Burnt River by Karin Salvalaggio

recognized Ryan Marshall and a few others she knew. The employee entrance to the bar was still propped open, and she thought she could hear music.
    Mr. Walker leaned against the windowsill. “It’s a shame my eyesight isn’t what it once was, otherwise I might have seen something that could be of use to you.”
    “Do you often sleep out here?”
    “When it’s hot like this summer, I do. In the winter I use it as a freezer, it’s so cold out here.”
    “I imagine it would be. Tell me about last night.”
    “I turned in early. I had to bury my dog yesterday so I was pretty tired.”
    “I’m sorry to hear that.”
    “She just collapsed. I think it might have been the heat. Anyway, with her gone it was a very quiet night. I’d woken up to go to the bathroom, otherwise I don’t think I would have heard the car at all. Polly would have woke up the whole neighborhood had she been here when the car drove up. She had a tendency to bark.”
    “Do you remember the time?”
    “It was a little past one. The car was coming up the service road behind the shops. It was traveling slowly. To tell you the truth, it was kind of spooky the way it crept up the road with its headlights off.”
    “Are you sure about the headlights?”
    “If they were on, I’d have seen them. Light and dark I can see just fine. It’s details I have problems with.”
    “You said it was a late-model V8.”
    “It had that big-engine sound. You know that low growling you used to get when you barely put your foot on the gas? Might have been something like a Pontiac GTO or a Chevy Chevelle.”
    “You seem to know your cars.”
    “I used to be a mechanic, and like I said, there’s nothing wrong with my hearing.”
    “What else did you hear?”
    “A voice. I couldn’t make out the words, but there was something about it that seemed familiar.”
    “Try me.”
    “Nearest that I can say, it was like someone was delivering a lecture. It had that tone to it.”
    “Did you hear the gunshots?”
    “Yes, I did. After all that quiet it was like cannons going off. The car left pretty quick after that, sprayed gravel all over my window screens. The next time that guy comes creeping up the alleyway I’ll know to call the police. I’d always thought it was kids sneaking home after curfew so they kept the lights off.”
    “You’d heard the car before?”
    “Three, maybe four times in the past month. Always late at night. Always had the lights off.”
    *   *   *
    Aiden was leaning back in his desk chair with his phone propped under his chin. “I want you to come find me as soon as you get her here.” He hung up and cursed.
    Macy dropped her bag on her desk. “What’s wrong? Did we lose our only witness?”
    “No, they’re on their way. They’re just taking their sweet time. Apparently, Lana needed to do a few things around her house. What news from Mr. Walker?”
    “He thinks he’s heard the car on at least four occasions in the past few weeks. Every time it came down the service road it had its headlights off.”
    “Then this could have been a chance encounter. John may have been in the wrong place at the wrong time.”
    “Possibly. It also might be that someone has been following him. I’m sure this wasn’t the first time John has stopped in at The Whitefish to see Lana Clark. By the way, has anything significant ever happened in that alleyway before this?”
    “Nothing I can think of. A few fights over the years. Can’t think of any that John was involved in.”
    “It was a big risk pulling off something like this in such a public location. The location may be important.”
    “I’ll have the guys go through the records.”
    “Also check with dispatch. They might not keep records of all the calls that come in, but it’s a small enough town that someone might remember something that wasn’t logged.”
    “Fair enough.” Aiden held up some papers. “This came through from the coroner. It’s only preliminary.”
    “Any