Chapter 15

It’s close to seven o’clock on Day Two, and it’s been a weird second day on the job. Poppy has continued to go through the tip-line emails and is coming up with nothing but cranks and pranksters. She opens her desk drawer where she’d tucked away Agent Fincher’s card. She picks it up, examines it. Fincher has crossed out her office number with an ink pen and written down her mobile. Poppy considers calling the agent. She shouldn’t. The sheriff explicitly asked—no, ordered—Poppy to have no contact with Fincher. Poppy retrieves her cell and eyes the card. She nearly jumps out of her chair when the device rings. The universe intervening before she makes a stupid mistake. The screen displays her big brother’s goofy mug.

“About time,” she answers. She’s already sent him several texts, which he ignored. She even tried calling, but it went to voicemail.

“Sorry, Shorty, I’ve had a crazy day. We’ve got a big sale going on at the dealership. Where’s the fire?”

“It’s not a fire. But I met with Ruby, Juliette, and Chrissy today.”

“And?”

“And Ruby said something weird. I asked them about Alison Lane. If she had any secrets or reason to be afraid of anyone, and she said I should talk to you.”

“Me?” His tone is incredulous. But when they were kids Poppy often heard him use the same intonation when he was lying through his teeth to their parents, so she’s not so sure it’s genuine.

“Why would she say that?” he adds.

“Well, that’s the question I’ve been trying to ask you, but you’ve been ghosting my ass.”

“I’ve got no damn idea. Ruby never liked me. Other than that, I’ve got no clue.”

If he’s lying, it’s a better performance than when they were kids.

“You’re a cop, make her tell you what she’s talking about.”

“It doesn’t work that way,” Poppy says. “Is there something you’re not telling me about Alison? You hung out with that crowd. And you were on the team with Ryan Richardson.”

“What would I know? I don’t have a clue.”

Poppy thinks about this. “Did you ever talk to the police back when it happened?”

There’s a millisecond of silence. If she wasn’t listening for it, she might have missed it. “Um, yeah, I talked to a cop. Don’t remember his name.”

“Buckman?” Poppy says.

“Maybe, I don’t remember.”

“What did he look like?”

“A good ol’ boy. Big guy.”

That’s Buckman. At least that’s how he looked on the MRK interrogation video. Poppy has searched the two file boxes with the case materials twice and there’s no mention of Buckman interviewing Ruby or Dash.

“Seriously, Dashiell, is there something I need to know?” She uses his full name only when she’s angry.

“I told you. No idea. I gotta get back to work. I got a couple on the hook for a Mustang.”

After the call, Poppy collects her things. She needs to get home to make her father dinner. On the way out, she passes Margaret.

“Do you ever leave this place?” Poppy asks.

Margaret smiles. “Good night, dear.”

“Night,” Poppy says. She continues to the door but stops. “Hey, Margaret.”

The woman’s eyes widen, inviting Poppy to continue.

“I have the Alison Lane file and it seems to be missing a lot of stuff. I wondered if there might be other records somewhere—like, maybe I don’t have all the files?”

“That’s not surprising.”

“What do you mean?”

“Daryll Buckman wasn’t exactly a workhorse. If you couldn’t find him on patrol, you could bet he was at Fatheads bar.”

Margaret continues: “The two boxes are what we could find after he, um, left the force.” She says the last part like there’s a backstory.

“Is there anywhere else that might have his investigation notes? Any interview tapes?”

“Sorry, dear, I’m afraid you have it all.”

Later, after cooking Hamburger Helper for her father and getting him set up in front of the television, she contemplates what she’ll have for dinner. She can’t bring herself to eat the cheeseburger mac he likes so much.

Her mind drifts back to Ruby Quinn. Ask your brother. What was that about? She’ll call Ruby tomorrow and press her. Ruby’s reaction was unusual, like she didn’t want her friends to know. Look, I already gave my statement to your office. They were going to Little Bar tonight for the reunion. Dash is supposed to go as well. Poppy can show up, ask questions. But she decides against it.

She curses Buckman, the half-assed investigator who apparently spent more time at Fatheads than working his cases—

That’s when the idea hits her and she grabs her car keys.