Snowmen In Paradise (Book 2 Tj Jensen Paradise Lake Mysteries) (13 page)

“
I thought you should know that someone confessed to killing Travis.”

“Really?
Who?”

“He’s a minor
, so I can’t divulge the name.”

Eric
.
“I know this is going to sound ridiculous, but he didn’t do it.”

“How do you know
? I haven’t even told you who it is.”

“I just know
. Is Boggs still there?”

“No
, he went back to the south shore for the day.”

“How about Dylan?”

“Yeah, he’s here.”

“Have they re
leased Chelsea?”

“No, not yet.”

Tj hesitated. “Okay, I need to talk to someone. I’ll call you back in a few minutes.”

After
Tj explained everything to Sarah, she insisted on turning herself in. The last thing she wanted was for Eric to deal with the consequences of her behavior. Tj called Sarah’s mother, who was understandably upset and came home immediately, and the three of them went to the sheriff’s office together. Tj called Dylan prior to their arrival and briefly described what had happened.

“I didn’t mean to kill him
.” Sarah sat with her face buried in her crossed arms, sobbing uncontrollably. “I was just so mad when I heard him laughing about molesting that other girl.”

“You
didn’t kill him,” Dylan assured her.

“I didn’t?”
Sarah looked up.

“The medical examiner determined that the
injury inflicted by the ice ax was little more than a surface wound. It bled a lot but did no real damage. What happened after you stabbed him?”

Sarah stared at the white wall as she tried to organize her thoughts.
“He was so mad,” she said. “He was yelling and cussing, and I thought he was going to hit me.” She took a deep breath before continuing. “But then he started stumbling around and fell to the ground. I thought he was dead, but Chelsea said he was just drunk. Her dad is a doctor, so I figured she knew what she was talking about.”

“What hap
pened after that?” Dylan handed Sarah a box of Kleenex.

“Chelsea told me to go home
. She said she’d take care of it. I know I should have told someone, but I was confused and didn’t know what to do.”

“Is there anything else you can remember?” Dylan asked gently.

“No. I went straight home after Chelsea told me to leave. I didn’t talk to anyone.”

“Okay, I guess that should do it for now.”
Dylan closed his notebook.

“Are you going to arrest me?” Sarah looked as pale as a ghost.

“No, at least not at this time. I’ll need to discuss the case with Sheriff Boggs. Right now, I’d like you to go home and stay there until I notify you. Don’t leave your house and don’t talk to anyone about this.”

“Okay.” Sarah was shaking as she tried to stand.

Dylan stood up to escort Sarah and her mother out of the office. He gently took Sarah’s arm and helped to steady her on her feet. “You did the right thing, coming in,” Dylan assured her. “I can’t say for sure what the sheriff will do, but I want you to know that I think you were brave to talk to me.”

“Thanks.” Sarah smiled through her tears.

Tj remained in Dylan’s office after Sarah and her mother left
. The fact that Travis hadn’t actually died from the wound Sarah had inflicted reduced the possible charges against her from murder to assault. There was a good chance she’d get off with counseling and probation.

“So why
is Chelsea still in custody?” Tj had to ask.

“She’s still our number
-one suspect,” Dylan answered.

“But Sarah just confessed to stabbing Travis
. Chelsea was just trying to protect her. Surely that’s not a crime punishable by jail time.”

“No
, it isn’t, but killing someone is. Travis didn’t die from the wound to his chest,” Dylan reminded her.

Tj frowned
. “How did he die?”

“He was suffocated
. It appears someone put something over his face and held it there until he was dead.”

“And Sarah just testified that she left Travis alone with Chelsea
, who said she’d take care of it,” Tj realized. “I know it seems like Chelsea must have suffocated Travis while he was passed out drunk, but I know her; she wouldn’t have done that.”

“Travis wasn’t drunk,” Dylan shared
. “He was drugged by someone in the bar just prior to chasing after Chelsea.”

Tj groaned
. “You think Chelsea slipped something into his drink when she was at his table arguing with him?”

“It’s a theory,” Dylan admitted
. “I’m not saying it’s
my
theory, but at this point it’s the one Boggs is going with.”

“I need to talk to Chelsea
.”

“Sorry
. Boggs is insisting that no one other than her attorney can talk to her.”

Tj began pacing around the office
, trying to figure out a way to help Chelsea. She’d done a brave thing by covering for Sarah and didn’t deserve to spend another night in jail. Not that the little jail at the Serenity station was all that bad. Most inmates, once booked, were transported to the larger jail at the county office in Indulgence because the Serenity sheriff’s office was so small. When she’d walked past the single cell with Sarah and her mother, Tj had noticed that someone, most likely Roy, had provided Chelsea with all the comforts of home, including a television and a home-cooked meal. Someone had even hung a blanket around the bed to afford her some degree of privacy.

“Okay
.” Tj stopped pacing and faced Dylan. “Say Chelsea did kill Travis. He’s been a thorn in her side all week, he assaulted poor, innocent Sarah, and she finds herself alone with him in the locker room. He’s passed out and unable to fight, so she grabs something handy, puts it over his face, and suffocates him. How did he get from the locker room to his bed in the lodge?”

“Excellent question to which I have no ans
wer at this time. Roy and Tim are interviewing Angel Mountain staff, but so far no one has admitted to seeing or hearing anything.”

“Chelsea admitted she was left with Travis
, but then she heard someone come in. At that point she says she left by climbing out of a bathroom window. Maybe the person who came in moved Travis to his room and then suffocated him.”

