hard.
Maris went back into the hallway, and fetched a glass of water from the bathroom. By the time she brought it back, Mac was supporting the young woman with a hand on her shoulder.
“Take a sip,” Maris told her.
She quickly took the glass in shaking hands and managed to spill as much on her jeans as she drank. “Thank you,” she gasped.
Over the top of her head, Maris exchanged a look with Mac. This wasn’t the reaction of a killer.
“I…” she began, then paused to gulp some air. “I had nothing to do with…whatever happened to her.” She looked up at the sheriff, her eyes streaming tears. “I had nothing against her. She was doing her job. I was doing mine.” Then her face screwed up. “The last thing on earth I’d do is make it personal, let alone physical.” She looked up at Maris. “You have to believe me.”
Maris looked into her eyes. “We’re going to get to the truth,” she assured her. “You can count on it.”
Mac took the moment to stand back. “When was the last time you saw her?”
Julia wiped her eyes. “When they left the pier. After that, I never saw her again.” Maris brought the box of tissues from the dresser and set it on the bed. Julia immediately took a couple. “Thanks.”
“Where were you after the rally?” Mac said, taking out his notepad.
“We…” she said and glanced at Maris. “Ryan, Howard, and Maris helped me pick up trash.”
Mac gazed at Maris, who nodded, then directed his attention back to Julia. “How long did that take?”
Julia took a ragged, deep breath and shrugged. “I don’t know. Maybe an hour?”
Maris nodded again. “I’d say that’s about right. The four of us were on the pier picking up the signs and flyers, along with some soda cans and water bottles.”
“Were you always within sight of one another?” the sheriff asked.
Maris had to think back on it, but finally shook her head. “I don’t think so.”
“I don’t think so either,” Julia said. “We kind of split up to cover as much ground as possible.”
Which meant, Maris thought, that none of them had an alibi.
Mac made a note. “And when you were done with the cleanup, what happened then?”
“We put the signs and flyers in the trunk of the car,” Julia said, dabbing her eyes again. “Howard took the trash bags to throw away at his market. Then I came here.” She glanced at the bedroom door. “No one else was here, so I came straight up to check my email.”
“So, no one saw you arrive?” he asked, as he made another note.
“No,” Julia said. “At least I didn’t see anyone.”
“All right,” the sheriff
