One Grave Too Many

to go to California. He said he knows somebody that could get us on as movie extras. You know, people in a crowd. That would be fun.”
    “Star,” said Frank. “Can you tell us anything about Jay’s friends?”
    She turned her head away and stared out the window at the night sky.
    Diane took her hand. “Star, we need your help, if you can give it. We want very much to find the person who did this to your family.”
    Star shifted her gaze to Diane. “You don’t believe I did it?”
    “No.”
    “Why?”
    “Frank believes you, and I trust his judgment—and you aren’t tall enough.”
    Frank jerked his head around to Diane. Star’s eyes grew round. “Not tall enough? What’s that supposed to mean?”
    “The person who shot your brother was taller than either you or Dean.”
    “How do you know?” asked Star.
    “The trajectory of the bullet. It was from a taller person, and you couldn’t have been standing uphill, because there isn’t a rise in the vicinity where Jay was shot.”
    “If you know that, why don’t the police?” asked Star.
    “Because right now, they don’t want to, and they will no doubt try to explain away the discrepancy. However, it’s there. Star, I can’t give you any words of comfort about the loss of your family. It’s a terrible thing that’s happened to you, but you can get though it and have a life. It’ll be slow progress and hard, but you have to keep your sights on the things you loved about them, not their deaths.”
    Star looked away again, but Diane took her chin and turned her face back.
    “Frank’s right—we’ll find out who did this. And even if you have to go to trial before we discover the real killer, you won’t be convicted. The detective made too many mistakes. She allowed the crime scene to be compromised and she’s overlooked important information. All they have is the fact that you took your mother’s gun a year ago and you had some coins in your possession, and that can be explained.”
    “They were mine. You know that, don’t you, Uncle Frank?”
    Frank nodded. “Your parents were holding them for your education. But yes, they were yours.”
    Star’s face brightened. “They don’t really have anything, do they? I mean, the coins are mine and I took them weeks ago. Crystal’s lying about me like she always does. The gun too. Mom and Dad took the gun back a year ago and they locked it up.”
    “No, they don’t have anything. But we need to ask you a few questions so we can help you. Will you answer them?”
    Star nodded.
    “Star,” said Frank. “We need to know why Jay was out that night. Do you know any friends he may have been meeting?”
    Star frowned. “I don’t understand him being out either. He didn’t do things like that. He was mad at me because, since I was always the one in trouble, the burden was on him to be good. None of his friends that I know of would have been out either. But . . .”
    “But what?” asked Frank.
    “Jay liked to hang around older boys. He was really impressed by them. I mean, what kid isn’t? He may have friends that none of us knew about. I just don’t know. He was in the Scouts, he went to school, to church, and played soccer. His friends were in those places.”
    “Jay never confided in you about who he liked to hang around with?” prodded Frank.
    “I wasn’t around much lately to confide in. He liked to hunt and go camping. That kind of thing. Maybe his friends will talk to you.”
    “If you think of anything, let me know,” said Frank.
    A disembodied voice announced the end of visiting hours. Frank kissed Star on the cheek, and he and Diane left.
    “You didn’t mention before about the height of the perp,” said Frank.
    “It just dawned on me. I guess I’m slipping. I remember seeing the trajectory information on the autopsy report, and the lay of the land around the body suddenly dawned on me. Neither Star nor Dean is tall enough to have fired the shot that killed Jay.”
    They left the hospital and Frank drove Diane back to her car at the museum. As she moved to open the door to get out, Frank leaned over and kissed her. “Let me take you to dinner tomorrow evening. They’ll be taking Star back to the jail. And, well, both of us need a break.”
    “That sounds good. Let’s wait and see how things go at the pit tomorrow. Maybe we can order in a pizza and watch TV or something.”
    He kissed her again. “That sounds good too—maybe better.”
    Diane got in her car and