“Why would someone do that?” Dylan asked
. “If someone wanted to kill Travis, why not leave him where he was?”

“I do
n’t know,” Tj admitted.

“It’s late and I have a lot of paperwork to do if I’
m going to get this wrapped up.” Dylan put his hands on Tj’s upper arms. “Go home and get some rest. I don’t think Chelsea did this any more than you do, but I’ll need some proof if I’m going to convince Boggs to let her go.”

“She’ll be okay?”

“Roy is treating her like the queen herself. She’s not thrilled to be here, but she’ll be fine.”

Tj laid her head on Dylan’s shoulder
, drinking in his warmth, before stepping back. “I’ve missed you the past couple of days.”

“I’ve missed you too.”

“I guess you’ve been busy,” Tj fished.

He nodded.
“Not only are we still investigating the explosion at Angel Mountain, but now we have the murder of a high-profile snowboarder to deal with. Chances are I’ll be here most of the night.”

“See you tomorrow?”
Tj asked hopefully.

“Most definitely.”

After Tj left the sheriff
’s office, she called Jenna and Kyle. Luckily, Dennis was home and happy to watch Kristi and Kari, and her dad was likewise able to watch Ashley and Gracie. After the emotional roller coaster of the past twelve hours, Tj needed a little best-friend time. The three friends agreed to meet at Murphy’s Bar, a local favorite for the good food, reasonable prices, and friendly service.

“
Hey, guys, what can I get yah?” Murphy, a first-generation Irish immigrant with a strong accent and an inviting smile, asked when Tj walked in with Kyle and Jenna.

“Just a cola for me,” Kyle
answered.

“Make that two,” Tj added.

“Three,” Jenna chimed in.

“Go ahead
and get a table,” Tj instructed. “I’ll get the drinks.”

Murphy’s had been her grandfather’s hangout since before Tj was born. Some of her earliest memories were of sitting next to her grandpa at the bar
, sipping a soda and watching a game on television. Technically, a five-year-old wasn’t allowed to sit at a bar, even in the state of Nevada, but at Murphy’s no one stood on formality and law enforcement most often turned a blind eye.

“
I heard they arrested Chelsea Hanson for killing Travis Davidson,” Murphy commented as he set three frosty glasses on the bar.

“Afraid so,” Tj
said.

“Heard you might be looking into things.”

Tj frowned. “Who told you that?”

“A little bird.”
Murphy was a short and slightly plump man in his midsixties who had his ear to the ground and knew everything that was happening in town at any given time.

“I told a friend I’d keep my ears open
, but I’m not a cop, so officially I’m not investigating anything.”

“Well then
, unofficially, I might have a different suspect for you,” Murphy informed her.

“Really
? Who?”

Murph
y leaned in close and whispered, “Josh Steinbeck.”

“What
?” Tj coughed on the sip of soda she’d just taken. “Why in the world would you think Josh killed Travis?” Josh Steinbeck was Dennis’s engine partner and best friend.

“Guess you heard about the explosion up at the
Angel Inn,” Murphy continued in a quiet voice, even though there was so much noise in the room that no one could have overheard them even if they were speaking in a normal tone.

“So?”

“Did you know that two maintenance workers were injured in the fire?”

“Yeah, I heard something about that,” Tj confirmed.

“One of the men received third-degree burns. They had to airlift him to Sacramento for treatment. The man—who, by the way, might lose his arm—is Josh Steinbeck’s father, Bert Sanders.”

Tj frowned. “
Is he going to be okay?”

“Too early to tell.”
Murphy shook his head.

“
I’m surprised Jenna didn’t mention anything to me.”

Murphy shrugged
. “Doubt she knows. Josh’s parents were divorced a long time ago.”

“
If you don’t mind my asking, how do you know all of this?”

“
A few years ago, Bert came back onto the scene. Bert and Josh have been working on developing some sort of relationship, but they’ve been keeping it quiet so as not to upset Josh’s mom. The only reason I know about the connection is because Bert comes into the bar every now and then, and he starts to ramble after a few drinks. Based on what he’s told me, Josh wanted nothing to do with him when he first came back to town, but in recent months he’s felt like Josh has opened up to the possibility of a relationship.”

“As interesting as this information is
, I don’t see how that would make Josh a suspect in Travis Davidson’s murder,” Tj pointed out.

“Josh was in the bar having a cold one two nights ago,” Murphy
went on at his own speed. “I overheard him talking to someone on the phone. When he finished with his call, I could tell he was madder than a cat on a hot tin roof. I managed to get him talking, and he told me that the fire at the resort wasn’t an accident. Someone intentionally set it and, according to Josh, the person who did it was Travis Davidson.”

Tj frowned
. “Why would Travis burn down the administration building?”

“That I don’t know.”
Murphy wiped down the bar with a damp rag. “What I do know is that Josh was about as mad as I’ve ever seen a man. He slammed out of here promising revenge.”

“
Thanks for the info.” Tj picked up the drinks. “Promise me you won’t share this with anyone else until I figure out what to do with it?”

“Don’t worry
. I can keep my mouth shut,” Murphy assured her.

Tj doubted it
, but she supposed she didn’t have much control over the situation.

“
What gives?” Jenna asked as soon as Tj returned to their table. “You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

Tj filled
them in on her conversation with Murphy. With Boggs involved in the investigation, there was no way she was going to tell Dylan or anyone else who might be obligated to report what Murphy had told her to the sheriff. She’d talk to Josh herself and then decide what to do.