Cold Hunter's Moon (29 page)
Read Cold Hunter's Moon Online
Authors: K. C. Greenlief
NOVEMBER 29âSWENSON
Lark and Lacey took a break and ran over to the Big Oak Diner for a sandwich with Joel. Despite their large breakfast, they were both famished. Lark asked George to call and see if he could get Cathy Lowery or the Waltners in for early evening interviews. In the middle of their lunch, George let them know that Cathy Lowery would be in at four-thirty and Sara Waltner at six.
The weather was striving to fulfill the worst of the weather forecasts. Multitudes of huge, fluffy snowflakes rained down on them as they left the diner. Windshields on cars parked along the street, clear for most of the day, already had an inch of snow accumulation. Lark cussed and swore as they slipped and slid to the station.
Joel went off to set up interviews with Sandi Waltner and Katey Lowery for the next day while Lark took care of some local issues. The county already had both patrol cars out on fender-bender calls. Worried that he would need all the officers the county could muster, he called the Ransons, letting John know that he was pulling the guard off since they
had a suspect in custody. When John asked for details, Lark told him about Lonnie's arrest.
had a suspect in custody. When John asked for details, Lark told him about Lonnie's arrest.
Lacey and Cathy Lowery were settled in the interview room by the time Lark got there. Cathy greeted him cordially, volunteering that she would do anything to help solve the murders. Lark began by asking Cathy about her father. She informed him that after Pete's latest incident, they had decided to hire twenty-four-hour live-in help for him, their last-ditch effort before placing him somewhere since he refused to live with her and Gus.
Lark studied her while she talked about her father and realized that her daughter had gotten her blonde good looks from her mother. Cathy, in her midfifties, was a stunning woman. Her blond hair ended just above her jaw line and her sapphire blue eyes sparkled. She had a few crow's feet and smile lines but she didn't look like an average fifty-year-old.
Finally, they got down to business. Lark walked her through the times Gemma and Terry had stayed with them. Cathy had a very good memory, augmented by a set of date books she pulled out of her purse. She didn't have anything new to offer. When Lark asked her about Katey's friends, she named Sandi Waltner, stating they had been inseparable since kindergarten. When he asked her for the names of Katey's boyfriends, she grew reticent.
“Katey's never dated much,” she said, glancing over at Lacey. “She's always run around with a group of girl and boy friends, but there hasn't been anyone serious that I know of.”
“Are you concerned about that?” Lark asked her.
She hesitated for a few seconds. “No.”
“Really?” Lark replied and let the silence do its job.
“Why are you so concerned about who my daughter dates?”
“We think she may have dated Gemma and Terry,” Lark said, watching her face.
Cathy smiled wistfully. “I can't say I haven't wondered, but Katey and I have never talked about this. Gus also wonders why she doesn't date. but we've both left it alone.”
“If your daughter is gay, will it cause problems for you?” he asked, noting her calmness.
“Being a lesbian is not the life I'd choose for my daughter, but then it's not my choice, is it?” she said, giving him a hard stare. “It won't cause problems for us. Does she know you're talking to me about this?”
“No, not yet.”
“The only thing I'm concerned about is that someone has killed two of Katey's friends. I've been worried sick that she could be next.” Cathy's voice shook and her eyes began to swim. “Gus and I begged her to stay in Bessemer until the killer is found, but she was adamant that she needed to get back to school to finish the semester. Should we hire private protection for her?” She glanced back and forth between Lark and Lacey as two big tears slid down her cheeks.
“I can't tell you what to do,” Lark said, handing her the box of tissues. “Both girls were murdered up here, not in Madison, so she should be as OK as you can be on a campus that size.”
Lark changed the subject to find out where Cathy was when the two murders occurred. She checked her calendar for 1997 and confirmed that she was in Chicago shopping during the time frame for both murders, volunteering the details of where she stayed in Chicago. As Cathy got up to leave, she said she would be in town for two more days before returning to Bessemer.
Lacey left the room to get a head start typing her notes. She was printing them when Sara Waltner walked in, stomping snow off her boots.
