Page 91 of Lost Lake
“But why?”
El smiled, but it was forced. “This visit is more of a formality. The charity’s name has come up in one of our investigations, and we just need to cover our bases.”
“Oh.” He exhaled, his thin chest sagging even more. “I was worried it had something to do with one of the children.”
“Rest assured, it doesn’t,” El said. “Please give us an overview of this place and the charity.”
“It’s all really straightforward. Jonas Trent…do you know who he is?”
El and Gabe both nodded.
“You may not know he adopted two boys from here. That was when he learned we were really struggling financially and might have to close. So, he and his wife started a charity for helping children in need, but the main purpose was to designate the money for Safe Harbor.”
“Who decides where the money goes?” Gabe asked.
“The board of directors, but Trent is the chairman, and they pretty much do what he suggests.”
The perfect situation for a perfect storm, and Gabe was beginning to think they should be looking at Trent, not Tinsley. “I don’t suppose Safe Harbor has any income other than money from the charity.”
“That’s correct.”
“Tell me about how these funds are funneled to you,” El said.
“Simple, really. We receive quarterly checks from New Tide’s accountant.”
“The accountant’s name?” El sat with her pen poised over her notepad.
He tapped his finger on the desk a few times, then shook his head. “What difference does it make if I give it to you? You’ll find out, anyway. His name is Patrick Sloan.”
“Phone number?” El asked.
Tinsley looked at his phone and gave her the digits.
She wrote them down and looked back at him. “Address?”
“I don’t know exactly what it is, but he works out of the New Tide office across the parking lot.”
“Who handles the money on this end?” she asked.
“Our bookkeeper. Her office is down the hall, but she only works part-time and isn’t here until tomorrow.” He took a long breath. Let it out slowly. “So, this is about our finances?”
“Leave no stones unturned and all of that.” El smiled in a way that would relax an innocent interviewee, but Tinsley tensed. “About audits. How often are they done, and by whom?”
“We’ve had one. I’m not exactly sure who did it, but Jonas Trent hired an outside accounting firm and he interfaced with the auditors. I think it was maybe a year and a half ago. I can get out my records if you’d like, but I have a very busy day and would like to move on. What else can I answer?”
“You had an admin volunteer named Kenna James. Did you know her?”
“Had? Did?” He batted his eyes, and his face held either the best innocent look an actor could create or he was honestly surprised. “Did something happen to her?”
“You haven’t heard? She was murdered,” El said as plainly as if she were telling him Kenna went on vacation.
He startled. “Who would want to kill such a lovely young woman?”
“That’s what we aim to find out,” Gabe said, his tone more insistent, to try to get this guy to quit stalling and answer the question.
“But you think it had something to do with our place?” He snapped the back of his chair forward and rested his hands on the desk. “Is that why you’re here?”
“If you know she was a lovely young woman, it sounds like you knew her pretty well,” Gabe said. “Did you work in close contact with her?”
