Читать книгу BORDER JUSTICE - Aubrey Smith - Страница 13

Sierra started the coffee machine and then went through the swinging doors into the kitchen. She shook, her knees were weak. She thought she might pass out. Randy dead, she thought. Murdered? No, it can’t be. Could I have killed him when I hit him? No, they said he was shot. Shot? But how?… Who? Why?

She leaned against the dishwasher and let the hot steam that seeped around the door draw her mind away. When she realized it was burning her arm, she jumped away and started to cry. She couldn’t help herself. She just broke down and sobbed. Ella, the fry cook, looked at her from the grill and then turned to watch the eggs frying. The back door flew open and Sandra came in.

“Sierra did you hear? Randy’s dead! Murdered near the park last night. I remember seeing you coming from that direction last night. You looked kind of messed up. Sierra did you kill him?”

“No, of course I didn’t kill Randy.” Sierra sat on a stool, stunned by her sister’s question. She wiped her eyes on her apron. “I didn’t even see Randy last night. I hope I never see him again. I mean I didn’t see him last night. Why would I?” Panic raced through Sierra’s body as she realized her fingerprints could be on that rock. “I can’t believe you could ask me a question like that.”

“All I know is that I saw you coming from that direction and you looked like you’d just been in a fight.”

Sierra looked up and both, Sandra and Ella, were staring at her. The door from the dining area opened and Tony came in. “What’s going on in here? Sierra are you all right?”

“I’m okay Papa, it’s just such a shock to find out that someone you know has been killed. Do they know who did it?”

“They don’t have any idea yet,” her dad answered. “Sierra everyone in town knows about your fight at school with Randy. That was already the talk of the town. I don’t know how you’ve gotten yourself into such a mess, but I’m afraid you’ve ripped your britches young lady. Even the Sheriff has heard about the fight and how you were expelled from school for hitting and kicking Randy. He said he’ll have to talk with you when he gets back from Rio City. As soon as the swearing-in ceremony is over, he’ll be back over here to talk with you.”

“What? You mean I’m a suspect?”

Pouring himself a cup of coffee, Tony thought before he answered, “Thank God, he’s our friend or I’m afraid you’d already be hauled over to the sheriff’s office to answer questions. Sierra… you are a suspect in the murder of that boy.”

“Papa, I swear I didn’t kill Randy. I’ve been mad at him for all those lies he’s been telling about me, but I would never kill anyone. Don’t you know that?” I can’t believe this, she thought. Even my own family thinks I shot Randy.

“You’d better go on home,” her dad said. “Sandra, you take her home and then come back and help me here. Sheriff Garza said he’d come to the house and talk with Sierra about one-thirty or two. I want to be there. You go on and take her home. I’ll call your mama and tell her what’s happening.” He turned to Sierra, “Do we need to call a lawyer?”

Sierra shook her head no and took off her apron. Everybody’s staring at me like I’m a murderer. Look at that Ella. Con su lengua Larga. She’ll have the chisme all over town before sundown. She followed Sandra out the back door and listened to her sister moan and complain how this was going to make the family look.

“We’ll be the talk of town. How embarrassing! How could you get us into this Sierra?” Sierra didn’t answer, but gave her sister her meanest look.

“Go on, make faces Sierra. That’s good, I’m sure that’ll impress the judge and the hangman when he slips the noose around your neck. You’re in a mess and too stupid to care. My sister the murderer.”