“I don’t think she’s going to need you.” Slate led them into the big living space. “Though you’re absolutely welcome to stay. You’ve got an interesting team set up here, Sheriff. I heard you have some mystery writer and her husband doing background work for you?”
Nate nodded, standing behind one of the big wingback chairs. “Yes, Nell and Henry Flanders. Don’t underestimate how helpful they can be.”
“Or annoying,” Ty supplied helpfully. “If you don’t do your job, they will protest you, and now they have a baby and she can cry forever.”
Michael shot Ty a stare to let him know he was not amused.
Ty shrugged. “Well, she can. She has a real high pitch. Gets some dogs howling, too, and then everyone just wants to do whatever Nell asks. That baby is her secret weapon.”
“Don’t worry about Poppy. She’s with Holly,” Nate assured them. “Nell says she’s found something interesting. They’ll be by when they’re ready. You know anything about it?”
That last question had been directed Gemma’s way. “Not really. I know she was looking into the Foster Corporation and its many branches. It’s huge and covers the whole damn globe. But I think what set her wheels in motion was what I found on some of the siblings’ social media, so in a way I’m going to have solved this whole thing.”
Nate snorted. “You are not getting a raise.”
“Shoes don’t buy themselves, Sheriff,” Gemma pointed out.
Joy Wallace chuckled but turned Lucy’s way. “We’re going to talk to you here because the office is occupied right now. The deputy is in there. Don’t think of this so much as a formal interview as a way to exchange some information.”
“I still think this is a mistake,” Nate said.
Slate shrugged. “I want to see how it goes.”
“How what goes?” Lucy asked.
Michael went on full alert.
There was a tension to Nate’s stance that made him think something was about to go down.
Lucy settled on the couch and Michael sat beside her, Ty taking the opposite side.
So she would know they were with her always, protecting her.
“I’d like to start with how you met Brock Foster.” Agent Slate settled in.
But Michael noted that Agent Wallace didn’t sit at all.
Before Lucy could say a thing, another voice was heard, this one coming from the hall.
“I can’t thank you enough, Deputy,” Sonya was saying as she walked into the space. Her attention was on Cam, and she dabbed a tissue at her eyes. “It seems like my whole family is falling apart. My father will be here soon.”
“Daddy will take care of everything.” Kendall followed behind them. She was dressed to the nines for her police interview, wearing a skin-tight dress, sky-high heels, and sunglasses even though they were inside. “And honestly, it’s better this way. Now that Brock’s dead, Sonya gets his job, and she’s way nicer. My brother was an asshole. I don’t hate that chick for…oh, hey, girl! How are you?”
Kendall smiled brightly Lucy’s way.
Sonya’s face went a pasty white.
“Sorry Chet got all crazy,” Kendall said, her phone in hand. “I think it’s the weather or something.”
“What is she doing here?” Sonya’s eyes narrowed as she stared at Lucy.
Slate sat back, his attention going to Sonya and Kendall. “Ms. Carson is here for our initial interview. Like you were.”
An elegant brow arched over Sonya’s eyes. “I was here to help you find out who killed my brother. She’s here because she’s the one who killed my brother. It’s not hard. I understand that my brother was awful, but he didn’t deserve to die.”
Ty huffed and moved closer to Lucy.
Lucy had stiffened beside him. “I did…”
Michael put a hand on her thigh, and Lucy stopped, her eyes going wide.
He leaned in so he could whisper her way. “They want to see how she reacts. Maybe how you react, so don’t say anything at all. Let her do the talking.”
And likely the accusing. Sometimes a person could get tripped up this way.
“Ms. Foster, let me show you to the elevator,” Cam began.
Sonya turned to Agent Slate. “I understand that she’s got a relationship with the local sheriff, and he’s not very good at his job. But I thought things would change when you got here. Is there a reason you haven’t arrested her yet?”
“Absolutely,” Slate replied. “I just got here, and I don’t typically arrest people before I’ve even talked to them.”
“Do you arrest them when they’re caught standing over a dead body, the murder weapon in hand?” Sonya countered.
“She was caught standing over the body because she called for help.” Nate stood back, but he was watching the Fosters.
“Yeah, that’s weird.” Kendall was typing on her phone as she spoke. “She probably shouldn’t have…” Kendall looked up. “Why would you call in your own murder?”
“She’s covering, Ken,” Sonya said. “Of course she called for help. She had to cover her tracks. People would ask questions if she didn’t try.”