City of the Lost (Casey Duncan #1)(88)
“I called Rockton a hellhole,” she continues. “That’s not exactly true. Hell is out there, all around us. Hell and unspeakable savagery, and Sheriff Dalton embraces it. He lets people go on excursions. He refuses to hunt down and exterminate those savages. The council listens to him. We could have a paradise here, Casey. An unspoiled Eden. But he will not allow it.”
She leans forward. “He embraces that forest because it is a reflection of his own soul. Dark and twisted and savage. If you want to know who murdered Abbygail and the others, I say look to that forest, to the monsters out there. If you honestly believe it was someone inside this town, then yes, perhaps you should look at the savage in our own midst: Eric Dalton.”
As I leave Val’s, I try to weigh the information she gave me against her own experiences and prejudices. I know she’s wrong about Dalton. Wrong in many ways. But there are kernels of truth in what she says, and I need to pick them from the raw and ugly mass of her own hate and fear.
“Casey?”
Mick is jogging toward me. It’s the first time I’ve seen him more than in passing since I found Abbygail’s remains. When I ask how he’s doing, he shrugs and says, “Managing. Like I said, I was certain Abby was dead. I guess there was still hope, though …” He shifts his weight and then straightens. “Isabel insists on going rock climbing with me this afternoon. She absolutely hates it, and I’m trying to talk her out of it, but she’s determined to cheer me up.” He manages a wry smile. “At the very least, I’ll admit it’s amusing seeing her try to scale a rock face.”
“I’d ask for photos if we had cameras.”
His smile grows more genuine. “There is a Polaroid for special occasions. Maybe I’ll take it along. Anyway, I came to find you because I have something. Remember how I said someone left raspberries for Abby? Someone I suspected had also followed her?”
“Pierre Lang.”
He shakes his head. “Not Lang. I liked him for it, because the way he looked at Abby made my gut burn. As if he was attracted to her but didn’t want to be. You know what I mean?”
Given Lang’s history, I know exactly what he means.
He continues. “But I could never connect him to the damned berries. Now I have a better suspect. Someone who should have gone on that list but, well, he was gone by the time I gave it to you, so I didn’t see the point. Which probably explains why, on the job, I was never going to make detective. My brain doesn’t work that way.”
“Is it Powys?”
“Hastings. He made a few moves in Abby’s direction. Sleazy-uncle stuff. You know: Here, little girl, let me help you with that, huh-huh. Abby just thought he was a creep. She said she could handle it, and he never made an actual pass at her, so I let it slide. But after we found her … Well, I started thinking I should have given you Hastings’s name. He was alive when she disappeared. So I did a little detective work of my own. He went on a raspberry-picking excursion and bribed Rodrigues—the guy in charge—to let him keep a pint. You can ask Rodrigues.”
“I will. Thank you. Oh, and while I have you here, can I ask something completely unrelated?”
He manages a smile. “I would be very happy to talk about anything unrelated.”
“I know. Thanks. It’s about Eric. It’s kind of personal, but, well, you worked with him, and you know him, and … It’s about his, uh, dating habits.”
Mick had tensed when I said “personal.” But now he relaxes with a chuckle.
“If you’re asking if he’s seeing anyone, the answer is no.”
“But he does … date, right?”
“You mean one-nighters? Not in Rockton. Too many complications now that he’s sheriff.”
“When you say ‘not in Rockton’ …”
“I don’t pry into his personal business, but obviously I don’t want you to get the idea he doesn’t date or doesn’t date women, because I think you should go for it. You’d be good for him. So from what I understand, he has one-nighters when he’s down south. Here, though? According to Isabel, it’s been years since he had a relationship.”
“It went bad?”
“You mean did he get his heart broken? Nah. It was just a casual thing that was less casual to her. She wanted him to go down south when her term was up. He refused. Iz says it got kind of ugly, and kind of public. I don’t blame him for taking a break and getting whatever he needs off-campus, if you know what I mean.”
“I do. Thanks.”
Two
I avoid Dalton for the rest of the day. I need to process everything I’ve heard and continue investigating and draw conclusions, and I cannot do that with the man himself in front of me, because if he is, I’ll dismiss it all.
Steering clear of him is tougher when I’m back at the station, and every time I duck his notice, I can see his radar honing in on me. As soon as my shift ends, I take off. Bad headache. See you in the morning.
On the way home, Diana hails me and I don’t brush her off. This business with Dalton has me off balance, feeling uncomfortable in a place I’d embraced only days ago. Diana is my link to my other life, and right now I need that. She’s thrilled to see me and seems to sense I need her, because she insists on me staying for dinner.