“Well,” Morgan said once his office door closed behind them, “that was three hours of my life I'll never get back.”The police chief stood behind his desk, not offering them seats, his posture radiating impatience.
Jake commented, “He certainly stuck to his story.”
“Of course he did,” Morgan replied.“He's either crazy enough to believe it or smart enough to know an insanity plea when he sees one.”
“And he didn’t even seem to understand the questions about the animal entrails.”
Morgan snorted in contempt, but made no reply
Jenna crossed her arms.“You don't find it strange that his explanation hasn't changed since the moment we found her?No inconsistencies, no attempts to backtrack or improve his story?”
“What I find strange,” Morgan said, leaning forward with his palms flat on the desk, “is that we have a man who lives alone in the woods, calls himself 'Mr.Huntsman,' and had a frozen corpse in his freezer—and you're looking for ways to exonerate him.”
The tension in the room thickened.Jenna felt Spelling watching her carefully, gauging her response.
“I'm looking for the truth,” she said evenly.“And my instincts tell me there's more to this case than what we're seeing.”
Morgan snorted.“Your instincts.Right.”He straightened up and began arranging papers on his desk.“Look, I appreciate the assistance your departments provided in apprehending Chase, but we have this under control now.”
“Do you?”Jenna asked, unable to keep the edge from her voice.“Because I'm not convinced Ernest Chase is physically or mentally capable of planning and executing these murders.And what about the other murder?Do you honestly believe Ernest drove to Trentville, killed Claudia Kingsley, and arranged that elaborate scene with her body?”Jenna pressed.
“I don't see why not,” Morgan replied coldly.“Stranger things have happened.And whatever happened in Trentville, that's your jurisdiction, Sheriff Graves.It’s your case to solve.”He looked pointedly at his watch.“Now, if you'll excuse me, I have paperwork to file.We'll be in touch when it's time for your testimony regarding Chase's apprehension.”
The dismissal was clear.Jenna felt Jake's hand touch her elbow lightly—a subtle suggestion not to push further.She exhaled slowly, tamping down the frustration that threatened to bubble over.
“Thank you for your cooperation, Chief Morgan,” Spelling said, cordial despite the obvious tension.“We'll be in touch.”
As they filed out of the office, Morgan was already reaching for his phone, effectively ignoring their departure.The hallway felt cooler, the air less stifling than the atmosphere they'd just left.
“Well,” Jake muttered as they walked toward the exit, “he thinks he’s dismissed us from the case.”
Spelling's mouth twitched in what might have been a suppressed smile.“Chief Morgan has always been...territorial.”
“That's one word for it,” Jenna replied, pushing open the station's front door.The afternoon sun hit her face, a welcome change from the artificial lighting inside.
They paused on the steps.Officers and civilians moved around them, the everyday business of the station continuing despite the extraordinary events of the morning.Spelling checked his watch.
“I should head back to headquarters,” he said.“Perhaps it's best I don't know exactly what you two plan to do next.”His eyes met Jenna's, a glint of understanding passing between them.“You can contact me when you need me.”
“Thank you, Colonel.”
Spelling gave them a brief nod before heading toward his SUV.For a moment, Jenna and Jake watched him go, then turned toward their own vehicle.
“So,” Jake said as they crossed the parking lot, “I'm guessing you're not ready to leave Pinecrest just yet.”
Jenna's thoughts crystallized as they walked, the disparate pieces of the case shifting and rearranging themselves in her mind.
“No,” she said finally.“There's something we're missing.Ernest is odd, yes, possibly delusional about certain things, but he's not our killer.”
“Morgan's not going to help us prove that.”
“We don't need his help.”Jenna reached their car and paused, her hand on the door handle.“I know who we need to talk to next.”
CHAPTER TWENTY
As Jenna slid behind the wheel of her cruiser in the Pinecrest Police Station parking lot, her mind sifted through fragments of evidence.Two women dead in similar circumstances, both connected to something they had yet to uncover.
Jake settled into the passenger seat beside her.“So, where to now, Sheriff?Who is it that you want to interview?”