Hiss And Tell

20

By the time Sunny and Will got to Shadow, the damage had been done. A reeking Caleb Kingsbury was taken into custody by several state troopers coming out on the commandeered launch from the Neal’s Neck compound. Ben Semple had been busy on the radio.

In the end, plenty of law enforcement wound up represented. Lieutenant Wainwright was there, and Captain Ingersoll, alternating between a slow burn at Will’s insubordination and astonishment not only at Will’s story, but how quickly it was proven—and how the story kept growing. Even the Maine Marine Patrol turned up to deal with the stranded Merlin.

Police technical types quickly tracked down Cale’s computer. Apparently in his rush to get to the bower after spotting Sunny on camera, he’d left the system on. And her prediction proved true. They found plenty of evidence of previous “little projects,” as Cale had called them.

Scenting a sensational story, the media responded in its usual voracious way. But Sunny left the law enforcement types to deal with that. By arrangement with Ken Howell, she only gave one exclusive interview, to the Harbor Courier—well, semi-exclusive, since Randall MacDermott participated.

“We wouldn’t have gotten the lead on the Taxman if it weren’t for Randall,” Sunny explained to Ken, who grudgingly went along with her request. Will insisted on accompanying her for the joint interview.

I don’t know why he feels he has to be here, Sunny thought as Will took a chair beside her in the Courier office while Ken and Randall set up their recorders. Does he think Randall is going to throw me over his saddle and head off to New York with me?

Of course, she realized, Will had just decked a guy—literally—who’d tried to run off with her, so maybe he was operating under an excess of testosterone.

She outlined the Taxman’s extortion business in general and then gingerly made her way into the specific scheme that had led to murder. It wasn’t easy. Ken and Randall were both proficient Q and A types who put her through an interrogation that would have made Lieutenant Wainwright green with envy.

Sunny fought to keep Beau Bellingham’s pill problem out of the discussion, just vaguely referring to blackmail. What was the use of ruining his life? But the story of Eliza’s sex tape had already surfaced, and she had to give some explanation of the plan to ensnare Carson. Neither of her interviewers was happy at her unwillingness to spill all the dirty details, but Sunny felt she owed that much to Priscilla and Carson. Sunny and Will had already warned them about the coming media firestorm as soon as they got on dry land, so it wouldn’t hit the couple out of the blue. At last, realizing he wasn’t going to get any more out of her, Ken turned off his recorder, eager to get going on the story and a new special edition of the Courier. Randall did the same, before rushing to his computer and getting the story down to New York before the Standard went to press. By the time Randall flew back to the big city, his front-page story would be hitting the streets.

But now, he hesitated. “I want to thank you, Sunny, and to apologize for those stupid comments I made about you not being much of a reporter anymore. You’re a hell of a newsperson, digging up the facts, putting them together—”

“And nearly getting killed for it,” Will put in, shooting an unfriendly glare at Sunny’s former beau.

“Thanks, Randall.” Sunny did her best to drown Will out.

“That’s not all I’m sorry for.” Considering that he was a guy who made his living with words, Randall seemed to have a hard time getting these ones out. Maybe it was Will’s hostile presence. “If things had been different . . .”

“An old J-school professor of mine once told me that ‘if’ is one of the most treacherous words in the English language,” she said gently, thinking, so he’s not eating crow in front of the Pulitzer committee, but it’s a lot more than I ever really expected.

“So is ‘regret’—but that doesn’t mean that even hard-boiled old editors don’t feel it sometimes.” Randall looked over at Will. “Good luck with the election.” Then he looked back at her. “Good-bye, Sunny.”

With that, Randall raced off to his keyboard. Will reached over and took her hand. Sunny wondered what kind of expression she must have on her face for him to look at her the way he was.

*

Soon enough, new scandals and disasters pushed the blackmail story into the category of old news. Augustus de Kruk’s publicity machine remained remarkably quiet on the subject, but obviously the de Kruk-Kingsbury merger was on hold indefinitely—at least, that’s what Eagle Eye had to say when the original wedding date came and went with no marriage.

