Page 15 of Haunted By Sin
The man who greeted her through the screen door was not Daniel Callaghan. His driver’s license and social media pictures depicted blue eyes, a rather flat nose, and a square jaw with an unkempt beard. The male subject standing before her had slightly wavy brown hair, matching eyes, and angular features. He also wore a designer watch that probably cost more than Daniel Callaghan’s annual salary.
"My name is Brooklyn Sloane." She already had her credentials in hand, so she held up the identification for him to view. He appeared more interested in her sidearm, which had become visible as she held up her hand. “I’m with S&E Investigations, and we are consulting with the FBI on a murder investigation. I was hoping to speak with Daniel Callaghan. Is he here right now?”
By this time, the man had used one hand to open the door and keep it that way for her to enter. She didn’t appreciate that he remained in place, making it necessary for her to brush past him with mere inches separating their bodies.
"Dan is upstairs packing for his flight home. I’m a friend of his—Cav Buckley.” Cav held out his hand before holding hers longer than necessary. Brook didn’t break eye contact. “Did you say that you’re investigating a murder?”
“Murders,” Brook corrected as she took time to study the layout of the lake house. Oddly enough, the walls were painted a deep charcoal. The dark décor included a smattering of antique furnishings, a leather couch with matching chairs, and mahogany bookshelves positioned on either side of the river-rock fireplace. The masculine interior catered toward fishermen and hunters. “Would you please let Mr. Callaghan know that I’m here?”
“Sure, sure,” Cav replied with a crooked smile. He gestured toward the sitting area in the living room. She advanced toward the couch, keeping her credentials in hand. “You said you’re with the FBI?”
Brook turned back to face him, though she had not technically ever taken her attention off him. There was something about his interest in her and the case that made her uneasy.
“My firm and I are consulting with the Bureau on an investigation,” Brook reiterated as she remained standing in front of the couch. “I’d rather not say anything more until I speak with Mr. Callaghan.”
“Of course,” Cav stated casually as he turned his head. “Dan! You have a visitor!”
Cav’s voice echoed around the room, and Brook was certain that Daniel had heard his friend. A subtle tension settled over the room. She wasn’t about to give Cav the attention that he so desired at the moment. There was a suitcase near the bookcase, but she didn’t believe the piece of luggage belonged to Cav Buckley. No one who wore such an expensive watch would own cheap luggage.
The sound of footsteps could be heard descending the staircase.
“Did they find my sunglasses?” Dan called out before his loafers hit the main level. His eyes narrowed when he correctly sensed that her visit had nothing to do with lost sunglasses. “Sorry. I thought one of the renters along the lake found my sunglasses. How can I help you?”
“Brooklyn Sloane,” Cav introduced, apparently staying for the upcoming conversation. He had widened his stance and even crossed his arms. “She’s working with the FBI on some murder investigation.”
“Murder?” Dan’s eyebrows raised with disbelief. “Why do you want to speak with me?”
“You had dinner and some drinks at the Crestlake Bar & Grill last weekend,” Brook stated as she studied Daniel Callaghan. He had crossed the room and motioned for her to take a seat on the couch. She accepted the invitation after tucking her credentials into the side pocket of her purse. “I was hoping you could walk me through the evening.”
Cav, who had been watching the exchange from a respectful distance, finally made his way over. Seeing as Brook had taken the first cushion of the couch, she had done so while making sure there was very little space between her knees and the coffee table. She had also placed her purse on the middle cushion.
“Dan,” Cav said with a laugh. “What the hell did you do?”
“Nothing,” Daniel replied defensively, leaning forward to rest his elbows on his knees. He opened his hands, palms facing Brook, while he attempted to explain himself. “I was drunk—more than I should have been. Look, Ms. Sloane, there is no excuse for my behavior last Saturday night. I was eventually escorted to the parking lot where a driver brought me back here. I walked to the pier the next morning and picked up my rental car. That’s all. I didn’t hurt anyone, and I certainly didn’t kill anyone.”
“Trust me, Dan has trouble gutting a fish,” Cav spoke up as he walked over to stand next to his friend. Cav even patted Dan’s shoulder in support, although it was clear to Brook that Dan didn’t appreciate the character analysis. “I have to ask…is this about Mary Jane Reynolds? We were all talking about her video earlier this week. It’s crazy that three women named Mary Jane Reynolds were murdered across the state of Michigan. Was the one who posted the video killed? Is that why you’re here?”
“The Mary Jane Reynolds who posted the video is alive and well, but she was the one you interacted with last Saturday, Mr. Callaghan.” Brook had spoken directly to Daniel. She came very close to requesting Cav Buckley leave the room. One, she didn’t appreciate his repeated attempts to insert himself into the conversation. Second, she genuinely didn’t care for his demeanor. “You should know upfront that you are not a suspect. We’re aware that you have been working in Detroit on a contracted job through your company for the past six months.”
“You could have led with that,” Dan replied with a sigh of relief as he leaned back in his chair. He smoothed down the sides of his beard, though nothing was going to tame the mangy hairs. “Why are you here then? If you know that I had nothing to do with the murders, why seek me out?”
“Did you notice anyone paying special attention to Miss Reynolds last Saturday night?” Brook had intentionally not led with the information Bit had given her earlier this morning regarding Dan’s alibis. In times of stress, she found that a person’s coping mechanism often led them to divulge details that they may not have remembered otherwise. “Maybe someone at the bar? On one of the boats?”
“I had a lot to drink that night,” Dan admitted once more as if he relied on that excuse a lot. “Look, I’m going through a real nasty divorce and—”
“That’s an understatement,” Cav interjected before inadvertently handing her more information about his life. “I’m his divorce attorney. You should see the list of demands that—”
“Were you drunk when you arrived at the pier?” Brook asked Dan, never taking her gaze off him. “I’m assuming you didn’t start drinking until you sat at a table. Something about Miss Reynolds caught your attention, though.”
“Well, she and her boyfriend didn’t seem too happy.” Dan appeared hesitant to give up such information, but when Brook didn’t alter her expression, he relaxed enough to continue. “The guy was at the bar most of the night.”
“That guy is Miss Reynolds’ fiancé. Would you mind clarifying exactly what took place between them?”
“Only you would hit on a woman about to get married,” Cav said with another short laugh. “And one in the crosshairs of a killer to boot. You take home the prize this time around, Dan.”
“About halfway through my dinner, the two of them started arguing about how much she was drinking,” Dan responded, ignoring his friend. “She got mad, they exchanged words, and the guy walked over to the bar. He sat on a stool most of the night while she enjoyed time with her friends.”
“How many people were at the table?” Brook inquired with curiosity. She made a mental note to speak with Mary Four later in the day. There was a good chance that someone in her group of friends had taken notice of someone suspicious hanging around for the past couple of weeks. “Three? Four?”