Dead Right (Stillwater Trilogy #3)(56)
Author: Brenda Novak

He put Bonnie Ray’s statement back in the file and moved on to a document signed by Nora Young and Rachel Cook.

After we finished planning the Children for Christ Youth Group Day, we said goodbye to Reverend Barker in the parking lot of the church around 8:15 p.m. We assumed he was going home. He didn’t mention another destination, and he didn’t appear to have any luggage with him. He turned left, and that was the last we saw of him.

“Not much there, either,” he muttered. Flipping through pages and skimming headings, he found a document with Clay’s name at the top. It was the transcript of a police interview taken, according to the date, three days after Reverend Barker had gone missing.

Officer Grimsman: Did you see your stepfather the night of October 4th?

Montgomery: No.

Officer Grimsman: He wasn’t there when you came home from school?

Montgomery: No.

Officer Grimsman: Was he usually there when you arrived in the afternoon?

Montgomery: Sometimes. Not always.

Officer Grimsman: What did he do when he was home? Work on the farm?

Montgomery: He gave me chores and watched at the window to make sure I got started on them right away.

Officer Grimsman: Did he give the girls chores?

Montgomery: Here and there.

Officer Grimsman: Not as many as he gave you?

Montgomery: What does that have to do with anything?

Chief Grimsman: Just answer the question.

Montgomery: No, but it didn’t bother me.

Officer Grimsman: Right. You’re different from most other kids, then.

Montgomery: Who knows? Maybe I am. Like I said, it didn’t bother me.

Officer Grimsman: Did you find it odd that your father wasn’t home last Thursday?

Montgomery: You mean my stepfather? No. He’d left a list for me. And my mother said he was at the church. Why would that send me into a panic?

Officer Grimsman: I suggest you quit being smart with me, boy.

Montgomery: It was a normal day, okay?

Officer Grimsman: Did your mother tell you she had plans to go out?

Montgomery: Go out?

Officer Grimsman: Didn’t she leave before you did?

Montgomery: Yes, but you’re making it sound as if she went dancing or…or drinking.

Officer Grimsman: Why don’t you tell me what she was really doing?

Montgomery: She left dinner in the oven for Barker—

Officer Grimsman: Barker?

Montgomery: Reverend Barker.

Officer Grimsman: (to Chief Jenkins) Now that’s gratitude and respect. A man takes in a woman and her three kids, puts food in their bellies and—

Montgomery: (interrupting) Does this have anything to do with my stepfather’s disappearance?

Officer Grimsman: That’s what I’m trying to find out, smart-ass!

Montgomery: And this is leading there how?

Officer Grimsman: Your attitude is a big part of this, buddy. Trust me.

Montgomery: I don’t trust you worth shit. You’re questioning me without an adult present. I figure there has to be a reason.

Chief Jenkins: I don’t want your mother to hear what you say, that’s the reason.

Officer Grimsman: If you can work, party, play pool and please the ladies like a man, you can sure as hell talk like one.

Montgomery: My reputation precedes me.

Officer Grimsman: You might not be so smug when this is all over.

Montgomery: If you have your way, I’ll be in jail.

Officer Grimsman: Isn’t that where you belong?

Montgomery: Not unless it’s illegal to hang out with my friends. That’s all I did.

Chief Jenkins: (to Officer Grimsman) Get back to the point, Roger.

Officer Grimsman: Fine. Where did your mother go that night?

Montgomery: You already know where she went.

Chief Jenkins: State it for the record.

Montgomery: For the record, she went to choir practice. No secret there. It’s easy enough to check.

Chief Jenkins: But she didn’t normally attend. That makes it an unusual day, doesn’t it?

Montgomery: If that’s all it takes to be unusual. Barker called and told her he wanted her there.

Chief Jenkins: Did that make her unhappy?

Montgomery: Why don’t you ask her?

Chief Jenkins: I’m asking you. Did his call start a fight? Did they argue?

Montgomery: No.

Officer Grimsman: What kind of mood was your mother in after your stepfather asked her to go to choir practice?

Montgomery: How the hell should I know?

Chief Jenkins: I suggest you quit being such a pain in the ass and answer the question.

Montgomery: She seemed fine. She asked me to watch the girls for her and hurried out so she wouldn’t be late.

Officer Grimsman: Did your stepfather call to make sure she went?

Montgomery. Not that I know of, but I wasn’t paying much attention.

Chief Jenkins: You never talked to him that evening?

Montgomery: No.

Officer Grimsman: According to Grace, you got a call.

Montgomery: It was a friend.

Officer Grimsman: Who?

Montgomery: Jeremy Jordan.

Officer Grimsman: What did he want?

Montgomery: He wanted me to go with him to Corinne Rasmussen’s.

Officer Grimsman: And you agreed?

Montgomery: Yes.

Officer Grimsman: So you left your little sisters alone.

Montgomery: They’re eleven and thirteen. I thought they’d be fine.

Officer Grimsman: Were they?

Montgomery: (stares off into space)

Officer Grimsman: Mr. Montgomery, I asked you a question.

Montgomery: What time is it?

Officer Grimsman: 2:00 a.m.

Montgomery: (rubs hand over eyes)

Officer Grimsman: Tired, Mr. Montgomery?

Montgomery: I’m sixteen. I think you can call me Clay. Or does Mr. Montgomery make you feel justified in grilling me for hours without my mother in the room?

Chief Jenkins: The sooner you answer our questions, the sooner you can go home. Your mother has her own questions to answer.

Montgomery: You only want me to say what you want to hear. (growing more upset) Listen, my mother needs me. Her husband’s just gone missing.

Officer Grimsman: Your mother will be fine. Irene Barker always lands on her feet, eh?

Montgomery: Screw you! (restrained by Chief Jenkins)

Chief Jenkins: Are we going to have to cuff you, boy?

There was some other writing, but it had been blacked out. From the flow of the conversation, Hunter almost wondered if the chief, or possibly Officer Grimsman had struck Clay, then had the incident removed from the records.

Officer Grimsman: You ready to talk now?

Montgomery: (hunched over)

Hunter read that line a second time. Hunched over? Whoever had created this record was meticulous in noting every nuance. Hunter was willing to bet it wasn’t the same person who’d changed it.