Sunny knew that already; Robin Lory had told her. After her brief brush with the Kingsburys and de Kruks, Robin had a very proprietary feeling about the whole story.

So, Sunny, had to admit, did she—along with a very un-journalistic wish that Carson and Cillie might yet reach a happy ending after all. Maybe all the negative stuff about Uncle Cale will scare both families away, and it will come down to what Carson and Cillie want, Sunny thought. I guess I can only hope.

She killed the sound on the television set, turning to her father. “Do you think there’s any place we can tune in for the election results?”

“Primary results,” Mike corrected her. “And we’ll be lucky to see something in tomorrow’s paper. A sheriff’s race isn’t exactly big news.”

He was wrong, though. When he tuned into the second half of the ten o’clock newscast, they had a brief blurb on how Lenore Nesbit had ridden a tidal wave of sympathy votes onto the ballot, which given Elmet County’s voting habits, meant she had a lock on the election as well.

“I was afraid of this,” Mike growled, glaring at the screen as Lenore waved to her supporters. “Even though Will did his job—and caught a murderer—it wasn’t enough.”

“Yeah, well, we kind of saw it coming,” Sunny reminded him. “As political slogans go, there’s a big difference between ‘Keeping Elmet County Safe’ and ‘Catching Another Murderer.’”

The doorbell rang, and she found Will on the doorstep.

“Figured I’d come over to ask Mike when’s the best time to concede,” he said with a wry smile as he came inside.

Sunny put her arms around him, shutting the door. “And maybe get a little consolation-prize therapy?”

Will looked over her shoulder. “I dunno, it looks as though the chaperone is already in business.”

Sunny turned to find a gray-furred face peering out at them from behind the cover of the archway into the living room. Slowly and mistrustfully, Shadow advanced toward them. But he came straight up, twined his way around Sunny’s legs—and then did the same to Will.

“He’s never done that before,” Will said. Shadow sat back on his haunches as though he were regarding his handiwork.

“He does that on rare occasions with Dad, and I’ve seen him do it with Jane Rigsdale when he visits her at the vet’s office. Looks as though he’s marking you as one of his official people.”

Will laughed. “Well, I guess that’s one election I’ve won.”

He was interrupted as the doorbell rang again.

“Kinda late for guests,” Sunny said, going to answer. She opened the door to reveal Lenore Nesbit.

“Congratulations, Madame Sheriff,” Sunny said.

“Forgive me for interrupting,” Lenore said, “but a little bird told me you’d be here, Will.” She made an abrupt gesture, as if she were erasing what she first intended to say. “I’m not here to crow. In fact, I’m here to make you an offer.” She took a deep breath. “We both know how the election is going to turn out. In fact, the opposition candidate may just withdraw after my showing today. Here’s the deal. After all the hoopla is over, I’d like to name you chief investigator for the sheriff’s department. It would be equivalent to the rank of sergeant, and you’ll get a raise.”

She smiled at the startled expression on Will’s face. “This did not make Dan Ingersoll overjoyed when I discussed it with him, but I think it’s something we need to do. We have serious crimes to deal with, including crime that has affected me personally.” Lenore was silent for a moment. “Times have changed, and we can’t just ignore what’s going on around us. As you said, we’ve got to be aware. I hope you can help us do that.”

“I—I don’t know what to say.” Will stumbled over the words.

“Luckily, I don’t need an answer right away,” Lenore told him. “Think about it. Talk it over with your friends and supporters.” She nodded toward the living-room arch, where Sunny’s dad had appeared. “I hope, though, that you’ll take the job.”

As she spoke, the final member of the Coolidge household came forward, sniffing in fascination.

“Well, hello there.” Lenore showed a familiarity with cats, bending over to offer Shadow a hand with the fingers curled under. Shadow immediately started pushing his head against her fingers, silently demanding a head scratch.

Well, Sunny thought, this could be the beginning of an interesting friendship.