Page 16 of Whispers Left Behind (Kinsley Aspen #1)

Chapter Sixteen

Kinsley Aspen October Tuesday — 9:37 am

Sunlight filtered through vintage lace curtains, casting patterns on the worn linoleum floor. As Kinsley took a seat at the table, she couldn’t help but suspect that Tobias kept his surroundings the same out of sentimentality. The walls of the farmhouse were adorned with framed family photos, some even black and white. Tobias’ wife wasn’t beautiful in the typical sense, but there was something infectious about the woman’s smile. Her adoration for her husband was obvious from the way the camera caught her staring at him, and vice versa.

“The swelling on Gage’s brain has subsided. The doctors are hoping they can lower his levels of sedation today.” Tobias was standing at the counter pouring freshly brewed coffee into two porcelain mugs. There was a tremor in his hand, but there was also a hint of exhaustion in his voice. “First my granddaughter. Now my grandson. A grandfather isn’t supposed to outlive his children let alone his grandchildren.”

Tobias quietly placed the glass carafe onto the burner. He remained in place for a brief moment with his back to her, but it was long enough for Kinsley to realize he was taking a moment to compose himself.

“I apologize for having to cancel our interview yesterday,” Kinsley said in a soft tone to ease into a difficult conversation.

“I assume it had to do with the investigation.” Tobias picked up the two mugs before making his way to the table. He set one in front of her, but he kept the one with the chipped rim for himself. He didn’t speak again until he had settled in the chair opposite her. “Well? Did you find evidence to put that sonofabitch away?”

Tobias was clearly referring to Sebastian Hanson.

“I know about the three-million-dollar life insurance policy, detective.”

“May I ask where you heard that from?” Kinsley wrapped her hand around the mug for some warmth. “You didn’t mention anything about a policy last week.”

“I heard it from my daughter at the hospital yesterday.” Tobias paused, but he made no move to drink his coffee. Kinsley assumed he wasn’t going to expand on his reply, but she was proven wrong when he eventually delved deeper into the relationship with his daughter. “Louise found out about it on Friday morning when Sebastian paid her a visit. She didn’t want me to think the policy was a motive. I happen to disagree. You know, Louise never wanted anything to do with the farm. She hated the life. It was one of the reasons she moved to Fallbrook after her divorce. I’ve spoken to my daughter more in the past three days than I have in the past ten years.”

“I understand the intricacies of family tension, Mr. Zayn.”

“Do you?” Tobias shook his head in agitation, but his anger was directed at himself. “I’m dying, Detective. Lung cancer. It should have claimed me months ago. Hell, I wish it had so I hadn’t been alive to experience the loss of my granddaughter.”

Kinsley’s heart ached for the man.

“Is your health the reason you’ve been going into town more often lately, Mr. Zayn?”

“I don’t mean to make your job more difficult, but why is that any concern to you?”

“Your grandson was concerned that—”

Tobias muttered a few expletives.

“Gage thought I was gambling again, didn’t he?”

“Yes,” Kinsley answered honestly, discerning that there was no need to hide the truth. “Your grandson even expressed concern that someone might have taken things too far in their attempt at collecting your debt.”

“I learned my lesson a long time ago, Detective Aspen. I haven’t gone near a bookie in years, and it’s my mission to ensure this farm thrives after my passing.” Tobias grabbed the handle of his mug. “I just hope that I get a chance to explain everything to Gage. The thought of him dying while believing that I…”

Tobias shook his head to dispel such unwanted thoughts before zeroing in on his granddaughter’s murder.

“Did Hanson lawyer up? Is that the reason you haven’t been able to arrest him? He had three million reasons to want my granddaughter dead. It’s taking every ounce of willpower I have not to take my rifle and hunt that sonofabitch down.”

“If you took matters into your own hands, then you would leave your daughter and grandson with more loss.”

“I’m dying anyway.”

“Then do so with dignity,” Kinsley fired back. Tobias wasn’t the type of man who desired pity. He valued honesty above all else. “You concentrate on your grandson, Mr. Zayn. I’ll focus on investigating your granddaughter’s murder.”

“Louise tells me that you don’t believe the two crashes are connected, but I find that hard to believe,” Tobias said before finally taking a drink of his coffee. The steam had long since faded from both mugs. “Are you holding something back from us, Detective?”

“No, sir. As far as the evidence is concerned, Gage was driving too fast around the curve right before the covered bridge into Fallbrook.” Kinsley had read over the final report. “The pickup was in rough shape, and the brake pads were worn. Worn enough that they were almost metal on metal.”

