Page 112 of Homecoming

Dan extended a hand to the man he guessed to be in his mid-twenties. He was medium height with brown hair and eyes. “Dan Torrington.”

“Um, yes, I know. Ah, I’m Elias Young.”

“I was wondering if there’s somewhere we can talk.”

“Um, sure, we can use the conference room. Let me just get my stuff.”

Dan stepped back to give him some room and noticed that all eyes in the newsroom were trained on him. He gave a little wave to the others.

“Right this way,” Elias said. “Can I get you anything? I think we have some water in the kitchen. There might be some coffee left, too.”

“I’m fine, thanks.”

Elias closed the door to the conference room and set up across from Dan with a notebook, pen and digital recorder. “Do you mind if I record this?”

“Knock yourself out.”

“Okay… so what’s this about?”

“I wanted to bring you up to speed on what we’re learning about the case.”

While Elias took furious notes, Dan told him about Keith having dated Tanya during the previous summer, how she’d texted to let him know she’d be in town for the weekend and that they’d planned to meet up at the Barnacle. While they were together, she shared with Keith how her ex-boyfriend wasn’t going away and feared for a second that she’d seen him in the crowd inside the bar. She asked him to walk her out of downtown because she was afraid of running into him.

“If she was afraid, why do you suppose she didn’t accept the ride home the Ballard brothers supposedly offered her?”

“I honestly don’t know that. I can only assume she didn’t want Keith taking her to her parents’ home for some reason. Maybe because of the fight with the future sister-in-law over him earlier?”

“It seems like an odd choice.”

“To me as well, but the one thing I can assure you and your readers is that Keith and Kirby Ballard had nothing to do with her murder. In fact, I’m shocked they were charged based on the evidence I’ve seen thus far. There’s no way the AG has a case they can take to trial.”

“I’m allowed to quote you on all this?”

“I wish you would, and as soon as possible.”

That gave him pause. “Are you using me to stick it to the cops?”

Yes,Dan wanted to say, but instead, he said, “Not at all. I thought you’d be interested in an update on the case, but if you’re not, I can take it to another outlet.”

“That won’t be necessary.”

“How soon can you publish a story?”

“Later today online.”

“I’ll look forward to reading it. Call me if you have any additional questions.” He got up to leave and then stopped to look back at the reporter. “I’ve told you how their eyewitness is locked in litigation with Ballard Boat Works and the Ballard family. Have you looked into how he was fired for failing drug tests and is suing them.”

“I’m working on that.”

“Have a great rest of your day.”

“You do the same.”

“Oh, I will.”

Dan texted Walter as he left the offices, satisfied that he’d begun to sow the reasonable doubt that would soon exonerate his brothers-in-law and clear them of any involvement in Tanya’s murder.

He asked Walter to take him back to Bar Harbor to meet with his clients.

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