Twilight at Blueberry Barrens (Sunset Cove #3)(56)

“I’d like for you to share with me what happened. Please start at the beginning and don’t leave anything out, even if you don’t think it’s important.” Gwen took out a sketch pad and began to doodle on it. “Can you first tell me what you remember of that day?”

“Of course.” Kate started with the first sight of the body, then the realization that there were two bodies.

“That had to have been traumatic.” Gwen reached across the table and touched Kate’s hand. “I’m sorry you had to go through that.”

“I don’t like thinking about it. I jumped into the water and tried to move to the cliff walls, but the sea is really strong right there. There’s no breakwater or anything. I swallowed water, and Claire yanked me out and wouldn’t let me go back in.”

“I didn’t know you jumped in,” Drake said.

She glanced at him. “I couldn’t help them though, so it really didn’t matter.”

Gwen frowned at him. “Please don’t interrupt. It’s important that we don’t stop the flow of her thoughts.” Her gaze landed on Kate again. “Everything matters. Even a tiny detail can lead to something else that you’ve forgotten. Let’s back up now. What did you have for breakfast that day?”

Kate thought back to that morning. “Claire came over early to get me. We’d been so busy with wedding preparations that we wanted to spend a day doing nothing but enjoying each other’s company.” She saw Gwen’s blank look. “She’s my sister.”

“Of course. Now, breakfast?”

“I had coffee on when she got there. I was going to have yogurt and granola, but Claire said she was starving and wanted bacon and eggs, so I made those for her and had some myself.” A tiny thrill went up her neck. At least she was remembering that day.

“You said you then left for a hike. What time would that have been?”

“About eight. I wanted to see the puffins coming in to feed their young.” She leaned forward. “They spend all night out on the water.”

Gwen smiled. “You sound passionate about puffins.”

“Oh, I am!” She was really starting to relax now. This wasn’t as hard as she’d imagined.

“What kind of day was it?”

“Beautiful! Sunny and warm with just a few clouds in the sky.”

“Who drove to the cliff?”

“I drove my little yellow Volkswagen.” Kate peered across the table at the picture Gwen was doodling. It was a sketch of her car.

“Where did you park?”

“At the top of the cliff. We hiked down so we could look up and see the puffins.”

“Now close your eyes and put yourself in the car. You’ve just parked it. Get out of the car.”

Kate obeyed and began to visualize that day. “I didn’t lock the car. We started hiking down the trail.”

“Were there any other cars around when you got there? Any hikers?”

She shook her head.

“What do you hear?”

Kate kept her eyes closed. “I can hear the puffins. And the sea. A truck rumbled by above us.”

“Can you see the truck?”

She nodded. “It was black, I think. Covered with mud.”

“How does it smell out there today?”

“I can smell the sea. And someone threw trash away. I picked it up and it smelled like stale French fries.”

“How do you feel?”

Kate smiled. “Good. I’m with Claire, and we’re about to find some puffins. I was really excited because no one knew puffins were nesting on those rocks.”

“Mentally look around. What do you see?”

“There were just a few puffins, but it was enough to let Kevin know we had nests. And I didn’t see anyone but the game warden.”

“You said you didn’t see anyone that day.”

“Sheriff, please!” Gwen’s voice was sharp. “Let me conduct this interview properly.” Her voice gentled. “Now, Kate, tell me about the game warden.”

Kate opened her eyes. “I forgot the game warden. We always see them when we’re out, so I didn’t think about it.” She drummed her fingers on the table. “He didn’t speak to us, and I didn’t get a good look at him because he was in the shadows in the tree line.”

“Do the game wardens usually speak?”

She glanced at the sheriff, who was listening intently. “Well, yes, I guess it was a little odd. They usually ask what you’re doing out there and are especially protective of the puffins. I thought maybe we’d get run off, but he turned away and moved into the woods. I didn’t realize until now how strange that was.”

Colton scowled and gave a sharp exhale. “You should have told me about this, Kate.” He jotted something in his notebook. “I’ll see who was on duty out that way.”

“Sheriff, please!” Gwen flipped her sketch pad to a new sheet. “You’re doing great, Kate. What was your impression of him?”

Kate tried to recall. “I didn’t see him well, like I said, but with the way he moved, he seemed younger than some, maybe thirty or so. I don’t know what color his hair was, but I’d guess he was close to six feet tall and thin, maybe 170. But it was just a vague impression. He was really more of a shadow.”