past
misadventures I’d had in other murder investigations.
“But you did,” he said. “So, how about this? You and I get together tomorrow morning at
ten, back here in this room. Just talk
to me one more time before you go. You don’t need to do any snooping. I’m simply interested in what you might hear
between now and then. Could you do
that?”
“Fair enough,” I said. He probably figured that I had to be as curious about the shooting as he
would be if he was in my shoes. “What
else can you tell me?”
“Like what?”
“Caliber of the weapon?”
“Small, likely a .22.”
“No one saw anyone go into or out of the room?”
“No. Window was
shut and locked and the emergency exit door at the end of the hall would have
set off the alarm. The killer had to
come and go down the hall to the lobby.”
“Could he have gone into one of the rooms in the hallway?”
“Sure, but there are only a few, and all the windows in
those rooms were locked from the inside. The only rooms that would have been
easy to access would have been the rest rooms. The other two were locked.”
“Someone could have been in the restroom, though, and
emerged with the chaos of everyone running down the hall.”
“Possible,” Detective Bruno admitted.
“And someone from the staff could have accessed the locked
rooms and come out in the same chaos.”
“Again, possible. I don’t need you to try to solve the case for
us Jim. I just want some eyes and ears
on the inside.”
“What’s happened to everyone’s rifles and or other
weapons?”
“There was some grumbling, but we took everyone’s rifles under
the pretext of eliminating them from the murder weapon.”
“No one admitted to having a pistol?”
“No,” he said.
“What was Cross doing in the room?”
“Something with fantasy football. I’m not sure of the details, but I can’t
imagine it has anything to do with his death. We’ve taken the computer though, just in case.”
“How about the two guys that have
disappeared?”
“The Bettes ’
boys?”
“Yeah.”
“That’s a good question. We’ve got a lot of people looking for them. Did you know them?”
“No, not at all. Do you know if
they have any connection to Benson?”
“None that we know of.”
We talked for a few more minutes before he let me go.
Chapter 8
W
hen I left the interview, I saw
Tom Griffith and Aaron Nesbitt head into the dining room. I went over and looked to see who else was
there. A couple more of the hunting group sat at the same table they had chosen
earlier, but Randi was not one of them. She had mentioned doing lunch
together. I didn’t feel much like
eating, nor did I have a special desire to dine with Randi, but Bruno did get
one thing right: I was extremely curious about what happened, and other than
the killer, Randi knew more than anyone else.
Bev had opened the bar, so I headed there to wait for
Randi to appear.
“Same thing?”
“Yes,” I said, thinking she had a good memory. I took my
wallet out of my pocket.
“No charge. Drinks
are on the house for the rest of the day.”
“Good thing I’m getting an early start.”
Bev grinned.
“How’s Rick doing? Handling it ok?” I asked.
“Touch and go.”
I looked at her for more of an answer. She leaned in close.
“It’s his sister. She’s been gunning for his job ever since the lodge opened four years
ago. Says he doesn’t
know how to make the place work.”
“This didn’t help.”
“No. Somehow, she’s
making this out like it’s his fault.”
“Of course, it’s not.”
“I know it,” she agreed, “but it’s one more thing she’s can use against him.”
“Nice family.”
“It’s one of these rich, dysfunctional ones, although Rick
claims she’s the worst. Without her, he
says the family would just have the normal squabbles.”
“Heard any rumors as to who may have done
misadventures I’d had in other murder investigations.
“But you did,” he said. “So, how about this? You and I get together tomorrow morning at
ten, back here in this room. Just talk
to me one more time before you go. You don’t need to do any snooping. I’m simply interested in what you might hear
between now and then. Could you do
that?”
“Fair enough,” I said. He probably figured that I had to be as curious about the shooting as he
would be if he was in my shoes. “What
else can you tell me?”
“Like what?”
“Caliber of the weapon?”
“Small, likely a .22.”
“No one saw anyone go into or out of the room?”
“No. Window was
shut and locked and the emergency exit door at the end of the hall would have
set off the alarm. The killer had to
come and go down the hall to the lobby.”
“Could he have gone into one of the rooms in the hallway?”
“Sure, but there are only a few, and all the windows in
those rooms were locked from the inside. The only rooms that would have been
easy to access would have been the rest rooms. The other two were locked.”
“Someone could have been in the restroom, though, and
emerged with the chaos of everyone running down the hall.”
“Possible,” Detective Bruno admitted.
“And someone from the staff could have accessed the locked
rooms and come out in the same chaos.”
“Again, possible. I don’t need you to try to solve the case for
us Jim. I just want some eyes and ears
on the inside.”
“What’s happened to everyone’s rifles and or other
weapons?”
“There was some grumbling, but we took everyone’s rifles under
the pretext of eliminating them from the murder weapon.”
“No one admitted to having a pistol?”
“No,” he said.
“What was Cross doing in the room?”
“Something with fantasy football. I’m not sure of the details, but I can’t
imagine it has anything to do with his death. We’ve taken the computer though, just in case.”
“How about the two guys that have
disappeared?”
“The Bettes ’
boys?”
“Yeah.”
“That’s a good question. We’ve got a lot of people looking for them. Did you know them?”
“No, not at all. Do you know if
they have any connection to Benson?”
“None that we know of.”
We talked for a few more minutes before he let me go.
Chapter 8
W
hen I left the interview, I saw
Tom Griffith and Aaron Nesbitt head into the dining room. I went over and looked to see who else was
there. A couple more of the hunting group sat at the same table they had chosen
earlier, but Randi was not one of them. She had mentioned doing lunch
together. I didn’t feel much like
eating, nor did I have a special desire to dine with Randi, but Bruno did get
one thing right: I was extremely curious about what happened, and other than
the killer, Randi knew more than anyone else.
Bev had opened the bar, so I headed there to wait for
Randi to appear.
“Same thing?”
“Yes,” I said, thinking she had a good memory. I took my
wallet out of my pocket.
“No charge. Drinks
are on the house for the rest of the day.”
“Good thing I’m getting an early start.”
Bev grinned.
“How’s Rick doing? Handling it ok?” I asked.
“Touch and go.”
I looked at her for more of an answer. She leaned in close.
“It’s his sister. She’s been gunning for his job ever since the lodge opened four years
ago. Says he doesn’t
know how to make the place work.”
“This didn’t help.”
“No. Somehow, she’s
making this out like it’s his fault.”
“Of course, it’s not.”
“I know it,” she agreed, “but it’s one more thing she’s can use against him.”
“Nice family.”
“It’s one of these rich, dysfunctional ones, although Rick
claims she’s the worst. Without her, he
says the family would just have the normal squabbles.”
“Heard any rumors as to who may have done
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