“Whew, it's a mess out there. I almost called to set up another time,” she said, taking off her coat and shaking snow off her fur-lined hood.
Even in jeans and a University of Wisconsin sweatshirt, Sara was gorgeous. Lacey marveled at her smooth, flawless complexion. She knew that Sara had a twenty-four-year-old son, but she swore Sara looked thirty. While Lacey watched her fluff out her shoulder-length hair, she wondered who Sara's plastic surgeon was. Sara turned around and smiled, her huge brown eyes looking Lacey up and down. It was one of the few times in Lacey's life when she felt frumpy. As she stared back, looking critically at Sara's minimal number of smile lines and crow's feet, she didn't feel one bit guilty about thinking evil plastic-surgeon thoughts.
“Do you have any fresh coffee?” Sara asked, breaking eye contact to look around the station.
“There's coffee in the back,” Lacey said, walking past her. “How do you take it?”
“Black,” Sara called after her.
When Lacey got back she found Lark, Cathy, and Sara talking about
everyone's favorite topic, the weather. Cathy already had her coat on and looked like she was anxious to leave. She took the opportunity to go when Lacey joined them. Lacey handed the cup to Sara as she watched her flirt with Lark. Even more irritating was watching Lark return the favor. After a few minutes of listening to them banter back and forth, Lacey had had enough and headed into the interrogation room. She had just settled into her chair when Lark and Sara came through the door, laughing. Sara seated herself in the chair furthest away from Lacey and kept all of her attention on Lark, who sat down in the chair across from her.
everyone's favorite topic, the weather. Cathy already had her coat on and looked like she was anxious to leave. She took the opportunity to go when Lacey joined them. Lacey handed the cup to Sara as she watched her flirt with Lark. Even more irritating was watching Lark return the favor. After a few minutes of listening to them banter back and forth, Lacey had had enough and headed into the interrogation room. She had just settled into her chair when Lark and Sara came through the door, laughing. Sara seated herself in the chair furthest away from Lacey and kept all of her attention on Lark, who sat down in the chair across from her.
“I hate to do this to you, but we have to ask you some questions about the murders of Gemma Patterson and Terry Foltz,” he said.
“I understand.” She gave him a radiant smile. “This is so tragic. I can't believe those two young women are dead. Sandi and Katey were both very close to them. Such a waste.”
“Can you tell us the names of any other people Katey and Sandi ran around with? Anyone they dated?”
“The girls were usually together when they were up here, kind of a girls' weekend,” Sara said. “Sandi has been dating Dave Banski for a while, and before that she dated a few young men from Madison.”
“Can you tell us their names?”
She glanced over at Lark, a bemused expression on her face. “I'm afraid I can't remember any of them. It really doesn't matter,” she said with a wave of her hand. “There wasn't anybody serious until David.”
Lacey's pen bore down so hard on the notebook, she thought she might rip the page as she watched Sara flirt. The word “bitch” echoed over and over in her head, startling her with its vehemence.
“Everyone tells us that Katey and Sandi are inseparable,” Lark said.
“They've known each other since first grade or kindergarten. They were best friends from the moment they met.”
“Do you recall any of the young men Katey dated?”
Sara glanced over at Lacey and then back at Lark with a quick smile. “No. Cathy would be a better source for that. I can barely keep up with my own kids, let alone someone else's.”
“So, as close as the girls were, they never double-dated?” Lacey interrupted, bringing a curious glance from Lark.
“Oh, they went to proms with some of the local boys, but it was never anything serious,” she replied to Lark, ignoring Lacey.
“Any local boys in particular that we should talk to?” Lark asked.
“None that I can recall.”
“I'm sorry to keep pressing on this issue, but we've gotten some information that Katey may have been dating Gemma and Terry. Do you know anything about that?”
“Nothing at all,” Sara muttered, breaking eye contact.
“Does that surprise you?” Lark asked.
“It's none of my business. Talk with Cathy and Gus about that,” Sara said staring down at the table.
