“Did he say why?”Faith asked.
Stan shrugged.“Being a war veteran’s an odd thing.It doesn’t always hurt people the way it hurt Paul.The memories aren’t pleasant for anyone, but not everyone comes home with baggage.He did, though.”
“What kind of baggage?”
“He never told me.”
Hetta entered, quiet as a whisper, and set teacups in front of the agents.She disappeared as quietly as she came, heading down a narrow hallway to the bedroom at the rear of the house.Faith waited until she heard the quiet chunk of the door closing, then said, “You’re his best friend, and he never told you what happened in the war?”
Stan met her eyes and said, "Never exactly.We'd talk in general terms, but whatever it was that drove him to drink, he couldn't face it head-on.Had to have been real bad, though."
“So he walks home at nine-thirty,” Michael interjected, trying to bring the conversation back to the alibi.Where were you after nine-thirty?”
"Well, I asked him to let me give him a ride.They don't live but four miles down the road.It's not far to drive, but it's a good hour and a half walking.He said he wanted to walk, said he wanted to think a bit, and needed some time to do it."
“I thought he said he missed his wife and wanted to come home,” Faith said.
“He said that too.He said both things.Looking back, I should have just made him ride with me, but I didn’t think anything of it at the time.Hancock Village hasn’t seen a murder in thirty-three years.Not since Osiah Pratt killed his girlfriend Rosie after she broke up with him on prom night.And Paul was a tough man.Maybe he didn’t look it, but he was dangerous.He could have handled himself in a fight.At least I thought so.”
His lower lip trembled.He sipped his beer, then said, “Anyway, after he left, I drove down to the convenience store on Eastvale Road to pick up some chips and ice cream.Hetta likes the salted caramel flavor, and that’s the only place to get it unless you drive all the way to Delhi.”
“What time would you say you arrived at the convenience store?”Faith asked.
“Couldn’t have been later than ten.”
Faith looked at Michael, and he got to his feet and stepped into the kitchen to follow up on that.Hopefully, the convenience store would have security cameras that could confirm Stan’s presence there.“After you got your ice cream, what did you do?”
“Came home.Ate some chips, watched some old movies, went to bed around midnight.Woke up at seven the next morning, and by the time I was ready to go to work, I heard they’d found a body down by the river.Called Paul to tell him so, and he didn’t answer.I figured he was still sleeping, but then five minutes later, I get a call from Penny telling me Paul’s dead.”
His lips trembled again.He sighed and sipped more of his beer.“I just don’t know who’d want him dead.He was always so kind and generous with everyone.Only ever cried in front of me, but he was never rude or angry with anyone.Never heard of him fighting or getting on anyone’s bad side.It just doesn’t make any sense.”
Michael returned and gave Faith a thumbs-up.Stan's presence at the convenience store was confirmed.
That was only an hour of time, though.If he left the convenience store at ten-fifteen, even ten-thirty, he would still have more than enough time to find Paul, kill him, and bury his body at the river.In fact, the short timeframe could have been exactly why the grave was so shallow.
They didn’t have any good reason to suspect Stan, though, and Turk seemed to like the old soldier.He sat next to Paul, straight and tall just like he did when he was a Marine K9 and looked at Paul with what appeared to be genuine affection.Turk had never been affectionate with anyone who turned out to be a murderer before.
“Thank you for your help, Stan.If you think of anything else, please give us a call.In the meantime, I suggest you stay in the area.”
Stan chuckled bitterly."So I'm on the shortlist, huh?"
“I don’t think you’re the killer,” Faith admitted, “but I can’t prove that beyond a shadow of a doubt.I’m not saying you’re guilty until proven innocent, but you were one of the last people to see Paul alive.We might need to talk to you again, and that will be easier if you’re close by.”
Stan laughed again."It's all right.He didn't talk to many people.I know you've got to keep me in mind 'til you figure out what happened."He shook his head."He owes someone money or something?"
“You tell me.”
“Hell if I know.I just don’t know why someone would kill him and bury him like that.I guess to hide the body, but…” He sighed and finished his beer.“I’m sorry.I ain’t had the chance to grieve properly yet.This is just all hard to figure out.”
“That’s all right,” Faith said.“If you think of something, call us.If we think of anything, we’ll call you.No matter what happens, we’ll find out what happened to Paul.”
Stan gave them a final nod, then echoed Penny’s statement from earlier.“I’m glad of that, agent.I hope whoever did this gets justice, but it won’t bring Paul back.My friend’s gone no matter what.”
It was dark when the three agents stepped outside.Faith looked up at the night sky—full of stars out here in rural Delaware County.She hoped those stars didn’t shine on their killer as he buried another victim.
CHAPTER EIGHT
The minister stuck his shovel in the dirt and mopped at his forehead with a handkerchief.It was cold tonight, but the exertion left him damp with sweat.
