Page 80 of Dead Girl Running

Temo waited a moment, maybe to gather his thoughts. “I told Kellen I’d clean up the girl’s bones, so Kellen left. The policeman, he didn’t want to touch anything. He really didn’t want to touch the girl, so he got in contact with the resort and asked for a plastic box to put her in, then he left in an ATV to get it. He was gone for a while—”

“How long a while?” Sheriff Kwinault asked.

“I had collected the bones, all the bits of cloth, and I said a prayer for the repose of her soul. So…half an hour? A little more?”

“Thank you. That helps,” Sheriff Kwinault said. “When Lloyd Magnuson returned…?”

“He was driving his toy car. He had a big square plastic bin, like a storage bin where you keep a child’s toys. I put the girl’s bones in there.”

“How was Lloyd?” Sheriff Kwinault’s tone was carefully neutral.

Temo’s tone matched hers. “I don’t know what you mean.”

“Was he sad for the death?” Kellen asked. “Did he seem frightened of the remains?” The caffeine and sugar helped her remember the scene, to get past her own horror and focus on the memory of Lloyd Magnuson at that moment.

“Frightened?” Temo still used that cautious voice.

“Most people don’t like the idea of driving with a corpse,” Kellen said.

A pause that went on long enough to make Kellen start to speak, and Sheriff Kwinault decisively signaled that she should not.

Finally, Temo said, “He was singing.”

“Singing?” Sheriff Kwinault exchanged glances with Kellen and Max. “Happy songs?”

“Yes. Rap songs. FromHamilton. He… Like maybe he had a drink while he was at the resort. Liquid courage, maybe?” Temo was verbally squirming.

“Something more than liquor?” Sheriff Kwinault asked. “Maybe drugs?”

“Um…”

Kellen leaned forward and stared at the phone as if she could make eye contact, convince him. “It’s okay, Temo. Tell her.”

“Sí.Yes. He was high on something.”

“Do you know what?” Kellen asked.

“I do notknow. I didn’t ask.” In a fierce and bitter tone, Temo said, “He was a cop.”

Sheriff Kwinault said, “I understand.”

At her mild tone, Temo calmed a little. “I knew he shouldn’t be on the road, but I’m brown. I’ve got an accent. I’m not from around here and I didn’t try to stop him.”

Sheriff Kwinault nodded. “I do understand. I promise I do. Please go on.”

“I asked if he was okay. He said he wasgreat, but his skin was flushed red and his eyes were very bright for a man who was going to take a corpse on a drive.”

“All right. Then what happened?” Sheriff Kwinault asked.

“Then…nothing. I loaded the plastic box into the back of his toy car, and he drove away.”

“Youloaded the box into the car,” Kellen repeated back at him.

“Yes. He almost forgot, so I did it.” Now Temo let his curiosity take over. “Why?”

“That’s all. Thank you. If I need to talk to you again, I’ll call. Is that all right?” Sheriff Kwinault asked.

“Sí.As you wish. I will be here. He was a very weird man, but no matter. He didn’t deserve death.” Temo hung up.