The Night Killer

database on marbles. I happen to have collected marbles at one time in my life, and I maintain an interest. And please, I’ve heard every joke, multiple times.”
    David turned to Diane. “From the description, it may be a confetti mica marble. If it’s what I’m thinking of, it could be about a hundred and fifty years old.”
    “Wow,” said Jin. “How much would it be worth?”
    “Somewhere between five and ten thousand dollars,” David said.

Chapter 36
    “Do you think that’s what the killer was after?” asked Mike. His frown showed skepticism. The ice clinked in his glass as he finished his iced tea and set the glass down on the table.
    “Marbles?” said Neva. “That’s awful. Oh please, don’t let me ever be murdered for my marbles.”
    “That would mean that whoever killed them knew what was in the box and the value of it,” said Jin. “Maybe the Barres didn’t even know they had something valuable.”
    “And there’re the Watsons,” said David. “Did they have something valuable in their home that was spotted by the killer? We’re still missing something—a lot of somethings.”
    That was the whole problem, thought Diane. She simply couldn’t find a motive that fit all the victims. The only one that made sense for both the Barres and the Watsons was their joint desire for land development, allowing for more progress in the county. That seemed a very weak motive—but people had been murdered for lesser reasons.
    The waitress came with their meals and they settled into discussing Neva and Mike’s recent trip to Africa. It left Diane anxious to see all the photographs they took. It also left her wanting to drop the entire murder case. She would have, if she thought the authorities in Rendell County were up to the task.

    Diane was awakened by Frank shaking her shoulder. She looked at the clock. It was early and he was already dressed.
    “You have to go to work already?” she mumbled.
    “Ben called,” he said.
    “I didn’t hear the phone.” She managed to get to a sitting position.
    Frank sat on the edge of the bed and smoothed her hair out of her eyes.
    “He called my cell,” he said. “They picked up Tammy and Slick just outside Rosewood. The GBI is having Ben and me do the interview here in Rosewood. Want to watch?”
    Diane jumped out of bed. “Yes. Definitely.” Finally, the promise of some closure.

    Diane had never seen Frank interview a suspect. This was going to be interesting on many counts. She stood in the observation room between GBI agent Gil Mathews and Chief Garnett. Gil Mathews was a friend of Frank’s. Diane had heard Frank speak of him many times. Gil was a tall, thin man with silver hair and nice clothes. Chief Garnett, a snappy dresser himself, was watching because he was interested in any case that Diane was involved in.
    They had Slick in a separate room away from Tammy. Ben said he and Frank liked to keep the weaker witness waiting. He said by the time you got around to interviewing them, they often were more than willing to talk.
    In the interview room Tammy Taylor was sitting on a chair at a metal table with her arms folded across her chest.
    “You got that skinny bitch watching?” She shot a finger at the two-way mirror.
    Agent Mathews and Chief Garnett both looked at Diane and smiled.
    “She doesn’t like you, does she?” said Mathews.
    “Apparently not,” said Diane.
    Tammy had signed the waiver saying she understood her rights and knew the interview was being recorded. She appeared confident and relaxed.
    “Would you like something to drink?” said Ben.
    “So I’ll fill up my bladder and admit to anything just to get to go pee? No, thank you. I’m just fine. Let’s get this over with so I can get out of here. It wouldn’t work anyway. I’d just as soon sit in my own piss as to let you thugs get by with that kind of abuse,” she said.
    Frank was sitting in a chair a few feet away from the table with his legs crossed and arms folded. He had a briefcase at his feet. Ben sat closer to the table with both feet flat on the floor, leaning forward with his elbows on his knees. Both looked comfortable and amused.
    “Miss Taylor,” said Ben, “we have no desire to have you uncomfortable. If you need to visit the ladies’ room at any time, you only need to let us know and we’ll have that nice policewoman escort you.”
    “Let’s just get this over with,” she said.
    “Do you know why you’re here?” asked Ben.
    “It has