The Night Killer

line’ to arrest her.”
    “No, I don’t,” Conrad said. “You’ll find I have a lot of support here.” He nodded to several people. “I’m trying to find a killer, and this woman’s interfering. What she needs is a night or two in jail. You interfere and I’ll run you all in.”
    Frank walked toward him and the sheriff took out his gun and let it hang by his side.
    The minister came forward and stood between Frank and the sheriff. “Leland, what are you doing? A gun? On church property? This is God’s place, even out here. Look what you are doing to our church. Is this what it’s come to?”
    “It’s my job to keep the law, and I will as long as I’m sheriff. Now, the two of you just back off,” he said to the minister and Frank. He reholstered his gun.
    Diane laid a hand on Frank’s arm. “I’ll go with him.”
    Frank didn’t let go.
    “I need you out here,” she said.
    “I’ll follow in the car,” he whispered in her ear.
    “Sheriff,” said Frank, “you had better not let any harm come to her.”
    “Are you threatening me?” Conrad said.
    “Why, no,” said Frank. “No more than your people threatened the Watsons. Surely you see that.”
    The sheriff scowled at Frank. “I know you’re a peace officer, so I’m going to let that slide, out of professional courtesy.”
    “It is out of professional courtesy that I tell you—do not let a hair on her head come to harm,” said Frank.
    “It’s all right,” said Diane.
    “You and I need to have a long talk, missy,” the sheriff said.
    The sheriff put Diane’s hands behind her and put on the cuffs. He grabbed her arm and started to drag her off. Diane saw that even Maud and Earl looked a little startled. Sometimes it’s good to see consequences, Diane thought.
    “You need to talk with me also,” said Liam. He had stepped out of the crowd.
    The sheriff turned to look him up and down. “And why would that be? I don’t know you,” he said, but squinted his eyes, as if there were something familiar about him and perhaps they had met.
    “I was in the woods the night Dr. Fallon was there running for her life,” he said.
    The sheriff stopped and stared. “So, you that guy in the woods?” he said.
    “Yes,” said Liam.
    “Then I guess you need to come too,” he said. “What’s your name?”
    “Liam Dugal,” he said.
    “Where do I know that name?” Conrad said, unlocking one of Diane’s wrists and cuffing Liam to her.
    Andie looked from one to the other, alarm on her face.
    Before Liam answered, Izzy spoke up.
    “Is this what you do? Cuff people you want to talk to?” he said. “ ’Cause I can show you a better way of doing business.”
    “I don’t know who you are,” Conrad began.
    “Another peace officer,” said Izzy. “You know this isn’t right. You know that. It’s going to come back to haunt you. And all the bravado and righteousness you are feeling right now is going to feel silly later on, and you’ll wish you’d done things differently. Now why don’t you do yourself a favor and talk about this here? These people at this church are good hosts. I’m sure they won’t mind your using their fellowship hall to get your questions answered without taking them away in your car.”
    Diane was surprised. That was one of Izzy’s longer speeches. But it wouldn’t work. Izzy thought he was talking peace officer to peace officer. It sounded more like Izzy was sweet-talking a perp out of shooting hostages—at least, that was the way she’d bet the sheriff would take it. And he wouldn’t be talked down, or talked down to, in front of the people he felt he had authority over.
    Sheriff Conrad didn’t answer. He pulled Diane and Liam with him and pushed them into the backseat of his SUV, not bothering to hold their heads so they wouldn’t bump them getting in. Which was okay. The two of them ducked their heads down anyway.
    The backseat of the sheriff’s vehicle smelled like pine freshener and tobacco. The tan leather seat was slick with age and wear. Neither she nor Liam said anything. For the most part, Diane had a policy of not aggravating someone with a gun.
    Liam’s gaze, she noticed, roamed the interior. She wondered for a moment if he were planning an escape—which would be strange, since he put himself here. She wanted to ask him why, but didn’t speak. Liam was also silent. He did grasp her hand for a brief moment, squeezed, and let go. She realized he had revealed himself to the sheriff in