Page 16 of Forever Dead
“Ten fifteen, maybe. Ten thirty. I was locking the shed before bed.”
“What made you notice them?”
“Cars don’t go up there much that late,” Deacon said. “Miss Marsh wasn’t one for visitors at night.”
“What did you see?” Connor asked.
“Car at the bottom of her drive.”
“What kind?”
“Couldn’t tell from here.”
“Could you see anything like the color of the car?” Connor asked.
“Dark. Maybe black. But hell, everything looks black around here at night.”
“Did it drive up to the house?”
Deacon shifted his weight. “I saw the lights move. Didn’t stand there watching.”
“How far did it go?” Connor asked.
“Couldn’t say. Trees block part of the drive from here.”
“Did you see anybody get out?”
“No.”
“Hear anything?”
“No,” Deacon said.
“Engine? Shouting? Breaking glass?”
“Nothing.”
The dog barked again behind him. Deacon looked toward the side of the house, then back at Connor.
“Why?” he asked. “What happened?”
Connor ignored the question for the moment. “You get on with Miss Marsh?”
“Sure.”
“Sure?” Connor asked.
“Yeah. Fine.”
His answer came quickly this time.
Connor studied him. “Any problems between you?”
“No.”
“Land issue? Fence line? Access road? Livestock getting onto her property? I know how it is out here.”
“No,” Deacon said.
