Firebreak (Josie Gray Mysteries #4)(57)
“When was the last time you were at Billy’s house?” Josie asked.
He slowly turned around and tilted his head as if he’d not heard her correctly. “What did you say?”
Josie repeated her question.
He laughed, wide-eyed and openmouthed, looking at his band members like he couldn’t believe the question. Tim looked toward the door as if he was considering leaving.
“I told you.” Mick said each word distinctly.
“Look, Mick. I get you’re upset about your band not getting your big break, but being a smart-ass isn’t going to help anybody. Two men are dead. One man was murdered, the other committed suicide. I’m going to ask as many questions as I need in order to find out who killed Ferris Sinclair and why Billy decided he needed to end his life.”
She had their attention. All three band members looked shocked, presumably at the news about Ferris.
“What do you mean who killed Ferris?” Mick asked.
“Ferris Sinclair was found murdered in Billy’s home.”
“What the hell?” Mick said, barely whispering the words.
“Now, please answer the question. When was the last time you were at Billy’s house?” she said.
Mick’s glare softened somewhat and the fists at his sides unclenched. He took a deep breath and blew it out slowly before continuing. “Vicki and I delivered a couch there a while back.”
“Give me a month.”
He sighed as if frustrated with the question. “I don’t know. February, maybe March.”
“So, not too long ago. Were the Nixes home when you delivered the couch?”
He looked surprised. “I don’t remember. We deliver stuff all the time, all over the place.”
“Think back to that day when you took the couch inside. Was Billy there to greet you, tell you where to put it?”
“No, I don’t guess so. They just left the door unlocked for us.”
“Did you look around?”
“What kind of question is that?”
Josie noticed the other two band members staring intently at Mick, waiting for his answer.
“No! We just dropped the couch off.”
“You’re sure? Because Vicki might remember it differently.”
“What the hell are you getting at?”
“Did you look around the living room? Maybe look at the pictures on the wall, open up some boxes sitting on the end tables, check things out.”
Mick evidently considered what Vicki might have to say, because his expression changed. He smiled, ready to laugh it off now. “Come on. You can’t help looking at somebody’s pictures hanging on the wall. That’s what they hang ’em up for. It’s not like I went room-to-room snooping through the house though.”
“Did you open any boxes? Open any drawers in the living room? Look around the house?”
He shrugged, made a face like, Yeah, no big deal.
“Did you find anything?”
“What the hell’s that supposed to mean?”
“Did you find anything troubling? A gun or something that would make you worry about the Nixes? Maybe something in the living room that made you worry about things they’re into?”
He gave her a look like he had no idea what she was talking about. “No. We were there like five minutes. You’re making this into something more than it was. We delivered a couch. That’s it.”
“Have you been back since?”
He hesitated. “What, me? No. Why would I need to?”
Josie turned to Tim. “How well did you know Ferris Sinclair?” she asked.
Tim watched Josie pick up the plastic chair that Mick had kicked across the room and drag it over to the small area where he and Craig sat. She took a seat and stared at Tim until he answered.
“Ferris has been around…” He paused and seemed to consider his answer. “Maybe a year or so. He was always hanging out up front by the bands.”
“You ever hear any rumors about him?”
“Like what?” he asked.
“I don’t know. You tell me. What did people say about him?” Josie asked.
He narrowed his eyes and looked uncomfortable with the question. “This is a police investigation, right? So I don’t know about giving you rumors. Who knows if any of it’s true?”
“You tell me what you heard about Ferris, and I’ll check into it. I won’t hold it against you if turns out to be bogus.” She smiled and he seemed to relax somewhat.
“The rumor was that Billy and Ferris had a thing going on.”
“As in an affair?”
He made a face and laughed. “I don’t know if that’s the word I’d use.”
“You mean they had a sexual relationship?”
He nodded. “That’s what I heard, but like I said, who knows.”
“Did Brenda know about it?”
“I don’t think so.”
She looked at Craig to get his reaction. Craig had lost his heavy-lidded doper expression and seemed highly engaged in the conversation now.
“The whole thing was weird,” Craig said. “Billy was this massive guy, but he had this little ferret following him around. That’s what everybody called him. Telling Billy how great he was all the time.” Craig smiled. “One Saturday night after Billy and the Outlaws played I was sitting up at the bar. Brenda happened to be standing there ordering a drink when Billy and the ferret came up to the bar. The ferret pats Billy on the back and tells him he was brilliant.” Craig laughed. “Brilliant? Even if he was brilliant, you don’t call some hard-ass guy that.”