curiosity.
Smart, intuitive kid. No wonder I liked him so much.
''We're colleagues,'' Jeff said. He offered out his gum, and getting no takers, unwrapped a few sticks and folded them in his mouth. ''Back to why I'm here. Did Mrs. Olsen contact you after you met with her the other day?''
''No, sir,'' said Will.
Jeff looked back and forth between the Knights. ''Either of you speak to her?''
They both shook their heads, and Mr. Knight said, ''Never.''
''Please be honest, Sergeant,'' Mrs. Knight said. ''Do you think her death is somehow connected to our son?''
''We don't have evidence aside from her bequest to support that theory right now,'' Jeff answered.
''Very strange to leave everything to Will,'' Mrs. Knight said, half to herself. ''And you knew about this, Abby?''
''I only heard late last night—one reason I came here this morning. I drove to Mrs. Olsen's house after I left the crime scene. Since she'd called me to meet with her at the espresso bar, I felt—''
''Could we save that discussion for later?'' Jeff said. ''Right now I'd like to hear Will's take on the victim. Did anything in particular stand out about her?''
''Ask me, she'd been smoking weed or taken some major head pill,'' Will said.
''William,'' his mother said. ''The woman is dead, for heaven's sake.''
Jeff held up a hand, chewing hard on his gum. ''It's okay. This is exactly the kind of thing I need to know. What made you come to that conclusion?''
''She knew everything about me, from the time I was a kid. It freaked me out. She never said anything about leaving me her stuff or anything, though. That is so crazy.'' He looked at his mother. ''Not crazy crazy. Sad crazy, Mom. She may have been weird, but—''
''She didn't deserve to die,'' his mother finished. ''Why didn't you tell me she knew things about your childhood?''
''I'm the one who should have told you,'' I said. ''That's why you hired me. I was concerned about her obvious knowledge of Will, especially since she shouldn't have even known his name. That's why I've made an appointment with the social worker who handled the original CPS case—to find out how Verna Mae got so much information.''
''Molly Roth? Our old caseworker?'' asked Mr. Knight.
Jeff stood abruptly before I could answer yes. He said, ''I think I have all I need for now. We'll be in touch.''
Mr. Knight stood, too. ''I'm concerned, Sergeant Kline. What if there's a connection between our son inheriting this woman's property and her murder? Would that put Will in danger?''
''We're doing everything we can to find answers,'' Jeff said. ''If we find a connection and we think he needs protection, he'll get it. Right now, this crime appears to be a robbery-homicide.''
The Knights nodded solemnly, and then Jeff turned and started walking out of the kitchen.
Something was wrong. Why did he decide to split all of a sudden? Was he still angry about my trip to Bottlebrush? No . . . my gut told me that wasn't it. ''You still want me at the station by ten?'' I called after him.
''Yes, ma'am,'' he answered over his shoulder.
While Mr. Knight followed Jeff out, Mrs. Knight asked if I'd like coffee.
''No, thanks,'' I said. ''I'm trying to get off the java. Then maybe I won't have to get my teeth bleached as often.'' Still troubled by Jeff's attitude, I checked my watch. I had an hour to wait until I could talk to him alone and find out what was up.
When Mr. Knight returned, it was time to explain the theory Chief Rollins and I had come up with. More of what I'd wanted to ease into with the family.
I said, ''Though I haven't discussed this with Sergeant Kline yet, I have a theory why Verna Mae Olsen left her home and property to Will.''
''You do?'' Will leaned forward, elbows on knees.
I nodded. ''By the way, Chief Rollins is the officer who came out and took you from Verna Mae the night you were abandoned.
Smart, intuitive kid. No wonder I liked him so much.
''We're colleagues,'' Jeff said. He offered out his gum, and getting no takers, unwrapped a few sticks and folded them in his mouth. ''Back to why I'm here. Did Mrs. Olsen contact you after you met with her the other day?''
''No, sir,'' said Will.
Jeff looked back and forth between the Knights. ''Either of you speak to her?''
They both shook their heads, and Mr. Knight said, ''Never.''
''Please be honest, Sergeant,'' Mrs. Knight said. ''Do you think her death is somehow connected to our son?''
''We don't have evidence aside from her bequest to support that theory right now,'' Jeff answered.
''Very strange to leave everything to Will,'' Mrs. Knight said, half to herself. ''And you knew about this, Abby?''
''I only heard late last night—one reason I came here this morning. I drove to Mrs. Olsen's house after I left the crime scene. Since she'd called me to meet with her at the espresso bar, I felt—''
''Could we save that discussion for later?'' Jeff said. ''Right now I'd like to hear Will's take on the victim. Did anything in particular stand out about her?''
''Ask me, she'd been smoking weed or taken some major head pill,'' Will said.
''William,'' his mother said. ''The woman is dead, for heaven's sake.''
Jeff held up a hand, chewing hard on his gum. ''It's okay. This is exactly the kind of thing I need to know. What made you come to that conclusion?''
''She knew everything about me, from the time I was a kid. It freaked me out. She never said anything about leaving me her stuff or anything, though. That is so crazy.'' He looked at his mother. ''Not crazy crazy. Sad crazy, Mom. She may have been weird, but—''
''She didn't deserve to die,'' his mother finished. ''Why didn't you tell me she knew things about your childhood?''
''I'm the one who should have told you,'' I said. ''That's why you hired me. I was concerned about her obvious knowledge of Will, especially since she shouldn't have even known his name. That's why I've made an appointment with the social worker who handled the original CPS case—to find out how Verna Mae got so much information.''
''Molly Roth? Our old caseworker?'' asked Mr. Knight.
Jeff stood abruptly before I could answer yes. He said, ''I think I have all I need for now. We'll be in touch.''
Mr. Knight stood, too. ''I'm concerned, Sergeant Kline. What if there's a connection between our son inheriting this woman's property and her murder? Would that put Will in danger?''
''We're doing everything we can to find answers,'' Jeff said. ''If we find a connection and we think he needs protection, he'll get it. Right now, this crime appears to be a robbery-homicide.''
The Knights nodded solemnly, and then Jeff turned and started walking out of the kitchen.
Something was wrong. Why did he decide to split all of a sudden? Was he still angry about my trip to Bottlebrush? No . . . my gut told me that wasn't it. ''You still want me at the station by ten?'' I called after him.
''Yes, ma'am,'' he answered over his shoulder.
While Mr. Knight followed Jeff out, Mrs. Knight asked if I'd like coffee.
''No, thanks,'' I said. ''I'm trying to get off the java. Then maybe I won't have to get my teeth bleached as often.'' Still troubled by Jeff's attitude, I checked my watch. I had an hour to wait until I could talk to him alone and find out what was up.
When Mr. Knight returned, it was time to explain the theory Chief Rollins and I had come up with. More of what I'd wanted to ease into with the family.
I said, ''Though I haven't discussed this with Sergeant Kline yet, I have a theory why Verna Mae Olsen left her home and property to Will.''
''You do?'' Will leaned forward, elbows on knees.
I nodded. ''By the way, Chief Rollins is the officer who came out and took you from Verna Mae the night you were abandoned.
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