“I don’t know.” Landon’s gaze bounced around the room. “But I wasn’t there. Give me a minute to remember.” His breathing had sped up, and he continually wiped his temples and upper lip.
A small twinge of sympathy touched Truman’s chest. A very small twinge. He’s still a menace. He didn’t believe Landon was a murderer, but he was guilty of breaking a number of laws and needing a kick in the ass. He wished he could see the expression on Mercy’s face, because it was making Landon squirm like a restless toddler.
“Do you want to tell us again who was with you the night you lit Clyde Jenkins’s burn pile?” Truman asked. He’d seen Mercy’s shoulders tense and Landon’s gaze turn conniving as he claimed Kaylie was there.
Landon looked away. “Jason and me. And some girl Jason was trying to impress. I don’t remember her name. Jason can tell you.”
“Why’d you claim other people were there?” Truman asked.
A childish and sour look crossed his face, but Landon was silent.
“You think Cade and Kaylie called me that night at the gravel pit, don’t you? You’re trying to get some innocent people in trouble.” Truman fumed.
Landon looked anywhere but at Truman.
“Neighbors reported shooting at the pit,” Truman said. “No one else. Let’s try to keep your answers to the truth, okay? Especially tonight.”
He nodded.
Mercy stood up. “I’m going to have a word with Eddie.” She shoved in her chair, and Truman followed her out of the room.
“Let him stew for a little while,” she said, arching her back. “I needed some fresh air. He was starting to stink.”
“I noticed that,” said Truman. “I couldn’t believe he tried to get Kaylie in trouble.”
“He had me going for a few minutes,” Mercy admitted. “Thank you for clearing that up. I assume he doesn’t know she’s my niece?”
“I don’t think so. He just knows that I was shocked to find her at the gravel pit that night.”
“Jerk.”
“Yeah, he’s got some problems, but I don’t think he pulled the trigger that night the deputies died,” Truman admitted.
Mercy slumped against the wall. “I think you’re right. He was willing to admit to setting a few fires, but he panicked once he figured out where my line of questioning was going. Could he be involved somehow? I have a hard time believing we suddenly have two people setting fires. Maybe he didn’t kill anyone, but was involved in the fire part?”
“I think he would have given up any names he knew. He was quick to throw Kaylie and Cade under the bus for nothing. I can see him instantly ratting out anyone he suspected was involved in the murders.”
“True. Maybe some time alone will help him come up with a name.”
One of the county detectives came down the hall, a cup of vending machine coffee in his hand. “Those girls aren’t going to be of much help,” he told Mercy and Truman. “They never met the two men until a few hours ago. They claim they went with the guys because they had beer and bikes. I guess that’s the adult equivalent of offering candy to little kids.”
“Only for some people,” Mercy countered.
“Well, it was enough for these two,” said the detective as he took a sip of the coffee. “They thought it was funny when Landon lit the crumbling building on fire, and said they didn’t talk to them about any other fires the two men might have started. Do you want to talk to them?”
“That’s the same story they told me earlier,” said Truman, looking to Mercy. “They were pretty embarrassed to be picked up. I don’t need to talk to them again, do you?”
“Not tonight,” agreed Mercy.
The detective nodded, muttered something about paperwork and lack of sleep, and then continued down the hall.
Eddie stepped out of the next interview room, annoyance on his face.
“How’d it go?” Mercy asked him.
“According to Jason, Landon likes his lighter a little too much.”
“We gathered the same,” said Truman. “Did Jason say which fires Landon had set?”
Eddie glanced at his notes. “The car on Robinson Street. A dumpster. The Parker family shed. Clyde Jenkins’s burn pile, and he claims tonight was all on Landon too.”
“Nice going,” Mercy said. “Landon wouldn’t outright admit to the Parkers’, but he seemed to enjoy telling us about the rest.”
“Jason claims he wasn’t present the night of the deputies’ deaths or the Pence murder.”
“He thinks Landon was there?” Truman asked.
“He does.”
Mercy straightened. “Did he ask Landon about it?”
“No. He said when he heard about both fires, he instantly knew it had to be Landon but didn’t dare talk to him about it.”
“Seriously? But he still hung around with the guy?” Truman was disgusted.
“That’s what I asked him,” said Eddie. “He said he was waiting for Landon to bring it up so Jason could tell the police he’d confessed.”
“Bullshit,” stated Mercy. Truman agreed.
“He’s a coward,” said Mercy. “Kaylie told me the guys follow Landon around, and she thinks it’s because they’re afraid to stand up to him.”
“They’re afraid of him?” Truman asked. “What do they think he’s capable of?”
“I pressed Jason on that,” said Eddie. “I asked if Landon had ever threatened him, and he wouldn’t give me a clear answer. What I gathered is that Landon is a mean drunk and says threatening crap that keeps people on their toes around him.”
“Half the people I know are like that when drunk,” said Truman.
“I hear you, but Jason seemed really uncomfortable when I tried to get a clear answer out of him. What was Landon like?”
Mercy said, “Terrified and vehemently vocal that he didn’t kill anyone or set those two fires.” She paused. “I believed him.”
“I did too,” added Truman. “But I’m having second thoughts on hearing what Jason had to say.”
Frustration filled Mercy’s face. “Me too. It could have been fear of being found out that we saw, not fear of being accused of murder.”
“We got the warrant signed for the weapons where Landon lives, at his mom’s house,” Eddie said. “We’ll serve it in the morning. Hopefully that will give us some concrete answers.”
“It needs to include a search of the target range Landon uses at the house,” Mercy added. “If we don’t find the weapon we’re looking for, we might find evidence that it’s been fired at his range.”
“Beat you to it. I had it written up to include anything weapon-related.”
She high-fived him. “First thing in the morning?”
“Yes,” said Eddie, who looked to Truman. “You’ll be there?”
“You couldn’t keep me away.”
TWENTY