Chapter Four

Daniel paced in front of the desks of casenotes, scratching his chin. "Right, Sawyer start on that letter. I want everything transcribed before forensics has to take it."

"Sure, Boss. What about you?" Sawyer asked, pulling latex gloves on to begin examining the letter.

"I'm going to talk to Samantha. What time is it by the way?" He was continuing to glance between the files scattered across the table and the few they had posted up.

"It's about half one, Sir," Sawyer answered frowning as she noticed the watch on his wrist. "Your daughter has a half day?" Daniel nodded, picking up a few sheets of casenotes from the table. "I can go pick her up if you like?" Sawyer grinned, "You might get lost on your way to the school."

"Good idea, where is it?" Daniel mused.

"Up the street," She continued to grin, suppressing a chuckle.

"Fair point," Daniel conceded, smiling back at her. "Have you civs?"

"Huh?" Sawyer frowned back at him confused. Daniel made his way to the door.

"Civilian clothes, you're an acting Detective now. No need for a uniform, you know." He shut the door behind him without hearing Sawyer's answer. Andy strode through the wall to his left.

"What was that?!" Andy chuckled following Daniel down the hall to the interview room.

"What do you mean?" Daniel stopped dead in his tracks.

"You all flirty," Andy joked.

"I wasn't flirting, I was just being honest. She doesn't need to wear her uniform right now." Daniel began pushing open the door as Andy waltzed through the wall.

"Do you hear yourself? Phrasing!" she chuckled, filling the dour room with raucous laughter.

The short blonde girl twisted around in her chair as they entered the room. Samantha Keane, identical twin of Tyler, tossed her long straight blonde hair out of her face and stared over her dark framed glasses "Are you ready? Or should I just go home," Samantha quipped.

"I thought you were Tyler's sister, not Chris's" Daniel retorted, holding back a smile as he sat down opposite her. Samantha was certainly the more domineering of the twins. Unlike Tyler, who was a knot of emotion in his interview, Samantha appeared more irritated and impatient.

"Very funny," Samantha rolled her eyes, dropping the pen she had been tapping against the table. "Chris is an idiot. He looks intimidating sure, but you hardly fell for that, Detective."

"I wouldn't say he's an idiot," Daniel opened one of the casefiles he had brought with him. "Shall we get started? You seem like you have somewhere you want to be."

"I guess," Samantha shrugged sitting back in her chair. "You see Detective, someone murdered someone important to me and I don't have as much faith in you as my brother."

Daniel nodded, "Mmhmm, I can see from your file you've had a few run-ins with the police here." He flicked through the file casually. "Multiple counts of truancy throughout school, shoplifting, trespass, breaking and entering. Oh, and one instance of car theft."

"Hey," Samantha leant forwards and pointed aggressively at the file, "that shouldn't be there. I only borrowed it and they didn't press charges."

"Yes, you borrowed it. Is that because you crashed it? Or because it was your stepfather's car?" Daniel sat back in his chair, crossing his arms over his chest. Samantha glared back at him. Daniel smirked and met her glare. "What I'm trying to say here, Samantha, is that I have a lot more reason not to trust you given your track record. Not to mention being one of the last people to see the victim alive. You aren't looking very good, are you?"

"Pfft. Sure Detective, try and intimidate me all you like. I know Ty and Chris already told you their stories, so I know you know I have an alibi for her death," Samantha scoffed.

"She's cute when she's angry, don't you think?" Andy smirked from her seat on the end of the table. Daniel looked up at her quizzically. "You know, all fiery and—" Andy shook her head at his confusion, "Nevermind."

"Sorry Detective, am I boring you?!" Samantha snapped at him, a deep angry furrow on her brow.

"No, apologies. I got distracted," Daniel shook his head. He turned his seat in to face Samantha across the table, attempting to ignore Andy.

"By what?!" Samantha said looking around the room. "Great, the first guy was incompetent and now you're crazy. We'll definitely find the guy now!"

"Okay," Daniel sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "Firstly, there is no 'we'! Secondly, I'm not crazy, I'm a widow. Thirdly, wasn't your father part of the investigation team?"

"What's your point?"

"My point is, shouldn't you be helping me Samantha?"

"Come on, Sam. Don't be a dick," Andy said softly.

"Come on, Sam." Daniel echoed "Andy called you Sam, right?" Samantha nodded, the frown dissipating gradually. Daniel took a map of the townland from the file and spread it out on the table. "Help me help Andy, Sam. Okay look, I know here is Hodder's Wood." He pointed to it on the map. "I need to know where you guys were when you planned this and if there was anywhere else you lot went that night," Samantha eyed him for a moment. "If I need to I can call back in the boys, but I thought given your record you'd know the ins and outs of this place better."