“Gage was going to replace them himself. I could hear him coming from a mile away. I complained about it a few weeks ago. He said that Douglas was able to get him a discount at some garage in Fallbrook but hadn’t had time to pick them up.”

“Douglas?”

“I only met the man this weekend.” Tobias lifted one side of his mouth in contemplation. “Gage visits them a lot, and I’m not one to stand in the way of family. The man seems decent enough. Supportive of my daughter, and I guess that’s all I can ask for before I die.”

“You suggested that Sebastian killed Rachel over the life insurance policy,” Kinsley pointed out as she studied the man’s reaction. She wanted clarification on his previous statements. “Yet you believe the crash involving your grandson wasn’t an accident.”

“That’s a hell of a coincidence, then.” Tobias shook his head in disappointment. “If Gage’s brakes did fail, then it merely proves that we shouldn’t put off what is important. His ass wouldn’t be lying in a hospital bed with tubes coming out of his body otherwise.”

Tobias leaned forward and tapped his index finger firmly on the table.

“I changed my will three months ago instead of waiting until the last second. It could easily be me in that bed. It should be me in that bed.”

“You changed your will?” Kinsley understood the magnitude of such a decision, but she wasn’t so sure Tobias would agree with her. He was already dismissing her interest with a wave of his hand. “Mr. Zayn, did you leave the farm to your granddaughter and grandson?”

“There is nothing in my will that would have caused someone to want my Rachel dead. Nor Gage. My relationship with my daughter might be strained, but I made sure that all three of them had a hand in the pot.”

Kinsley was prevented from asking further questions when a quick rap came at the front door. Without waiting for Tobias, the guest turned the knob and entered the house.

“Mr. Z, do you need anything while I’m in—” J.J. Callahan brought himself up short at the sight of Kinsley in the kitchen. Though the farmhouse didn’t have an open layout, she was sitting in the chair closest to the doorway with a full view of the front door. “Oh, sorry. I didn’t mean to interrupt.”

Considering that Kinsley’s Jeep was parked out front, she didn’t buy J.J.’s excuse. The way the young man had been observing her and Gage speaking last week had piqued her interest, but she was even more confident now that he had something important to share with her.

“I’m driving into town for those supplies,” J.J. said once he had closed some distance to the doorway. He came just close enough to be in Tobias’ view all the while avoiding eye contact with Kinsley. “Do you need anything else, Mr. Z?”

“No, no,” Tobias muttered as he glanced toward the floor. It was as if he were running through a list in his mind. He eventually focused his gaze on J.J. “Take my truck. Keys are in the ignition.”

J.J. nodded his understanding before vacating the house. He closed the door quietly behind him, leaving Kinsley with a choice to make.

“Mr. Zayn, would you excuse me for a moment? I need to obtain a statement from J.J.” Kinsley stood, leaving her coffee on the table. “It’s just standard procedure.”

“Of course.” Tobias rose from his seat, as well. “I’ll use the time to call Louise and check in on Gage.”

Kinsley crossed through the living room and out the front door. She had worn her long thick sweater, leaving her blazer in the back seat of her Jeep. The cold gusts of wind blowing across the field were strong, and the sky was now a pitstop for charcoal clouds. The threat of rain had arrived, and she could only hope to keep the upcoming discussion brief and to the point.

“Mr. Callahan,” Kinsley called out right before he could open the driver’s side door of a black pickup truck. “Do you have a moment? I’d like to ask you a few questions.”

She closed the distance between them, taking notice of the dull paint covered with dust and mud. There had been no paint transfer in either Hanson crash. Whoever had run Rachel off the road had done so with expertise. Still, Tobias’ truck didn’t appear to have any dents or scratches consistent with forcing someone else off the road.

“What would you like to know?”

Kinsley had hoped J.J. would just spit out the information he so obviously wanted to share with her, but she suspected his reluctance had to do with loyalty. She started by being direct due to the undercurrent of anxiety in his posture.

“How well did you know Rachel Hanson?”

“Not well. I talked to her a few times here and there, but I mostly work with Gage. Besides, Rachel usually visits on the weekends. I’m not here on Sundays.”

“Usually?” Kinsley pressed, noticing his Adam’s apple shift as he swallowed hard. “You didn’t happen to see Rachel last Wednesday, did you?”

J.J. ran his hand down the front of his jacket. His gaze also swung to the farmhouse, as if he was second-guessing his decision to speak with her.

“Mr. Callahan, I’m doing my best to give Mr. Zayn closure. Not only has he lost a granddaughter, but there is a very good chance that his grandson doesn’t pull through.” Kinsley was mindful not to bring Tobias’ health into the conversation. “I can’t imagine the grief that Mr. Zayn is going through right now. If you have information that can help me, spit it out.”