Lark leaned in towards her. “We've gotten some information that Sandi might have been dating Katey or one of the other girls.”
“Dating a woman?” Sara said, her voice rising as she glared at Lark. “That's ridiculous.”
“We've heardâ”
“I don't give a shit what you've heard. My daughter is not gay!” she said, her voice rising in anger. “She's engaged to Dave Banski. Tell me, how could that happen if she's gay?”
“I didn't say your daughter was gay. We've gotten some information suggesting the possibility and we're trying to confirm or deny it.”
“You've got your answer,” Sara snapped. “My daughter is not gay. She's engaged. She would never be gay. She knows it's not the way we are meant to be. You'd better not bring this up when you talk with Steve. He'll go ballistic.”
“When will he be back?” Lark asked taking his lead from Sara.
“He's in Atlanta on a buying trip. He'll be back on Saturday afternoon.” Sara took a sip of her coffee and grimaced at the sour taste. She shot Lacey a look of distaste.
Lark asked Sara where she was during the time of the murders. Calming down, she told them that she was in Minneapolis, shopping. She gave them the name of the hotel she stayed in. Lark escorted her out of the room and helped her with her coat.
Sara had just turned towards the door when Lark called out to her. “Hang on a second. I almost forgot to ask you about this car we found.”
Sara whirled around, a hint of irritation on her face. “What?”
“A few days after the second murder, we found a car at Grezetski's Market that was stolen from Lippert Motors in Wausau,” Lark said, walking over to her. “Your maiden name was Lippert, right?”
“Yes.”
“Any relation to the Lipperts who own Lippert Motors in Wausau and Eau Claire?” he asked, his eyes riveted on her face.
“My dad and my brothers.”
“There was another stolen car left here a few years ago from Lippert Motors in Eau Claire. It was found the same week that Gemma was murdered. It seems like such a coincidence that you're a Lippert and two stolen cars from Lippert's were found where you and your family live. To top it off, we find two dead bodies the same week we find the two stolen cars.”
“Lippert Motors is one of the largest dealerships in Wisconsin, and the weeks those girls were killed is one of the busiest in Mason County. Someone probably stole a car to get up here to hunt or to get home for Thanksgiving,” she said, her face emotionless.
“Do you or your family have keys to the dealerships?” Lark asked.
“What a strange question. Are you accusing us of stealing those cars?” she asked.
“I'm just trying to unravel these coincidences,” Lark said.
“Well, I can assure you that no one in my family needs to steal a car. If we needed a car when we were in Eau Claire or Wausau, we could just call up my family and ask. They'd be more than happy to loan us one.” She slid the sleeve of her coat back to glance at her watch. “Anything else, Sheriff? I've got errands to run.”
“No, that'll do it.”
“Sweet mother of God,” Lacey said once the door closed behind Sara. “That was almost like watching a split personality. One minute, she's trying to flirt your pants off and the next minute she's sounding like she could cut your balls off.”
“I wonder if her alibi will hold up.”
“You think she killed those girls?”
“She couldn't have gotten them out into the marsh alone. She doesn't look that strong.”
“She keeps in shape,” Lacey said. “She might surprise you.”
“Let's check these alibis so we know what to do next.” Lark glanced at his watch, shocked to find it was 7:30 P.M.
Since their appointments with Sandi and Katey were scheduled for the next day, Joel joined Lark and Lacey to check alibis. It took an hour to run down hotel managers and have them check their computerized
records, but eventually both Cathy Lowery's and Sara's Waltner's stories checked out.
records, but eventually both Cathy Lowery's and Sara's Waltner's stories checked out.
Cathy had driven to Chicago and stayed at the Ritz Carlton at Water Tower Place both times. Her bill showed daily parking-garage charges and room-service meals each day for both of her stays. From the looks of her bill, it was impossible that she could have driven back and forth between Chicago and Big Oak for the killings. Lark made a note to check airline lists on the date in question to assure that she hadn't flown back and forth. He asked Joel to check out the other airports to assure that she hadn't chartered a plane.
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