Did Bart have an interest in the bar? Otherwise, why did Carson have a key?

I shot her a look of surprise. “He’s here about Seth’s murder? Does he have an interest in him or his family?”

“Bart Drummond has an interest in absolutely everything that happens in Drum.” She gave me a sideways grimace. “I suspect Carson’s not only quizzing Max about Seth but about you too.”

“Me?”

“Nothin’ gets by Bart Drummond. If you stick around, you’d best not forget that.”

That sounded ominous, but not as ominous as the scene before me.

Most of the motel parking lot was surrounded by yellow crime scene tape, even the two cars that had been parked in the lot the night before. Little yellow plastic evidence markers with numbers were spread around the asphalt. Thankfully, Seth’s body had been removed and replaced with a chalk outline. A large dark stain spread outside the line.

I stopped in my tracks, my heart racing as I remembered holding his hand. Looking into his battered face. His terrified eyes.

“Carly,” Ruth said, standing in front of me to block the view. “You don’t have to do this. Why don’t you go on ahead to Watson’s Café and wait for me?”

That would be the easy way out, but it would be a chicken thing to do.

“No,” I said, taking a deep breath and stiffening my back. “I need to get my own stuff, but I want you with me, if that’s okay.”

She wrapped an arm around my back. “Of course it’s okay.”

Several deputies were milling about, and we caught the attention of one of them, who then headed over to us.

I froze in fear. A deputy had killed Seth, and for all I knew, he was here at the scene, cleaning up his evidence.

This deputy appeared to be in his late thirties to early forties, and the grumpy look on his face suggested he didn’t appreciate his current assignment. Was that because he’d played a role in the crime? “This is a crime scene, so y’all need to head on out.”

His voice wasn’t familiar, and I felt a tiny bit of the tension between my shoulder blades ease. I wasn’t sure what I would have done if I’d come face to face with the murderer.

Ruth gave him a smile. “This here’s Carly, the woman who found the murdered boy. And that right there”—she pointed to the open door to my room—“is Carly’s room with all her worldly possessions. We just want to get her things, then we’ll get out of your hair.”

“We’re not supposed to let anyone in,” he said, looking Ruth up and down, his gaze lingering on her chest even though it was covered by her bulky sweater.

Ruth put both hands on her hips and gave him a sassy stare. “We won’t touch a thing other than her suitcase and her purse.”

“I suppose if I go in with you…”

“That’s okay with us,” she said enthusiastically.

He glanced around and then lifted the tape, motioning for us to duck underneath it. Ruth went under first, and I caught his gaze landing on her butt as she scooted under.

I wanted to call him out on it, but I needed my things, so I bit my tongue and followed.

He gestured toward the room and we walked over, catching the attention of the other officers working the scene.

“She’s just getting her belongings,” the deputy told them. “I’ll keep a close eye on ’em.”

I walked into the room and stopped in my tracks when I saw my suitcase on the floor. My personal items were strewn everywhere.

Ruth walked into my back, making me stumble. She pushed around me. “Tell me you didn’t leave your clothes like that.”

“The suitcase was on the dresser, and while it wasn’t zipped up, I’m fairly certain I closed it.”

Ruth turned to the deputy and lifted her brows. “What the hell happened to her shit?”

His cheeks flushed. “They searched it, ma’am.”

“Searched it?” she shouted. “Why in the hell would they search her things? She was the only person to actually try to help that poor boy, and you reward her by throwing her shit all around? Are you fucking kidding me?”

He went from bewildered to pissed in a matter of seconds, and I worried he was going to kick us out, so I squatted by the suitcase and started tossing my things back in. “It’s fine.”

“The fucking hell it is!” she shouted. “Is this how we treat heroes in Hensen County? By destroying their shit?”

“Now settle down, ma’am,” the deputy said in a patronizing tone. “She’s a person of interest, so we’ve got every right.”

My heart stuttered at his pronouncement. I was a person of interest? I needed to get the hell out of Drum. After I talked to Seth’s grandfather, I’d catch the first bus from Greeneville to anywhere.

“Why in the Sam Hill would she be a person of interest?” Ruth shouted, her fists balled at her sides. “Any fool could see that there’s no way she did this.”

“It’s okay, Ruth,” I said, jamming the rest of my clothes into the bag. I started zipping the side.

“Is there a problem here?” I heard a familiar voice ask, but thankfully, it didn’t belong to one of the murderers.

I glanced up at Detective Daniels.

“It’s nothing,” I said, getting to my feet and tugging my suitcase upright as I stood. “I’m just getting my things.”

“Plannin’ on goin’ somewhere?” he asked in a dry tone.

“No, I’m staying with Ruth and her boyfriend, but I still need clothes.”

“I see,” he said, but it was obvious he didn’t trust me. He seemed even more sour this morning than he had last night. “Don’t forget you can’t be leavin’ town.”

“I’m takin’ her down to Greeneville,” Ruth said, her chin issuing a challenge.

He cocked his head to the side, his eyes lighting up. “Is that so?”

“I’m not leaving leaving,” I insisted. “I’m just riding down with Ruth to pick up some additional things since I hadn’t planned on staying here.”

“Is that so?” he repeated. It made the hairs on my arms stand on end.

Ruth looped her arm through mine. “That’s right. There’s nothin’ in this town other than the Dollar General, so we’re heading to Greeneville to get her supplies. We need to be back by noon so Carly can work the lunch shift, so the longer you keep us here, the longer it will take for her to get back to Drum.”

He narrowed his eyes, glancing back and forth between us. “You’re Ruth Bristol, aren’t you? You work at Max’s Tavern. That’s why you were there last night.”

I didn’t remember him asking for her name the night before, so the fact that he knew it set my nerves on edge.

“So?” she asked, looking unconcerned.

“If you take her out of the county and she doesn’t return, I will hold you personally responsible and arrest you for aiding and abetting her escape.”

My throat constricted. Could he do that? Now I was truly stuck in this nightmare.

Chapter Nine

“Fine,” Ruth said with a head toss. “You’ll look like a fool when I have her back for her lunch shift. So can we go now? We don’t want to be late gettin’ back.”