“I saw Rachel driving through downtown on Wednesday night,” J.J. reluctantly admitted as he shoved his hands into the pockets of his jacket. “I had attended the church’s fish fry. I was standing in the parking lot talking with some friends when I saw her drive past. I want to go on record that while I thought she was headed here, she didn’t. I brought it up to Mr. Z, but he said I must have been mistaken. No one came out to the farm that night.”

“When did you bring this up to Mr. Zayn?”

“Thursday morning,” J.J. reluctantly admitted as he pushed his hands farther into his pockets. The front material of his jacket was strained against the weight, and his regret at being honest was noticeable. “I didn’t even know Rachel was killed until Friday morning.”

“And Gage?” Kinsley turned her head slightly when a gust of wind whipped around the truck. The chill was sharp, and she fought the chatter of her teeth. “Where was he on Wednesday night?”

“Leeds,” J.J. replied without hesitation. “He got back to the farm on Friday morning. I’m assuming Mr. Z called him about Rachel at some point, because Gage was upset when he drove up to the farm.”

Several scenarios raced through Kinsley's mind, and none of them were good. If Rachel had been in Halliday, why not call her brother-in-law to say she couldn’t meet him at the Plow? Was Tobias being truthful when he claimed Rachel never came by the farm that night?

“Mr. Z wouldn’t lie, Detective.” It was almost as if J.J. worshiped the ground Tobias walked on. “Besides, all you have to do is ask his daughter.”

“Louise? I was under the impression that the relationship between Mr. Zayn and his daughter was somewhat contentious,” Kinsley stated carefully so as not to cause J.J. to go silent on the subject. “Why would Louise be able to verify Rachel’s movements on Wednesday night?”

“Ms. Baird wasn’t that far behind Rachel.” J.J. must have finally realized that Kinsley hadn’t been aware of that fact. He backed up a step, but the truck didn’t allow him to go too far. “You talked to Ms. Baird, right? Didn’t she tell you all this?”

“What vehicle was Louise Baird driving that night?”

“Her blue Honda Accord.”

“What time did you witness Ms. Hanson and Ms. Baird driving through Halliday?”

“I guess it was around eight o’clock.”

“And where did you go after the fish fry?”

“Back to my house.” J.J. shrugged, not seemingly at all concerned with her question. “I have two roommates. We played video games until after midnight, but then I fell asleep on the couch. Woke up around four-thirty, took a shower, and then drove here.”

“Everything alright out here?” Tobias called out. Kinsley peered over her shoulder to find that he had walked out on the porch holding both cups of coffee. His frown conveyed his impatience. “Detective?”

“Thank you, J.J.” Kinsley smiled reassuringly at the young man. She reached into her pocket and pulled out her cell phone. She collected one of her business cards from the case and promptly handed it to him. “If you can think of anything else that might help the investigation, please give me a call.”

Kinsley didn’t wait for J.J. to get into Tobias’ truck. She turned around, mindful of the dirt and gravel of the driveway. The older dog lifted his head at her approach, but he remained in the grass.

“You can check with Ms. Baird, Detective.”

Kinsley raised a hand of acknowledgment at J.J., but she kept advancing toward the porch. She had several questions for Tobias. He monitored her progression, but she never once got the sense that he understood the significance of what J.J. had disclosed to her.

“Mr. Callahan witnessed Rachel and Louise driving through Halliday on Wednesday night,” Kinsley stated, not bothering to take a seat. “It was brought to your attention on Thursday morning, but you failed to mention it to me when we spoke on Friday. Why?”

“Rachel never came to the farm that night, so I assumed that J.J. was mistaken. He shares a house with roommates, and they tend to drink from time to time.” Tobias leaned forward in his rocking chair. “As for my daughter, J.J. never mentioned Louise.”

Tobias stood from his rocking chair, using the arms as leverage. Once he was steady, she realized her mistake. He was going to reach out to Louise before Kinsley could question her. There would be no stopping him.

Fortunately, Kinsley would be able to request footage from any city traffic cameras. If needed, she would then submit for warrants for specific storefronts dependent on what the traffic footage displayed of the two vehicles in question.

A shoe size of eleven and a half had been worn by the killer.

Was it possible that Louise had attempted to outsmart the police by wearing her fiancé’s shoes? Or had Louise Baird and Douglas Glynn murdered Rachel Hanson together?

“Mr. Zayn?” Kinsley’s voice stopped Tobias from entering his home. He turned, his lips compressed in frustration and impatience. “You recently changed your will. I’m asking you one more time—would any of those adjustments have been a motive for murder?”