Tags:
History,
Mystery,
Mystery Fiction,
civil war,
mystery novel,
final revile,
final revely,
amanda flowers,
final tap,
tapping,
syrup,
maple syrup,
living history,
final reveille
need to talk to Mr. Elliot alone.â
âIâd like Kelsey to stay,â Gavin said.
Detective Brandon stepped to the side as if she wanted to have a clear view of both of us. âMr. Elliot, we can talk about it here alone, or we can talk about it down at the station in a tiny windowless room. You have a right to legal counsel, of course. Ms. Cambridge does not fill in for that.â
I rolled my eyes and was glad that my son wasnât there to see it. âDetective, please donât make this more uncomfortable than it has to be. If Gavin wants me here, let me stay. Heâs going to tell me everything that happened after you leave anyway.â
Gavin nodded. âI will.â
âFine. I donât have all day.â The detective focused on Gavin. âIs it true that you threatened to kill Dr. Conrad Beeson?â
âWhâ?â I began.
Gavin stared at the top of his work boots. âI did, and I was sorry I said it the moment it came out of my mouth.â
The corner of Detective Brandonâs mouth turned up. I wouldnât call it even the beginning of a smile. It was more like a twitch, a small indication that she had her prey in her sights. âAnd why did you threaten him?â
âI wouldnât hurt him.â Gavin braced his hand on the rickety table for support. It wobbled but held. âYou have to believe that.â
âYou threatened him. I donât have to âbelieveâ anything.â
Gavinâs shoulders drooped. âIâm not proud of that.â
She inclined her head. âSo please answer my question.â
âI said it because Conrad stole from my family. I was angry, and it just came out. I didnât really mean it. I regretted it the moment the words left my mouth.â
âIf you were angry enough to wish someone dead, maybe you were angry enough to carry out that threat.â
Gavin looked from the detective to me. âConrad is dead?â
We both nodded.
His face paled. âPoor Corrie.â
âWhoâs Corrie?â The detectiveâs voice was sharp.
âConradâs daughter.â
The detective nodded. âIâll need to talk to her too.â
Gavinâs brow creased. âCorrie would never hurt her father. They didnât have the worldâs best relationship, but I know she would never do that.â
âI need to talk to her because she is probably the next of kin.â Detective Brandon studied Gavin. âAre you implying that she might have reason to want her father dead?â
The color drained from Gavinâs face. âNâno.â
She arched an eyebrow. âDo you know Corrie well?â
He blushed. âWell enough.â
So Gavin knew not only Dr. Beeson, but also his daughter, and this was the first time I was hearing about it? Why hadnât he mentioned all this when Iâd told the staff that Iâd hired Beeson to take over the tree tapping class?
I could almost hear the police detective tuck this latest information into the back of her brain. âSo tell me,â she said. âWhat were the circumstances in which you made your threat?â
Gavinâs Adamâs apple bobbed up and down as he swallowed. âI was at a Sap and Spile meeting, and we had a disagreement.â
Both the detective and I blinked at him. âA what?â I asked.
He sighed. âA Sap and Spile meeting.â Then he blushed. âItâs sort of a maple sugaring club. We meet twice a week during February and March in the shelter house in the park.â
âWhat was your disagreement about? You said he stole something. What was it?â the detective asked.
âHe stole sugaring rights from my family.â
âSugaring rights?â
Gavin sighed. âMy family has been harvesting the maple sugar in the park for generations. My ancestors built the sugarhouse there. Beeson ignored all that history and stole those sugaring