Grocery. And a second matching bullet in the door at Milligan’s Realty Company. Our best guess right now—and it’s only a guess—is that the shooter fired randomlyalong a specific route to send some kind of message, and Davison and Roberts were collateral damage.”
“You think it’s gang activity?”
“We have to consider it. A gang couldhave been marking its territory, or it could have been part of an initiation. But it doesn’t feel right to me.”
“Have you found graffiti?”
“Yes, but it’s different from anything we’ve seen before. We sent pictures of it up to the FBI field office in Knoxville. Maybe their gang unit can identify the gang for us.”
“Well, for what it’s worth, every town in the region has had gang problems.”
“I’m not responsible for every town, Kurt. If our zero tolerance policy failed, we need to regroup quickly and find out which gang it is and get those guilty of these killings behind bars. I will not have this town terrorized by thugs.”
“Mom?”
Brill opened her eyes and saw Vanessa standing next to Kurt.
“The evening news is on and they released the name of the female student who got shot. I knew Skyler.”
“You did?”
“Yes, her roommate, Olivia Jones, is in my singles’ group at church. She invited Skyler to come play volleyball with us a few weeks ago. Several of us went over to Beanie’s afterward for coffee.”
“What can you tell me about her?” Brill said.
“Not that much. She was from Atlanta. We both were majoring in elementary ed.”
“Did she date anyone from the singles’ group?”
“I don’t know, but Olivia might. She was such a sweet girl. I can’t imagine why anyone would want to kill her.”
“Did Skyler know Tal Davison?”
“I don’t know. You want me to ask Olivia?”
“No, honey. We’ll talk to her, thanks. It’s better if you stay removed from this.”
“Do you think the two shootings are related?”
“We certainly haven’t ruled it out. We’re gathering facts right now.”
Vanessa locked gazes with her. “In other words, you can’t talk about it?”
“Not yet.”
“I’m going back over to Drew’s after dinner. Ethan said he’s still pretty shaken. Are you any closer to knowing who shot his roommate?”
“We’re fact-finding, honey. That’s all I can say right now.”
“Okay. I’m going to check the roast.”
Brill waited until Vanessa went back in the kitchen and then looked over at Kurt. “We haven’t told the media yet that the same gun was used to kill both victims. Don’t say anything.”
“Honey, we’ve been doing this for twenty years. I know the drill by now.”
A smile toyed with the corners of her mouth. “I didn’t mean to insult your intelligence. By the way, did you hear what I told the media this morning about our questioning of Win Davison?”
“Yes, and I’m sure Mayor Roswell and the entire viewing audience could tell he hit a nerve when he asked you to apologize for following procedure.”
“Why, did I come across as defensive?”
“More like protective. It was obvious you weren’t going to let your officers take the heat for doing their jobs.”
“I did say that I understood why Mr. Davison might misinterpret our line of questioning. I also said we have no reason to believe that he was involved in any way.”
“You did. I think everyone got the message. Was Mayor Roswell okay with it?”
“I guess. I’ve been so busy with the investigation that I haven’t had time to coddle the city council. Let him do it.”
Ethan sat in the porch swing at Drew’s, listening to the cicadas and thinking of happy times.
“It’s déjà vu sitting here,” Ethan said. “I’ve got so many memories of hanging out here as a kid.”
Drew pushed the swing a little harder with his feet and flashed a toothy grin. “Remember the time you were pulling me in the wagon, and I stood up and fell out—and got the wind knocked out of me?”
“How could I
“You think it’s gang activity?”
“We have to consider it. A gang couldhave been marking its territory, or it could have been part of an initiation. But it doesn’t feel right to me.”
“Have you found graffiti?”
“Yes, but it’s different from anything we’ve seen before. We sent pictures of it up to the FBI field office in Knoxville. Maybe their gang unit can identify the gang for us.”
“Well, for what it’s worth, every town in the region has had gang problems.”
“I’m not responsible for every town, Kurt. If our zero tolerance policy failed, we need to regroup quickly and find out which gang it is and get those guilty of these killings behind bars. I will not have this town terrorized by thugs.”
“Mom?”
Brill opened her eyes and saw Vanessa standing next to Kurt.
“The evening news is on and they released the name of the female student who got shot. I knew Skyler.”
“You did?”
“Yes, her roommate, Olivia Jones, is in my singles’ group at church. She invited Skyler to come play volleyball with us a few weeks ago. Several of us went over to Beanie’s afterward for coffee.”
“What can you tell me about her?” Brill said.
“Not that much. She was from Atlanta. We both were majoring in elementary ed.”
“Did she date anyone from the singles’ group?”
“I don’t know, but Olivia might. She was such a sweet girl. I can’t imagine why anyone would want to kill her.”
“Did Skyler know Tal Davison?”
“I don’t know. You want me to ask Olivia?”
“No, honey. We’ll talk to her, thanks. It’s better if you stay removed from this.”
“Do you think the two shootings are related?”
“We certainly haven’t ruled it out. We’re gathering facts right now.”
Vanessa locked gazes with her. “In other words, you can’t talk about it?”
“Not yet.”
“I’m going back over to Drew’s after dinner. Ethan said he’s still pretty shaken. Are you any closer to knowing who shot his roommate?”
“We’re fact-finding, honey. That’s all I can say right now.”
“Okay. I’m going to check the roast.”
Brill waited until Vanessa went back in the kitchen and then looked over at Kurt. “We haven’t told the media yet that the same gun was used to kill both victims. Don’t say anything.”
“Honey, we’ve been doing this for twenty years. I know the drill by now.”
A smile toyed with the corners of her mouth. “I didn’t mean to insult your intelligence. By the way, did you hear what I told the media this morning about our questioning of Win Davison?”
“Yes, and I’m sure Mayor Roswell and the entire viewing audience could tell he hit a nerve when he asked you to apologize for following procedure.”
“Why, did I come across as defensive?”
“More like protective. It was obvious you weren’t going to let your officers take the heat for doing their jobs.”
“I did say that I understood why Mr. Davison might misinterpret our line of questioning. I also said we have no reason to believe that he was involved in any way.”
“You did. I think everyone got the message. Was Mayor Roswell okay with it?”
“I guess. I’ve been so busy with the investigation that I haven’t had time to coddle the city council. Let him do it.”
Ethan sat in the porch swing at Drew’s, listening to the cicadas and thinking of happy times.
“It’s déjà vu sitting here,” Ethan said. “I’ve got so many memories of hanging out here as a kid.”
Drew pushed the swing a little harder with his feet and flashed a toothy grin. “Remember the time you were pulling me in the wagon, and I stood up and fell out—and got the wind knocked out of me?”
“How could I
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