"Nice try," Samantha smiled, a brief, kind smile in contrast to her anger "I get it. You're trying to show me some level of respect. Look I don't need you to try to butter me up. I'll help but you need to understand I don't expect much from the police and I'll do anything to find the guy who did this, for Andy."

"I don't want you to get hurt though, Sam." Andy reached out and touched a strand of Samantha's hair that had fallen loose against her cheek. "You're too reckless for this."

"I don't think Andy would want you putting yourself in danger, Sam," Daniel spoke softly, reminded of his own daughter who was only a few years younger than the difiant young woman infront of him. "I will promise that I'll do all I can to get who did this."

"Alright," Samantha nodded, her smile gone and tone cynical but forthcoming. "I'll show you on the map but I don't know how much more detail I can give to what the boys said."

"Everything helps," Daniel stated, taking out his own notebook.

Samantha began telling him her story of events, pointing out places on the map as they went along. "We started at the cafe opposite the library. There were a good few of us, maybe ten. All from school or Tommy's college and one or two were in soccer with him I think." Samantha took a deep breath, trying to recall more. "Once we decided on a few places Tommy could be we split up into groups," She pointed out the locations on the map. They all looked to be local camping or fishing spots from the map. Daniel nodded along, making note of the locations and key details.

"Samantha, do you remember the names of who the others were?" he quizzed.

"Erm some of them, I didn't really care about them. I could write them down for you," Samantha held up her pen and pointed to a loose clean piece of notepaper, jutting out of the file. Daniel passed it to her.

"That would be very helpful, thank you. Is there anything special about that cafe or was it just close by?" Daniel pressed.

"We usually go there. Tommy's sister, well half-sister, works there. So we get a discount when she's on shift and she lets us stay as late as we like." Samantha had relaxed back in her chair after finishing writing down the list of names for Daniel.

"Does she have a name?"

"Yeah. Evelyn. I think she gave us all free coffee that night." Samantha tucked the loose hair back behind her ear.

"She was there? With her brother missing, she was at work?" Daniel frowned, pausing to circle that note several times.

"Yeah!" exclaimed Samantha, "I thought it was weird too, but she said she needed the distraction. Look, if that's everything Detective, Ty and Chris mentioned something about a good cup of tea," She winked at him.

"Sure thing," Daniel rolled his eyes while gathering up the map and the casenotes. "I'll ask the sergeant to come in to you. Can you give her your number so I can contact you if we need anything else?"

"That depends," Samantha grinned up at him, "Is she cute?" Daniel paused for a moment and sighed before heading straight out the door.

"I'm kidding, Detective!" Samantha called after him. But Daniel could barely hear her over Andy's roaring laughter as she followed him down the hall.

"You should see your face, Lawman" she sputtered between guffaws. "You've gone bright red!"

Daniel ignored her, pushing open the door to the briefing room. "Sawyer?" he called over to her at the desk where she sat engrossed in the letter. The blackboard behind her had the alphabet written out with corresponding numbers underneath. A over one, B over two and so on. Sawyer looked up at him, a pen between her teeth. "Shir?" Sawyer answered and took the pen from her mouth, "Are you alright, Sir?"

"Yes, why?" Daniel dropped the file of casenotes back on the desk.

"Erm you're all red, Sir."

"I told you!" Andy laughed loudly from in front of the pinboard.

"I'm fine," Daniel sighed, pulling a chair up for himself. "Will you bring Miss Keane a cup of tea and get her contact information before sending her home?"

"Of course, Sir" Sawyer affirmed, heading for the door. "You might show him what we were working on, would you?" she called back. Daniel looked up, unsure of who Sawyer was talking to. A hand came down on his right shoulder and he jumped.

"Hi, Dad," Jaimie smiled down at him, stifling a laugh.

"Jaysus Jaimie! Why are you like a ghost?" Daniel said, clutching his heart in mock terror.

"I'm not a ghost, dad," Jaimie said, plonking herself down in the seat next to him.

"Thank god for that," he said, kissing her on the forehead.

"Well done Detective, she seems like a nice kid," Andy nodded approvingly at Jaimie. Who looked right back at her.

"Thanks. But I'm not a kid," Jaimie smiled. Daniel stood up, shocked.

"Wait a second," Andy stepped back from the table "You can see me?!"