Chapter 44

CHAPTER 44

A ndi and Duke hurried to the front door.

Andi wasn’t sure what vehicle Tim usually drove. But only one was parked in the driveway, and she didn’t recognize it from the camp—not that she’d been paying that much attention either.

She saw that the doorbell was cracked, so she knocked on the door instead.

Soon after, footsteps sounded, and the door opened.

A man who looked like a younger version of Tim stood there, staring at them with a confused expression on his face. He wore a beanie down over his ears, ripped jeans, and a flannel shirt. Based on his red nose, his heat either wasn’t working or it was turned way down to save on electrical cost.

“Can I help you?” He brushed some potato chip crumbs from his chest.

“We were hoping to ask you a few questions. I’m Andi, and this is my friend, Duke. We’re with the true crime podcast called The Round Table .”

He remained unimpressed. “That’s cool and all, but I don’t listen to true crime podcasts.”

“We’re not here specifically to ask about our podcast,” Andi started. “We’re here to ask about your dad.”

“What about my dad?” His eyes narrowed, and he shifted. “Did he do something?”

Andi tilted her head. “Do you think your dad did something?”

Jared sighed as if flabbergasted. “That’s not what I meant. But you’re true crime podcasters, and you show up here asking about my dad. What conclusions am I supposed to draw?”

“I could have worded that better,” Andi conceded to his statement. “Duke and I are working on solving the murders of Calvin and Mary Burrows, your uncle and aunt.”

Jared’s eyes widened. “Oh, I see. I guess that makes sense. I still can’t believe what happened to them. We were never especially close but . . . they didn’t deserve to die that way.”

“We actually came here looking for your dad,” Duke said.

“Why would you come here to look for him?” His forehead wrinkled.

Andi paused at his question, realizing something wasn’t fitting. “Because you called him and said you needed his help with something.”

Jared shook his head again. “No, I didn’t. Sorry to disappoint you, but I haven’t spoken to my dad in years. There’s no way I would call that man to ask for help.”

So Tim lied, Duke mused. Why would he do that unless he had something to cover up?

“I’m sorry,” Andi said. “There must have been a misunderstanding. Because your dad left the camp and said he was coming to help you with something.”

“Well, he made that up. He was clearly looking for an excuse to get away, though I couldn’t tell you why.”

The breeze swept across them, and Andi shivered.

Duke nodded at the house. “Listen, do you mind if we come in? Since we’re already here, I’d love to get your take on what happened to your aunt and uncle.”

Jared stared at them another moment as if weighing his options. Then he blew out a breath and sighed. “I guess so. But only for a few minutes. Then I have to go to work.”

“What do you do for a living exactly?” Andi pulled her collar closer around her neck, her nose and cheeks red from the cold.

“I work at a big box store down the road. I figured we might close because of the snowstorm, but more people are coming to buy things in case they’re trapped inside for an extended period. It’s a catch twenty-two if you ask me.”

“I can see that,” Duke said. “I promise we won’t take up too much of your time.”

Jared opened the door wider, and they stepped inside. His house was unkempt and the stench of dirty socks and old food permeated the air. And it was cold. It was so cold in here.

Was Jared struggling to pay for heat? Why else would he keep it so frigid inside?

Jared paused and glanced at his living room as if considering offering them a place to sit down. But every visible surface was covered with piles of clothes, old pizza boxes, and stacks of junk mail.

“How about the kitchen instead?” Jared offered.

They went into the tiny kitchen and moved several things from the seats before sitting at an old table that rocked back and forth if you leaned on it.

“So what do you want to know?” Jared planted his elbows on the table as he sat across from them. “I don’t really know how I can help you. And is this official—as in, is our conversation being recorded? I need to know if I need to watch what I say.”

“It’s not official,” Andi said. “Although, if you say something that’s a turning point in our investigation, we’d love to come back later and officially get you on a recording.”

He nodded slowly as if considering it. “I’ll think about it. For now, what do you want to know?”

Duke shifted before diving in. “When you heard about what happened to your aunt and uncle, did your mind jump to any conclusions? Did you immediately think about a possibility of who could’ve done this to them?”

Jared blew out another breath. “I don’t know, man. At first, I didn’t know what to think. It’s still hard to say. But . . .” He looked in the distance as if his mind were traveling back in time. “They were always kind of secretive.”

“In what way?”

He shrugged. “I don’t know. They didn’t talk much about what they did before they moved here, but I think he had some high paying job. It was their idea to move to Alaska almost twenty years ago. He said my dad should join them.”

“Where did they move from?” Andi asked.

“New York, I think. We hadn’t heard from them in years. Then one day, they reconnect with us. Tell us they’ve had a baby and want a change in scenery, that they were moving to Alaska.”

“I didn’t think your dad and uncle were close,” Duke said.

“I didn’t either. But my dad had fallen on some hard times. Uncle Calvin heard people could get jobs in Alaska in the oil field. Said my dad should apply. I was young at the time, but I remember bits and pieces.”

“And it worked out for everyone to move?” Andi asked.

“It did. Course, only about five years later my parents divorced. Then my dad and uncle didn’t talk for a while again.”

Alaska didn’t seem like a conventional choice as to places to move. But Duke had moved here also, so he had no room to talk.

However, he had to wonder if there was more to their story.

“I take it you and your dad aren’t close,” Andi said.

“He swindled my mom out of my money a few years ago,” Jared said. “I haven’t talked to him since. I don’t trust him—and neither should you.”

“Noted,” Duke muttered.

“Anything else you need?” Jared glanced at his watch.

“Only if you can think of something you want to share.” Andi waited.

“I’ve had nothing to do with that side of the family for years,” Jared said. “The only time I’ve really thought about them was when that family friend came over a couple of months ago.”

“Family friend?” Duke wondered who he was talking about.

“The Klinkhart guy.” Jared shrugged as if annoyed. “He came asking about his daughter—as if I’d know where she was. Said he’d been searching for her.”

That seemed to fit what Duke knew about the man. He wasn’t the type who liked it when things don’t go according to his plan.

“Anything else?” Jared asked.

Duke shook his head. “I don’t think so. I know you need to get to work. But if you think of anything else . . .”

Andi set her business card on the table.

Jared nodded. “I’ll be in touch.”

Duke happened to glance out the window as he turned to take a step from the room.

When he did, the snowman in the backyard made his blood go cold.